Sewickley Herald

              Sewickley
A Gateway Publicatiori^ INjewspaper
Vol: 96 No. 35
ii printed on recycled paper
www.ghplus.com
Serving Aleppo, Bell Acres, Edgeworth, Glenfield, Haysville, Leet, Leetsdale, Osborne, Sewickley, Sewickley Heights, Sewickley Hills
Wednesday, September 1; 1999./ .
X
Local artist Kimberly Kerr has published a very special book, “The Raindrops’ Adventure.” To learn what happens after it rains, see Page 9.
T

News
B Meet James Roddey, one of the candidates for Allegheny County Executive in this fall's general election.
Page 2
Sports
■ Student athletes are already engaged in practices, and c&aches are eager to begin the challenges of another season. See QV/SA previews on
Page 21
Football Tab
M Get a glimpse of all the area teams and outstanding plovers in Gateway Publications' annual Football Tab inside this edition.
toed' *vew».........2
Kil. ... ..... .6
Churdi.......... 19
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▼ TIME IS SHORT J:
BOOKSTORE BANTER: Catching up with summer talk while purchasing books at the Academy bookstore are (from left) Sumeeta Varma of Upper St. Clair and Lisa Bevevino of Beaver. Rebecca Wilde takes their orders. photo b>l Hcjdi Robb
Academy students return to campus
I; Debra 1, Pana«m
___________________Staff wrlttf________________
“The start of a new school year Sewickley Academy on Tuesday will mark the completion of a three-year $15 m campus make over," said Win Farin of the development office.
In the most extensive upgrading of its facilities sufiie the school moved to its present location in 1927, every part of the 30-acre campus has been renovated or newly constructed.
The final phase of the project is the reopening of the historic Lower School building this fall. Its new music, art, library, computer and science spaces, enlarged and renovated classrooms and state-of-the-art technology-capable wiring await the return of students in grades 1-5
Completed previously are a new freestanding Middle School, serving grades 0-8, and a new library/media center fully equipped to serve the changing research needs of grades 9-12.
A totally renovated Senior School building Was completed one year ago, along with a new tennis complex and preschool building.
“There is a prekindergarten class for children age 4 and a kindergarten class for children age 5 in the preschool budding,” said Farin,
The goal of the project is to provide students with facilities that will properly support the
goals of the educational program for decades to come.
Small class size, typically 15-16 students, remains the hallmark of academic life. Amid the extensive physical changes, this and other valued traditions remain constant.
The improvements have been financed entirely through contributions from alumni, parents and friends of the school.
The middle school begins Tbesday with a parent and student assembly. Students begin regular classes Wednesday, Sept. 8.
The lunch program is the same with prices slightly higher. There have been no changes in the dress code.
Tuition rose slightly with a 6 percent increase. Total enrollment is just under 800.
“The teacher-to-student ratio is 7:1. There are 125 teachers to approximately 800 students," Farin explained.
A part-time nurse from the Allegheny Intermediate Unit comes to the school periodically, and there is a nurse who works as a teacher, who is on-call when needed,
“We arc constantly reevaluating safety standards set by the school,” said Farin, “We plan to start a new safety committee to see if we need
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▼ ALEPPO
Board debates debates use of tax windfall
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bT	I WISH
_________Staff writer_______
Aleppo Township recently received an unexpected gift •— $35,000.
When the commissioners set this year's budget, they did not anticipate the $35,000 in transfer taxes the township received from the sale of the Valley Care Nursing Home to the Masonic Homes of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
“We never expected it. We never budgeted for it,” said Gloria Vish, board president.
“I look at it as a gift,”
Vish suggested using more than half of that as a gift to the fire department to help pay off the loan on the small fire truck.
By eliminating that loan, the fire department would be able to put the $800 monthly payments on the loan toward internal improvements.
“We’re trying to be good neighbors and help them out," Vish said.
Vince Restauri, township solicitor, suggested putting the money in a reserve fund since the budget process for next year begins soon.
Commissioner Sam Trapp said if the money was saved, the new budget would not call for an increase in taxes. .
• Late Monday night, Aug.
23, or early Tuesday morning, someone broke into a con-., struction trailer parked near 1 McKown Lane for the Davis Run Bridge reconstruction.
As far as Aleppo police were aware, the only thing taken from the trailer was a > portable generator valued at.'v $500.
“We’re looking into some things now,” said Robert Ford, Aleppo policeman, “but I don’t know where it’s going to take us,”
Anyone who might have information on the robbery is asked to call the Aleppo Tbwnship police department at 741-6555.