On today’s episode of The Confluence:
Duquesne School District brings back eighth grade students after ten years
(0:00 - 9:10)
Ten years after it closed its middle school, the Duquesne City School District will welcome eighth graders back to the classrooms beginning in August. This recently completed school year, seventh graders returned to the district.
In 2007, Duquesne began sending students to high schools in West Mifflin and East Allegheny school districts when it could no longer afford to operate those grades. In 2012, Duquesne students in seventh and eighth grades followed.
Superintendent Sue Mariani says the community told her they wanted to bring the middle school back.
“Duquesne is only two square miles. So, when you take out the only education system in the city away, … that broke a lot of hearts,” says Mariani. “I did a lot of listening, a lot of watching inside classrooms, and I had all the right people in the building. I just needed to kind of shuffle them up a little bit,” says Mariani. “Once I got people in the right seat, it was like magic. It just started full steam ahead.”
So far, the district is expecting 49 incoming eighth graders. First through eighth grade students will return to classrooms on August 29.
Scott Schubert leaves Pittsburgh Police for the FBI
(9:27 - 22:30)
On Friday, Scott Schubert wrapped up 29 years with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the last five as chief of police. He begins a new role with the FBI this week. His retirement from the force comes six months into Mayor Ed Gainey’s new administration, but Schubert says he was not asked to resign.
“I've been talking about, internally, of retirement for a little while now,” says Schubert. “I wish the best for the city. I wish the best for this administration.”
Schubert says one piece of criticism that he has reconsidered since it was instated was the vaccine mandate for all officers.
“These officers who were contesting it, you know, they have valid points, too,” says Schubert. “You know, do we really want to, you know, get rid of 200 police officers when we're already short?”
Schubert says one consideration could have been negotiating the requirement through collective bargaining.
Gainey has promised a national search to find Schubert’s replacement. Deputy Chief Tom Stangrecki will fill in as acting chief in the meantime.
The Confluence, where the news comes together, is 90.5 WESA’s daily news program. Tune in Monday to Thursday at 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. to hear newsmakers and innovators take an in-depth look at stories important to the Pittsburgh region. Find more episodes of The Confluence here or wherever you get your podcasts.
