Chalked Up: PCI student debts forgiven; Beaver Middle School named 'school to watch'
The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office announced that a series of outstanding debts are being forgiven for the former students of the Pittsburgh Career Institute (PCI).
In an announcement made on Jan. 3, Attorney General Michelle Henry said an agreement was reached with the recently closed school to forgive $218,000 in outstanding debt balances. Under the agreement, officials from PCI are prevented from collecting these debts and the organization must comply with both the Pennsylvania Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act and the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices Act.
“The sudden closure of Pittsburgh Career Institute left many students with outstanding balances,” Henry said. “It is only right that these students are not on the hook for those balances. My office is committed to helping students who spend much money, time, and effort on higher education and do not receive the promised benefits.”
PCI provided several educational programs that were focused on health care and veterinarian services, but decided to abruptly close its doors program in November 2022. The school said the decision to close came after the Department of Education announced it would no longer accept the school's institutional accreditor – the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.
At the time of closing, the school had less than 200 students enrolled in its various programs.
Beaver school district recognized as 'school to watch' by state organization
After being named a Lighthouse District by the American Association of School Administrators in the fall, officials at the Beaver Area School District are continuing to celebrate its achievements as a state organization has recognized their middle school as a "school to watch."
According to the district, the Pennsylvania Association for Middle Level Education has named Beaver Area Middle School (BAMS) as one of their 2024 Don Eichhorn Schools to Watch. Selection as a "school to watch" is based on several criteria developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform, which is measured during an in-person observation and a series of interviews by a state team.
“We congratulate these schools for being places that do great things for all of their students," said Bruce Vosburgh, director of the Schools to Watch program. "These schools demonstrate that high-performing middle grades schools are places that focus on academic growth and achievement. They are also places that recognize the importance of meeting the needs of all of their students and ensure that every child has access to a challenging, high-quality education. These schools have proven that it is possible to overcome barriers to achieve excellence, and any middle-level school in any state can truly learn from their examples.”
BAMS will join a group of 10 other middle schools in Pennsylvania, setting it apart for their dedication to improving middle school education. Schools in the watch program are recognized for three years, after which they will need to reapply for the title.
Sewickley Academy hosts successful toy drive for the holidays
As students prepared for their Christmas vacations, those enrolled in Sewickley Academy's Lower School were also working to help those in need of gifts over the holiday.
From Nov. 28 to Dec. 11, the school collected new toys and unused gifts for the East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM), gathering five large boxes of Christmas gifts for families who were unable to afford presents this year. According to the school, gifts were distributed across their support network's youth program and food pantry.
During the Christmas season, the EECM said that over 800 families in Pittsburgh's public schools had registered for the gift program. Over 600 families had also registered for support through the organization's food pantry before the holidays.
Other education news to note:
After serving on the school board for over 13 years and assisting in a large merger, Central Valley School Board member John Maly retired from his position as business manager on Dec. 31, 2023. As the school board enters the new year, the recently vacated position will be filled by Joan Wehner, who has served on several Pittsburgh area school boards in similar roles since 2010.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Chalked Up: PCI student debts forgiven; Beaver Middle School named 'school to watch'
