Academic Foundations: Elementary schools establish core foundational skills in the areas of literacy, math, social studies and science and receive a well-rounded academic experience with specialized subjects (art, music, health/PE, library, guidance). See the WSD Program Overview and links to Program of Studies and Elementary Curriculum for more information.

Local Assessment Measures: Throughout the year, Elementary students are assessed to identify their individual strengths and areas of need. An array of formal and informal classroom measures is used to inform individual and whole class instruction; leveled groupings, and necessary interventions.

Two formal assessments which are provided to set benchmarks for ongoing instruction and learning by measuring students’ skill attainment, achievement, and growth are the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) and Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). At the start of each year, students in Kindergarten through 3^rd grade are screened on essential skills using the DIBELS system to determine student progress from year to year.  MAP, on the other hand, is administered to students in Kindergarten through 5^th grade to measure their achievement levels in Math and Language Arts during the fall, winter, and spring. Together, along with other classroom diagnostic tools and informal assessments, teachers obtain valuable information on student needs to guide instruction in support of interventions and enrichment.

See the Elementary Local Assessment Measures webpage for further information.

Teaching and Learning Resource Center: Access a list of district-recommended resources for your family/students. This information is organized by grade level and content area. 

Children turning 5 on or before September 1 are eligible to enter Kindergarten in the Wissahickon School District.  Once a student is registered, starting in January for the following school year, students are invited to school to participate in our Kindergarten Interview, an opportunity for a kindergarten teacher, reading specialist, or school counselor to meet with and learn more about your child in preparation for the start of the school year. As part of the Kindergarten registration process, all students are screened for readiness. Some students are referred to a 3-week skills-building summer program in preparation for their Kindergarten year, but all who meet registration requirements may attend Kindergarten in the Fall.

Kindergarten Registration Details

One way to help prepare your child for kindergarten is through reading. Wissahickon’s “Tips4Kids” program provides literacy tips to help your child(ren) learn to love reading! Subscribe to Tips4Kids.

Traditionally, a student who is suspected to qualify for gifted services is referred for gifted screening by their general education teacher and/or by their parent. The gifted screening process, for determining whether a student meets the multi-criteria benchmarks for a gifted evaluation, utilizes a rubric comprised of a non-verbal ability test, curriculum-based assessments, updated normed-referenced parent and teacher rating scales, and state and local assessments. Students who meet the minimum score, as indicated on the rubric, will move forward to the evaluation process with the school psychologist.

A universal gifted screening process for all first graders will be administered in the spring semester. Parents will be notified by the district regarding students who will move forward in the process.

Requests for screening should be made to your school counselor.

For more information on screening and program benefits, see the web page on the Gifted Support Program.

There is a designated, sequential path in Mathematics to accommodate all students as they move from Elementary to Middle School, and through High School. Each year in the spring, some 5^th grade students are identified for placement in pre- algebra for 6^th grade. Math placement in Middle School is based in part on Elementary PSSA math scores and MAP scores (see Local Assessment Measures). 

The Wissahickon School District has an extensive array of programs and services that provide the opportunity for all students to achieve the maximum benefit from their educational experience. The following categories fall under the umbrella of Student Services: Special Education, School Counseling, Health Services, and Home-School Visitor.  They include programs to provide academic, behavioral, and mental health support.

student services

Course Offerings: With a solid foundation provided at the elementary level, middle and high school students are ready to explore their interests and prepare for the fields they may pursue as careers or in college. Students may start specializing their education in middle school through their choice of a wide range of electives. Dedicated learning spaces such as the middle school MakerSpace give students the opportunity to learn science, technology, engineering, art and math skills through engaging, hands-on activities. See the WSD Program Overview to access links to the Program of Studies for more information on curriculum offerings and course sequencing. 

Math and Science Course Sequence;  There is a designated, sequential path in Mathematics for all students as they move from Middle School through High School. Depending on your student’s interests, strengths, and academic goals for higher education, you may want to consider the required math sequence through high school while in Middle School.

The math program in Middle School sets in motion the attainment of prerequisites for higher-level math and science courses in High School. For instance, although Calculus is not required in High School, some students set a goal to qualify to take Calculus in twelfth grade. To meet that goal, they must complete Algebra 1 in Middle School and be prepared to take Geometry in ninth grade; or double up in tenth by taking Geometry and Algebra II concurrently. Similarly, if your student intends to take Chemistry in 10^th or 11^th grade, they must be in or beyond Algebra II, which is a prerequisite for Chemistry; and if your student wants to take Physics in 11^th or 12^th grade, they must qualify for Pre-Calculus.

While we at WSD support students progressing at their own pace, it is important to note that most competitive colleges expect to see the three traditional sciences – Biology, Chemistry, and Physics – on applicants’ high school transcripts when they apply. Therefore, it may be worth looking ahead and reviewing the sequence of courses in math and science at the high school level so that you can chart your course to meet your academic goals.

For your planning purposes, see the Wissahickon School District Flow Chart of Math and Science Courses below in the High School Program of Studies to understand course sequence (and requirements) from Middle School through High School.
Flow Chart of Math
Science Courses
High School Program of Studies .

Program of Studies Night: 8th grade families are invited to attend a Program of Studies Night in January each year to learn more about the WHS curriculum and course selection process. 

Honors Exploration:  WHS Honors students meet with selected 8th graders to answer questions about enrolling in an Honors course. 

Career Pathways Portfolio: As part of the middle school experience, and by order of the state of Pennsylvania, every Wissahickon student is required to complete career awareness activities throughout middle school (as well as Elementary and High School).  The last few years, the program has evolved to align with the Pennsylvania Career Standards with the intention that students will move through Wissahickon Middle School with career awareness and preparation, career retention and entrepreneurship exposure. This Career Pathways Portfolio provides students with the opportunity to explore their own strengths and interests while discovering possible career fields. The more effort put forth by the student in this portfolio, the greater the results. As your teachers and school counselors work through these activities with you, feel free to reach out to them with  any questions.

WSD Career Ready

The annual Wissahickon Middle School Career Day provides all WMS students the opportunity to learn about many different professions. Parent and community volunteers discuss their professions during scheduled sessions. WMS  seeks speakers who can address the Career Pathways based on the Pennsylvania Career Zone. 

Academic Period/Study Hall: WMS students are encouraged to use this time to seek help from teachers on assignments and test preparation.

Teaching and Learning Resource Center: Access a list of district-recommended resources for your family/students. This information is organized by grade level and content area. 

The Wissahickon School District has an extensive array of programs and services that provide the opportunity for all students to achieve the maximum benefit from their educational experience. The following categories fall under the umbrella of Student Services: Special Education, School Counseling, Health Services, and Home-School Visitor.  They include programs to provide academic, behavioral, and mental health support.

student services

Traditionally, a student who is suspected to qualify for gifted services is referred for gifted screening by their general education teacher and/or by their parent. The gifted screening process, for determining whether a student meets the multi-criteria benchmarks for a gifted evaluation, utilizes a rubric comprised of a non-verbal ability test, curriculum-based assessments, updated normed-referenced parent and teacher rating scales, and state and local assessments. Students who meet the minimum score, as indicated on the rubric, will move forward to the evaluation process with the school psychologist.

Requests for screening should be made to your school counselor.

For more information on screening and program benefits, see the web page on the Gifted Support Program.

Course Rigor and Variety: With a solid foundation provided at the elementary level, middle and high school students are ready to explore their interests and prepare for the fields they may pursue in career and college. Students may start specializing their education in middle school through their choice of a wide range of electives. At Wissahickon High School, the curricula differentiate even more with course offerings in a variety of academic levels in the core curriculum (Academic, Honors, and Advanced Placement). Among the most rigorous offerings are 25 Advanced Placement (AP) classes and 68 Honors courses, including 15 Honors Arts/Music offerings for students interested in the performing or visual arts. See the High School Program of Studies for complete information on the High School curriculum, course selection, and other considerations. 

Math and Science Course Sequence: There is a designated, sequential path in Mathematics for all students as they move from Middle School through High School. Depending on students’ interests, strengths, and academic goals for higher education, they may want to consider the required math sequence through high school.

While we at WSD support students progressing at their own pace, it is important to note that most competitive colleges expect to see the three traditional sciences – Biology, Chemistry, and Physics – on applicants’ high school transcripts when they apply. Therefore, it may be worth looking ahead and reviewing the sequence of courses in math and science at the high school level so that students can chart their course to meet their academic goals.

For instance, although Calculus is not required in High School, some students set a goal to qualify to take Calculus in twelfth grade. To meet this goal, they need to be prepared to take Geometry in ninth grade; or in tenth grade, they would take Geometry and Algebra II concurrently. Similarly, if students intend to take Chemistry in 10^th or 11^th grade, they must be in or beyond Algebra II, which is a prerequisite for Chemistry; and if students would like to take Physics in 11^th or 12^th grade, they must qualify for Pre-Calculus.

For your planning purposes, please see the Wissahickon School District Flow Chart of Math and Science Courses below in the High School Program of Studies to understand course sequences and requirements.

Flow Chart of Math
Science Courses
WHS Program of Studies

Difference Between AP, Honors, and Academic Courses:

Advanced Placement: An AP course follows the prescribed college-board curriculum, thereby challenging students with college-level work in both rigor and expectations and preparing all students for the AP exam. Students enrolled in an AP course undertake a rigorous workload that involves extensive reading, writing, problem solving and critical thinking. Essential to success in this course is the ability to learn independently outside the classroom. Students who earn a C- or better receive a weighted grade in an Advanced Placement course. AP or college courses not taken at WHS will not be listed on the Wissahickon School District report cards or transcripts.  Students enrolled in AP courses are not required to take the AP examination in May.  WHS will cover the cost of two exams per year per student.  The cost of all subsequent exams is the student’s responsibility.  WHS will cover the cost of all exams for students who have financial need.

Honors: An Honors course follows a challenging curriculum prescribed by each department and develops higher-level thinking skills using an accelerated pace and enriched content. Honors courses prepare students in their progress toward meeting the challenges of highly competitive college work. Students enrolled in an Honors course undertake a rigorous workload that involves extensive reading, writing, problem solving and critical thinking. Essential to success in this course is the ability to learn independently outside the classroom. Students who earn a C- or better receive a weighted grade in an Honors course.     

Academic: An Academic course follows a challenging curriculum prescribed by each department and develops higher-level thinking skills using appropriate pace and content. Academic courses prepare students to meet Pennsylvania graduation requirements and future study. Students enrolled in an Academic course undertake an appropriate workload that involves reading, writing, and problem solving. Essential to success in this course is the ability to learn through guided instruction and complete work outside the classroom. Students receive an unweighted grade in an Academic course.

North Montco Technical Career Center (NMTCC) offers 22 programs within eight cluster areas, including: Construction Trades, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Engineering/Manufacturing, Horticulture, Health & Human Services, Power & Transportation and Visual Communications. The school serves approximately 1000 students from five surrounding school districts. The program features school-to-career learning programs including internships, apprenticeships, and opportunities for cooperative education. Students can attend the school as either part-time or full-time enrollees.       

In addition to technical training, NMTCC provides academic courses to full-time students. College credits are awarded for many of NMTCC’s programs through dual enrollment/articulation agreements with post-secondary institutions upon successful completion of the program.

NMTCC is also host to its highly competitive Allied Health Technology program in which students interested in a medical or health science career participate in clinical rotations and classes at Abington Lansdale Hospital and the Biotechnology program, which is a laboratory intensive program that offers students eight college credits. Students generally apply to NMTCC in 9^th grade and then begin their program in 10^th grade. Seats are limited.

Program of Studies Night: WHS students and families are invited to attend a Program of Studies Night in January each year to learn more about the WHS curriculum and course selection process. 

School Counseling: Wissahickon supports students and their families in finding the best post-high-school fit after graduation to ensure they are career-and-college ready. This means taking all factors into consideration, such as academic performance, personal interests, financial means, etc., when choosing whether to pursue a college degree, enter the workforce, military service, or pursue another opportunity. Wissahickon’s teachers and School Counseling Office, supported by a dedicated Career/College Counselor, Stacy Anderson, actively assist students through this unique and personalized decision-making process. 

Please visit the School Counseling page for overview and general information about counselor services, counselor contacts, and counseling resources.

Considerations for College Planning: Many students consider college as their best post-high-school fit. They make that determination as they enter high school or sometimes later in their high school career. In either case, it is important to note that while college readiness is demonstrated in a multitude of ways unique to individual students; and student profiles at different colleges and universities vary according to their requirements, students planning to attend college after high school need to set realistic goals and expectations for themselves early on.

For instance, high school students generally aim to earn a grade point average (GPA) of at least a 3.0 if they want a wide range of four-year college options to pursue; however, there are also options for students with GPA’s between 2.0-2.8 to gain acceptance to two-and four-year schools.

Here are some examples based on Wissahickon’s history of recent graduates’ admissions. According to SCOIR profile data, the average or middle 50% of Wissahickon students are accepted to:

• Penn State University, Main Campus, had a weighted GPA of 4.3.
• West Chester University had a weighted GPA of 3.6.
• Temple University had a weighted GPA of 3.9.

There are colleges for students at all levels of academic proficiency and all students will be supported and guided in selecting appropriate choices for college applications based on their high school experience, interests, goals, and performance. Students should work with their high school counselor to identify opportunities to showcase their academic proficiency, strengths, and leadership capacity. 

Here is additional Wissahickon High School and Wissahickon Graduate Profile information to acquire a better sense of how seniors have performed on SATs and ACTs; and to gauge student academic proficiency in relation to the distribution range of weighted GPAs for 2021 WHS graduates: WHS School Profile 2022

View more College/Career Planning Resources

WHS Career Exploration introduces 9th and 10th graders to a wide variety of career paths. Students participate in career presentations from professionals that are about 20 minutes each with 10 minutes for Q & A. 

Career Pathways Portfolio (formerly known as the Graduation Project): 

Every student is required to complete career awareness and preparation, career retention, and entrepreneurship exposure by the end of their junior year. This Career Pathways Portfolio provides students with the opportunity to explore their own strengths while discovering possible career fields. 

Dual Enrollment: Wissahickon High School and Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) have partnered to offer dual enrollment classes in specific curricular areas. Students participating in dual enrollment will be enrolled at both WHS and MCCC, and if successful, students will earn credits towards graduation at both institutions. Classes will be offered at WHS during the regular school day and will be taught by WHS faculty. Students will be eligible for a reduced tuition rate from MCCC and will need to meet WHS and MCCC eligibility requirements. More information on the availability of these courses can be found in WHS Guidance. Please note that offerings can change based on faculty and course availability.  For our Project Lead the Way courses in our Technical Education program, students may request Dual Enrollment through Rochester Institute of Technology. 

Social Lab: The Social Lab Internship Program is a voluntary senior experience where students are able to spend half of their school day at an internship in the field of their choice while earning academic credit.  Students need to enroll in one additional year-long or two semester-long courses as well as the required English, Social Studies, and Math/Science courses.  The prerequisite for 12th grade students interested in Social Lab includes completion of 3.0 credits in English, 3.0 credits in Social Studies, 2.0 credits in Mathematics, 2.0 credits in Science and three years of physical education.

The Bridge to Employment (BTE) program provides students with a unique learning opportunity in the pharmaceutical industry. Students are selected to this program by high school counselors based on interest and proficient academic performance. Students follow the development of a product from the research and development phase through getting the product into the hands of the consumer. Mentors from Johnson and Johnson and Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) work with small teams of students to advise and give feedback and share their career-path stories embedded with practical advice for students.

The Gateway to College Program is a partnership with Montgomery County Community College that supports communities in building sustainable pathways for youth who may need additional opportunities to earn a high school diploma and experience a meaningful college experience. Students are able to attend classes at MCCC for up to two semesters while also earning high school credits.

To support freshmen with a successful transition to high school, the WHS Wiss Link, comprised of four staff advisors and 85 leaders from the junior and senior class, provides a Freshman Orientation and other activities throughout the school year.

Study Hall: WHS students are encouraged to use this time to seek help from teachers on assignments and test preparation.   

Extended Learning Time Program (ELT) is an after-school program designed to provide academic support in our core subject areas.  ELT is open in the Library until 4:15 P.M. on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and until 5:15 P.M. on Wednesday afternoons. Students may use our late buses. This is a valuable resource to support students who can benefit from re-teaching and/or pre-teaching opportunities. Please contact your student’s teachers or School Counselor for more information.  

Students Together Achieve Real Success (STARS) is a peer-to-peer tutoring program that students can access during Study Hall, Lunch, I/E, or after school on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday beginning at 2:40 P.M. Students can sign up to provide help as a tutor or to receive assistance in the different subject areas. Applications are available in the library or counseling office. Please return completed applications with a parent/guardian signature to the library or to Mr. McCabe in room G-02. Meetings will be arranged through Schoology. If students have any questions, they should email Mr. McCabe (bmccabe@wsdweb.org) or contact him via Schoology message.  

Math Lab and Writing Lab are two resources available to students during lunch or study hall and all sessions throughout the day in the Library. Both Labs provide academic support in content-specific areas. More information is available through students’ Math and Language Arts teachers.

Office Hours:  On Day 6, during the I/E period, students report to assigned classrooms and are encouraged to seek support from their teachers virtually using the Teams platform. Teachers are accessible to students during this time for support with class content, homework, or any other academic-related questions.

Teaching and Learning Resource Center: Access a list of district-recommended resources for your family/students. This information is organized by grade level and content area. 

The Wissahickon School District has an extensive array of programs and services that provide the opportunity for all students to achieve the maximum benefit from their educational experience. The following categories fall under the umbrella of Student Services: Special Education, School Counseling, Health Services, and Home-School Visitor.  They include programs to provide academic, behavioral, and mental health support.

student services

The Scholastic Coach works with students identified by school Counselors in need of additional support. The Coaches design individualized action plans to help our students find success.

The Student Assistance Program (SAP) offers support services to students experiencing concerns of mental health, issues involving substance use, behavior, and/or emotional difficulties that may pose barriers to school success. Students can be referred to the SAP team by parents/guardians, school personnel, peers or self-referrals.  The SAP team is comprised of specially trained teachers, administrators, school counselors and mental health and/or drug and alcohol consultants. The goal of the team is to work with students and families to provide supportive interventions and recommendations for success.  Where barriers are sometimes beyond the scope of the school, the team can provide information and help families gain access to community resources. View more SAP information and additional Mental Health resources.

Traditionally, a student who is suspected to qualify for gifted services is referred for gifted screening by their general education teacher and/or by their parent. The gifted screening process, for determining whether a student meets the multi-criteria benchmarks for a gifted evaluation, utilizes a rubric comprised of a non-verbal ability test, curriculum-based assessments, updated normed-referenced parent and teacher rating scales, and state and local assessments. Students who meet the minimum score, as indicated on the rubric, will move forward to the evaluation process with the school psychologist.

Requests for screening should be made to your school counselor.

For more information on screening and program benefits, see the web page on the Gifted Support Program.

Wissahickon School District offers a variety of customizable options for parents and community members to receive updates and news via your preferred methods of communication – text, email, phone, web or mobile app. From the district website to social media to various e-publications, news about our schools, staff, students, programs, events and school resources will always be at your fingertips.

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The Wissahickon School District offers free language assistance services to parents/guardians.

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