Administrative Offices

3000 Lebanon Church Road - Suite 300
West Mifflin, PA 15122
Phone: (412) 466-9131
Fax: (412) 466-9260

Community

Welcome to the West Mifflin Area School District. The District is nestled in the Mon Valley just southeast of downtown Pittsburgh and encompasses the boroughs of West Mifflin and Whitaker, which is made up of more than 22,000 people.

The area is full of rich history. Mifflin Township was the home of Seneca Indian Chief “Guyasuta” who controlled the area until settlers arrived. The earliest settler known to settle in Mifflin Township was a squatter in 1770, by the name of Sebastian Frederick. Frederick claimed a large tract of land extending from the Monongahela River up to just beyond Homestead Cemetery.

The Borough is named after soldier and politician Thomas Mifflin. From 1770-1799, he served as Governor of Pennsylvania. The present Borough of Whitaker is located on this tract of land and is named for James Whitaker who was deeded the land in 1788. In the 19th century, coal mining became a booming enterprise and the steel industry began to grow in the latter half of the 19th century until the late 1970s when many mills and plants were closed. The Mon Valley Works Irvin Plant still provides coils of steel to many companies around the U.S. The area is home to many other big businesses and centers including Bombardier, which serves the global transportation industry, Bettis Laboratory, which has been developing, advanced naval nuclear propulsion technology, Allegheny County Airport, which was the first hard-surface terminal in the nation when it was
dedicated in 1931 and Community College of Allegheny College South Campus.

West Mifflin also features many retailers and restaurants including shops at Century III Mall and is not far from the new Homestead Waterfront. Kennywood Amusement Park is one of West Mifflin’s most famous landmarks. Kennywood was originally known as “Kenny’s Grove,” a rural picnic site before the turn of the 1900s. It is now a thriving amusement park within our community. Many of these businesses provide our students with employment, internship and job shadowing opportunities.

An Overview

The school district is made up of five elementary schools: Clara Barton, Homeville, New Emerson, and New England and a new Early Childhood Education Center housing our PA Pre-K Counts preschool program and 4 kindergarten classrooms. The District has two secondary schools: West Mifflin Area Middle School and West Mifflin Area High School. The district offers the Advanced Curriculum Enrichment Program for gifted students. Qualifying students are eligible to receive special needs programs including Title I Reading and Math Programs, and Homebound Instruction.

WMASD offers our elementary students the opportunity to participate in the classroom reduction program for additional assistance in math and reading. The District encourages parents to be involved in the educational process and has several organizations that promote parental involvement including the Parent-Teacher Student Association and Parent Teacher Organization at the elementary level.

During the 2000-2001 school year, the Pennsylvania State PTA gave the middle school PTSA an award for obtaining the second largest membership increase at the district level. The Mon Yough Area Council also awarded the PTSA a traveling membership trophy for the 2000-2001 year and a permanent trophy for having the highest PTSA membership for four years in a row. In 2002, the District received a $37,686 Performance Incentive Award from the Pennsylvania Department of Education as a result of improved performance on the 2001 Pennsylvania System of School Assessments. The district is proud to have a high attendance rate. During the 2000-2001 school year, the district had a 95 percent attendance rate for Kindergarten through fifth grade, a 93 percent rate for 6,7 and 8th grades and a 91 percent rate for grades 9 through 12.

Currently, there are approximately 3,200 students enrolled and and 216 teachers in the West Mifflin Area School District. The District spends approximately $9,560 per student per school year.

High School

The West Mifflin Area High School belongs to the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and has been accredited by the Middle Atlantic States since 1965.

Renovations to the campus began in March of 1998 and were completed in August 2001. The district began envisioning a school of the future rich with technology to allow West Mifflin Area students to compete in an ever-changing world. Board Members, Administrators and staff members mapped out a blueprint that would add more than 112,765 square feet to an existing 142,660 square feet. Because of the hard work of everyone, students are seeing more and more technology interwoven into their classes giving them an advantage over other students entering college, the work force or the military. As students enter the doors of the enriching environment of West Mifflin Area High School, they are planning for their future. With a mix of academics, athletics, and the arts, our students can immerse themselves in a wide range of activities including sports teams, honors classes, bands, orchestras, clubs, organizations, and much more. The high school will provide them with a blueprint for learning and success.

Partnerships

Currently, many businesses provide students with opportunities for students. Many West Mifflin Area students intern or work at various West Mifflin Area businesses including Bobardier. Students also work at various businesses like Kennywood during their summer break. Businesses like Probotics have donated their products for classroom usage. West Mifflin Area School District would like to continue building stronger relationships with the numerous businesses in the area – one of many ways the district can continue offer an Education in Excellency.