Penobscot Valley High School

RSU 31/MSAD 31
23 Cross Street
Howland, ME 04448
134 Students
High School 9th - 12th
School Overview
Penobscot Valley High School (PVHS), located in the rural community of Howland, Maine, serves as a central educational hub for students in the surrounding region. As a smaller institution, the school is known for fostering a close-knit environment where students, faculty, and the local community often have strong interpersonal connections. The school typically focuses on providing a core academic curriculum while supporting extracurricular activities, including athletics and student organizations, which are essential to the school spirit and identity of small-town Maine education.

Because of its location in Penobscot County, PVHS plays a vital role in the social and academic development of local youth, often emphasizing personalized attention due to smaller class sizes compared to larger urban districts. The school serves as a focal point for town events and community pride, striving to prepare its graduates for post-secondary education, trade schools, or the workforce. While it operates within the constraints of a rural district, it remains dedicated to maintaining standard educational benchmarks and supporting the diverse needs of its student body.
134
Total Students
13.4
Full-Time Teachers
10.0
Student/Teacher Ratio
56.7%
Free/Reduced Lunch
Student Demographics
  • White
    125 (93.3 %)
  • American Indian
    5 (3.7 %)
  • Asian
    2 (1.5 %)
  • Black
    1 (0.7 %)
  • Pacific Islander
    1 (0.7 %)
School Location
School Details
Status: Open
School Level: High School
School Type: Regular School
Charter Status:* Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction: No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status: No
District: RSU 31/MSAD 31
Phone: (207)732-3111
Website: http://www.sau31.org/penobscot-valley-high-school
Grade Range: 9th - 12th
Total Students: 134
Full-Time Teachers (FTE): 13.4
Pupil/Teacher Ratio: 10.0
NSLP Participation:1 Yes under Provision 2
Qualified Free Lunch: 66
Qualified Reduced Lunch: 10

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

1 National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught
Grade 9 37
Grade 10 29
Grade 11 36
Grade 12 32
Gender Ratio