Seneca Valley adds new partners
JACKSON TWP — A new agreement between Seneca Valley School District, Butler County Community College and Point Park University will allow high school students to get credits at both colleges with expanded program offerings.
Tracy Vitale, Seneca Valley superintendent, and representatives from BC3 and Point Park University signed an agreement Thursday that would provide college credits at the two schools for Seneca Valley students who earn it by taking BC3's College in High School courses.
Seneca Valley previously had only one BC3 College in High School course, but is expanding its offerings next school year to offer 11 courses, said Denise Manganello, principal of Seneca Valley's Academy of Choice and Cyber program. This takes the school district's College in High School offerings up to 17 among BC3, the University of Pittsburgh and Carlow University.
“It provides them the opportunity to earn college credits before graduating at a reduced price too,” Manganello said. “They're saving money and time by taking it while they're in high school.”
The cost of College in High School courses, which can earn students three credits per course, are $354 per class for Butler County residents. The cost per credit for traditional BC3 enrollment is $160 for Butler County residents
The new College in High School courses for Seneca Valley students at BC3 are: introduction to philosophy, honors economics, human geography, sociology, psychology, speech, college writing, computer information systems, honors algebra 2, honors pre-calculus with trigonometry and statistics.
Students can take the College in High School courses at Seneca Valley in a traditional brick and mortar classroom or online through the cyber program, Manganello said. The credits earned at BC3 will transfer to Point Park University thanks to the new articulation agreement between the two schools.
Additionally, dance students at Seneca Valley can now get five college credits at Point Park University for taking tap, ballet and improvisation courses at Seneca Valley's Academy of Choice.
“We're not competing with one another,” said Steve Tanzilli, dean of business at Point Park University. “We're truly partnering for the betterment of students.”
The College in High School classes through Pitt and Carlow give Seneca Valley students college credits, but they are only available at those institutions or schools with which they have articulation agreements.
BC3 has agreements with many four-year colleges and universities that allow credits earned at BC3 to transfer to other schools, said Bob Morris, dean of admissions at BC3.
The partnership plays to the strengths of each school, Morris said, BC3 with its general education, Point Park with its performing arts program and Seneca Valley with its dance program and rigorous, college-level courses.
This new partnership fits well with Seneca Valley's goal to make sure its graduates are college or career ready, said Tracy Vitale, Seneca Valley superintendent. The sooner they can do that the better, whether that means getting students college credits early or finding out they don't want to pursue a certain path.
Matt McKinley, Seneca Valley assistant superintendent, said the district has been trying to work out an agreement like this with BC3 for years, but the timing was finally right for the details to work out.
“It's about partnering with colleges that are forward-thinking and progressive,” he said.
The expanded College in High School offerings are available only to Seneca Valley students this coming school year, but Manganello said the district might expand it to their partnering schools through the cyber program in the future.
