Pittsburgh Public Schools News

District Magnet & CTE Program Information Fair

Fair Date: Saturday, October 1st

Magnet and CTE Program Registration Deadline: December 16, 2011
Fair Time & Location: Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011, 9:00AM– 3:00PM at Pittsburgh Obama, 129 Denniston Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15206

It’s time to start planning for the 2012-13 school year. Parents interested in enrolling in a District magnet program or a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program for the 2012-13 school year are encouraged to attend the October 1^st Magnet & CTE Program Information Fair.

Excellent neighborhood schools as well as magnet schools and programs are among the many educational offerings and options available for families of the Pittsburgh Public Schools. The Magnet & CTE Information fair provides parents an opportunity to learn about District programs that help students pursue their passion and prepare for a scholarship from the Pittsburgh Promise.

This year’s fair will take place from 9:00 am– 3:00 pm at Pittsburgh Obama 6-12 (Reizenstein facility), located in East Liberty at 129 Denniston Street, across from Bakery Square.

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At least that is what the Principal of the K-8 school is thinking. It was during a PSSA pep rally that the Principal of Pittsburgh Mifflin met with the students to wish them luck on their testing. The rally was prepared by teachers to motivate the students to do their best work and review best practices for test taking. The real motivation came at the end of the rally when the principal Mr. Littlehale surprised everyone by his brave pledge. He told the audience that he would shave his head at the back to school event in August if the school made AYP. The students left the pep rally with smiles on their faces that can only conclude that they were up to the challenge. (more…)

Nicholas Foley Wins Honor and over $60,000 for College, Meets Celebrity Club Alumni

Sarah Heinz House Boys & Girls Club welcomes home Nicholas Foley, who traveled to Washington, D.C., to compete for the title of National Youth of the Year for Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Foley was named the winner yesterday at a Congressional Breakfast, also attended by Club alum and BGCA spokesperson, Denzel Washington, and Club alum and National Youth of the Year Ambassador, Ashanti.

As the 2011-12 National Youth of the Year, Foley receives a $50,000 college scholarship from The Rick and Susan Goings Foundation, in addition to $11,000 in scholarships already awarded to him as a regional winner by the Youth of the Year program’s national sponsor, Tupperware Brands Corporation.

» Visit BCGA Site
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» Watch the WPXI Video here

RAND Report Confirms Program is Moving in Positive Direction, Pittsburgh to Host National “Promise” Conference in October.

The Pittsburgh Promise today issued its third annual report to the community, highlighting its impacts on the region’s efforts to improve educational outcomes and workforce development of city high school students and graduates continuing their education beyond high school.

» Dowload Press Release
» Pittsburgh Promise fund set to pay tuitions – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
» Pittsburgh Promise scholarship fund stable – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
» The Pittsburgh Promise Reports Gains in Number of Scholars, Funds Raised, Number of Donors, and Growing Influence on Students and Parents – KALB-TV
» Pittsburgh Promise meeting goals – Pittsburgh Business Times

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PTO Today’s 2011 Parent Group of the Year National Runner-up, Pittsburgh Phillips K-5, worked to create fun, interesting ways to engage families and support students at its geographically and economically diverse school.
» Read the article about Pittsburgh Phillips’ award at the PTO Today website

Meeting Agenda
AYP Presentation
Early Childhood Presentation

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan visited The Teaching Institute at Pittsburgh King the morning of September 7, 2011. Secretary Duncan spoke about the importance of making preparation for post-secondary education a priority for today’s youth. He and a panel of local educational leaders, including Superintendent Lane, answered questions from the public in a town-hall format.

Read: U.S. Department of Education Announces ‘Education and the Economy’ Back-to-School Bus Tour with Stops Around the Great Lakes (more…)

Today Superintendent Linda S. Lane announced that the Pittsburgh Public Schools had made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the second time in three years. Making AYP is a particularly challenging feat for large urban districts because of the greater number of targets that must be met.

Today’s announcement marks the second time the District has achieved AYP in the nine years school districts have been held accountable to do so since NCLB was signed into law January 2002. By achieving AYP the District moves into “Making Progress” status by meeting state and federal targets set under NCLB. “Making Progress” status means that the District met all targets on each of the three standards – high school graduation, test participation and academic performance.
Visit the 2011 Student Achievement
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