Education category, Page 65
Covid report card: A look at first semester cases in Allegheny, Westmoreland school districts
Since the start of the school year, districts in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties have been impacted by the covid-19 pandemic, forcing schools to close and students to partake in remote learning to help curb the spread of the virus. The chart below reflects the number of covid cases reported by...
3 Western Pa. public universities plan for campus reopening this fall
A trio of Western Pennsylvania public universities that shuttered their campuses last fall and only recently began offering more classes on campus say they are making plans for a full-fledged return to campus for fall 2021. Officials at California, Clarion and Edinboro universities say they are cautiously planning to reopen...
CCAC nursing program extends application deadline
The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) extended the application deadline for its nursing program for the fall 2021 semester. The new deadline is April 1, though applications received by the original deadline of March 1 will receive priority admission consideration. Prospective students can attend virtual workshops for assistance with...
State university program would offer free education in exchange for staying in Pennsylvania
When Edinboro University senior Sam Bohen graduates in May, he’ll bring a wealth of knowledge, lifelong friendships and $40,000 in student debt. “Many students are working our way through college by spending our days in class and our nights on the job so that we can afford rent and books,”...
Christine Oldham set to retire as Ligonier Valley superintendent
The Ligonier Valley School Board has less than five months to select someone to succeed Christine Oldham as superintendent. The board, at its February meeting, approved Oldham’s retirement, effective June 30. Oldham said her decision to end her stint at Ligonier Valley was a bittersweet one. “I’m excited about what...
Greater Latrobe, Deer Lakes among area schools lauded for computer science diversity
Several area schools are among a little more than 1,100 nationwide being recognized for helping to promote interest in computer science among female students. Greater Latrobe, Deer Lakes and East Allegheny high schools and Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy are among 22 public schools in Pennsylvania that have received the...
Diocese of Pittsburgh to merge 4 elementary schools
The Diocese of Pittsburgh on Friday announced the two mergers of four elementary schools, “as part of the regional school board’s efforts to strengthen Catholic schooling in the south region.” In the 2021-2022 school year, Saint Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin in Whitehall will merge with Saint Elizabeth of Hungary...
CDC: In-person schooling can be done safely if guidelines are followed
The nation’s top public health agency on Friday provided a roadmap for reopening schools in the middle of a pandemic, emphasizing mask wearing and social distancing and saying vaccination of teachers is important but not a prerequisite for reopening. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the long-awaited update,...
RMU partners with 4 community colleges for new dual enrollment program
Leaders of five higher education institutions in the region announced a new partnership Thursday, with the goal of improving college accessibility and affordability. Officials from Robert Morris University, Community College of Allegheny County, Community College of Beaver County, Butler County Community College and Westmoreland County Community College signed an agreement...
Kiski Area looks to data quantifying ‘learning loss’ during pandemic
After nearly a year of adjusting class schedules and learning models because of the covid-19 pandemic, school districts are grappling with how to quantify and assess learning loss. “It’s not entirely accurate to say that online learning is a complete failure,” said Kiski Area High School Principal Chad Roland. “It’s...
Pitt-Greensburg, Saint Vincent snare grants for construction projects
The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg and Saint Vincent College will tap a pair of state grants to expand campus facilities. The schools were among scores of businesses, colleges and government agencies that were approved for Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program (R-CAP) grants during the final round of grant awards for...
Covid exposure closes 2 Greensburg Salem schools through Feb. 18
Two Greensburg Salem School District buildings will be closed through Feb. 18 because of “the number of faculty, staff and students who were in close contact with a positive covid case,” according to district officials. Students at Amos K. Hutchinson Elementary School and Greensburg Salem Middle School will learn remotely...
Jill Biden promises free access to community college
WASHINGTON — Jill Biden is promising free access to community college and training programs, saying the schools will be an important part of Biden administration efforts to rebuild the economy. A longtime community college professor and advocate, the first lady said people struggling to get by during the coronavirus-induced economic...
Schools plan for potential of remote learning into the fall
Parents of schoolchildren learning from home shouldn’t necessarily count on reclaiming the dining room table any time soon. After seeing two academic years thrown off course by the pandemic, school leaders around the country are planning for the possibility of more distance learning next fall at the start of yet...
Covid cases temporarily close 2 Hempfield elementary schools
Two Hempfield Area elementary schools are closed Monday because of positive covid-19 cases, district officials said. Fort Allen and West Hempfield elementary schools shuttered after cases were reported among staff and students, according to Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. District leaders announced Fort Allen’s closure Friday after an additional student tested positive...
IUP alums dig deep as the university works to remake itself
Fighting an uphill battle to cut costs and end declining enrollment, Indiana University of Pennsylvania raked in record levels of financial support and set a new record among state-owned schools in a recently completed fundraising campaign. The 30-month comprehensive fundraising campaign, dubbed Imagine Unlimited, recently ended six months early with...
Gov. Wolf defends funding plan for public education
Gov. Tom Wolf doubled down on his proposal for major funding increases for public education, joining others on Thursday to lay out additional details for improving equity across Pennsylvania. “Pennsylvania’s school funding system is unfair to students, teachers and communities,” Wolf said during a virtual press briefing. Wolf on Wednesday...
Norwin to train potential substitute teachers
Norwin School District is planning a two-day training session in March aimed at qualifying people to become emergency-certified substitutes who can work immediately in the school district. The substitute teacher academy for those who do not hold a teaching certification is planned for 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 10...
Duquesne names Jennifer Padden Elliott to inaugural holistic health care position
Jennifer Padden Elliott, a pioneer in health equity and director of Duquesne University’s Center for Integrative Health, has been named the inaugural Ed and Karen Fritzky Family Chair in Integrative Medicine and Wellbeing. Created by a gift from the Fritzkys, the role is designed for a medical practitioner and member...
Greater Latrobe to welcome secondary students back to full-time classroom instructionVideo
Greater Latrobe School District will expand in-person instruction on Monday , opening classrooms five days per week to secondary students as well as to elementary students, who already have that option. The school board approved the move 7-2 Tuesday after administrators cited declining covid-19 cases locally and the fact that...
Justice Department drops its Yale discrimination lawsuit
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department on Wednesday dropped its discrimination lawsuit against Yale University that had alleged the university was illegally discriminating against Asian American and white applicants. The Justice Department noted in its filing that it was voluntarily dismissing the action, filed in October under the Trump administration. A...
Pittsburgh School Board postpones discussion of building closures
Pittsburgh Public School Board members voted on Tuesday to table discussions on closing or reconfiguring several district buildings. Officials had proposed major changes to the district’s footprint Monday evening. District officials said the changes, which consisted of closing seven schools and six buildings, as well as opening two new schools...
Education nominee vows to tackle problems worsened by virus
President Joe Biden’s nominee for education secretary is promising to help reopen schools but says much of the hardest work will come after that as schools try to address long-standing disparities worsened by the pandemic. “These inequities will endure, and prevent the potential of this great country, unless tackled head-on,”...
Sun Coach will transport only special needs students in South Allegheny as contract dispute continues
Special needs students who attend school programs outside of the South Allegheny School District will have busing to transport them to their respective facilities for the time being, but not the rest of the district’s 1,700 students. The school district and Sun Coach Lines reached a partial resolution during a...
Norwin to expand in-class elementary teaching
Norwin plans to give its 1,850 elementary school students the option of returning to school four days a week beginning Feb. 15, which doubles the number of in-class instruction days under the hybrid instruction model Norwin has used since school began. Superintendent Jeff Taylor said students in the four elementary...
