Natalie Beneviat stories, Page 15

From the time he was in eighth grade, Dr. Brendan Hyland knew he wanted to be a social studies teacher. Fast-forward to today, Hyland is set to take over as superintendent at North Allegheny starting July 1. “Having previously spent a decade in this district, I know the limitless potential...

The more that North Allegheny residents get to know Dr. Brendan Hyland, NA’s new school superintendent, “the more they will like him,” said school board Vice President Marcie Crow. The NA school board, voting 6-3 on June 12, selected Hyland, the superintendent of the Plum School District and a former...

The search for a new North Allegheny school superintendent was guided by a local consulting firm, BR2, made up of two fellows of the Pittsburgh-based Grable Foundation, Dr. Billie Rondinelli and Dr. Bart Rocco. “They are locally based, which has proven very beneficial in their accessibility. They have not worked...

The North Allegheny School Board on June 13 unanimously adopted the district’s $193 million general fund budget for the 2023-2024 school year with no increase in the district’s property tax. Property taxes will stay at 19.74 mills. The budget takes effect July 1. School Board Vice President Marcie Crow said...

The North Allegheny School Board voted to hire former North Allegheny Intermediate High School Principal Brendan Hyland on Monday as the district’s superintendent despite concerns from some board members and members of the public that the search for a new leader had been rushed. In a 6-3 vote, the board...

Parents anticipating the finish of the North Park baby pool renovation and site improvements project will have to wait a little longer. Allegheny County’s pools opened June 3, but these renovations are still underway and should be completed later this summer, said Amie Downs, communications director for Allegheny County. But...

In the North Allegheny School District’s 75-year history, it’s had nine superintendents and at least two acting superintendents, or about one every seven years — better than average, according to numbers from an official of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators. “The average term of a PA superintendent is 3.73...

A local church took its ministry outside its doors last month to help others. Memorial Park Church, located in McCandless, holds its annual Love Local Day where its members go to places that may need help in any way, according to Kevin Steele, local outreach coordinator at the church. This...

A tiger in the tank? How about a tiger behind the wheel? Students at North Allegheny Senior High School participated in a recent marketing and social media campaign called the Drivers 4 Tigers Bus project to help the district find school bus drivers for next school year. The project, or...

The search is underway for a new superintendent for the North Allegheny School District, however differences have emerged among school board candidates whether a new superintendent should be hired prior to the school year beginning in August or after a new school board is elected in November. Terms for the...

Two sixth-graders from North Allegheny are helping others see their world in a better way, thanks to an eyeglass donation collection program through the Northern Allegheny Lions Club. Srinika Dasari and her friend and classmate Aarya Shamkuwar, both of Franklin Park, have collected more than 1,463 used eyeglasses to date....

Hidden beneath brush and dirt was the gravestone of Capt. Moses M. Warrick, 1884 to 1932, a fire marshal of Engine 38 in the City of Pittsburgh who was also a veteran of WWI and lived with his family in the Hill District. Another grave was that of a baby,...

With 12 schools, plus athletic facilities and other district buildings, there’s a lot to keep safe in the North Allegheny School District, said Dan Stack, NA’s manager of school safety. “I really kind of looked at the district on where we were with things and how we could improve,” said...

Peebles District Volunteer Fire Company Station 188 Chief Matthew Williams invited his volunteer crew to the station on May 10 for what they thought was just a night to recognize their achievements. What a surprise they got. The crew learned that Peebles was named the 2023 Rescue Service of the...

In an emergency, a North Allegheny student’s best friend may be ALICE. The North Allegheny School Board voted unanimously May 10 to beef up security procedures and safety training by using the ALICE Training program. School board Vice President Marcie Crow is a middle school teacher in the Gateway School...

Retired North Allegheny Senior High School Principal Dr. Lawrence Butterini has been named substitute NA superintendent to replace Dr. Melissa Friez, who announced suddenly this month she was going to the Mt. Lebanon School District as superintendent. In her May 1 announcement, Friez said she gave the NA board a...

The McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority EMS will hold an open house on May 21 from 1-3 p.m. at its main station on 9925 Grubbs Road. Visitors can see the what their local EMS is all about, said ambulance authority Chief Chris Dell. “The goal of the event is to educate...

In the North Allegheny School District, it is rocket science. Sixth graders throughout the district do model rocketry as part of the annual science curriculum, said Science Department Chair Christopher Omasits. “The rocketry project helps students see topics like chemical reactions, energy, and Newton’s Laws all in action in a...

The proposed final draft of the North Allegheny’s 2023-24 budget is available for public viewing and feedback, as required by the state. Total revenue is estimated at $194 million and expenses at $193 million, with no increase in property taxes which are currently set at 19.74 mills. The preliminary budget...

With little discussion, the North Allegheny School Board on May 3 unanimously approved the resignation of school Superintendent Dr. Melissa Friez, who announced the day before that she had accepted a position as superintendent of the Mt. Lebanon School District. The hunt for North Allegheny’s new school superintendent comes as...

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct that Friez’s resignation announcement was made May 1. The North Allegheny school superintendent announced May 1 that she is resigning to become school superintendent for the Mt. Lebanon School District. Dr. Melissa Friez announced in a districtwide email sent to North...

Hybrid humans, outer space travel and a deadly virus are some of the elements in “The Existence,” a book authored by Nia Sharath, a seventh-grader at Ingomar Middle School at North Allegheny. Set in the 2200s, the tale incorporates science fiction, fantasy, friendship, family and a fight between good and...

The pending retirement of Magisterial District Judge William K. Wagner has created a wide-open vacancy in Magisterial District 05-02-12, which covers Bradford Woods, Marshall, McCandless, and Pine, and two McCandless attorneys are seeking nominations to fill the post. Matthew J. Brungo and Eric Fischer are each seeking the Republican and...

Where do astronauts sleep? NASA astronaut and North Allegheny grad Dr. Warren “Woody” Hoburg has the answer, and told NA students that astronauts get their rest while floating in a sleeping bag attached to a wall inside their spacecraft. Hoburg, who is part of the space station’s Expedition 69 crew,...

Editor’s note: The North Allegheny Journal is publishing election previews with candidate interviews for contested municipal and school board races only. Ten candidates are competing for Democratic and Republican nominations for five seats on the North Allegheny School Board, with the primary election scheduled for May 16. The 10 candidates,...