About Our District

Wilmington Area School District is a two-county district located in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The district spans the northern section of Lawrence County stretching from the Ohio border on the west to Butler County, Pennsylvania, on the east. The Mercer County portion of Wilmington Area School District juts north of the Lawrence County line approximately mid-way between the western and eastern borders. The district is 26 miles west to east and approximately seven miles south to north. The district spans a large geographic area of 111 square miles.

Wilmington Area School District is composed of seven entities. Of those, six entities are in Lawrence County. These include New Wilmington Borough, Plain Grove Township, Pulaski Township, Volant Borough, Washington Township, and Wilmington Township. Mercer County contains one Wilmington Area School District entity, Wilmington Township. On July 1, 1966, Wilmington Area School District was created upon dissolution of the previous Wilmington Area Joint School System.

The district is a rural entity whose main industry is agriculture. Numerous residents participate in the Clean and Green program which reduces property taxes realized by the district. The Marcellus Shale Industry recently has drilled several wells within the confines of the district. The impact of this industry is unknown at this point in time. Wilmington Area has a market value/personal income aid ratio of .6086 which is a factor in the amount of state education funding received by the school district.

A key resource for the district is Westminster College, which is located in New Wilmington, PA. Westminster is a leading liberal arts college. Wilmington Area enjoys numerous benefits given the partnership between the college and the district. Students participate in college courses via the town and gown relationship and college tutors work with elementary through high school students. At times, the district uses college facilities for commencement, music concerts, theatre programs, and swimming. Science in Motion provides excellent instructional resources to our students.

Organizational resources are apparent. Facilities are in good physical condition. There is sufficient land to allow for activities and sports programs. The District has a reasonable contingent of human resources given the current declining enrollment. Faculty and staff are committed and caring. Support personnel are critically important and represent a tremendous asset for the District.

Wilmington Area School District has an enrollment of around 1,000. Approximately 30 percent of the students qualify for free and reduced meals.

Wilmington Area School District offers numerous opportunities to its residents. Community representatives play key roles in a number of district-wide committees. The Curriculum Advisory Committee, Wellness Committee, the Professional Education Committee, Special Education Committee, Vocational Agriculture Advisory Board, booster groups, and parent-teacher organizations provide formalized opportunities for residents’ valuable input. The school district provides an entertainment venue for residents. Large numbers of residents attend school events such as athletic competitions, music concerts, and theatrical presentations. Residents also use facilities for recreational sports. The District has a Use of Facilities Policy that makes district buildings and grounds available to residents and taxpayers. Several blood drives are held for community residents during a school year. Also, members of the student council provide a Senior Prom for residents for several residential facilities.

Numerous opportunities are available for students as well both during the school day and after-school hours. Wilmington Area School District operates a vocational-agriculture program for district residents and for students from neighboring districts interested in pursuing this type of study. Students also have access to a comprehensive career and technical center. At the present time, 31 students are studying career-related programs within that facility. Wilmington Area School District meets the needs and interests of many students through the arts, through gifted education, and through special education programs. Students can participate in academic programs at Westminster College located in New Wilmington, PA. Classes are available during the school day, before and after school, and during the summer months. A long-standing policy makes it possible to have these academic credits included in total credits on high school transcripts. Additional educational opportunities occur before and after school tutoring for students. The high school facility offers organized club activities such as, among others, Future Business Leaders of America, Future Farmers of America, student council, peer leadership, and Key Club. Our students volunteer to assist with the community business expo which is held annually.

The residents and organizations of the Wilmington Area School District provide opportunities that enhance learning for our students, both within the school building and beyond. As noted above, Westminster College affords numerous opportunities for our children: from classes, use of facilities, and specialized educational programs. For example, the college offers a college fair for our students, welcomes district band and choral students for concerts, and provides facilities for the annual week-long Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) conference. Currently several community groups are fund-raising to help Wilmington students who are unable to afford the newly instituted pay-to-play requirement. The churches in the geographic region of Wilmington Area School District offer numerous opportunities to children living in the district.

Community and organizational groups characterize Wilmington Area School District as a good educational organization with good teachers, great communication between students and teachers, a high level of parental involvement, and a genuine interest in providing a solid educational foundation for children.

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