♦ U.S. News & World Report

Springdale Jr-Sr High School was awarded a Silver Medal and ranked 45th out of 752 high schools in the U.S. News & World Report's Best High School's in Pennsylvania.  The group ranked 22,000 schools across the nation and awarded Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals based on state proficiency standards, how well schools prepare students for college, and other factors.

♦ Pittsburgh Business Times' Honor Roll

Allegheny Valley School District rose 11 places in the annual Pittsburgh Business Times' Honor Roll ranking of 104 Southwestern Pennsylvania school districts.  Rankings are based on PSSA scores for the past three years, with the most curent year's scores weighted the greatest.

♦ 2011 Keystone Achievement Awards -

All schools in the Allegheny Valley School District were honored with Keystone Achievement Awards for demonstrating sustained academic achievement over two school years.  The Awards are given to public schools that achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years.  AYP is determined, in part, by a school's performance on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), the standardized test given annually to students in grades 3-8 and 11.   
- 2,075 schools received Keystone Awards for 2010-11.
- 1,833 schools have received a Keystone Award for two consecutive years.
- 937 schools have received a Keystone Award every year since the program began in 2003.
- 457 school districts, representing 91 percent of Pennsylvania's districts, received at least one Keystone Achievement Award in 2011.

♦ Colfax Upper Elementary School's Title I Program Honored -

Colfax Upper Elementary School was honored as a Distinguished Title I school.  Ninety-four schools in Pennsylvania have been given this award based on the following criteria:
- The school made AYP two or more consecutive years
- The school is among the list of the tope 25 performers in REading or Math, based on the percentage of students scoring ADvanced and Proficient in the all students category of the 2010-2011 PSSA
- Students tested in one or more measured subgroups in teh 2010-11 PSSA meet performance criteria
Colfax had an actual qualification of 34.5% increase between 2010 and 2011 Reading Assessments in the IEP subgroup.

Staff members from Colfax Upper Elementary School were invited to the Pennsylvania Association Federal Program Coordinators "Improving School Performance Conference" to accept the award and complete a presentation on how the school has improved its assessment scores.

♦ District Highlighted -

The Allegheny Valley School District was highlighted by Optoma Projectors in Case Study: Optoma Projectors Enhance Education at Springdale High.  The article highlights the infusion of projectors and other technology into District classrooms. To read the article, click here.

♦ STEAM Grant Awardee -

The Allegheny Valley School District was awarded over $30,000 in various grants throughout the school year.  One of the largest, the esteemed Grabel Foundation STEAM Grant, was accepted for $8,300.  STEAM grants are awarded to projects that demonstrate excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics.  The grant proposal was for a ‘Vehicle Velocity Tournament’ that exemplified all the grant initiatives.  Grade four students will learn the scientific concepts and real world applications of Newton’s First, Second, and Third Laws of Motion.  Students will begin their exploration with NASA engineers, physicists, and educational specialists.  Then they will employ these laws to design and construct vehicles using recycled and reused material.

♦ Keystone Achievement Awards -

The following Allegheny Valley Schools have earned the 2010 Keystone Achievement Award for making AYP (Academic Yearly Progress) two consecutive years: Acmetonia Primary School, Colfax Upper Elementary School, and Springdale Jr-Sr High School.

♦ School of Excellence in Technology -

The Allegheny Valley School District was selected as a 2010 PSBA School of Excellence in Technology.  Five districts across the state were selected for the honor for showing that their use of technology is in alignment with the District's educational goals, is supported at the District level, has shown evidence of improved student achievement, demonstrates long-term commitment by the School Board and Community, and has a positive impact on instructional practices, administrative operations, and increased parental involvement and/or community support.  Allegheny Valley will be highlighted throughout the year in PSBA publications and at their annual convention in October.