Pride in USC - Awards & Recognitions
Upper St. Clair School District is proud to have earned numerous national and regional awards and recognitions, as outlined below:
Pittsburgh Business Times ranks USC tops in Pa.
Upper St. Clair School District ranked as the No. 1 school district in Pennsylvania in 2022 and 2023, according to the Pittsburgh Business Times. In 2024, Upper St. Clair ranked No. 2 in the statewide rankings, which began in 2017.
Debuting at No. 10 in 2017, the district climbed to No. 5 in 2018, No. 3 in 2019, and No. 2 in 2020, before reaching No. 1 in 2022 and 2023. There were no rankings in 2021 due to the pandemic.
USCHS named among 2024's Best High Schools
Released on April 22, 2024, the methodology takes a holistic approach to evaluating schools – focusing on six factors: college readiness (30%), state assessment proficiency (20%), state assessment performance (20%), underserved student performance (10%), college curriculum breadth (10%), and graduation rate (10%).
All elementary and middle schools named “Best”
All Upper St. Clair School District’s elementary and middle schools have earned top rankings in the list of 2024 Best Elementary Schools and Best Middle Schools by U.S. News & World Report. The elementary and middle school rankings were released on Nov. 14, 2023.
Boyce Middle School ranks No. 3 and Fort Couch Middle School ranks No. 5 among Pennsylvania’s 1,272 public middle schools. They are the highest ranked middle schools in the Pittsburgh region and two of only three in the region to break the top 10.
Among Pennsylvania’s 1,860 public elementary schools, Eisenhower Elementary ranks No. 6; Baker Elementary is No. 26; and Streams Elementary posts No. 32.
USC named Best Community for Music Education
Upper St. Clair is one of only 15 school districts in Allegheny County, 139 in Pennsylvania, and 975 in the nation to earn the distinction in 2024.
USCHS recognized for sportsmanship
Upper St. Clair High School was selected as a WPIAL Sportsmanship Award winner for the 2020-2021 academic year. This marked the first year that Upper St. Clair has received this recognition since the award’s inception in 1996-1997. In its 25th year of existence, the purpose of the sportsmanship program is to promote sportsmanship in the schools and to reward those schools that best demonstrate the elements of good sportsmanship.
All USC schools named “No Place for Hate”
All six Upper St. Clair schools have earned the Anti-Defamation League’s 2020-2021 No Place for Hate designation. Implemented within the Upper St. Clair School District beginning in the fall of 2019, No Place for Hate helps incorporate anti-bias and bullying prevention resources into the district’s existing programs in order to have one consistent message of inclusivity.
In May 2021, Upper St. Clair High School was honored with the All-Around Award from the Anti-Defamation League. In particular, two of the high school’s activities – “Combating Bullying & Microaggressions” and “The Black Experience: Who Am I?” – drew praise from ADL officials.
In 2020, Boyce and Fort Couch Middle Schools received special Equity Awards from the Anti-Defamation League for their inclusion efforts.
Upper St. Clair earns WELL Health-Safety Rating
The WELL Health-Safety Rating through the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is an evidence-based, third-party verified rating for all new and existing building and space types focusing on operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement and emergency plans to address a post-COVID-19 environment now and into the future.
“The health and safety of our students and staff members as well as others who use our school facilities remain our top priority,” Dr. John Rozzo, superintendent of schools, said. “The WELL Health-Safety seal is further testament that we are sincere in our efforts to go above and beyond to provide the safest environment possible for teaching and learning.”
USCHS program earns national honor
Known simply as the 409 Program – named after its room location – the program’s goal is to provide students with significant mental health needs the opportunity to fully participate in their high school.
SHOP@USC wins top national award
SHOP@USC is a pioneering, student-run business, which operates fully through the collaboration between students with significant disabilities and their same age peers without disabilities. Within SHOP, students produce and sell greeting cards, business cards, signs/banners, laser-engraved items and USC spirit wear merchandise.
As the Grand Prize Winner in the under 5,000 students category, Upper St. Clair School District’s SHOP@USC program was highlighted in the April 2017 issue of the American School Board Journal magazine and received a $5,000 contribution. All 33 award-winning school districts were formally recognized during a special presentation at NSBA’s 77th Annual Conference, March 25-27, 2017, in Denver.
Including the SHOP@USC program, Upper St. Clair has earned a total of three Magna Awards. The High School’s therapeutic emotional support program was recognized in 2020 and the District's Student Leadership Academy, which helps students understand how they can change the world through their leadership, received the honor in 2013.
Including the SHOP@USC program, Upper St. Clair has earned a total of three Magna Awards. The High School’s therapeutic emotional support program was recognized in 2020 and the District's Student Leadership Academy, which helps students understand how they can change the world through their leadership, received the honor in 2013.
National Blue Ribbon Awards
USC has earned a total of 13 National Blue Ribbon awards – three at USC High School, four at Fort Couch Middle School, two at Baker Elementary School, two at Boyce Middle School, and one each at Eisenhower and Streams elementary schools.
The National Blue Ribbon program, established in 1982, focuses on excellence in leadership, curriculum, student achievement, and parent and community involvement. These awards validate our district’s continued and evolving commitment to education and our community’s involvement in that endeavor.
Middle Schools Re-Designated as Donald Eichhorn Schools to Watch
Boyce and Fort Couch middle schools were named Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn Schools to Watch 2023. This marks the sixth time that the two Upper St. Clair schools have earned this honor – an accomplishment reached by only two other schools in Pennsylvania. Boyce and Fort Couch first earned Schools to Watch honors in 2008. The schools were re-designated as Schools To Watch in 2011, 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2023.
Schools to Watch selection is based on a written application that requires schools to show how they meet criteria developed by the National Forum. Schools that appear to meet the criteria are then visited by state teams, which observe classrooms; interview administrators, teachers, students and parents; and look at achievement data, suspension rates, quality of lessons and student work.
Schools to Watch selection is based on a written application that requires schools to show how they meet criteria developed by the National Forum. Schools that appear to meet the criteria are then visited by state teams, which observe classrooms; interview administrators, teachers, students and parents; and look at achievement data, suspension rates, quality of lessons and student work.