James M. Coughlin High School

James M. Coughlin High School is an urban school located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It serves grades 9-12 in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District.

James M. Coughlin High School
Address
80 North Washington Street

Wilkes-Barre
,
Pennsylvania
18702

United States
Coordinates41°14′47″N 75°52′43″W
Information
Established1890
StatusIn Process of Closure
ClosedMain Building: December 23, 2015 Annex Building: Unknown
School districtWilkes-Barre Area School District
Staff57.27 (FTE)[1]
Enrollment891 (2018-19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio15.56[1]
Color(s)     
MascotCrusader
Team nameCoughlin Crusaders
NewspaperThe Journal (1893–)
YearbookThe Breidlin (1926–)
The Yearbook (1924-1925)
Websitewww.wbasd.k12.pa.us/coughlinhighschool_home.aspx

History

Established in 1890 as Wilkes-Barre High School, the current school structure was scheduled to be built on the original school's site in 1905, but due to a flood—which flooded the entire basement and first floor—building had to be restarted. The building was opened unofficially on September 11, 1911, and formally dedicated in October 1912. The second part of the building, the Annex, was built in 1955 and formally dedicated on November 2, 1955. The main building has four floors, a basement, and an attic, and the Annex has three with a partial basement. It is the oldest public school in Pennsylvania being built in 1909, the older of the two buildings that makes up Coughlin is over 100 years old. The second building is about 60 years old.

With the construction of a second high school in Wilkes-Barre in 1925, the building was dedicated as James M. Coughlin High School in memory of Superintendent James Martin Coughlin, who served in that capacity from 1890 to 1918.[2]

The main building was closed on December 23, 2015, after 104 years of continuous use. This came as a result of a lengthy series of meetings by the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board, where it was decided that Coughlin and another Wilkes-Barre Area High School (Elmer L. Meyers Junior/Senior High School) would close and combine after the Coughlin site is closed, and rebuilt. The Annex building would continue to house 11th and 12th graders until the new school is built and 9th and 10th grades students placed in a recently renovated former Mackin Elementary School building, and the 11th and 12th graders will be placed in the old Times Leader building next to Coughlin.

Construction was expected to be completed by early 2018, when both former high schools would converge in the new school.[3] However, the Board was unable to move forward with the plan to use the Coughlin site.[4][5][6][7][8][9] On March 5, 2018, the Board voted to purchase land in Plains, Pennsylvania for the merged high school.[10] The plans have faced vocal opposition.[11][12][13][14][15][16]

Academic achievement

In 2010 and 2009, the school was in School Improvement I AYP status due to chronic low student achievement in reading and math.[17]

11th Grade Reading

  • 2010 - 68% on grade level (14% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders are on grade level.[18]
  • 2009 - 65% (20% below basic), State - 65%[19]
  • 2008 - 65% (15% below basic), State - 65%[20]
  • 2007 - 73% (12% below basic), State - 65%[21]

11th Grade Math:

  • 2010 - 62%, on grade level (22% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.[22]
  • 2009 - 49% (30% below basic). State - 56%.
  • 2008 - 56% (28% below basic), State - 56%
  • 2007 - 56% (22% below basic), State - 53%

11th Grade Science:

  • 2010 - 44% on grade level (15% below basic). State - 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.[23]
  • 2009 - 34% (21% below basic). State - 40%[24]
  • 2008 - 35% (14% below basic), State - 39%

Notable alumni

References
  1. "James M Coughlin JSHS". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  2. "History of James M. Coughlin High School". Coughlin High School, Class of 1988. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  3. "The end of Coughlin High School is set to begin with the new year - Times Leader - timesleader.com". Times Leader. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  4. "Residents get their say on possible WB Area high school site Monday - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  5. "W-B Area settles on Plains Twp. high school site, limits tax increase - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-01-09. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  6. "Superintendent: Coughlin High School draws interest from buyers - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  7. "Kistler elementary expansion on hold because of high school costs - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  8. "Geisinger offers land donation for W-B Area high school - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  9. "Back to the future for W-B Area school site - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  10. "W-B Area: OK to $4.25 million Plains land buy; security in focus - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-06. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  11. "Your view: No basis for consolidation plan - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-18. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  12. "Our View: Segregation charge wrong, but issues for WBA remain - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  13. "Amid more segregation debate, W-B Area moves toward high school choice - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-13. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  14. "Your view: Don't let WBA board walk away from Meyers - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  15. "WBA School Board open-floor approach brings extensive comment, criticism - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  16. "Heavy hitters lining up against Wilkes-Barre Area high school consolidation - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-12. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  17. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "JAMES M COUGHLIN Junior Senior High School - School AYP Overview". Archived from the original on 2012-09-27. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  18. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "2009-2010 PSSA and AYP Results". Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  19. The Times-Tribune. (September 2009). "Grading Our Schools database, 2009 PSSA results". Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  20. Pennsylvania Department of Education (August 2008). "2007-2008 PSSA and AYP Results". Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  21. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2007). "PSSA Math and Reading results". Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  22. Pennsylvania Department of Education (March 2011). "JAMES M COUGHLIN Junior Senior High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  23. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "2009-2010 PSSA and AYP Results Science". Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  24. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 2009). "2008-2009 PSSA and AYP Results 2009 Science PSSA results". Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  25. "Hollywood actor's career began at Little Theatre". Citizen Voice. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  26. "Obituary". Featheringill Mortuary. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
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