Category: Events, News || By Staff and Submitted Reports

A city charter school has received its third consecutive EPIC award for student achievement.

Propel McKeesport and its sister school in Kennedy Township were two of only 18 charter schools across the United States to receive Effective Practice Incentive Community awards from New Leaders for New Schools, says Anne D'Appolonia, director of development.

EPIC last year named Propel McKeesport the top charter school out of 89 in the United States that were surveyed.

The award was the first EPIC for Propel Montour, she says. The two schools together serve about 400 students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

According to the award citation, 90 percent of Propel McKeesport students in 2010 scored "proficient" or "advanced" on state standardized reading and math tests.

The test scores are comparable with those in more affluent school districts such as North Allegheny, Fox Chapel, Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair, D'Appolonia says, even though some 84 percent of McKeesport students qualify for free or reduced-price school lunches.

Established in 2006, New Leaders for New Schools is funded by private foundations, corporations and donors, with additional funding coming from the U.S. Department of Education's Teacher Incentive Fund. The group is designed to allow charter schools to share their best practices and also encourages members to tie incentive pay for teachers and administrators to student performance.

Propel McKeesport and Montour were chosen for EPIC awards from among 175 charter schools in 23 states and Washington, D.C., D'Appolonia says.

. . .

Brewster Tribute, Roast Set Saturday: Friends, allies and maybe even a few antagonists of state Sen. Jim Brewster will pay tribute --- and poke a little fun --- at his career this weekend.

Author Jim O'Brien will serve as master of ceremonies at a testimonial/roast of Brewster on Saturday at the Palisades ballroom, Downtown. Singer Bo Wagner, famous locally for his Frank Sinatra impersonation, will provide entertainment, along with strolling violinists The Gypsy Strings.

Tickets are $50, but the event is "entirely non-political and is not a fundraiser," says Mike Joyce of the Palisades. "We just wanted to praise Jimmy for what he's done and what he continues to do."

Brewster, a former vice president at Mellon Bank, served as an elected official for 16 years --- first as a McKeesport city councilman and then as mayor for seven. In November, he was elected to fill the remainder of state Sen. Sean Logan's term after Logan resigned to take a job with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Catering will be provided by Twin Oaks Lounge in White Oak. Doors open at 5:30 and dinner will be served at 6:30. Entertainment begins at 7:30. For more information, call Joyce at (412) 370-2971 or the Palisades at (412) 672-2001.

. . .

Port Vue Police Seek Burglars: Port Vue police are warning residents that two burglaries have been reported along Washington Boulevard in the borough.

On Sunday, a home in the 900 block was targeted and a 40-inch flat-panel TV and approximately 200 Hummel figurines were taken, police Chief Gary Cartia said in a statement. In another, separate theft, $285 was reported stolen from a home on Washington Boulevard, though no signs of forced entry were found, the chief said.

Anyone with information should contact Port Vue police at (412) 672-2255.

You are previewing your comment. Be sure to click on 'Post Comment' to store it.