Photo caption: Executive Director, Diane LaBelle (left), and Dean of Academic Affairs, Dr. Carise Comstock (right), hold the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts’ plaque for earning the Reward: High Achievement School designation at today’s Improving Schools Performance Conference.
BETHLEHEM, PA (January 30, 2017)—School administrators from the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, including: Executive Director, Diane LaBelle, and Dean of Academic Affairs, Dr. Carise Comstock, traveled to Pittsburgh today to attend the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Title I Improving Schools’ Performance Conference, where the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts was presented with an award for its Reward: High Achievement designation. The Division of Federal Programs honored the top performing Title I schools in Pennsylvania during the Distinguished Schools Award Ceremony.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has identified The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts as a Reward: High Achievement School, which means the school is ranked in the top 5% of Title I schools in Pennsylvania based on students’ performance on the Keystone Exams. This is the second year in a row that the school has earned this designation.
In order to earn this reward, schools are required to meet all four Annual Measurable Objectives, which include: test participation and achievement on all Keystone Exams (Algebra I, Biology, and Literature), graduation rate, and the ability to close the achievement gap for historically under-performing students.
“This level of achievement would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of our Board of Directors, administrators, faculty, and students,” says Diane LaBelle.
ABOUT THE LEHIGH VALLEY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS
The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts (Charter Arts), opened in 2003, is an audition-based, tuition-free, public charter school that provides a comprehensive curriculum for high school students, grades 9-12, who have a passion for the arts. Students major in one of seven artistic areas: dance, theater, vocal music, instrumental music, literary arts, figure skating or visual art.
Charter Arts’ rigorous curriculum fosters both academic and artistic excellence. The school’s impressive PA School Performance Profile (SPP) Academic Score, AP and Keystone exam statistics, student SAT scores, prestigious artistic accolades, and graduation rate are a testament to the outstanding education Charter Arts provides.
Close to 600 students from across Pennsylvania travel into Bethlehem daily to attend Charter Arts. The student body consists of students who hail from towns as far north as the Poconos, as far south as the Philadelphia suburbs, and as far west as Lancaster County. Many students travel 2-3 hours per day to attend this innovative school.
The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts is located at 321 East 3rd Street, Bethlehem PA 18015. For more information, visit: www.CharterArts.org or call 610-868-2971.
Information provided by:
Ann Gillette
Manager of Public Relations and Media
Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts
321 East 3rd Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015
www.CharterArts.org
