White Deer Township, Pennsylvania

Infobox Settlement
official_name = White Deer Township, Pennsylvania
other_name =
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settlement_type = Township
motto =

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image_caption = An old red barn in White Deer Township


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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Map of Union County, Pennsylvania highlighting White Deer Township

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mapsize1 = 250x200px
map_caption1 = Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Union County
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Pennsylvania
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Union
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established_title = Settled
established_date = 1772
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1776
area_magnitude =
unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_total_km2 = 120.7
area_land_km2 = 120.4
area_water_km2 = 0.3
area_total_sq_mi = 46.6
area_land_sq_mi = 46.5
area_water_sq_mi = 0.1
area_water_percent =
population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
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population_total = 4273
population_density_km2 = 35.5
population_density_sq_mi = 91.9
timezone = EST
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
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White Deer Township is a township in Union County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,273 at the 2000 census.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 46.6 square miles (120.7 km²), of which, 46.5 square miles (120.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (0.21%) is water.

White Deer Township is bordered by Lycoming County and Gregg Township to the north, the West Branch Susquehanna River to the east over which lies Northumberland County, Kelly and Buffalo Townships to the south and West Buffalo Township to the west.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 4,273 people, 1,644 households, and 1,269 families residing in the township. The population density was 91.9 people per square mile (35.5/km²). There were 1,734 housing units at an average density of 37.3/sq mi (14.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.15% White, 0.61% African American, 0.21% Asian, 0.26% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.

There were 1,644 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.8% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the township the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $41,994, and the median income for a family was $46,417. Males had a median income of $32,222 versus $21,219 for females. The per capita income for the township was $18,486. About 4.7% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The township has four polling places. White Deer Township 1 is in the Township Municipal Building, 2191 Creek Rd., New Columbia. White Deer Township 2 is located in the New Columbia Community Center, 224 3rd St., New Columbia. White Deer Township 3 is located in the Community Park Building, 992 White Deer Pike, White Deer. White Deer Township 4 is found in the Revival Tabernacle, Social Hall, 214 Tabernacle Rd., New Columbia.

Education

The local public school system is the Milton Area School District. It serves just over 2000 students. Enrollment is projected by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to decline significantly over the next ten years. In 2005, Standard & Poors reported the district's student teacher ratio was 13.9 to 1. [ http://www.schoolmatters.com/app/data/q/stid=39/llid=116/stllid=151/locid=953558/catid=812/secid=3150/compid=771/site=pes School Matters, Standard & Poors.]

Milton High School has an 89.9% graduation rate according to the district report card 2005-2006. In 11th grade, 49.4% were proficient in math. For reading 63.2% were proficient in [http://www.paayp.com/3541_data_table.html 2005-2006] . The high school is ranked [http://www.schooldigger.com/SelectState.aspx?Level=3&findschool=2274006280&from=schoolrank 374th out of 606 public high schools] in Pennsylvania.

In 2007, the Pittsburgh Business Times ranked the district 356th out of 499 Pennsylvania school districts based on three years of Pennsylvania System of Student Assessment test scores. [ Valley schools all over the chart, Daily Item June 6, 2007 http://www.dailyitem.com/archivesearch/local_story_163000144.html ]

The Montandon Elementary School earned a No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Award for outstanding performance on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment for 2005. The students scored 97.7% proficient or better in mathematics and 72.4% proficient in reading. [http://www.pde.state.pa.us/k12/cwp/view.asp?Q=85585&A=228 NCLB - Blue Ribbon Schools, PDE web site.]

The Milton Area School Board set the budget at $24.8 million for 2007-2008. The board levies a variety of taxes to support its programs. Taxes include 48.39 mills real estate tax in 2007 for district properties located in Northumberland County. For properties located in White Deer Township, Union County the real eastate property tax was set at 10.10 mills. [ School board adopts $24.8M budget, Daily Item, June 22, 2007 http://www.dailyitem.com/archivesearch/local_story_173001607.html]

Voters rejected a tax referendum in May 2007. The proposal increased local earned income tax to reduce property taxes for primary homeowners and farmers. [Tax reform proposal falls in all Valley school districts, Daily Item, May 19, 2007. http://www.dailyitem.com/archivesearch/local_story_139203055.html] By law, the local public school must provide transportation to schools within 10 miles of the borders of the school district at no charge to the student. [ 24 PS 17-1726-A Transportation to charter schools http://www.pde.state.pa.us/transportation/lib/transportation/SchoolCode_Transportation_7-17-06.pdf]

Several alternative schools, including parochial and charter, are available in the region.

[http://www.sunburychristianacademy.org/ Sunbury Christian Academy] 135 Spruce Hollow Road, Northumberland, PA 17857. (570) 473 - 7592 An ASCI member school preK to 12th grade.

[http://www.norrychristian.net/main/default.asp Northumberland Christian Academy] 351 Fifth Street Northumberland, PA 17857 570-473-9786. NCS was founded in 1972 and is a ministry of the First Regular Baptist Church of Northumberland, Pa. The school offers a full educational program for students from preschool through high school.

[http://www.susqcyber.org/ SusQ-Cyber Charter School] provides students in grades 9-12 with an electronically delivered accredited high school curriculum. [http://www.paayp.com/7567_more_parents.html Met AYP]

[http://www.pavcs.org/Why_PAVCS/why.html Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School] provides a structured yet flexible, interactive environment in a program for Kindergarten through 10th grade. The rigorous instruction, high standards, informed guidance, and individual attention provide each student with the opportunity to be highly successful. Teachers interact with students via email. Additionally the Elluminate classroom gives the student access to their teachers during the teacher’s office hours to ask questions related to content of a subject. "An independent audit of cyber-charter schools by KPMG Consulting, which was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, praised PAVCS for offering a well-researched program and an appropriate assessment plan." [ Boss, Shira, "Virtual charters: public schooling, at home", Christian Science Monitor, January 2002.]

[http://www.connectionsacademy.com/state/home.asp?schoolCode=CCA Commonwealth Connections Academy] provides a form of public school that students attend from home. This unique program combines strong parental involvement, the expertise and accountability of publicly funded education, and the flexibility of online classes. Teachers are all certified. Centered on meeting students needs and goals. Has a K-11 program. This cyber charter school is authorized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students are required to take all state mandated, standardized tests in person at locations designated by the school.

[http://204.108.129.225/aboutus 21st Century Cyber Charter School] is a state accredited, diploma granting school serving Pennsylvania students in grades 6 through 12. Modifications are made to suit individual student learning styles, varying academic levels and scheduling needs. Most classes are offered in honors, college prep, and career paths. All of the classes are designed to prepare the student for standardized tests such as the PSSAs. Several methods of instruction are used including traditional paper textbooks, online textbooks and virtual classroooms where students interact with teachers and peeers. A specialized program meets the individual needs of Gifted students permitting them to escape the constraints of the local education entities.

[http://www.cpdlf.org/02_welcome.htm Central Pennsylvania Digital Learning Foundation - CPDLF] K - 12 program.

[http://www.pdela.com/ The Pennsylvania Distance & Electronic Learning Academy (PDELA)] offers a complete K-12 academic program to assist families that want to educate their children at home.

[http://www.go2pacyber.com/About/ The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School] provides a free and appropriate course of study to the children of Pennsylvania families. Parents of cyber school students do not pay tuition. The public school district where the student resides pays tuition with state and local tax money through a state formula.

Notes and references