School and Community Outreach
Greenville Area School District


The Greenville Area School District has historically been committed to serving the whole child. The school district recognizes that a child cannot learn until his/her basic safety, emotional and health needs are met. It is our goal to provide a personalized school environment in which our district mission can be accomplished. That mission states “Every Child Is A Candidate for Greatness.” To that end, we have provided an integrated system that draws from community and school-based supports for the child and family.” Each year the school district examines programs that appear worthy of developing into a model for community integration. In this way, we will continue to expand the focus from a school centered to a community-based model.

During the past several years, a vast array of support of services has been initiated. These services are available to our population of vulnerable children and families through an ongoing commitment by the local school board of directors. The following is a list of the most significant programs currently implemented or administered through the Greenville Area School District.

· Local Family Center

· Student Assistance Program (7-12)

· Keystone Charter School

· Area Pre-school Programs

· School-Based Mental Health Caseworker (K-12)

· On-Site Drug/Alcohol Case Worker and Mental Health Assessment (7-12)

· Even Start Program (Early Childhood and Family Literacy)

· Early Prevention of School Failure (Kindergarten Screening)

· Students Offering Community Service (1/2 High School Credit)

· High School Student Counselors (Cross-Age Mentors for grades K-7)

· SMILES (Senior Citizens Volunteer Time in exchange for School Tax Discount)

In addition to in-school services, the public schools have maintained working

relationships with several existing traditional community services. These have included the Greenville Public Library, the Horizon Hospital, the Good Shepherd Center, the Salvation Army, Greenville Regional After School Program (GRASP is a faith-based program for junior and senior high school students), the Greenville Literacy Council, the Greenville Area Leisure Services Association (after-school activities for all ages), the HELLO Program (grief and loss services), the Neighborhood Network, Catholic Charities, the Greenville Ministerial Association, the Chamber of Commerce, Thiel College, United Way agencies, local law enforcement, and local businesses.

Quarterly newsletters are sent to all area residents highlighting student accomplishments, innovative programs, and annual events. However, the actual goals of the institution are communicated in ways that are more personal. These include presentations to local service clubs and speeches given at well-attended events. An attractive brochure describes the school district’s mission and belief statements in addition to highlights from each building detailing the uniqueness of each organizational pattern.

Historically, the schools in Greenville have been recognized for the quality of their academic programs. The school district is identified as being in the forefront of educational change. Several examples include the variety of special education programs available for special needs students. The Gateways classroom, in particular, is a program for severe and profoundly mentally retarded students housed in within two classrooms in the junior-senior high school. It has received numerous state recognition awards for the high degree of integration and cross-age tutoring afforded to these students. These programs have been instrumental in bringing attention to the array of special educational programs available in the district. Another pro-active feature of the school district is its provisions for technology across all educational programs; a feature that displays a focus toward getting students prepared for the future.

Another noteworthy advantage the school district enjoys is its labor-management agreements. School board directors, teachers, and administrators function from the same set of beliefs about working relationships. These cooperative practices have lead to state recognition for achieving a several “early-bird” agreements with the local teacher’s association for using site-based management and a win-win philosophy.

The school district established the first Charter School in the commonwealth. As changes are implemented such as academic standards, the school district seeks to emphasize across the community that educational opportunities in Greenville are designed for the needs of all students. This concept has been reinforced by the school district’s motto that “Every Child is a Candidate for Greatness.”

As a community, Greenville is a place where education has been valued for many years. The school district’s reputation for high academic standards has been earned by support from the community. It is also noteworthy that the community provides for students with special needs although the population in is not very large. This strong sense of community creates a critical mass that supports the educational initiatives currently being implemented. Comments from the community indicate the district is a “good place to work”. The district is viewed as having an excellent staff development program and sufficient resources to implement programs. Parents often claim that the school district is a good system and that it treats students in a more respectful manner than in other districts. Consequently, Greenville is a community that offers school personnel acceptance and high regard for their educational expertise.

This would not be possible if school personnel did not realize the need

to provide community members a visible sign that education is taking place. In return, community members have been willing to finance worthwhile projects and have been supportive of many interscholastic and athletic events. Evidence of this include a multi-million dollar building project that included technology enhancements within all three buildings, additional classroom space for full-time kindergarten, remolding of the high school and accompanying athletic fields, and new stadium facilities.

Moreover, therein lies the strength of the school district-its people. People that take time to work with others, communicate positive outcomes, and share important information. Evidence of this includes the time devoted to coaching the vast array of sport activities, the time community leaders devote to planning events, and the time devoted to maintaining open channels of communication among educators, parents, and interested community members. This clearly demonstrates why the community views the school system with pride and appreciation.