Palmyra Area High School

Palmyra Area Senior High School (typically referred to as Palmyra High School or PHS) is a public high school located in Palmyra, Pennsylvania, in the United States.

The school, located at 1125 Park Drive in North Londonderry Township serves students in grades nine through 12 from the western part of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Including the Boro of Palmyra, North and South Londonderry Townships, the Villages of Campbelltown, Lawn and Mount Gretna. The school was founded in 1962. The school's mascot is the Cougar.

Administration

The Palmyra Area High School is a part of the Palmyra Area School District. Dr. Larry Schmidt is the Superintendent of Schools. The High School's principal is Dr. Kelly Harbaugh. Palmyra High School has two vice principals, Paul Steigerwald and Daryl Reisinger. There are four guidance counselors serving the school.

Education

The Palmyra Area High School is an accredited school by most post-secondary institutions. Below is a list of the different academic departments in the school, and who heads them. Mostly they are teachers who have served for many years.
*English Department - Susan Stroh
*Science Department - Amy Mateer
*Math Department - Kathy Baum
*History/Social Studies Department - Larry Geib
*Foreign Languages - Cynthia Hitz
*Related Arts - Joan Linn
*Business/Computer Department- Lisa BlyPalmyra High School's academic day is part of Block Scheduling in which students participated in four classes a day for 85 minutes, plus a 30 minute lunch and remedial period, known as Flex. Students are required to have eight credits per year (Four 1st semester, Four 2nd Semester).

Renovations

The Palmyra Area High School recently underwent a $35 million renovation to the existing school, as well as additions. Due to the major population explosion in the Palmyra area, school officials decided that the aging building could no longer support the projected increase in numbers. The School Board decided a renovation with additions was more sensible than building a new school.

The first phase was the construction of a new 15 classroom, 2 story addition to the existing school. This was completed in December 2006, and held student occupation on January 2 2007. Also, the new cafeteria was completed for January 23 2007.Additions included; a new two story, 15-classroom wing, new weight training center, new art rooms, a new cafeteria and new communication and production technology classrooms.

Despite the large amount of progress with the project, work was stopped suddenly both on renovations and in the classrooms. On Monday April 9 2007 at about 8:50AM, a fire broke out on a Tar Roofing Machine on the north end of the campus, by the new wing. An immediate evacuation of nearby classrooms into the gymnasium was conducted for a short time, and nearby propane tanks which fueled the device were removed. Local fire services arrived shortly thereafter and extinguished the fire. Exhaust and smoke then moved into the school building and covered windows and vehicles. The event caused a minor delay in the school schedule.

Phase III was completed at the end of summer 2007. It included the renovations of the Business Department Wing, which went under renovation on April 17 2007. Also, the new Library opened, in the area of the old Kitchen and Production Technology Room. Additional miscellaneous classrooms opened in the old cafeteria location.

Athletics

Palmyra competes in District III of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA). Palmyra fields teams in the following Mid Penn Conference sports:
* Baseball→1999 PIAA Class AAA State Champions
* Basketball
* Cross Country
* Field Hockey→2005 PIAA Class AA State Champions,2007 PIAA Class AA State Runner-up
* Football
* Golf
* Soccer→2007 PIAA Class AA State Champions
* Softball
* Swimming
* Tennis
* Track
* Wrestling
* Girls' Lacrosse

Clubs and Activities

Student activities at Palmyra High School include:
* ACTS Club
* Band
* Color guard
* Chess Club
* Chorus
* Computer club (defunct as of January 2007)
* Drama Club and Play
* Envirothon
* Family and consumer science club
* FBLA
* Key Club
* Orchestra
* "Palm Echo" Yearbook
* PHIDA (Philosophical, Intellectual Discussion Assoc.)
* National Honor Society
* Sign Language Club
* Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
* Stage Crew
* Student Council
* Medical Careers Club
* Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU)
* "The Cougar Chronicle" Student Newspaper
* [http://www.ymcapa.org Youth and Government Club]

External links

* [http://www.pasd.us/Drf.htm Palmyra Area School District Official Web Site] .
* [http://www.pasd.us/schools_hs.html/Drf.htm PHS Official Web Site] .
* [http://www.publicschoolreview.com/school_ov/school_id/70134 Palmyra Area High School at "Public School Review"] .
* [http://www.pde.state.pa.us/Drf.htm Pennsylvania Department of Education Website]