G. A. R. Memorial Junior/Senior High School

G.A.R. Memorial Junior Senior High School
"Sons of the Blue and Gray"
Address
250 South Grant Street Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, 18702 United States
Coordinates	41°14′02″N 75°52′59″W / 41.234°N 75.883°WCoordinates: 41°14′02″N 75°52′59″W / 41.234°N 75.883°W
Information
Type	Junior-Senior High School
Established	1925
School district	Wilkes-Barre Area School District
President	Teresa C. McGuire
Principal	Colleen Robatin
Staff	85
Grades	7-12
Number of students	1200
Color(s)	Blue and Gray
Mascot	Grenadiers
Website	School website

G.A.R. Memorial Junior/Senior High School (commonly known throughout the area simply as 'G.A.R.') is located on 250 South Grant Street, in Wilkes-Barre, located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States.

G.A.R. is both a junior and senior public high school, offering education to 1134 students in grades 7–12. Part of the Wilkes-Barre Area School District, G.A.R. has three full-time administrators and 85 full-time educators. The student to teacher ratio is approximately 20-30 students per teacher. About 87% of G.A.R. graduates go on to further their education at a post-secondary institution. It was named for the Grand Army of the Republic.^[1]

History

The school was built in 1925 after construction started in 1921, four years earlier. In 1978, the school district decided to make extensions to the school; this construction was completed in October 1979. The extension included a new cafeteria, gym, chorus room, and band room. The original cafeteria was demolished and turned into the faculty parking, the Girls Gym was changed into the Library and Girls Gym changing room was remodeled into the Home Ec rooms, the Boys Gym was remodeled into the Tech Ed room, the Boys Gym changing room was changed into the Woodshop room, and the chorus and band rooms were bricked off.

In 2005, an addition was made to the school, the weight room, where all students and faculty are allowed to work out from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday.

In 2013, the school installed a new turf field in front of the building, replacing the old turf which was worn and damaged after years of use.

Graduation

In 2010, the school's graduation rate was 97%. In 2009, it was reported as 93%.^[2]

Academic achievement

In 2010, the school declined to Corrective Action I AYP status due to chronic low student achievement. Additionally, the students had significant negative growth in academic achievement, in 2010.^[3] In 2009 the school was in School Improvement II AYP status ^[4] In both years, parents were notified by the school's administration, that they had the right to transfer their child to another school in the district, as required by the federal No Child Left Behind law.

In December 2010, G A R Memorial Junior Senior High School was identified as a Tier II chronically, low achieving school by the PDE.^[5] In December 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education identified G A R Memorial Junior Senior High School as a Tier III chronically, low achieving school in its application for the federal School Improvement Grant.^[6] A Tier II school, that is included in their district’s application for School Improve Grant funds must implement one of four “school improvement” models. Districts were not required to apply for SIG funds.

Eleventh grade

11th Grade Reading

• 2010 - 49% on grade level (28% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[7]
• 2009 - 52% (26% below basic), State - 65% ^[8]
• 2008 - 55% (27% below basic), State - 65% ^[9]
• 2007 - 53% (23% below basic), State - 65% ^[10]

11th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 57%, on grade level (22% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[11]
• 2009 - 50% (33% below basic). State - 56%.
• 2008 - 48% (28% below basic), State - 56%
• 2007 - 55% (19% below basic), State - 53%

11th Grade Science:

• 2010 - 18% on grade level (27% below basic). State - 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 30% (21% below basic). State - 40%^[8]
• 2008 - 22% (17% below basic), State - 39%

Eighth grade

8th Grade Reading

• 2010 - 63% on grade level (17% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 81% of 8th graders on grade level.
• 2009 - 69% (18% below basic), State - 80%
• 2008 - 63% (22% below basic), State - 78% ^[12]
• 2007 - 61% (16% below basic), State - 75%

8th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 44% on grade level (26% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 75% of 8th graders are on grade level.^[13]
• 2009 - 53% (19% below basic), State - 71% ^[14]
• 2008 - 57% (28% below basic), State - 70%
• 2007 - 71% (7% below basic), State - 68%

8th Grade Science:

• 2010 - 24% on grade level (48% below basic). State - 57% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 40% (36% below basic), State - 55% ^[15]
• 2008 - 33% (37% below basic), State - 52% ^[16]

Seventh grade

7th Grade Reading

• 2010 - 56% on grade level (17% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 73% of 7th graders on grade level.
• 2009 - 45% (24% below basic), State - 71%
• 2008 - 44% (23% below basic), State - 70%
• 2007 - 50% (22% below basic), State - 67%

7th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 49% on grade level (21% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 77% of 7th graders are on grade level.
• 2009 - 60% (17% below basic), State - 75%
• 2008 - 53% (16% below basic), State - 71%
• 2007 - 62% (12% below basic), State - 67%

Awards

In December 2007, G.A.R. received a 'bronze' placing in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2006 “Best High Schools” list, which is given to schools that exceed expectations for less-advantaged students.^[17]

Academic courses

G.A.R. offers the following courses:

Sciences Biology I (9+) Biology II (11+) Chemistry I (10+) Chemistry II (11+) Earth and Space Sciences (9+) General Science (7&8) Physics I (11+) Physics II† (12) (†)Available only through distance learning Math General Math (7+) Pre-algebra (8+) Algebra I (9+) Geometry (10+) Algebra II (11+) Trigonometry/Algebra III (11+) Statistics (11+) Calculus (12) A.P. Calculus † (12) † by recommendation only English Each grade level has an English course available in General, College Prep, and Advanced. Selection for these classes relies on previous grades, teacher recommendations, or both. Languages German I-IV(9+) Spanish I-IV(9+)

Social studies General History I (7+) General History II (8+) Law (11+) Psychology (11+) U.S. Cultures I (9+) U.S. Cultures II (10+) A.P. U.S. History †(11+) † by recommendation only. Computer literacy Keyboarding (9+) Computer Applications (10+) Computer Science I-IV (10+) Photography/art Art (11+) Photo and Film (12)

Athletics

Sports are available to the entire student body, and there are no cuts on any teams.

Boys' Sports Fall Soccer Football Golf Winter Basketball Wrestling Spring Baseball Tennis Track & Field

Girls' Sports Fall Soccer Field Hockey Tennis Volleyball Golf Winter Basketball Spring Soccer Softball Track & Field Other teams Cheerleading

Extracurricular activities/clubs

• Chess Club
• Computer Science Club
• Drama Club
• Envirothon
• FBLA
• German Club
• Honor Roll: Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors
• Key Club
• National Honor Society
• Poetry Club
• SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions)
• School Newspaper (The Blue & Grey)
• Ski Club
• Stage Crew
• Student Council
• Watershed Forum
• Year Book Club (The Garchive)

Musical groups

• Marching Band
• Orchestra
• GARChoir (Chorus)
• Small Group (Chorus)
• Jr Chorus
• Jazz Band
• Concert Band

Notable alumni

• David Bohm - Quantum physicist who was involved in the Manhattan Project.
• Mark James Klepaski- Bass player for the rock band Breaking Benjamin.
• Greg Skrepenak- Former NFL player and former Luzerne County Commissioner. ^[18]
• Bob Sura- NBA player who last played for the Houston Rockets
• Robert Williams - Quarterback for Notre Dame, 1956–1958
• Maurice Peoples - Olympic sprinter, 1972

References

1. "GAR Memorial Junior Senior High School". publicschoolreview.com. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
2. Pennsylvania Department of Education (August 2010). "G A R Memorial Junior Senior High School - School AYP Data Table".
3. Pennsylvania Department of Education (January 2011). "Wilkes-Barre Area School District 2010 School Value Added Summary".
4. Pennsylvania Department of Education (August 2010). "G A R Memorial Junior Senior High School - School AYP Overview".
5. Pennsylvania Department of Education (December 2010). "PA School List of School Improvement Grant Eligible Schools for SEA Application".
6. Pennsylvania Department of Education (January 2010). "Pennsylvania School Improvement Grants 2010 Application".
7. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "2009-2010 PSSA and AYP Results".
8. The Times-Tribune. (September 2009). "Grading Our Schools database, 2009 PSSA results,".
9. Pennsylvania Department of Education (August 2008). "2007-2008 PSSA and AYP Results".
10. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2007). "PSSA Math and Reading results".
11. Pennsylvania Department of Education (March 2011). "G A R. Memorial Junior Senior High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010" (PDF).
12. Pennsylvania Department of Education (August 2008). "Reading and Math PSSA 2008 by Schools".
13. Pennsylvania Department of Education Report (September 14, 2010). "2010 PSSAs: Reading, Math, Writing and Science Results".
14. "2009 PSSAs: Reading, Math, Writing and Science Results Pennsylvania Department of Education Report". Portal.state.pa.us. November 22, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
15. Pennsylvania Department of Education Report (August 2009). "Science PSSA 2009 by Schools".
16. Pennsylvania Department of Education Report (August 2008). "Science PSSA 2008 by Schools".
17. Sarah Hofius Hall (December 4, 2007). "Magazine names GAR, Meyers in "Best High Schools" list". Citizens Voice (Wilkes-Barre, PA) (pqasb.pqarchiver.com). Retrieved April 25, 2011.
18. Michael Sisak (August 6, 2010). "Skrepenak sentenced to 24 months in prison, fine". The Times-Tribune (thetimes-tribune.com). Retrieved August 9, 2010.