Big changes are afoot in the Pittsburgh Public School District. It is in the process of assessing, reorganizing and renovating buildings and programs district-wide.

The Northside Chronicle spoke with Ebony Pugh of the Pittsburgh Public School District to get the run-down on changes that will affect Northsiders this school year.

Elementary schools

• Matriculating Spring Hill Elementary students who follow their feeder pattern will go to Schiller 6-8.
• Matriculating Morrow Elementary students who follow their feeder pattern will go to Allegheny 6-8.
• Northview Heights Elementary is changing into a K-8 school over three years, with one grade added each year. Students who attended the fifth-grade at Northview last year will become sixth-graders at Northview this year.

Middle schools

• Rooney 6-8 is closed. Students who were attending Rooney last year have the choice to transfer to Allegheny 6-8, Pittsburgh Classical or Schiller. Parents were sent letters in the mail about the change.

High schools

• Changes to Oliver High School and Perry Traditional Academy were discussed but nothing had been voted on or decided yet.
• The district has introduced the Promise Readiness Corps, part of the Ninth Grade Nation, at all its comprehensive high schools, including Perry. The Corps will help students transition from ninth- to 10th-grade and from 10th- to 11th-grade. Teachers will stay with students from ninth grade to 10th, and students will also meet regularly with an advisor to discuss mastering academic content, behavior and habits and to explore their dreams and ambitions.

According to Pugh, the district will hold a series of meetings for Northside parents to discuss feeder patterns and building use. Meetings will be held before November, although Pugh said she was not sure when.

Although the Rooney 6-8 program is closed, the building itself remains open, and could be put to use again if the district so decides.

The district also proposed transforming Oliver into the district’s Early College Center, but the school board has not yet voted on the change.

The plan for the Early College Center is a year-round school with flexible scheduling that offers career-oriented higher education classes. Students would be able to graduate high school in two and a half years and begin college-level classes before turning 18.

You can read more about Rooney 6-8 closing here, and the Early College Center at Oliver here.