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Schools

Parent Concerns Addressed at Middle School Breakfast

Seventh and eighth grades will attend classes at Anthony Wayne next school year while the middle school is renovated.

A transition breakfast held at yesterday brought out a handful of parents to address questions and concerns on the upcoming relocation to Anthony Wayne School in Ambridge.

Seventh- and eighth-grade students will attend classes at Anthony Wayne in the 2011-12 school year while their middle school undergoes extensive . Sixth-graders will attend Elementary School.

Parents raised two primary concerns: transportation and safety. One parent asked for information about the neighborhood surrounding the school.

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Quaker Valley Middle School Principal Sean Aiken said, “There is a lot of pride there. It’s a working-class neighborhood and I’ve worked in a lot of places that were much tougher than this neighborhood.”

Some parents said they are uneasy because they are hearing negative rumors from their children about Ambridge and suggested the rumors needed to be addressed or dispelled by Quaker Valley School District, possibly through a question-and-answer assembly for the students.

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“It was just on the news that there was a shooting in Ambridge, and kids are going to hear about that, so some concerns are valid,” one parent said. “We’re confident Sewickley Village is safe, but we don’t have that same confidence about Ambridge.”

But another parent said it was disheartening to hear some parents talk as though it was horrible their children would have to go to Ambridge.

“I shop in Ambridge all of the time and don’t understand what all of the concern is about,” she said. “It’s appalling the amount of negativity out there about this.”

Those in attendance agreed that, to alleviate any worries about the relocation to Anthony Wayne School, the students should learn more about the history of Ambridge, specifically Old Economy Village.

Aiken said the district will bus all children to and from school, unless their parents drive them.

“Our dismissal procedures will be air-tight and so confined that there will not be the option for kids to walk home or anywhere else,” he said. “Something I will also do this summer is walk through the building and work on plans for security issues.”

He added video cameras and a security guard also will on site at the school.

As for transportation to extracurricular after school activities, Aiken said buses will be provided, as well as a possible bus drop-off at the Sewickley Public .

Aiken said parents can do two things to help.

“Talk with your kids about the changes and not just in a negative light and be positive with your peers in the community to help dispel rumors,” he said.

Aiken said he believes the relocation will not only bring students closer together, but the staff, as well.

For those seeking more information about the move, the district has put together an informational video.

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