River Valley School District (Pennsylvania) Explained

River Valley School District
Streetaddress:102 School Lane
City:Blairsville
County:Indiana County, Westmoreland County
Zipcode:15717
Country:United States
Type:Public
Conference:PIAA District 6
Mascot:Panthers
Colors:Aero Blue, Black

River Valley School District (before 2022: Blairsville-Saltsburg School District[1]) is a small, rural school district that spans portions of two counties. In Indiana County it covers the Boroughs of Blairsville and Saltsburg and Black Lick Township, Burrell Township and Conemaugh Township. In Westmoreland County it covers Loyalhanna Township. The district encompasses approximately 142sqmi. Per the 2000 Census, the district had approximately 16,000 residents. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 14,363 people. In 2009, the district residents’ per capita income was $15,663, while the median family income was $37,257.[2] In the Commonwealth, the median family income was $49,501[3] and the United States median family income was $49,445, in 2010.[4]

The name change was approved by the Board of Directors on May 19, 2021, in a 6-3 vote, effective July 1, 2021;[5] however, as of February 2022, a news article had stated the school district was "in the process of being renamed."[6]

Alignment

Students residing in Burrell and Black Lick Townships and Blairsville in Indiana County attend the thirty-six acre Blairsville campus in Burrell Township, containing the Blairsville Elementary School (K-5), Blairsville Middle/High School (6-12), as well as the district administrative offices.Students residing in Conemaugh Township, a portion of Young Township and Saltsburg in Indiana County and Loyalhanna Township in Westmoreland County attend the Saltsburg Elementary School (K-6) in Loyalhanna Township, and Saltsburg Middle/High School (7-12) in Conemaugh Township.

Extracurriculars

The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports.

Athletics

Blairsville has 5 Heritage conference titles to Saltsburgs 0 in football. In 2014 Blairsville beat Saltsburg 55–7 to claim its first Heritage Conference Title in football in 9 years It was 41–0 at the half. Blairsville has also beat Saltsburg 18 straight time in football. The district offers a variety of sports at the varsity level.A student wishing to participate in a sport not offered at their school can participate in the program at the other school. All teams compete in the Heritage Conference of the PIAA-District 6. (with PIAA classifications for 2008–2010)[7]

BlairsvilleSaltsburgLocation
BaseballAABlairsville
Boys' BasketballAAA
Girls' BasketballAAA
Cross CountryAABlairsville
FootballAA
GolfOpen competitionBlairsville
SoftballAASaltsburg
Track & FieldAASaltsburg
VolleyballABlairsville
WrestlingAABlairsville

District 6 championships

Football (since 1985)
  • Saltsburg: 1991BaseballBlairsville: 2012Girls' BasketballBlairsville: 2012 2015
    Boys' basketball (since 1948)
  • Blairsville: 1993 (AA), 1994 (AA), 2005 (A), 2006 (A) 2015 A
  • Saltsburg: 2000, 2002, 2003Total:Saltsburg:4Blairsville:6Heritage Conference ChampionshipsFootball: Blairsville: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2014 Saltsburg: 0

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Historical Names - Public Entities . Pennsylvania Department of Education . Educational Names & Addresses . 12 July 2022.
    2. US Census Bureau, American Fact Finder, 2009
    3. Web site: American Fact Finder, State and County quick facts . US Census Bureau . 2010 . 2012-01-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006065329/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42000.html . 2014-10-06 . dead .
    4. Web site: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010 . US Census Bureau . September 2011.
    5. News: BLAIRSVILLE-SALTSBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BECOME RIVER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT . 10 March 2022 . WCCS FM 101.1 and AM 1160 . 19 May 2021.
    6. News: Cloonan . Patrick . Major, Struzzi sign on to bill allowing River Valley name change . 10 March 2022 . Indiana Gazette . 18 February 2022.
    7. Web site: Classifications - PIAA. www.piaa.org.