Garnet Valley School District

Garnet Valley School District is located in the southeast corner of Pennsylvania in Delaware County. Garnet Valley enrolls more than 5,000 students in grades Kindergarten through 12 in five schools.

The Garnet Valley Joint School System was formally organized on March 30, 1959. From school year '59-'60 to school year '62-'63 Garnet Valley existed as a Junior High School housed in the Old Concord Elementary School building on Bethel Road for Grades 7 through 9. Students were then sent to Media High School for Grades 10, 11, & 12. The last class sent to Media High School was the Class of 1965. The construction of the Garnet Valley High School began in May 1962, and opened on September 4, 1963.^[1] The first class to graduate from Garnet Valley High School was the Class of 1966.

In 2000, the Garnet Valley Middle School was selected as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the United States Department of Education ^[2] In both 1999 and 2001 Garnet Valley High School received the Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Student scores on the Pennsylvania standardized tests (SATs) rank the district in the top 7% of all school districts in the state of Pennsylvania.

As of the 2007–2008 school year, all students attend Concord Elementary School for kindergarten. Those who live in Concord Township attend Concord Elementary (grades K–2), then go to Garnet Valley Elementary School (grades 3–5). Bethel Springs Elementary School (grades 1–5) is for students who live in Bethel Township. All students attend Garnet Valley Middle School (grades 6–8), and complete their education at Garnet Valley High School (grades 9–12).

Garnet Valley continues to expand. In September 2002, Bethel Springs Elementary School opened. In November 2005, the middle school opened a new wing due to a shortage of classrooms. In September 2005, the high school opened a new wing as well. Concord Elementary School was rebuilt in a new location and opened in September 2006.

School district Superintendent Anthony Costello of Garnet Valley is reported as the highest-paid school superintendent in the state and claims to "earn every dollar" he makes.

Garnet Valley High School is planning to build a new wing sometime in summer 2012 or 2013 after tearing down old and worn tennis courts due to the presence of new tennis courts on 4 tiers when entering the school's main driveway.

In 2007, Garnet Valley High School football team won the PIAA District 1 Championship (AAA) for the second consecutive year and won the Eastern Pennsylvania Championships, eventually losing the state championship to Thomas Jefferson High School (AAA). The Garnet Valley football team was up leveled to AAAA in 2008. In fall 2008, 2011, and 2013 the football team won the Central League title, and won a share of the 2009 title with Ridley High School.

Schools within the district

Former Schools

Notes

Both Francis Harvey Green School and Concord Elementary School were leased to the Delaware County Intermediate Unit for special education, in 1991 and 2006 respectively.

Concord Elementary School was relocated to a new building on Station Road, Glen Mills in September 2006 and the old school building, on Bethel Road, was renamed Pennington School.^[3] Pennington School is currently leased by the district to the Delaware County Intermediate Unit for the education of special-needs children.^[4]

Francis Harvey Green School was demolished in November 2010.^[5]

Superintendent History

• 1964-1972 : Bennett H. Davis
• 1972-1980 : Henry F. Hofmann
• 1980-1987 : William Byrd
• 1987-1991 : Vemon R. Wyland
• 1991-2010 : Anthony V. Costello
• 2010-2012 : Michael L. Christian
• 2012-2012 : Anthony V. Costello (acting)
• 2012–present : Marc Bertrando

References

External links

• Official website

Delaware County, Pennsylvania schools
Main school districts Chester Upland Chester High School Science and Discovery High School Smedley Allied Health School Chichester Chichester High School Garnet Valley Garnet Valley High School Haverford Township Haverford High School Haverford Middle School Interboro Interboro High School Marple Newtown Marple Newtown High School Penn-Delco Sun Valley High School Radnor Township Radnor High School Radnor Middle School Ridley Ridley High School Rose Tree Media Penncrest High School Springton Lake Middle School Southeast Delco Academy Park High School Springfield Springfield High School Upper Darby Upper Darby High School Wallingford-Swarthmore Strath Haven High School William Penn Penn Wood High School
Other schools Charter schools Chester Community Charter School Widener Partnership Charter School Private schools Academy of Notre Dame de Namur Agnes Irwin School Christian Academy Delaware County Christian School Faith Temple Christian School George Crothers Memorial School Media-Providence Friends School New Beginnings Academy Valley Forge Military Academy Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia Archbishop John Carroll High School Archbishop Prendergast High School Cardinal O'Hara High School Monsignor Bonner High School Unionville-Chadds Ford (partially located in Chester County) Unionville High School West Chester Area (partially located in Chester County) West Chester East High School West Chester Henderson High School West Chester Rustin High School Fugett Middle School Peirce Middle School