Penn-Trafford School Board renews superintendent contract for 5 more years
Superintendent Matthew Harris will lead the Penn-Trafford School District for another five years following a vote by the school board this week. Harris came to the district in 2007. He worked in various administrative roles — including assistant principal of Level Green and Harrison Park Elementary schools, director of student...
Trump demands $1 billion from Harvard as prolonged standoff appears to deepen
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is demanding a $1 billion payment from Harvard University to end his prolonged standoff with the Ivy League campus, doubling the amount he sought previously as both sides appear to move further from reaching a deal. The president raised the stakes on social media Monday...
Westmoreland County Community College to launch 2-year engineering program shortly after opening makerspace
Matthew Reed, vice president for academic affairs at Westmoreland County Community College, didn’t plan for the launch of the school’s new engineering program to coincide with the opening of its makerspace. “It’s kind of a happy accident,” he said with a laugh. The college’s board of trustees approved the two-year...
Monroeville native, WWE announcer Corey Graves grapples with new role as Point Park professor
The term “kayfabe” has been used for decades in the professional wrestling business, its origins dating to the early 20th century as carnies and wrestlers worked to keep the illusion of what they did hidden from fans. The last safeguards to the term died as the internet came to life...
Pitt to lease Wellington Apartments for overflow student housing
The University of Pittsburgh will lease the Wellington Apartment building in case there’s a need for student overflow housing this fall. University trustees on the property and finance committee on Tuesday approved a five-year housing lease at the Wellington Apartments, 245 Melwood Ave. Pitt Spokesman Jared Stonesifer said the university...
Pittsburgh Public Schools building closure plan discussions back on the table
The Pittsburgh Public Schools board unanimously voted to reopen the discussion on a reconfiguration plan, which had raised the possibility of closing nine schools. On Wednesday, the Future-Ready plan was reintroduced by Eva Diodati, school board director for District 7. “I didn’t want to delay any longer than necessary. There’s...
Penn State launches change-of-campus program
A new Penn State University program is designed to help undergraduate students explore and navigate changing campuses. The university announced Monday it is launching “Penn State Pathways” this spring through its Student Orientation and Transition program. It will feature in-person events at six campuses — University Park, Abington, Altoona, Beaver,...
Making the grade: School districts vary when configuring grade levels in buildings
A realignment of grade levels in Burrell School District buildings has offered more opportunities for students this school year. Students had more clubs, career exploratory classes and leadership prospects because of a district realignment that followed the closure of Stewart Elementary in August 2025. Effective this school year, Bon Air...
‘He cared’: Eugene Khorey, 1st principal of Brashear High School, dies
When Brashear High School first opened in 1976 — uniting racially diverse students in the Pittsburgh Public School District — Eugene Khorey was at the helm as its first principal. Just two months short of turning 100 years old, Khorey, of Munhall, who was known as “Gene,” died on Jan....
New Pitt institute looks to space for insight on earthly illnesses
A trip to outer space can wreak havoc on the human body. Muscles atrophy, bones become porous and immune systems degrade in low gravity. These effects, as frightening as they may sound, tend to be temporary. Astronauts returning from extended stays at the International Space Station mostly recover within a...
Texas A&M shutters women, gender studies department amid new policy crackdown
Texas A&M University said Friday it is ending its women’s and gender studies programs, and that hundreds of course syllabuses have been or will be altered under a new policy regulating how race and gender can be discussed in class. The university wrote in a statement Friday that six courses...
Larry Cervi, beloved arts director and founder of East End Kids, dies
Larry Cervi, who spent decades shaping students and stages as an educator and performing arts director across the Pittsburgh region, was a people person at heart. Cervi, of Churchill, died Thursday, after a yearlong battle with bladder cancer, only two days after his 90th birthday. He founded the Larry Cervi...
CMU to launch AI platform designed to assist students in introductory courses
Some area college students can boost their studies with a Carnegie Mellon University initiative that uses artificial intelligence to improve learning in introductory courses. The $55 million investment between CMU and the Gates Foundation will launch Learnvia, Inc., free AI-enabled courseware for students that combines lessons, homework and an AI...
Yale to waive all costs for new undergraduates from families earning less than $100,000
Yale University is eliminating tuition and other costs for all new undergraduates from families earning less than $100,000 a year, joining a growing number of elite campuses that are slashing costs for middle- and lower-income families. The Ivy League school announced the change Tuesday and said it will take effect...
Freeport Area educator appointed to Burrell School Board
A Lower Burrell man who is a Freeport Area School District educator is the newest member of the Burrell School Board. Robert W. Harris was appointed by the board to fill a vacancy, Superintendent Shannon Wagner said. “I have committed my life to public education, as it is something that...
Winter storm provides Western Pa. schools a chance to show flexible instruction in action
After a massive snowfall Sunday, Western Pennsylvania school districts are grappling with how to approach instruction while maintenance crews continue clearing roads and meteorologists forecast frigid temperatures for the week ahead. About 10 to 12 inches of snow coated Allegheny and Westmoreland counties by Sunday night. This marks the first...
Leet resident Richard Warburton pens book on dowsing
Richard Warburton takes a wire coat hanger, cuts the hook off, cuts and straightens the wires and bends the metal into two “L” shaped rods, also known as dowsing rods. He walks with one rod in each hand in search of finding hidden things underground and the rods crossing indicate...
Proposed PennWest program cuts spark union concerns
Campus union presidents at Pennsylvania Western University are concerned about the university’s future as the college weighs a proposed academic array that cuts dozens of programs. “We agree that thoughtful planning is necessary,” said Mario Majcen, faculty union president at PennWest California. “However, decisions about academic programs must be data-informed,...
Hempfield Area High School air quality safe from mold, superintendent says
Hempfield Area High School’s air quality is safe despite visible water leaks and ceiling damage, according to Superintendent Mark Holtzman, who cited a third-party assessment conducted four months ago. While photos and videos of water-stained tiles and collection buckets have circulated on social media, Holtzman said a report finalized in...
The Weeknd, Point Park partner to grow creative talent in Pittsburgh
A new partnership between Point Park University and HXOUSE, an initiative by artist Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and his creative director, La Mar Taylor, aims to provide an innovative, creative education for aspiring artists at the Downtown Pittsburgh college. “Both HXOUSE and Point Park also understand that, now more than...
Pitt plans new 400-bed dormitory for 1st-year students amid growth
The University of Pittsburgh plans a 400-bed dormitory for first-year students on property it owns near Fifth and Ruskin avenues in Oakland. The university is in a design-build selection process for a first-year residence hall at a parking lot adjacent to the Music Building and annex, said spokesman Jared Stonesifer....
Hempfield Area School Board reopens bidding for $150M high school projectVideo
Hempfield Area School District is soliciting new bids for its high school renovation, a massive undertaking now carrying an estimated $150 million price tag. The move marks a formal restart for the project, which has been stalled for about 30 months after initial bids exceeded the district’s projections. Superintendent Mark...
Community feedback sought for proposed New Kensington-Arnold building realignment
New Kensington-Arnold Superintendent Christopher Sefcheck says a proposed realignment of the district’s buildings is “the most serious undertaking this district has taken in years” — and officials are seeking the public’s input for those plans. Sefcheck plans to send notifications to parents, staff and community members Thursday morning seeking volunteers...
Highlands teachers seal 5-year, early-bird contract
Highlands School District teachers locked up a five-year contract that awards them a 3.5% average salary increase each year through 2030. The school board on Tuesday approved the contract with the Highlands Education Association, well ahead of the current agreement’s June 30 expiration. “The deal is the result of a...
Point Park to expand mental health initiatives, suicide prevention
Expansion of Point Park University’s initiative to improve mental health and suicide prevention on campus aims to be more proactive and meet a growing need. “We want to make mental health more visible, accessible and more a part of everyday campus life,” said Cassandra Moffat, director of the university’s counseling...
