Bloomfield-Garfield Corp. is moving to gather neighborhood input on a proposal to locate the Pittsburgh Public Schools' new International Baccalaureate magnet at the Pittsburgh Peabody High School building in East Liberty.

The neighborhood group sent a letter to school Superintendent Mark Roosevelt, saying it "has already begun to identify community and parent leadership" to join a committee.

The committee "will review the proposed International Baccalaureate program proposal, gain additional broad-based community and parent input, and appropriately respond to the Pittsburgh International Baccalaureate proposed plan," said the Dec. 26 letter, signed by Richard Flanagan, the group's youth development director.

Mr. Flanagan asked Mr. Roosevelt to appoint a district administrator to work with the committee and provide documents about school plans. The district declined comment on the letter.

In an e-mail to colleagues and supporters, Mr. Flanagan said the committee's initial meetings will be at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday at Bloomfield-Garfield Corp.'s Community Activity Center, 113 N. Pacific Ave., Garfield.

In December, a committee appointed by Mr. Roosevelt recommended the Peabody building as the permanent home of the new IB school for grades six through 12. The proposal must be voted on by the school board.

Mr. Roosevelt's committee included parents of students at seven schools, but not Peabody. It included teachers, development officials and alumni of the existing IB programs at Pittsburgh Frick 6-9 and Pittsburgh Schenley High School. It also included individuals described as "community members."

Mr. Flanagan's letter seeks to have the proposal vetted by a group with ties to Peabody, its feeder schools and East End neighborhoods. He asked for the names of those who served on Mr. Roosevelt's site selection committee and for minutes of their meetings.

"As always, the Bloomfield-Garfield Corp. seeks to support your restructuring plans," he said, adding the new committee's work would give the Peabody community "a sense of pride and ownership over whatever restructuring plans are finally approved by the Board of Education."

The proposed IB school emerged from district efforts to improve high schools.

It's slated to open next school year in the Reizenstein building in Shadyside with 750 students in grades six through 10. It would evolve into a school for 1,050 students in grades six through 12, moving to Peabody in 2012.

The district said its selection committee considered several buildings that are closed or half-vacant. Peabody has about 500 students but space for more than 1,100, and officials have projected that its enrollment will continue to drop.

Ernie Hogan, deputy director of East Liberty Development Inc., said his organization spoke to Mr. Roosevelt's committee about East Liberty's growth and supported the idea of locating the IB school at Peabody. He said he believed East Liberty would help to implement the program and urged the district to consider using green technology in any renovations to Peabody.

It wasn't clear what would happen to current students at Peabody if the IB magnet moves into its building.