Garnet Valley School District

Garnet Valley School District is located in the southeast corner of Pennsylvania in Delaware County. Garnet Valley enrolls more than 5,000 students in grades Kindergarten through 12 in five schools.

The Garnet Valley Joint School System was formally organized on March 30, 1959. From school year '59-'60 to school year '62-'63 Garnet Valley existed as a Junior High School housed in the Old Concord Elementary School building on Bethel Road for Grades 7 through 9. Students were then sent to Media High School for Grades 10, 11, & 12. The last class sent to Media High School was the Class of 1965. The construction of the Garnet Valley High School began in May 1962, and opened on September 4, 1963.[1] The first class to graduate from Garnet Valley High School was the Class of 1966.

In 2000, the Garnet Valley Middle School was selected as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the United States Department of Education [2] In both 1999 and 2001 Garnet Valley High School received the Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Student scores on the Pennsylvania standardized tests (SATs) rank the district in the top 7% of all school districts in the state of Pennsylvania.

As of the 2007–2008 school year, all students attend Concord Elementary School for kindergarten. Those who live in Concord Township attend Concord Elementary (grades K–2), then go to Garnet Valley Elementary School (grades 3–5). Bethel Springs Elementary School (grades 1–5) is for students who live in Bethel Township. All students attend Garnet Valley Middle School (grades 6–8), and complete their education at Garnet Valley High School (grades 9–12).

Garnet Valley continues to expand. In September 2002, Bethel Springs Elementary School opened. In November 2005, the middle school opened a new wing due to a shortage of classrooms. In September 2005, the high school opened a new wing as well. Concord Elementary School was rebuilt in a new location and opened in September 2006.

School district Superintendent Anthony Costello of Garnet Valley is reported as the highest-paid school superintendent in the state and claims to "earn every dollar" he makes.

Garnet Valley High School is planning to build a new wing sometime in summer 2012 or 2013 after tearing down old and worn tennis courts due to the presence of new tennis courts on 4 tiers when entering the school's main driveway.

In 2007, Garnet Valley High School football team won the PIAA District 1 Championship (AAA) for the second consecutive year and won the Eastern Pennsylvania Championships, eventually losing the state championship to Thomas Jefferson High School (AAA). The Garnet Valley football team was up leveled to AAAA in 2008. In fall 2008, 2011, and 2013 the football team won the Central League title, and won a share of the 2009 title with Ridley High School.

Schools within the district

School Opened Grades Website
Garnet Valley High School 1963 September 4 9–12 Website
Garnet Valley Middle School 1991 September 4 6–8 Website
Garnet Valley Elementary School 1997 September 3 3–5 Website
Bethel Springs Elementary School 2002 September 4 1–5 Website
Concord Elementary School 2006 September 6 K–2 Website

Former Schools

School Opened Closed
Concord Elementary School 1949 2006
Francis Harvey Green School 1952 1991

Notes

Both Francis Harvey Green School and Concord Elementary School were leased to the Delaware County Intermediate Unit for special education, in 1991 and 2006 respectively.

Concord Elementary School was relocated to a new building on Station Road, Glen Mills in September 2006 and the old school building, on Bethel Road, was renamed Pennington School.[3] Pennington School is currently leased by the district to the Delaware County Intermediate Unit for the education of special-needs children.[4]

Francis Harvey Green School was demolished in November 2010.[5]

Superintendent History

References

  1. ↑ http://www.garnetvalleyschools.com/cms/lib02/pa01000401/centricity/domain/38/2012_2013%20annual%20report_dual%20pg%20final.pdf
  2. ↑ "Blue Ribbon Schools Program" (PDF). United States Department of Education. Retrieved 2006-08-07.
  3. ↑ "Concord Elementary School on Bethel Road to be Renamed Pennington School in Summer 2006". Garnet Valley School District. Archived from the original on 2006-06-14. Retrieved 2006-01-27.
  4. ↑ "Garnet Valley School District General Fund Budget Summary - Fiscal Year: 06/07". Garnet Valley School District. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
  5. ↑ http://www.delconewsnetwork.com/articles/2010/11/26/garnet_valley_press/news/doc4cec22fccb214072551227.txt

External links

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