Pittsburgh's Oliver Citywide Academy will delay return to classrooms after assault on teacher

Students will have a delayed return to in-person instruction at Pittsburgh’s Oliver Citywide Academy in the aftermath of an assault by a student on Thursday that sent a female teacher to a hospital for treatment.

Students will learn remotely until Oct. 10, when those in grades 3-8 will return to the classroom, according to a gradual reentry plan announced Saturday by Pittsburgh Public Schools to “allow students, staff and families the time to process grief and trauma following this week’s serious incident.”

Students in grades 11 and 12 will return to classrooms on Oct. 11 and those in grades 9 and 10 will return on Oct. 12. The school in the city’s Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood will be closed Oct. 14 for previously scheduled parent-teacher conferences.

Referring to the assault as an act of “unthinkable violence,” Superintendent Wayne N. Walters said in a statement that the incident is “difficult for us all and especially difficult for a school community still healing from a significant loss. It is critical that we give the school team the space and time needed to support the successful return of students potentially re-traumatized by yesterday’s event.”

Pittsburgh police said a 15-year-old boy who is a student at the school has been arrested in the assault and faces multiple felony charges. He is being held in a regional juvenile facility.

In a Jan. 19 incident at the school, Marquis Campbell, 15, of Pittsburgh, who was a student at the academy beginning in the third grade, was killed by gunfire that struck a van he was sitting in outside the school as he waited to go home. Investigators have said two younger males wearing masks and dark clothing walked up to the van and at least one of them began shooting.

The academy is a special education center for students in grades 3-12.

District 3 School Board President Sala Udin said in a statement responding to the assault that the board “will work with the administration to determine the facts and circumstances of this unfortunate incident. The board also expects the administration to promptly address the events leading up to this assault and to develop plans to take all steps possible to ensure the safety and security of students and staff so that incidents like this do not occur in the future.”