 
|
|
              
|
 Back To School - East By Michelle Smith Students in the eastern suburbs will be heading back to school Aug. 26 through Sept. 8. Despite the different starting dates, students will be met by a unifying theme: Change. Construction projects, new courses, computer upgrades, and, of course, unfamiliar faces are among the new things they will encounter in the 1998-99 school year.
Burrell Opens: Sept. 8 Estimated enrollment: 2,230 What's new: The high school has renovations that include computer networking in the science labs and a new library. Also at the high school, a Calculus II class in partnership with Penn State-New Kensington will be offered this year, along with honors world cultures and a computer applications class. Two thousand more bleachers have been added to the high school stadium and all buildings will have a new telecommunications system.
Derry Area Opens: Aug. 31 Estimated enrollment: 3,036 What's new: Joe Bellissimo will be the new superintendent beginning Feb. 8. Bellissimo is presently the assistant superintendent. Roberta Kuhns, associate principal of Grandview Elementary, will succeed Bellissimo and a new associate principal will be hired. Derry Middle School will have a new principal, David Sroka, former associate principal of Derry Middle School. At the high school, an intern will train with the administrative department for the first time.
East Allegheny Opens: Sept. 2 Estimated enrollment: 1,971 What's new: The district is in the process of hiring a systems coordinator, designed to be the technology adviser for all buildings. A third-grade computer lab has been added and the typing room has been converted to a word-processing room.
Franklin Regional Opens: Aug. 31 Estimated enrollment: 3,850 What's new: The district is in the process of completing renovations at New Lonsburg Elementary. Four classrooms and a new cafeteria have been added to the building. An ongoing construction project at the high school will be completed next August. An additional gymnasium, cafeteria, auditorium and 17 classrooms will be constructed. This project will limit student parking.
Gateway Opens: Aug. 31 Estimated enrollment: 4,300 What's new: Officials are hiring five new administrators and 31 new teachers throughout the district. A renovation project at the high school includes construction of new science and foreign language classrooms as well as a new guidance counselor area.
Greater Latrobe Opens: Aug. 31 Estimated enrollment: 4,154 What's new: Baggaley Elementary School and the junior high school are under complete renovation. The construction at Baggaley includes additional rooms, a new cafeteria, and total renovations of all existing classrooms. The ninth-grade wing of the junior high will be under construction when classes resume. Ninth-grade students will be assigned to classrooms in other parts of the building or at the high school until construction is completed. Kindergarten through sixth-grade students will use a new language arts program. The program includes skills and strategies in reading, writing and listening. New for high school students is a C++ programming language course and a statistics class.
Greensburg Salem Opens: Sept. 1 Estimated enrollment: 3,800 What's new: The district has received a $220,000 grant from the federal government to provide web servers for all schools. Students will have their own web pages. The district is offering an extended school day and Saturday classes for students having academic difficulties. There will be one teacher per five students in that program. Officials are also developing a program called, "Learning Communities," which allows all schools to work closely with community members. Libaries will remain open after school hours for community members and adult programs such as computer courses will be offered.
Hempfield Area Opens: Aug. 31 Estimated enrollment: 7,200 What's new: The business labs at the high school have 90 new computers. This year it is mandatory that all ninth-grade students are registered for the computer concepts class. The district also has purchased new computers for the math and social study labs at the high school.
Jeannette Opens: Aug. 31 Estimated enrollment: 1,700 What's new: The district will embark on an alternative-education program for at-risk students at both the middle and high schools. One teacher will be hired to teach the course. An art program will debut as part of the elementary curriculum.
Ligonier Valley Opens: Aug. 31 Estimate enrollment: 2,500 What's new: Extensive renovations have been made to the high school. Students will see a new auditorium, several additional classrooms, and an auxiliary gymnasium. High school students will also be greeted by a new principal. Ron Baldonieri, former Laurel Valley Middle High principal, succeeded Valerie Helterbran. Helterbran is the new Ligonier Middle School principal and Wayne Waugh is the new principal at Laurel Valley Middle High.
McKeesport Area Opens: Aug. 31 Estimated enrollment: 5,350 What's new: The staff development theme for the year is "Instructional Strategies: Meeting Students' Needs." Students will start class on a two-hour delayed schedule the first Wednesday of every month. This time allows teachers to work together in their buildings on initiatives to improve student achievement in reading and mathematics. Students in grades 3-12 will be introduced to a new grading scale they call "The True Percentage System." It is: 90-100(EQ)A, 80-89(EQ)B, 70-79(EQ)C, 60-69(EQ)D 59-0(EQ)F. Previously the district used the point system. Kindergarten through second grade will receive report cards marked with symbols rather than letter grades. The symbols demonstrate proficiency, development of skills, or lack of achieved skills. High school students will have a number of new classes to choose from that include AP U.S. History, advanced computer usage, and academy arts.
Mount Pleasant Opens: Aug. 31 Estimated enrollment: 2,800 What's new: Renovation plans for the junior-senior high school have been approved by the state Department of Education. Several new teachers will be hired, including secondary French, English, and learning support teachers. A new elmentary school nurse will be hired along with a third- and fifth-grade teacher at Donegal Elementary. High school students will see a new biology teacher.
New Kensington-Arnold Opens: Aug. 31 Estimated enrollment: 2,772 What's new: Officials said there are no significant changes from the spring.
Penn Hills Opens: Aug. 26 Estimated enrollment: 6,000 What's new: The district purchased Josten's computerized learning systems in both reading and math at the elementary level. Every elementary teacher will have a computer at their desk. All fifth-grade classes will have six computers per room; fourth-grade classes, five per room; third grade, four; second grade, three; and first grade and kindergarten will have two per class.
Penn-Trafford Opens: Aug. 31 Estimated enrollment: 4,700 What's new: The construction of seven new classrooms at Penn Middle School is completed. Track athletes at Penn Middle School and Trafford Middle School can look forward to competing on new tracks. Fourth-graders will be introduced to a new AP History book.
Plum Opens: Aug. 26 Estimated enrollment: 4,464 What's new: High school students will be greeted by a new assistant principal, Pam Kinzler. Don Teti is the district's new director of pupil personnel. Also, 22 new secondary and elementary teachers have joined the district. All elementary schools and the junior high will have Internet connections this year. Gymnasium renovations at both Adlai Stevens Elementary and Regency Park Elementary have been completed. The remodeling of the locker room and weight facility at Plum Senior High is still in the works.
Riverview Opens: Sept. 2 Estimated enrollment: 1,400 What's new: The district is in the final planning stages of a high school renovation project. Construction should be underway by the beginning of the school year and includes building seven additional classrooms, an expanded cafeteria, and a new music room. The district also plans to upgrade all of the high school's mechanical systems.
Southmoreland Opens: Aug. 31 Estimated enrollment: 2,700 What's new: The district plans to hire a technology coordinator to oversee all of the computer systems. John Lee, former principal of Alverton Ruffsdale Elementary, is now the principal of Scottdale Elementary. John Molnar, former principal of Scottdale Elementary is now directory of elementary education. Brian Miller succeeded Lee as principal of Alverton Ruffsdale. Carolyn Adam, former assistant high school principal succeeded John Beck as high school principal. Beck has retired. Tim Scott is the new assistant principal at Southmoreland High School. Former director of programs, John Halfhill now holds the position of director of secondary education. The district is also in the process of hiring a new junior high English teacher.
Wilkinsburg Opens: Aug. 31 Estimated enrollment: Not available. What's new: Turner Elementary School, which for three years was run by a for-profit company with its own teachers, will be run by the school district with district-hired teachers. The school will be using the Success for All reading program already in use at the district's two other elementary schools.
Woodland Hills Opens: Aug. 26 Estimated enrollment: 6,100 What's new: When school opens, every building will have additional computers. The largest number will be in the high school, where 245 new computers - some replacing older equipment - were installed over the summer. An additional 100 new computers will be added to high school classrooms in the fall. Each junior high this fall will receive two additional computer labs using new or upgraded computers. This school year will be the second year of a three-year, $9-million technology plan that includes providing at least one computer in every classroom. Leah McCord, formerly a clinical supervisor in the district, is the new principal at Benjamin Fairless Intermediate School. She replaces Roslynne Wilson, who is preparing to become the assistant superintendent for administrative services when Francis Sockman retires in December.
Yough Opens: Aug. 26 Estimated enrollment: 2,700 What's new: Middle school students will have a new principal, John Janos, former assistant principal. The district hopes to soon appoint both a new assistant principal and an athletic director. Earl Thompson is the new administrative assistant. His primary duty is to enforce the Safe and Drug Free School Program. The district is also in the process of hiring several new athletic coaches. Two new home economic courses, Fashion and Life after High School have been added to the high school's curriculum. High school students also have four new computer courses to choose from: computer concepts, computer programming, word processing and computer applications.
Michelle Smith is a free-lance writer. Post-Gazette education writer Eleanor Chute contributed to this report.
|
