Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The new principal was once Mrs. Brown's intern.
The Upper St. Clair School Board unanimously approved Monday the hiring of Amy Pfender as the new Boyce Middle School principal with the salary of $89,000 a year. Pfender is currently the assistant principal at Boyce and Fort Couch middle schools. She started with the district as an intern for principal Karen Brown and was hired in August 2005 as a special education teacher at Boyce. She assumed the position of elementary special education department chairperson in 2009 and special education curriculum leader in 2010. Pfender holds a Master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor’s degree from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her administrative principal certification, she also holds certifications in …
A water main break canceled two S.T.A.R. Nights.
Upper St. Clair School District the rescheudled open houses for Baker and Streams elementary schools. A troublesome water main break canceled the orignal date for the S.T.A.R. Nights. Baker: Kindergarten: May 14 at 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. OR May 17 at 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. 1st Grade: May 16 at 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. OR May 16 at 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. 2nd Grade: May 13 at 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. OR May 13 at 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. 3rd Grade: May 14 at 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. OR May 14 at 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. 4th Grade: May 15 at 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. OR May 15 at 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Streams: May 14 4th Grade: 7:30 - 8:15 a.m. 1st Grade: 8:15 - 9 a.m. 4th Grade: 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Kindergarten: 2:45 - 3:45 p.m. May 15 3rd Grade: 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. Kindergarten: 11 am - Noon May 16 …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Dr. Patrick O'Toole is set to speak to the graduates this month.
Upper St. Clair's Superintendent Patrick O’Toole, a graduate of 1979, will return to Clarion University May 18 to deliver both the 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. commencement addresses. In his address, “Leadership, Learning and Opportunity,” O’Toole will encourage graduates to seek the opportunities that come through personal leadership and learning. "My selection (as commencement speaker) is an example to students that we are not finished products on graduation day," O’Toole said. One of the most inspiring moments in his education, and one that has guided his career as an educator, happened in a Clarion University classroom. "A college professor once gave me feedback that I could be a ‘good teacher’ by being technically sound, but if I wanted to be a…
Friday, May 10, 2013
'Tis the season for ticks.
Upper St. Clair School District nurses sent an email warning out to parents and guardians this week warning them of tick season. Ticks are among the most efficient carriers of disease because they attach firmly when sucking blood, feed slowly and may go unnoticed while feeding on their host. Avoidance is the obvious best protection. Areas to avoid are those that are heavily wooded or have tall grasses or weeds. Ticks should be removed using the proper procedure as soon as noticed. Consult your physician if a bull’s eye rash or generalized rash or fever develops. For more reliable information about ticks, visit the CDC or this article with photos of common ticks. Join Patch for more community news or join us on Facebook and Twitter.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
A water main break forced the district to cancel the S.T.A.R. Nights last week.
Upper St. Clair School District announced Wednesday that the open houses for Baker and Streams Elementary schools will be rescheduled after last week's water main break canceled S.T.A.R. Nights. "Unfortunately, we were unable to schedule a replacement night using the original format, however, the staff has worked hard to make time available for parents to visit their child’s classroom. Both buildings will be announcing their schedule by the end of this week," the district said in an e-alert. Check back with Patch for updates. Join Patch for more community news or join us on Facebook and Twitter.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Here's a look at the articles that were most read on Upper St. Clair Patch last month.
1. Upper St. Clair Man Arrested in Major Drug Bust 2. UPDATED: No Bomb Found at South Hills Village After Threat 3. Upper St. Clair No. 1 on Top-Performing Schools List 4. New Restaurant to Open in Former Damon's Late Summer 5. New Store Opens in South Hills Village Friday 6. South Hills Village Bomb Threat Suspect Blames 'Hoity Toity Kids' 7. Check Out These Five Open Houses in Upper St. Clair 8. U.S. News Ranks Upper St. Clair One of Pennsylvania's Top High Schools 9. Resident Challenges Validity of Consol Site Project 10. Yelp's Top 10 Restaurants in Upper St. Clair: Do You Agree?
Monday, April 29, 2013
Four large commercial properties account for about a quarter of the $38 million in question.
There is about $38 million worth of unresolved 2013 Allegheny County assessment appeals in court. Frosina Cordisco, Upper St. Clair School District's director of business and finance, updated the school board last Monday as they try to come up with a plan for the 2013-14 school budget. John Vogel, the attorney who represents the district in assessment appeals, estimated one quarter of the $38 million in question is from four large commercial properties: South Hills Village (including Dick's Sporting Goods, Target and Sears), Summerfield Commons, the former Consol headquarters site and Friendship Village. "These (appeals) could really swing our numbers dramatically," Cordisco said. Vogel also told the board the large majority of appeals …
Saturday, April 27, 2013
The increase in security comes after the Newtown tragedy.
The Upper St. Clair School District's 2013-14 proposed final budget adopted on Monday includes a $64,000 increase to expand security personnel coverage in all schools, not just Upper St. Clair High School. The money is coming from the district's contingency fund. The Upper St. Clair School Board decided expanding the district's security was imperative following the Newtown tragedy. The increase includes the addition of the Raptor system to all schools, which requires visitors to provide their driver's license or other government approved photo ID. A visitor badge will be printed that contains both the visitor's photo and their destination in the building. The system also performs a sex offender background check against the registered sex …
Friday, April 26, 2013
Proceeds from the Upper St. Clair Gala will be used to replace the Panther Stadium's PA system and 100 iPads for the middle schools.
The Upper St. Clair School District Board will likely spend $940,000 on capital projects. The amount was included in the proposed final budget adopted on Monday. "The current capital reserve fund that provides for the repair and maintenance of the district facilities is virtually depleted. In order to properly maintain our facilities over the long term, there are a number of projects that have been identified and prioritzed into two phases," Superintendent Patrick O'Toole stated in a letter to taxpayers. The most expensive project is the chiller replacement at Upper St. Clair High School, which is expected to cost $325,000. Another expensive project will be replacing district buses and vans. About $170,000 is budgeted for the 2012-13 …
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
However, homeowners may see an increase or decrease in taxes due to the Allegheny County reassessments.
The Upper St. Clair School Board unanimously approved a final proposed budget for 2013-14 with no tax increase. However, homeowners may see a tax increase or decrease due to the Allegheny County property reassessments. The school district is not permitted by law to gain tax dollars from the reassessment process. The proposed budget has a millage rate of 21.438 and the taxes would be $2,144 for each $100,000 of assessment, resulting in a 16.6 percent reduction from 2012-13. The school board had the goal of no tax increase in 2013-14 after raising the tax millage rate by 1.618 last year. The challenges for the 2013-14 budget, according to Superintendent Patrick O'Toole, include a decline in federal funding. The federal sequestration is …
Glenn Robinson
9:43 am on Tuesday, May 14, 2013
I love it when good things happen to good people. Amy Pfender is an extremely talented and caring person. This was a wise and hopefully easy decision for the board. more ›