Westmont Hilltop School District

Westmont Hilltop School District
Location
Johnstown
, Pennsylvania
United States
District information
TypePublic
MottoScientia fons Veritatis "Knowledge is the Source of Truth" (English translation)
GradesK–12
Established1919
Students and staff
District mascotThe Hilltoppers
ColorsRed and gray
Other information
Websitewww.whsd.org

The Westmont Hilltop School District is a small public school district located in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The WHSD encompasses approximately 15 square miles (39 km2). It serves the communities of: Upper Yoder Township, Westmont Borough, and Southmont Borough in the western suburbs of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. According to 2000 federal census data, it served a resident population of 13,647. By 2010, the district's population declined to 12,898 people.[1] The educational attainment levels for the Westmont Hilltop School District population (25 years old and over) were 96.5% high school graduates and 37% college graduates.[2] The district is one of the 500 public school districts of Pennsylvania.

According to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, 24.3% of the district's pupils lived at 185% or below the Federal Poverty level as shown by their eligibility for the federal free or reduced price school meal programs in 2012.[3] In 2009, the district residents' per capita income was $25,374, while the median family income was $55,657.[4] In the Commonwealth, the median family income was $49,501[5] and the United States median family income was $49,445, in 2010.[6] In Cambria County, the median household income was $39,574.[7] By 2013, the median household income in the United States rose to $52,100.[8]

The district operates four schools: Westmont Hilltop High School, Cyber Academy, Westmont Hilltop Middle School, and Westmont Hilltop Elementary School. The Middle School houses the district administrative offices and Price Field along with a quarter-mile track surrounding Price Field. High school students may choose to attend Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center for training in the construction and mechanical trades. The Appalachia Intermediate Unit IU8 provides the district with a wide variety of services like specialized education for disabled students and hearing, background checks for employees, state-mandated recognizing and reporting child abuse training, speech and visual disability services and professional development for staff and faculty.

  1. ^ US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Poverty Data by Local Education Agency, 2011
  2. ^ proximityone (2014). "School District Comparative Analysis Profiles".
  3. ^ Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, Education Facts Student Poverty Concentration by LEA, 2012
  4. ^ US Census Bureau, American Fact Finder, 2009
  5. ^ US Census Bureau (2010). "American Fact Finder, State and County quick facts".
  6. ^ US Census Bureau (September 2011). "Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010" (PDF).
  7. ^ US Census Bureau (2014). "Pennsylvania Median household income, 2006-2010 by County".
  8. ^ Michael Sauter & Alexander E.M. Hess (August 31, 2013). "America's most popular six-figure jobs". USA Today.