Conestoga High School
| Conestoga High School | |
|---|---|
Conestoga High School in 2006 | |
| Location | |
200 Irish Rd , 19312 United States | |
| Coordinates | 40°02′50″N 75°27′12″W / 40.0472°N 75.4533°W |
| Information | |
| Other names | Conestoga Senior High School, CHS |
| Former name | Tredyffrin Easttown High School |
| Type | Comprehensive public high school |
| Motto | A Tradition of Excellence |
| Established | October 27, 1954 |
| School district | Tredyffrin/Easttown |
| NCES District ID | 4223640[1] |
| Superintendent | Richard Gusick |
| CEEB code | 390295 |
| NCES School ID | 422364001423[2] |
| Principal | Amy Meisinger |
| Teaching staff | 149.00 (FTE)[3] |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 2,361 (2023–2024)[3] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 15.85[3] |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Colors | Garnet and gray |
| Mascot | The Pioneer |
| Nickname | Stoga |
| Newspaper | The Spoke |
| Yearbook | The Pioneer |
| Feeder schools |
|
| Website | Conestoga Homepage |
Conestoga High School, located in Tredyffrin Township,[4] Pennsylvania, is the only upper secondary school in the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District. It has a Berwyn post office address,[5] though it is not in the Berwyn census-designated place.[6]
Conestoga, commonly referred to as "Stoga", is 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Philadelphia in the suburbs known as the Main Line.
Departments
Conestoga has eight academic departments: Business/Technology, English, World Languages, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Visual and Performing Arts, and Wellness/Fitness/Family & Consumer Science. Students must earn 24 credits in order to graduate. One credit is equivalent to a year-long class.[7]
Distinctions and honors
In 2016, Niche.com ranked the Tredyffrin Easttown school district first in the United States. In the 2016 edition of Newsweek's "America's Top High Schools", Conestoga High School was ranked 36th in the nation and the 1st in Pennsylvania.[8]
National Merit/College Board Recognition
The Conestoga Class of 2022 includes 39 National Merit Semi-finalists, the most in Pennsylvania.[9] The Conestoga Class of 2018 includes 34 National Merit Semi-finalists, 26 National Merit Commended students, and 2 National Hispanic Scholars.[10]
Extracurricular activities
Student Journalism
The Spoke
Conestoga is home to a student-produced news website, Spoke.news (formerly Stoganews.com). It is produced by the staff of The Spoke, Conestoga's student run newspaper. The Spoke has been the recipient of several national awards.[11]
Civic engagement
In 2017, Conestoga was the first high school to receive the Pennsylvania Governor's Civic Engagement Award for registering 85% of eligible students to vote.[12][13][14] In 2018, the students who ran the drive brought the organization "New Voters" to the national level.[15]
Athletic teams
Conestoga competes in 17 different sporting events generally within the Central League.[16]
| Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Cross Country | Cross Country | Winter | Basketball | Basketball | Spring | Baseball | Softball | ||
| Football | Field Hockey | Swimming | Swimming | Lacrosse | Lacrosse | |||||
| Golf | Golf | Indoor Track | Indoor Track | Track | Track | |||||
| Soccer | Soccer | Wrestling | Cheerleading | Tennis | ||||||
| Tennis | ||||||||||
| Volleyball | ||||||||||
| Cheerleading |
Notable alumni
- Dave Bush, former professional baseball player, Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, and Toronto Blue Jays
- Brian Chippendale, rock drummer and vocalist
- Jake Cohen, professional basketball player, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Israeli national basketball team
- Chris Donovan, professional soccer player, Philadelphia Union[17][18]
- Jennie Eisenhower, actress, granddaughter of President Richard Nixon, and great-granddaughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Robert Ellis, author
- Drew Endy, bioengineering professor, Stanford University, and founder of the Registry of Standard Biological Parts
- FanFan, singer and actress
- Gregg Foreman, musician and actor
- Todd Glass, comedian and actor[19]
- Steve Gerben, Actor, Producer, Writer
- Pat Heim, professional lacrosse player
- Mark Herzlich, professional football player[20]
- Roger Hobbs, author
- Elizabeth Hoffman, executive vice-president, Iowa State University, president emerita, University of Colorado
- Keith Hughes. former professional baseball player[21]
- Kasie Hunt, political correspondent
- Chris Hurst, TV anchor and member of the Virginia House of Delegates
- Abbi Jacobson, actress and co-creator of Comedy Central TV series Broad City
- Larry Krasner, 26th District Attorney of Philadelphia
- Brendon Little, professional baseball player, Toronto Blue Jays[22]
- Craig Lucas, Tony Award-nominated playwright
- Mt. Joy, Indie folk/rock band featuring alumni Matt Quinn and Sam Cooper[23]
- Brian Munroe, Pennsylvania State Representative
- P.T. Ricci, professional lacrosse player[24]
- Johanna Schmitt, professor of evolution and ecology, University of California, Davis and professor of natural history, Brown University
- Grant Shaud, actor
- Tommy Shields, professional baseball player, Chicago Cubs
- Glenn R. Simpson, journalist[25]
- Melissa Shusterman, Pennsylvania State Representative[26]
- Marquis Weeks, professional football player
Controversies
Hazing and Sexting
In 2015, the Chester County District Attorney's office began investigating reports of sexting against several freshman football players at the school. The father of one of the accused alerted the District Attorney's office that his son was being bullied and hazed by Conestoga's football team. Tredyffrin Township Police investigated and found that the boy had been sodomized with a broomstick by his teammates, and multiple hazing rituals existed within the team, including "No Gay Thursdays," where players engaged in sexually provocative and explicit behavior with their teammates that might otherwise be considered homosexual behavior, otherwise.[27] The victim of the forced sodomization was charged with a misdemeanor for the sexting, and three other players were charged, and pled guilty to, harassment.[28]
Gambling
In August 2025, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on an alleged cover-up by school administration into a gambling ring organized by a long-time basketball coach, who was betting on the outcomes of the school's games.[29][30]
Sexual assault
In May 2025, Michelle Mercogliano, a special education teacher, was arrested and faces 63 charges relating to allegations that she had sex with a sixteen year old student more than twelve times at her home.[31] She was also charged for allegedly purchasing marijuana for the student.[32][33][34]
References
- ^ "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Tredyffrin-Easttown SD". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ^ "Search for Public Schools - Conestoga SHS (422364001423)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Conestoga SHS". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ^ "Figure 2.9.1 Community Facilities Tredyffrin Township Comprehensive Plan & Historic Preservation Plan". Tredyffrin Township. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
Conestoga High School
- ^ "Home". Conestoga High School. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
200 Irish Road | Berwyn, PA 19312
- ^ "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Berwyn CDP, PA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 29, 2022. - Compare map with the school's postal address.
- ^ "2022-2023 Program of Studies" (PDF). Conegsta High School. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 9, 2024.
- ^ "America's Top High Schools 2016". Newsweek. August 11, 2016. Archived from the original on August 12, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^ "Conestoga High Students Lead List Of National Merit Semifinalists With 39 Named". Tredyffrin-Easttown, PA Patch. September 21, 2021. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021.
- ^ "In the News – Detail Page". tesd.net. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
- ^ "NSPA - 2012 Newspaper Pacemaker Winners". Retrieved August 1, 2023.
- ^ "Conestoga High School's New Voters Club honored with Civic Engagement Award". Main Line Media News. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ State, Pennsylvania Department of. "Pennsylvania Department of State Honored Conestoga High School for Voter Registration Achievement" (Press release). PR Newswire. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ "Conestoga New Voters Club Earns Governor's Civic Engagement Award". Tredyffrin-Easttown, PA Patch. December 1, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ Orso, Anna (April 5, 2018). "These Philly-area teens got 100 classmates to register to vote. Now, they're taking the next step". inquirer.com. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ "PIAA – Schools – Directory – Conestoga High School". piaa.org.
- ^ "Chris Donovan - 2021 - Men's Soccer". Drexel University Athletics. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ Union, Philadelphia. "Roster | PhiladelphiaUnion.com". Philadelphia Union. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ "Todd Glass | Yuks". Todd Glass | Yuks. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ "Mark Herzlich, New York Giants, Linebacker". 247Sports. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ Riley, Matt (August 18, 2009). "Wayne's Keith Hughes still living the dream on the local diamond". Mainline Media News. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
- ^ "Brendon Little Class of 2015 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA". Perfect Game. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ Rowland, Hobart (April 24, 2018). "Conestoga High School Grads Find Success with Band Mt. Joy". Main Line Today. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ "PT Ricci - Volunteer Assistant Coach". conestogalacrosse. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ Flegenheimer, Matt (January 8, 2018). "Fusion GPS Founder Hauled From the Shadows for the Russia Election Investigation". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^ "About". Melissa Shusterman. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ "Conestoga Hazing: Authorities Issue Statement To 'Set The Record Straight'". Tredyffrin-Easttown, PA Patch. June 29, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
- ^ "Hazing trend involves horrifying violation of young athletes". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ^ Bender, William (August 17, 2025). "Conestoga High School quietly suspended a nationally recognized soccer coach who was betting on basketball games with students". Inquirer.com. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ^ Pérez, Paola (August 17, 2025). "The quiet handling of school gambling | Morning Newsletter". Inquirer.com. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ^ Lee, Jennifer (May 1, 2025). "Chester County teacher faces felony charges after accusations of having sexual relationship with student". FOX 29 Philadelphia. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ^ "Conestoga High School teacher accused of having sexual relationship with student, DA says - CBS Philadelphia". www.cbsnews.com. May 1, 2025. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ^ "Conestoga High School teacher facing 63 charges for allegedly having sex with student". 6abc Philadelphia. April 30, 2025. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ^ Itzcovitz, Rose (May 1, 2025). "Parents and school community shocked, saddened by allegations Conestoga HS teacher had sex with student". WFMZ.com. Retrieved March 19, 2026.