Washington Elementary School was built in 1960. Music teacher Barb Spiri doesn't consider that old.
“It's kind of a shame,” she said of the school's closure, which will take place following the current school year.
Washington, along with Forbes and Penn Hebron elementary schools, will be closed as the new, consolidated Penn Hills Elementary School opens its doors.
And while Spiri, a Washington teacher since 1992, is looking forward to opportunities gained by having all the elementary students under one roof, she recalls fondly the days when fourth- and fifth-graders also roamed Washington's halls.
She also sponsored an elementary drama club.
“That was great,” she said.
Other teachers can recall when the school had more than 1,000 students, with 50 kids to a class, according to principal Tom Iaquinta.
As he winds down the 2013-14 school year and starts preparing for life without Washington, he's discovered quite a bit about the school: each elementary building used to have its own mascot — Washington was the Colonials — and played intramural sports against other schools.
Iaquinta found two 1982 trophies won by the Colonials.
“Outside, I didn't even realize because of the weeds that had grown over it, but out at the Jim Buck Playground, which was built through donations and dedicated to former principal Mr. Buck, there are bricks memorializing the people who donated to its construction,” Iaquinta said.
He is working with Washington parent and PTA member Farrah Hankey in bringing those bricks to the new school, although a permanent location is not yet certain.
As he looked back on his time at Washington — Iaquinta became the principal in 2009, and has worked throughout the district during his 20 years as an educator — he said he will remember particularly the dedication of students and parents.
“This area of Penn Hills really comes together when it comes to helping others,” he said. “Money from our Turkey Bowl each year goes to the Penn Hills Service Association right up the street. We donate tons of stuff to them all the time, and they help out a lot of our parents.”
Administrative assignments are not yet set in stone, so while Iaquinta is not certain where he'll be once school is back in session in the fall, he has high hopes for the new elementary.
“What we want is to keep the focus on the kids, and not the building,” he said.
“We anticipate services like special needs will be better, because everyone will be in the same place — right now we share a librarian, PT, OT. We need to convince the public that we're the same staff, just in a new building.”
Spiri said she thinks students will love the new school, but she will not forget teaching students at Washington, then years later seeing many for the first time since fifth grade as she directed the chorus for the high-school musical.
“It was wonderful to see them grow,” she said.
Patrick Varine is an editor for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7845 or pvarine@tribweb.com.
