Educational Community & School Climate
New Castle Area School District is an urban public school district located in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, which is located approximately 45 miles north of Pittsburgh. The district serves the city of New Castle and Taylor Township. New Castle Area School District encompasses approximately 13 square miles. The 2010 census found the population declined to 24,286 people which has been steadily declining. The District houses approximately 3,000 students and encompasses four schools: Harry W. Lockley, a K-2 Early Learning Center; George Washington, a grade 3-5 Intermediate School; a Junior High School, grades 6 – 8; and a Senior High School, grades 9-12. All District schools are Title I eligible and school-wide. The school district employs 225 educators and 12 administrators.
Community
The City of New Castle represents over 25,000 individuals including the vast majority of the county’s minority population and low-income/at-risk families. The poor economic conditions have persisted in the region for over 20 years due to the loss of core manufacturing jobs and its related industry.
Academics
We use best practices to give our students the building blocks for a strong foundation in literacy and mathematics. In addition to implementing researched based programs and practices for reading and math, we are committed to the whole child. Social and Emotional Learning is an integral part of education. New Castle Area School District offers a variety of STEAM, Honors, Accelerated, and Advanced Placement Courses.
Athletics
The New Castle Area School District compliments the academic program with an integral athletic program consisting of:
Twelve varsity athletic programs.
Four varsity supplemental programs. (Band, Cheerleading, Candy Canes and Flag Line.)
Eight Junior varsity and junior high athletic teams.
There are over 400 students participating in these programs. The Athletic Budget is approximately $570,000. The Athletic Spending Plan is approximately 1.3% of the District’s overall budget. The District competes in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League.