Norwin School District

The Norwin School District is a large, suburban public school district. It is located in the southwest corner of Westmoreland County. Norwin School District serves North Huntingdon, Irwin, and North Irwin, which are Pittsburgh suburbs. The District covers twenty 28 square miles (73 km²) while serving as home to approximately 34,000 residents in 2000. By 2010, the district's population increased to 35,514 people. In 2009, the Districts residents' per capita income was $20,393, while the median family income was $50,728. Per District officials, in school year 2007-08 the Norwin School District provided basic educational services to 5,289 pupils. In 2008, Norwin School District employed 325 teachers, 225 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 27 administrators.

In 2007 the Pennsylvania Legislature commissioned a Costing Out Study to identify the cost of public education. Norwin School District was recognized as achieving high percentages of students scoring either advanced or proficient on PSSA math and reading tests; and having relatively low per-pupil expenditures. Norwin School District was one of only 87 schools districts that were identified as high performing in student achievement of the Pennsylvania Academic Standards. Efficiency was gauged by administrative spending, number of teachers per pupil and maintenance/operation spending per pupil.

Marching band

A marching band is a group in which instrumental musicians perform for entertainment, and prepare for a competition. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments. Most marching bands wear some kind of uniform (often of a military style) that includes the school or organization's name or symbol.

Marching bands are generally categorized by function, size, age, gender, instruments and by the style of show they perform. In addition to traditional parade performances, many marching bands also perform field shows at special events like competitions. Increasingly, marching bands perform indoor concerts that implement many songs, traditions, and flair from outside performances.

History

Band is a general term for an instrumental group. The marching band originated with traveling musicians who performed together at festivals and celebrations throughout the ancient world. It evolved and became more structured within the armies of early city-states, becoming the basis for the military band, from which the modern marching band emerged. As musicians became less important in directing the movement of troops on the battlefield, the bands moved into increasingly ceremonial roles. This intermediate stage led to the modern instrumentation and music for marching bands. Many military traditions survive in modern marching band. Bands that march in formation are often ordered to "dress their ranks" and "cover down your file." They may be called to "attention," and given orders such as "about face" and "forward march." Uniforms of many marching bands still resemble military uniforms.

High school

A high school (also secondary school, senior school, secondary college) is a school that provides adolescents with part or all of their secondary education. It may come after primary school or middle school and be followed by higher education or vocational training.

Terminology

The term "high school" originated in Scotland, with the world's oldest high school being Edinburgh's Royal High School from 1505. The Royal High School was used as a model for the first public high school in the United States, Boston Latin School founded in Boston, Massachusetts.

The precise stage of schooling provided by a high school differs from country to country, and may vary within the same jurisdiction. In all of New Zealand and Malaysia, along with most of Britain and parts of Australia, Bangladesh and Canada, high school means the same thing as secondary school, but instead of starting in 9th grade, these "secondary schools" begin at ages 11 or 12.

Country by country

Australia

In Australia, high school is a secondary school, from Year 7 or Year 8 through to Year 12, varying from state to state. High school immediately follows primary (elementary) school; therefore, a Year-7 Australian high-school student is sometimes as young as 12. In Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, the term "high school" generally refers to Years 7–10, whereas the term "College" is used for Years 11–12. In Victoria the term "secondary college" has largely replaced the term "high school" following the reforms of the Labor Government in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Some schools have retained the name "high school" (such as Melbourne High School) and many have now dropped the "secondary" and are simply known as "college".

Norwin High School

Norwin High School is located in North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, with a current enrollment of 1748 students in grades 9-12. It enrolls students from North Huntingdon Township, Irwin, and North Irwin. It is part of the Norwin School District. In 1914, the Township of North Huntingdon, and the borough of Irwin and North Irwin signed a Jointure, combining the three schools. The original high school (now Queen of Angels Catholic School) was built in 1916, and was named Norwin Union High School. An Annex was added to the building in 1937, which survives today. The west wing of the building burned in 1944, and severed the jointure between North Huntingdon, Irwin and North Irwin Schools. The remaining annex was turned into North Huntingdon High School. In 1950, a new West Wing was built, and in 1958 the Jointure between Irwin, North Irwin, and North Huntingdon was reinstated. By 1964, the new high school building was being out grown by its students, so the school board approved the purchase of the McMahon Farm. The current high school was built in 1965. The current building underwent a massive renovation which was completed in 2006. Norwin High School's current Principal is Mr. Timothy J. Kotch. The Assistant Principals are Michael Choby and Joseph V. Shigle.