Westmont Hilltop School District

What Westmont Hilltop School District does

Westmont Hilltop School District is a public K-12 school district chartered under Pennsylvania state law and headquartered at 222 Fair Oaks Drive, Johnstown, PA 15905. It serves students in the Westmont Hilltop area of Cambria County, operating two physical campuses — Westmont Hilltop Elementary School (K-6, 827 Diamond Boulevard) and Westmont Hilltop Junior-Senior High School (7-12, 200 Fair Oaks Drive) — plus the Westmont Hilltop Cyber Academy, a remote/online delivery option. The district employs 133+ named staff across instructional, administrative, facilities, food service, technology, and student support functions, with a leadership team headed by Superintendent Thomas Mitchell, Elementary Principal Nicole Kuzmiak, Junior-Senior High Principal William Aurandt, Business Manager Jacklyn Hanik, and Director of Curriculum and Instruction Amy Brown.

The district's core academic product is a comprehensive K-12 public education portfolio that includes a schoolwide Title I program, 16 Advanced Placement courses (AP Calculus AB/BC, AP English Literature, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C, AP Computer Science A/Principles, AP Psychology, AP US/World/European History, AP Spanish, AP Music Theory, AP 2-D Art and Design), a Dual Enrollment/College in High School program with 17+ regional colleges, the Pennsylvania-mandated Smart Futures career planning platform, a Title I-aligned literacy initiative, an AOPA Foundation aviation curriculum, and a Computer Science and Information Technology track. Student support is delivered through Student Assistance Programs (SAP), school counseling, school nursing, and social work services. Extracurricular offerings include NHS/NJHS honor societies, an esports program (PIEA state champion in three divisions in 2025-26), Theater Club, athletics, and a full athletics department under Athletic Director Thomas Callihan.

The business model is government funding: revenue is derived from local property taxes, Pennsylvania state education subsidies, and federal grants (notably Title I), with no tuition charged to resident families. Pricing signals for ancillary services include $115/day substitute teacher pay, $14/hr paraprofessional aide rate, yearbook sales of $19-$26, and Senior High Musical tickets at $8-$12. Vendor relationships are externalized for non-core functions: Metz Culinary Management (food service), Ignite Education Solutions (paraprofessional staffing), McIlwain School Bus Lines (transportation), and IU8 Intermediate Unit (substitute teachers and professional development). The district's go-to-market is direct enrollment of resident students into its physical schools or Cyber Academy, supported by digital channels (district website, Facebook, LinkedIn, ParentSquare) and community engagement through the Hilltopper Foundation, PTOs, and alumni events such as the All-Class Reunion and Color Run 5K.

Name

Westmont Hilltop School District

Legal name

Westmont Hilltop School District

Website

https://whsd.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Westmont Hilltop School District is a public K-12 school district in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, operating an elementary school, a junior-senior high school, and a cyber academy serving local resident students. It delivers a college-preparatory curriculum including 16 AP courses and dual enrollment with 17+ regional colleges, funded by local property taxes, state aid, and federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Elementary education services
• Secondary education services
• College readiness programs
• Career planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Johnstown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public School District Funding: Public education funding from local property taxes, Pennsylvania state funding, and federal education grants. Operates as a traditional public school district serving students in Kindergarten through 12th grade in the Johnstown, PA area.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Westmont Hilltop School District is a public K-12 school district that delivers comprehensive education services to students in the Johnstown/Cambria County area of Pennsylvania. It operates two physical schools — an Elementary School (K-6) and a Junior-Senior High School (7-12) — plus a Cyber Academy for online learning, and offers academic programs including 16 Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment with regional colleges, Title I supplemental support, and career planning through the Smart Futures program.

Product overview

Westmont Hilltop School District operates as a public K-12 educational institution serving students in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The district offers a comprehensive educational portfolio comprising two schools: Westmont Hilltop Elementary School (grades K-6) and Westmont Hilltop Junior-Senior High School (grades 7-12), plus a Cyber Academy option for online learning. Academic programs include a Schoolwide Title I Program providing supplemental support, 16 Advanced Placement courses for college preparation, and a Dual Enrollment/College in High School program partnering with multiple colleges for concurrent credit. The district provides specialized programs including an AOPA Foundation Aviation curriculum, comprehensive Computer Science offerings, and Career Planning through the Smart Futures program. Extracurricular offerings encompass an esports team (achieving three PIEA state championships in 2025-26), the Theater Club producing annual musicals, NHS and NJHS honor societies, and various clubs and athletic programs. Student support is delivered through Student Assistance Programs (SAP) at both elementary and secondary levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Westmont Hilltop Cyber Academy A cyber-based educational option offering remote/online learning opportunities for students in the Westmont Hilltop School District.
• Advanced Placement (AP) Courses College-level coursework offered across 16 subject areas (including AP Calculus AB/BC, AP English Literature/Composition, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C, AP Computer Science A/Principles, AP Psychology, AP US/World/European History, AP Spanish, AP Music Theory, AP 2-D Art and Design) allowing students to earn college credit through AP exams.
• Dual Enrollment / College in High School Program Partnership program with multiple regional colleges (17+ institutions including Penn Highlands, Pitt-Johnstown, IUP) allowing high school students to earn college credits concurrently. Course offerings include Accounting, Biology, Calculus, Chemistry, Computer Science, Psychology, Sociology, Spanish, and US History.
• Smart Futures Career Planning Program Pennsylvania state-mandated career planning program that guides students in developing personalized career plans and portfolios aligned with K-12 Career Education and Work benchmarks, supporting Act 158 graduation pathway requirements.
• Schoolwide Title I Program A federal supplemental education program providing additional academic support and interventions to help all elementary students, particularly lower-achieving students, demonstrate proficiency on Pennsylvania Academic Standards, with structured parent involvement coordination.
• Student Assistance Program (SAP) A systematic team process that mobilizes school resources to remove barriers to learning, addressing alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and social, emotional, physical, and mental health issues for students at both elementary and secondary levels.
• Esports Program Competitive esports team participating in Pennsylvania Interscholastic Esports Association (PIEA) state championships across multiple game titles including Overwatch, Rocket League, and Marvel Rivals. Won three PIEA state championships in 2025-26.
• Westmont Hilltop Theater Club Theater program producing annual musical performances including productions like Alice By Heart, open to students in the district.
• AOPA Foundation Aviation Program Aviation-focused curriculum including Launching Into Aviation, Exploring Aviation and Aerospace, Introduction to Flight, Aircraft Systems, Flying Environment, and UAS Operations courses, offered in partnership with the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA) Foundation.
• Scholarship and Financial Aid Services Comprehensive scholarship search support including national scholarship databases, community-based scholarships, WH-specific scholarships, and Community Foundation for the Alleghenies partnerships. Includes Distinguished Graduate Scholarships awarded to three graduating seniors each spring.
• Computer Science & Information Technology Curriculum Technology education program including AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A, BaseCamp Digital Media, Graphic Design, and Robotics courses.
• National Honor Society (NHS) and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Honor societies recognizing outstanding students who demonstrate excellence in leadership, scholarship, service, character, and citizenship (NJHS includes citizenship). NHS serves grades 10-12; NJHS serves grades 8-9.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3 PIEA State Championships in 2025-26 season (first state titles in program's 5-season history)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Metz Culinary ManagementcoreOthersExternal food service management company providing cafeteria services at both WHES and the junior-senior high school. Employees work 4.5 hours/day, 5 days/week for elementary, 4 days/week for secondary. Benefits include paid holidays, PTO, and union membership after 30-day probation. Contact: Don McIntosh at 814-255-8750.
• Ignite Education SolutionscoreOthersVendor providing paraprofessional aides for the district at $14.00/hr. Contact: Cindy Kipp at 814-262-0732 or [email protected].
• McIlwain School Bus LinescoreOthersSchool transportation provider hiring bus drivers for the district. Flexible schedules with morning runs (6:30-8:30 AM) and afternoon runs (2:30-4:30 PM). All training provided at no cost. Contact: Mark Lux at 814-288-1594 or [email protected].
• Mount Aloysius CollegeminorOthersHost venue for PIEA State Esports Championships held at Mount Aloysius College in Pennsylvania.
• Pennsylvania Interscholastic Esports Association (PIEA)coreOthersState-level esports governing body that organizes and runs PIEA state championships in Overwatch, Rocket League, and other video game titles for Pennsylvania schools.
• Community Foundation for the AllegheniesminorOthersProvides scholarship opportunities for Westmont Hilltop students. The Community Foundation offers scholarships available to students throughout Cambria County, with specific awards designated for WH graduates. Applications typically open in November and are due in March.
• Westmont Hilltop Education FoundationcoreOthersDistrict-affiliated foundation that awards Distinguished Graduate Scholarships to three graduating seniors each spring based on application and essay. Part of the Hilltopper Foundation/Alumni Association network.
• IU8 (Intermediate Unit 8)coreOthersRegional educational service agency providing guest substitute teacher program, emergency substitute teacher services, and professional development opportunities for district staff.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Conemaugh Valley School District: Small public K-12 district in the Johnstown/Cambria County region competing for the same residential student population under the same Pennsylvania school funding formulas and regulatory requirements.
• Forest Hills School District: Nearby Cambria/Somerset County public school district of similar small-to-mid size serving a comparable Pennsylvania K-12 student population with overlapping AP and extracurricular program structures.
• Richland School District: Adjacent Cambria County public school district (Johnstown area) operating K-12 campuses under the same Pennsylvania state aid and Title I framework as Westmont Hilltop, providing direct competition for resident students.
• Greater Johnstown School District: Neighboring public K-12 school district in Johnstown, PA, serving overlapping Cambria County residents with similar curricular offerings and operating under the same Pennsylvania funding framework as WHSD.
• Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8: Regional educational service agency (Intermediate Unit) already partnered with WHSD for guest substitute programs, special education supports, and professional development; comparable in geographic scope and mission across Cambria and surrounding counties.

Others

• Pennsylvania Highlands Community College: Local community college that participates in WHSD's dual enrollment program, sharing the Johnstown/Cambria County service area and overlapping on college-credit-bearing high school offerings.
• Mount Aloysius College: Regional postsecondary partner that already hosts PIEA esports championships on WHSD's behalf and participates in dual enrollment; comparable as a higher-education institution serving the same Cambria County pipeline.

Broad incumbents

• Commonwealth Charter Academy: Large Pennsylvania cyber charter school that competes with Westmont Hilltop Cyber Academy for in-district students statewide; one of the largest cyber-charter operators and a structural competitor for secondary enrollment.
• Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School: Statewide cyber charter school offering K-12 online instruction; competes directly with WHSD's Cyber Academy and reduces the resident enrollment pool that funds the district.
• Reach Cyber Charter School: Pennsylvania-based cyber charter school serving K-12 students remotely; overlaps with the Westmont Hilltop Cyber Academy's value proposition and competes for the same secondary enrollment pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/westmonthilltopsd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/westmont-hilltop-school-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Westmont Hilltop School District