Strath Haven High School
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Strath Haven High School (also abbreviated as SHHS) is a four-year public high school in
Wallingford Wallingford may refer to: People Surname * Darcy Wallingford (fl. 1980s), Canadian swimmer * Jesse Wallingford (1872–1944), British sport shooter and New Zealand army officer * Sidney Wallingford (1898–1978), British-born aviator and New Zeal ...
, Delaware County,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
, enrolling about 1,200 students. SHHS is the only high school in the
Wallingford-Swarthmore School District Wallingford-Swarthmore School District is a midsized, suburban public school district in south-eastern Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It serves the boroughs of Swarthmore, Rose Valley and Rutledge, and the township of ...
. The school exhibits particular excellence in its special education program, connections to
Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the e ...
and technical schools, and strong music and football programs. As of 2020, the current principal is Greg Hilden.


History

Strath Haven High School is the product of a 1983 merger between the former
Swarthmore High School Swarthmore High School was a four-year public high school in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania serving the Boroughs of Swarthmore and Rutledge. History Swarthmore established its independent school district when Swarthmore Borough was incorporated in 1 ...
and Nether Providence High School. In 1971, Pennsylvania state officials had determined that Wallingford and Nether Providence school districts had too small enrollments to maintain an independent existence. By 1980, enrollment in Swarthmore High school had dropped to the point that maintaining separate middle and high schools was no longer feasible. Because it had smaller enrollment, the district closed Swarthmore High over bitter and acrimonious public protest. (Many parents, opposed to the decision, attempted to form Swarthmore School, a
private high school A private school or independent school is a school A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of ...
on the former Swarthmore campus.) To mollify those opposed, the district officially closed Nether Providence High School as well, and created an entirely new school on the former Nether Providence campus, named after Strath Haven manor on the
Thomas Leiper Estate The Thomas Leiper Estate, also known as Avondale, is an historic, American estate that is located in Wallingford in Nether Providence Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. ...
. In 2005, the
School District of Philadelphia The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) is the school district that includes all school district-operated State schools, public schools in Philadelphia. Established in 1818, it is the largest school district in Pennsylvania and the eighth-lar ...
selected then-principal Albert Bichner as Superintendent of High Schools. In response, the school promoted assistant principal Mary Jo Yannacone, who remained principal until June 2018, when she became Assistant Superintendent for Springfield School District. The school was then temporarily led by Andrea LaPira until the selection of Greg Hilden in 2020.


Overview

The typical graduating class is approximately 300 persons. Former principal Al Bichner organized Strath Haven along the theme of the "Five A's", meaning academics, arts, athletics, altruism, and activities. An oft-cited "Five A's" figure is that around 80% of Strath Haven High School students participate in
athletics Athletics may refer to: Sports * Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking ** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport * Athletics (physical culture), competitio ...
,
music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...
, the
arts The arts or creative arts are a vast range of human practices involving creativity, creative expression, storytelling, and cultural participation. The arts encompass diverse and plural modes of thought, deeds, and existence in an extensive ...
, and a host of extracurricular
clubs Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Club (magazine), ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands a ...
. All students are required to complete four years of study in major subject areas, but also have limited freedom to select "elective" classes. Strath Haven provides guidance counselors to assist in course selection and college and career planning. A full-time psychologist and communications specialist are the core of a Student Assistance Program providing help to students at risk.


Football

The school competes in the twelve-team PIAA
Central League The or , also known as the for sponsorship reasons, is one of the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League i ...
, winning 10 times between 1996 and 2010. Between 1983 and 2022, the Strath Haven football team achieved an overall record of 280–145. The football team performed especially well in 1999 and 2000. The team won state championships in those years, led by Mark Jones, a former punt returner for the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
, and Dan Connor, an All-American linebacker for
Penn State #Redirect Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with ca ...
who went on to be drafted by the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
and spent six seasons in the
NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
.


Marching band

Under previous director Jack Hontz, Strath Haven's marching band grew to become the largest band in Pennsylvania and the second largest in the nation. In an average year, the band enrolled about 400 members, or one out of every three students. Since Hontz's death in 2017, Strath Haven's marching band has been directed by Nicholas Pignataro.


Visual arts

A comprehensive visual arts program at Strath Haven includes introductory and advanced level courses in drawing and painting, graphic design, ceramics, and photography and video. The visual arts department was recognized as an Outstanding Visual Arts Community by the Pennsylvania Art Education Association in 2022.


Student publications

Strath Haven publishes ''Jabberwocky,'' a student-produced literary magazine. The magazine, which is published once a year, includes artwork, poems, short stories, drawings and photographs. The 240-page ''Haven Yearbook'' is produced by a club staff that meets weekly. The yearbook is delivered annually in the fall. Newspaper club members publish ''The Panther Press'' student newspaper in print monthly or bimonthly, with more regular updates posted on the websit
shpantherpress.com
The newspaper and yearbook staffs have been recognized with state and national awards, including Keystone Press Awards, National Student Media Awards, the National Federation of Press Women, and the National Scholastic Press Association.


Nontraditional education

Special education Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual di ...
programs are available for students with special needs. Strath Haven High School is known in the area for its high-quality assistance for hearing-impaired and students with disabilities. The high school has a limited affiliation with
Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the e ...
. Exceptional students at the high school can — with the permission of Swarthmore professors — attend classes at the college for high school credit. Similar partnerships with Delaware County-area
technical schools A vocational school (alternatively known as a trade school, or technical school), is a type of educational institution, which, depending on the country, may refer to either secondary or post-secondary education designed to provide vocational ...
also allow students to train in electrical wiring, machining, auto repair, and other similar vocational skills. Students enrolled in
technical school A vocational school (alternatively known as a trade school, or technical school), is a type of educational institution, which, depending on the country, may refer to either secondary or post-secondary education designed to provide vocationa ...
programs spend one-half day at Strath Haven taking a required core curriculum, and one-half day at the technical high school.


College preparation / Measured performance

The school is accredited by the
Middle States Association The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, also referred to as the Middle States Association or MSA, is an accreditor in the United States. Historically, it has accredited schools in the Mid-Atlantic states region of the northeast ...
and was awarded the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the
Department of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
in 1985 and 2002. Strath Haven students typically perform well on standardized tests and other measures of secondary school achievement. Typically, about 15 students (5%) are
National Merit Scholars The National Merit Scholarship Program is a United States academic scholarship competition for recognition and university scholarships. The program is managed by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a privately funded not-for-profit ...
; the Strath Haven mean SAT score exceeds the national mean by approximately 80–100 points in each category. Likewise, mean ACT scores exceed the national mean by 5–9 points per category.


Other

On April 2, 2008,
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
held a
town hall meeting Town hall meetings, also referred to as town halls or town hall forums, are a way for local and national politicians to meet with their constituents either to hear from them on topics of interest or to discuss specific upcoming legislation or ...
and Question and Answer session in the Strath Haven High School gymnasium. Later, on November 2, 2008,
Senator John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and naval officer who represented the state of Arizona in Congress for over 35 years, first as a Representative from 1983 to 1987, and then as a U ...
held a "Road to Victory Rally" in the school's gymnasium. Senator McCain gave a speech, as did Senator Joe Lieberman, and Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge.


Notable alumni

*
Allie Wilson Allie Wilson (born March 31, 1996) is an American middle-distance runner specializing in the 800 metres. She was the 2024 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winner in the 800 m. Her first major breakthrough came in 2018 during her third y ...
(class of 2014), American middle-distance runner *
Jacob Hoyle Jacob Hoyle (born April 15, 1994) is an American épée fencer. He competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics. Hoyle was born in New York City to Charlie and Suzy Hoyle, and is Jewish.
(class of 2012), Olympic fencer *
Cory Wade Cory Nathaniel Wade (born May 28, 1983) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. Amateur career Wade attended Broad Ripple High School. Wa ...
(class of 2008), model * Steven Johnson (class of 2006), former NFL player * Dan Connor (class of 2004), former NFL player * Anna Eilinsfeld (class of 2004), actor *
Bree Lowdermilk Bree Lowdermilk (formerly Brian Lowdermilk) is an American musical theater composer and lyricist. Biography In addition to writing music and lyrics, Lowdermilk is also a music director, arranger, vocal coach, and pianist. They are an alumnus of ...
(class of 2001), composer * Mark Jones (class of 1999), former NFL player * Peter Luzak (class of 1996), former US international soccer player * Lamar Campbell (class of 1994), former NFL player * Isaac Jones (class of 1994), former NFL player * Steve Simeone (class of 1991), comedian *
Andrew Ervin Andrew Ervin (born 1971) is an American writer whose debut 2010 novella collection ''Extraordinary Renditions'' (Coffee House Press) was selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the Best Books of 2010. His 2015 debut novel ''Burning Down George Or ...
(class of 1989), author * Bradley S. Jewitt (class of 1988), former politician * Jay Clayton (class of 1984), former SEC chair


References


External links


Official site
{{authority control Public high schools in Pennsylvania Educational institutions established in 1984 Schools in Delaware County, Pennsylvania 1984 establishments in Pennsylvania