Pittsburgh Public Schools and Wilkinsburg School District have agreed upon an educational partnership to start next school year, where Wilkinsburg students in grades 7-12 will attend Pittsburgh Westinghouse. Students at both Pittsburgh Westinghouse and Wilkinsburg High Schools have come together to share their excitement and concerns.
Seated at a table in a conference room inside Pittsburgh Westinghouse, student leaders met on Friday to swap their stories about their hopes and expectations for the 2016-2017 school year.
From Pittsburgh Westinghouse sat Junior Class President Mya Alford, 16, and Sophomore Robert Montgomery, 15. On the other side of the table were Wilkinsburg Freshman Annette Payne, 15, Junior Sehshay Turner, 16, and Shawn Stubbs, 16, also a junior.
Straight out of the gate, Turner, in a calm voice said, “I just want to learn.”
Due to low enrollment, the Wilkinsburg School District announced it could not provide the academic, extra-curricular and technology opportunities required to provide its students, in grades seven through twelve, the quality education they need.
All three Wilkinsburg students plan to attend Pittsburgh Westinghouse next school year and expressed hesitation about leaving their teachers. Pittsburgh Westinghouse’s Montgomery understood as he liked his own teachers at the school.
Also, Montgomery wishes that accepting Wilkinsburg students means more funding. “In my eyes, coming to Westinghouse is a privilege and hopefully, the change means more students, more opportunities, and more money.”
According the Letter of Intent approved by both districts’ school boards, the Wilkinsburg School District will pay the School District of Pittsburgh the tuition rate of $8,000 per student in the first year. The tuition rate will increase to $9,600 in the second year.
In the event that transition funding is not secured from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Wilkinsburg School District will pay Pittsburgh the tuition rate of $12,954 in the first year. The tuition rate will increase to $13,056 in the second year.
Another big topic amongst the student is the transition. “It is not going to be peachy. There will be trials and tribulations. But we will get there,” said Alford about the transition.
“I think there will be a division for the first half of the year where Wilkinsburg students will be sticking with Wilkinsburg students and vice versa. Everyone will be feeling out the new people,” said Wilkinsburg’s Stubbs
All five students hope to be a part of a transitional committee with District leaders to make suggestions and provide input. Both sides had a lot of questions about the change. Their most immediate concern is student body interaction. Starting soon, they want Pittsburgh Westinghouse students and Wilkinsburg students to meet regularly by grade level for team building to ensure unison and familiarity on the first day of school.
The Wilkinsburg students want to keep their teachers, while the Pittsburgh Westinghouse students don’t want their school year to be interrupted. Even though there are demands on both sides, they both agree they want a smooth transition. Another thing they agreed upon is for both districts to identify a time for the students to meet before the start of the school year.
A little over 200 Wilkinsburg students are anticipated to attend the Homewood school.
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