Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy

Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy is a public school in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It currently serves grades 6-12 in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Its building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Sept. 30, 1986.[3][5]

Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy
Location
Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy
Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy
Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy
107 Thackeray Street

Pittsburgh
,
Pennsylvania
15213

United States
Information
TypePublic - Magnet
MottoDream. Discover. Design.
Established2009
School districtPittsburgh Public Schools
PrincipalMr. Shawn McNeil
Teaching staff23[1]
Grades6–12
Enrollment537[2] (as of October 1, 2017)
Color(s)White and blue
MascotSci-Tech Thundersharks
NewspaperThe Byte (retired), The Sextant (Future)
WebsitePittsburgh Science and Technology
Henry Clay Frick Training School for Teachers
Inside the school
Coordinates40°26′36″N 79°57′29″W
Area1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built1927
ArchitectIngham & Boyd
Architectural styleClassical Revival
MPSPittsburgh Public Schools TR
NRHP reference No.86002668[3]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPSeptember 30, 1986
Designated PHLF2002[4]

History

Originally the building served as the home for the Henry Clay Frick Training School for Teachers, founded by Henry Clay Frick in 1927, which served a training school for teachers. In 1983 it became a middle school housed at Dilworth School in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of East Liberty. Pittsburgh Frick 6–8 Middle School moved to the building in 1986, and was temporarily located at Reizenstein which is called the Barack Obama Academy of International Studies 6-12. The Barack Obama Academy of International Studies 6-12 is now located in the former Peabody High School building in East Liberty. In June 2009, staff working on The Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy received possession of the Frick International Studies Academy building. Sci-Tech officially opened to students in September 2009 after a pilot project by graduate students at Carnegie Mellon Heinz College.[6][7]

Operating Schedule

Pittsburgh SciTech offers a block-schedule of classes; using this structure it allows students 80 minute classes. A small student to teacher ratio provides a safety net so that each student can receive individual attention in areas they may need extra help in as well as being moved to advanced classes if they need more of a challenge. Field trips to local attractions in the Oakland area are plentiful and make use of local libraries, museums, universities and seasonal attractions. Also, students are given 60 minutes a day to entertain themselves in a list of activities which are not school related, this is called Activity Period.

Concentrations

Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy offers four fields of science for students to focus on. These fields, named "Concentrations", are split into the following categories:

  • Computers and Connections
  • Body and Behavior
  • Form and Function
  • Environment and Energy

These sub-categories cover a wide range of careers and offer early experience in classes they would not study otherwise. Students pick their concentration at the end of their Ninth-grade year. The pickings are chosen in a weighted lottery, biased on grades, behavior, and attendance.

Computers and Connections

The Computers and Connections concentration focuses on teaching students computational thinking; breaking hard problems up into easier steps. Also known as the best concentration along with Form and Functions.

Body and Behavior

In the body and behavior concentration, students focus on aspects of health and science. Also students are given accelerated teaching about different professions and health careers.

Form and Function

Form and Function focuses on engineering and the different aspects of it. The students have won a "Dream Team" competition for best design in the past. One of the best concentrations, but the most applied for.

Environment and Energy

Environment and Energy teaches students about Environment and Energy in the form of hands on activities in Panther Hollow creek and elsewhere, and learning about the aspects of each.

Enrollment

As of October 1, 2018:[2]

Group Number of students Percent
All 579 100%
White 268 46.3%
African American 212 36.6%
Asian 22 3.8%
Hispanic 13 2.2%
Multiracial 62 10.1%
American Indian <5 <1%
Male 360 62.2%
Female 219 37.8%

References
  1. "Pittsburgh Science and Technology: Teaching Staff". Archived from the original on 2009-12-15. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  2. "Sci-Tech Enrollment". Discover PPS. Pittsburgh Public Schools. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  3. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  4. Historic Landmark Plaques 1968-2009 (PDF). Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. 2010. Retrieved 2011-07-28.
  5. "Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey Form: Frick Middle School" (PDF). April 1986. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-10-29. Retrieved 2009-11-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-12-13. Retrieved 2013-04-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)


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