Quaker Valley School District officials prepare to welcome students back
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Quaker Valley School District officials are preparing for the return of students, and will welcome at least two new administrators this year.
First day of school for K-9 students is Aug. 24. Grades 10-12 start the following day.
Current enrollment is 1,831 with 413 students at Edgeworth Elementary, 396 at Osborne Elementary, 396 at the middle school, 586 at the high school and 10 in alternate placements.
There are about 150 teachers in the district.
“It is great to be back for another school year, and we are excited to welcome our students and staff into our buildings once again,” superintendent Tammy Andreyko said. “As always, the health and safety of our students and teachers is a top priority. I joined our principals and teachers in greeting our kindergarten students on the playgrounds on Aug. 3, and we began building positive relationships between students, families, teachers and administrators.
“Our teachers are working collaboratively to determine their needs in the classroom and how we can best support them and their students. As a district, we are looking forward to providing the best possible educational experiences to all students and are enthusiastically continuing programs and initiatives that are already in action.”
New administrators this school year include Osborne Elementary principal Ben Canan and high school assistant principal Dawn Hardman.
Canan, a former Fox Chapel Area elementary principal, also brings experience as an acting principal in Mt. Lebanon School District, where he served as the summer programs director. He started his teaching career as a classroom teacher in the Moon Area School District.
Outgoing Osborne Elementary School principal Aaron Rea will become Quaker Valley’s coordinator of instructional programs.
Hardman is a Pittsburgh native, North Allegheny High School graduate and standout soccer player at Washington and Jefferson College.
She served as AP U.S. History teacher, student council advisor and MTSS coordinator at Waynesboro Area High School prior to coming to Quaker Valley.
“I am very excited to join the administration team at Quaker Valley School District and work closely with faculty, staff, and students to meet various academic goals and initiatives,” Hardman said. “I am especially excited to learn more about the extracurricular activities and opportunities here at Quaker Valley.”
Assistant principal Abigail Bator will become Quaker Valley High School’s new academic specialist.
In addition to the administrative changes, the cost of meals will return to pre-pandemic prices.
“Because the federal program providing free meals to all students during the pandemic has ended, we are returning to the same meal pricing from previous years,” said Carla Escribano, district director of food and nutrition services. “Breakfast is $1.50 and lunch is $3.05 for a standard meal or $3.75 for a premium meal.”
All families are encouraged to apply for the free and reduced meals.
Families may also find they are eligible for reduced costs for college testing and application fees. Families can apply at schoolcafe.com and will need to enter their students’ lunch PIN under the Student ID field.
District officials continue to work on a proposed high school in Leet. They offered tours of the site earlier this month.
“We are working toward the sharing of schematic drawings of the new high school, which were developed through many community conversations,” Andreyko said. “It is exciting to see the project develop as we work together to reimagine the future of Quaker Valley High School.”
District officials had hoped to have the new school built and ready for students by the 2025-26 school year.
Those dreams have since been altered to have construction begin in 2025 with doors being opened in the fall of 2027.