PITTSBURGH — Nearly 20,000 Pittsburgh Public School students returned to the classroom Monday for the new school year.
“It’s an incredibly energizing moment for us in the Pittsburgh Public Schools… It’s the first day of the school year, happy to see students, happy to see their joy, their faces,” said Dr. Wayne Walters, Superintendent of PPS.
Students also shared in the excitement, like Camera Jackson.
“I’m excited for meeting my teachers and making new friends,” said Jackson.
PPS also has a new curriculum that the district hopes will have a positive impact on students.
“We have our new ethnic studies course, which is a new graduation requirement. It’s about the history and identity of Pittsburgh,” said Dr. Walters.
Hanging over the district is a proposed plan to close a handful of schools over enrollment and financial challenges. If the proposal is approved by the PPS Board of Directors, changes will not be made until after the 2025-2026 school year.
“It’s an opportunity to bring equity to our schools, create a district of excellence and not just pockets of excellence and really use our resources wisely,” said Dr. Walters.
Currently, Dr. Walters says the district is in the midst of the 90-day public-input period. The district will provide the Board of Directors with an ‘implementation plan’. Dr. Walters says the Board of Directors will then vote on the matter.
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