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McDowell HS

3580 West 38th St, Erie, PA, 16506

Top 10% School in Pennsylvania

Ranked 7 of 202 in Pennsylvania

See top schools in Erie

About McDowell HS

McDowell High School is a public high school in Erie, Pennsylvania, that serves students in grades 9–12. This is the only high school in the Millcreek Township School District. The school has between 2,000 and 2,100 students, and there is one teacher for every 17 students. This helps keep lessons the same on a large suburban campus. There are a lot of different classes at McDowell High School, but the main goal is to get students ready for college and jobs. About 30% of students take Advanced Placement® classes and tests, which shows that they want to go to college or get a job that requires more schooling. The school also helps students get ready for the SAT and ACT, get help with their homework, and find ways to improve at what they do. The main things taught are core academics, critical thinking, and how to get ready for life after high school. There are about 19% minority students, and about 48% of them are eligible for programs that help them with money. Reports for the 2025–2026 school year say that about 44% of students are good at math and 75% are good at reading.

McDowell HS Contact Information

Address

3580 West 38th St, Erie, PA, 16506

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Phone

(814) 835-5403

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Academic Performance

Subject Proficiency

Mathematics 75%
Reading 44%
State average proficiency is 75% in Math and 44% in Reading.
140
Full-time Teachers
15 : 1
Student-Teacher Ratio
5
Teachers In First Or Second Year (yrs)
2161
Total Students
$76537
Avg. Teacher Salary
TOP 7 IN STEM IN STATE

Robotics & STEM
at McDowell HS

2.5X
More likely to pursue STEM Careers
80%
Jobs that will require STEM in 2030
2.5X
More likely to persue STEM Careers
80%
Jobs that will require STEM in 2030
  • 🤖 Coding & Debugging
  • 🧪 Hobby Electronics and Engineering
  • 👩‍💻 Apply Math in Science and Engineering
  • 🛠️ 3D Printing
🚀
Hands-on with real robots
🏆
Led by competition winners
🎓
STEM career pathways

Recent News & Updates

New Playground Name

We are so excited to announce the name of our new playground! Following a school-wide and Robinson community vote we narrowed a large list of names down to four. Since our students will be using the playground on a daily basis, we gave them the final vote! 476.....

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Mansfield Public Schools Educator Spotlight: Pathways of a Fourth-Grade Teacher

MANSFIELD — Inside the brick building on East Street, four educators who began teaching within 2 years of each other, all spending the beginning of their careers teaching fourth grade at Jordan/Jackson Elementary School...

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School Timings

Regular School Hours

All Grades: 7:30 AM to 2:20 PM

Early Dismissal Days

Dismissal Time: 12:15 PM

Note: Doors open at 7:15 AM for student arrival. Please refer to the school calendar for specific early dismissal dates.

After School Activities

Information coming soon

School Session Dates

September to June

School session starts in September 1st week and ends in June 3rd week. For exact dates, please contact the school.

Student Demographics

White 81.21%
Asian 4.4%
Hispanic 4.67%
Black 3.33%
Two+ Races 6.11%
Native Am. 0.28%
White
81.21%
Asian
4.4%
Hispanic
4.67%
Black
3.33%
Two+ Races
6.11%
Native Am.
0.28%

Gender Distribution

Total Students: 2161
48.08%
1039 Female
51.92%
1122 Male

Student Population

2161 Students

With a student-teacher ratio of 15 : 1

Minority Enrollment

25%

Percentage of minority students

Students per Counselor

432 : 1

Student to counselor ratio

Remarkable Alumni

Being Updated

Map

Latest News

McDowell High School is very excited! The coed competitive cheer team just won its sixth state title in ten years, scoring an impressive 88 points in the finals. The school is also doing a lot of work, like building new classrooms and a cafeteria. The first and second floors will also have air conditioning. Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor gave the school a good review for its work to teach students about money.

FAQ

Q1. Does McDowell High School offer chances to explore careers?

Ans. Students can take part in vocational programs to get ready for jobs in the future.

Q2. Do students get help getting ready for standardized tests?

Ans. Yes, of course! They offer SAT and ACT tests and help students get ready for college.

Q3. Are students allowed to join clubs and activities outside of school?

Ans. Yes, clubs, sports, and student groups help people learn how to be social and lead.

Q4. Does the school support volunteering in the community?

Ans. Yes, students work on local volunteer projects to learn about civic duty.

Q5. Are there programs that help students grow?

Ans. Yes, mentoring, workshops, and leadership activities help students do better in school and make friends.

Games & Extracurricular Activities

Sports

  • Soccer Club Grades 1-3 | Mon/Wed 3:30-4:30pm
  • Basketball Grades 2-4 | Tue/Thu 3:30-4:45pm
  • Track & Field Grades 3-5 | Fri 3:30-5:00pm

Arts

  • Art Club Grades K-2 | Mon 3:00-4:00pm
  • Drama Club Grades 3-5 | Wed 3:30-5:00pm
  • Choir Grades 2-5 | Thu 3:15-4:15pm

Clubs

  • Chess Club Grades 2-5 | Fri 3:15-4:15pm
  • Garden Club All Grades | Tue 3:15-4:00pm
  • Robotics Club Grades 3-5 | Thu 3:30-5:00pm

Note: Schedules may change during school holidays. Please contact School for exact Schedule.

Summer Suggested Reading

Horn Book Selections

Vocabulary.com +3 Horn Book +3 What to Read to Your Kids +3
ML

Maggie Lou, Firefox

by Arnolda Dufour Bowes

PS

The Puppets of Spelhorst

by Kate DiCamillo

MLV

The Mona Lisa Vanishes

by Nicholas Day

Vocabulary.com Top Picks

Penguin Random House +10 Vocabulary.com +10 Wikipedia +10
F

Frindle

by Andrew Clements

WR

The Wild Robot

by Peter Brown

JGP

James and the Giant Peach

by Roald Dahl

Penguin Random House Features

Horn Book +2 Penguin Random House +2 The Guardian +2
SLB

The Secret Language of Birds

by Lynne Kelly

S

The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

by Beth Lincoln

Free Robotics and Stem In-person Workshop in Your Neighbourhood for 7-14 Years Tech Enthusiasts.

Local kids are transforming ideas into real-world.

See the projects happening right in your neighborhood

What Parents Say

McDowell HS

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DISCLAIMER

The information provided about schools is for general reference only and may not be 100% accurate or up to date. We recommend contacting the respective school directly to confirm the latest details and ensure accuracy.