Schools

Homestead

A judge has ordered an insurance carrier to pay $80,000 to cover the cost of repairing vandalism that occurred in March 2004 at the Propel charter school in Homestead.

The vandalism happened shortly before the nonprofit Propel Schools embarked on its renovation of the former St. Mary Magdalene School on East 10th Avenue to prepare it for opening in the fall of 2004.

Vandals broke into the building, using bolt cutters to remove a steel lock. They cut and carried away copper water pipes, resulting in leaks which caused extensive damage to the maple wood gym floor, a cafeteria floor and adjacent walls.

The vandals, who have not been caught, exposed asbestos, prompting school officials to warn them that they might face a health risk from the exposure.

An insurance claim was submitted to Penn America Insurance Co., of Hatboro, Montgomery County, which said the policy did not cover the vandalism. School Facility Development Inc., the nonprofit owner of the school, took the case to court.

During a trial, evidence showed that the vandalism exclusion in the policy had been typed in after the break-in, according to a news release by Alan Shuckrow, the school owner's attorney. The insurance company tried to categorize the incident as a theft rather than vandalism.

Common Pleas Judge Thomas Gladden ordered that the incident was vandalism and ordered the insurance company to pay more than $80,000 in damages to the school's owner.

West Mifflin Area

The school board will hold a work session at 7 p.m. today to discuss the proposed district budget, which will be up for approval next Thursday. The meeting will be in the boardroom of the administrative building at 515 Camp Hollow Road.