West Shore School District

West Shore School District
Address
507 Fishing Creek Road New Cumberland , Cumberland County and York County, Pennsylvania, 17070-9517 United States
District information
Type	Public
Grades	K-12
Established	1966
Schools	13
Students and staff
District mascot	Red Land Patriots; Cedar Cliff Colts; Allen mustangs; crossroads thunder; new Cumberland tigers
Other information
Website	www.wssd.k12.pa.us

West Shore School District, is a large, suburban, public school district with its main office located in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania. This district serves students in eastern Cumberland County and northern York County. It serves the municipalities of Lemoyne, New Cumberland and Wormleysburg boroughs and Lower Allen Township in Cumberland County; Goldsboro and Lewisberry boroughs, Fairview Township and Newberry Township in York County. It includes the Lower Allen census-designated place.^[1] West Shore School District encompasses approximately 78 square miles (200 km²). According to 2000 federal census data, the district served a resident population of 57,960 people. By 2010, the district's population increased to 62,514 people.^[2]

According to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, 26 of the district's pupils lived at 185% or below the Federal Poverty Level [1] as shown by their eligibility for the federal free or reduced price school meal programs in 2012.^[3] In 2009, the District residents' per capita income was $24,740, while the median family income was $57,500.^[4] In the Commonwealth, the median family income was $49,501^[5] and the United States median family income was $49,445, in 2010.^[6] In York County, the median household income was $57,494.^[7] By 2013, the median household income in the United States rose to $52,100.^[8]

Based on enrollment, the school district is the largest serving Cumberland County and one of the largest in the greater Harrisburg metropolitan area. It was formed in 1966 from four small Cumberland County districts and one school district in York County.^[9] About 58 percent of the district's students come from York County, with the remaining 42 percent coming from Cumberland County. Eighty percent of the district's area resides in York County.^[9]

West Shore School District operates two high schools (grades 9–12). Most students from Cumberland County attend Cedar Cliff High School and most of the York County students attend Red Land High School. The district also operates three middle schools (grades 6–8 currently, 7-8 in 2024), 2 intermediate schools (grades 5-6, opening in 2024), and ten elementary schools (grades K-5 currently, grades k-4 in 2024).

Herman Avenue and Washington Heights were sister schools up until 2000; Herman Avenue was grades k-2, and Washington Heights was grades 3-5. Washington Heights is now k-5, since its rebuild in 1999. Lower Allen and Rossmoyne Elementary Schools were sister schools, however, Lower Allen closed in 2021, and Rossmoyne is now k–5. Mount Zion and Fairview Elementary Schools once were sister schools, until Mount Zion closed in 2012. Fairview Elementary School is currently k-5, but will be 5-6 beginning in Fall 2024.

West Shore School District offers a variety of clubs, activities and an extensive sports program.

The District funds:

Cedar Cliff High School

Red Land High School

Middle Schools:

According to PIAA directory July 2012 ^[10]

On March 19, 2015, the West Shore School District school board voted 6–2 to combine the Cedar Cliff and Red Land marching bands, to make West Shore Marching Band. It is under the direction of Robert Starrett (band director at Red Land), Eric Graybill (band director at Cedar Cliff), and George Clements (band director at Allen Middle School).

Cedar Run was closed in 1984 but was leased to the Capital Area Intermediate Unit until 2009. The district had considered turning the former elementary school into a school for at-risk and gifted students who need specialized study. https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2012/04/west_shore_school_district_sel.html

Herman Avenue and Washington Heights were sister schools up until 2000; Herman Avenue was grades k-2, and Washington Heights was grades 3-5. Washington Heights is now k-5, since its rebuild in 1999. Lemoyne Borough purchased the school on 11/27/2005 for $415,000 and after renovations, subsequently opened as the new Lemoyne Borough Office and West Shore Regional Police Department.

Mount Zion Elementary School was a grade k-2 school located in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, Fairview Township. After completing second grade, students would continue to third grade at Fairview Elementary School.

In January 2012, the members of the school board proposed the closure of Mount Zion Elementary School, to help save the district's budget. In spring 2012, the final vote was made to close Mount Zion after the end of the school year. Since its close, the district temporarily placed its students and incoming students of that area to other elementary schools in the district, until expansions at Fairview Elementary School were complete. Fairview Elementary School currently serves as a k-5 elementary school, but will become an intermediate school for grades 5 and 6 in Fall 2024.^[11]

The West Shore School Board voted unanimously to close Lemoyne Middle School in June 2013 to deal with budget constraints. The initial decision was to close either Lemoyne Middle School or New Cumberland Middle School. Students were reassigned to the remaining 3 middle schools in the district.^[12]

Lower Allen Elementary was a grade k-2 school located in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, Lower Allen Township. After completing second grade, students would continue to Rossmoyne Elementary School.

Following the completion of the new Rossmoyne Elementary School build, Lower Allen Elementary would be closed in 2021.

Fairview elementary is a k-5 school located in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, Fairview Township. In November 2022, the school district voted to close Fairview once the intermediate schools open in fall 2024 due to budget restraints. The students from Fairview would be brought to Fishing Creek, Rossmoyne, or Newberry elementary schools.

• West Shore School District