Plan would close 18 city schools, realign grade levels

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Pittsburgh school Superintendent Mark Roosevelt today unveiled his plan to "right-size" the district's 86 schools in 80 buildings down to 68 schools in 62 buildings.

One of the largest changes would be moving Schenley High School from its current location in Oakland to Reizenstein Middle School in Shadyside, which would no longer be a middle school.

Reizenstein would close at the end of this school year, but Schenley's closing would not take immediate effect.

		More Info A public hearing on the plan will be held in two sessions, 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., on Nov. 29 at the school headquarters in Oakland. Read the news release on the district's Web site for more information about the closings and how to submit comments or sign up to speak at the hearing. A parent hotline to express your reaction is available at 412-622-7920.

Roosevelt said the move is needed because Schenley otherwise would need $55 million to $85 million in capital improvements.

The plan closes several middle schools and expands some elementary schools to kindergarten through eighth grade.

In some cases, buildings would still be open but would house new grade levels.

In addition to Reizenstein, the "closed" schools would be:

Bon Air Elementary, Burgwin Elementary (Glen Hazel), Chatham Elementary (North Side), Clayton Elementary (North Side), Columbus Middle (North Side), East Hills Elementary, Friendship Elementary, Greenway Middle (Crafton Heights);

Knoxville Elementary, Knoxville Middle, Madison Elementary (Hill District), Mann Elementary (Brighton Heights), McCleary Elementary (Lawrenceville), Morningside Elementary, Prospect Elementary (Mount Washington), Prospect Middle, Schaeffer Elementary (Westwood), Sheraden Elementary and Washington Polytech middle, (Lawrenceville).

In addition to Reizenstein, two of those buildings -- Greenway and Washington -- would be used for other purposes.

Also, four other schools would move: the alternative education program would move from the Baxter building in Homewood to the Washington Building;

Rogers Creative and Performing Arts Middle School in Garfield would move to the Baxter building, which once housed the CAPA High School;

Miller Elementary's African-centered academy in the Hill would move to the Weil building in the Hill;

the Weil Elementary program would move to the Milliones Middle School building in the Hill. That building would continue to house a middle school, too.

The plan would create two new elementary schools, a K-5 school in the Arsenal Middle School and a K-8 in what had been the Greenway building.

The plan also would expand 10 elementary schools to serve K-8: Brookline, Crescent (Homewood), Lemington, Lincoln, Manchester, Miller, Greenway building, Stevens (West End), Vann (Hill District)and Westwood.

Mr. Roosevelt has pledged that all displaced students would be moved to a higher-performing school or one with enhanced programs, which he called "accelerated learning academies."

There will be eight of these academies: Fort Pitt, K-5, Garfield; King, K-8, North Side; Milliones Middle, 6-8; Murray, Mount Oliver, K-8; the new West End Elementary in the old Greenway building, K-8; Northview, K-5; Rooney, North Side, 6-8; and Weil, K-5, at Milliones.

Five schools will receive building additions, some of which were already under discussion. The list includes Colfax, Squirrel Hill, K-8; Concord, Carrick, K-5; Schenley High at Reizenstein; Sterrett, Point Breeze, 6-8; and Vann, K-8.

Mr. Roosevelt figures the changes will result in a savings of $9.7 million but will not be enough to wipe out the district's deficit.

The board is expected to vote on the plan at its February legislative meeting. Most of the changes will take place next fall, but all the new construction won't be finished by then.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and on post-gazette.com

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