- Dormont Elementary first grade teacher named NSTOY-PA Apple Award Winner 🍎
- High School launches Golden Eagles Academy for Class of 2030 🦅
- Elementary Schools Renovation Project: Electrical, HVAC and Safety upgrades set to begin in late September 🏫
- Keystone Oaks High School celebrates remarkable achievement on the 2026 AP Exams 🎉
- Keystone Oaks welcomes new employees 💛
- Keystone Oaks Foundation for Educational Excellence awards more than $16,000 in grant funding ⭐️
- Keystone Oaks Board of School Directors: Upcoming meetings and September's noteworthy actions ✅
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Dormont Elementary School first grade teacher Mrs. Nikki McKiernan has been recognized by the National State Teachers of the Year - Pennsylvania Chapter with the Apple Award.
This award is presented to Pennsylvania educators for exceptional teaching, coaching, and other efforts supporting educational excellence. It recognizes members of the academic community who make a positive difference in the lives of students, school districts, and the community.
Mrs. McKiernan was nominated for the award by Shannon Varley, Ed.D., Keystone Oaks’ Assistant to the Superintendent for Academic Achievement, who cited McKiernan’s commitment to providing high quality literacy instruction as the reason for the nomination.
“Nicole’s passion for ensuring that every student becomes a successful reader extends well beyond her own classroom,” Dr. Varley said. “Her leadership and influence have positively impacted literacy instruction across the district’s elementary schools. She exemplifies educational excellence by leading with both compassion and expertise, making her truly worthy of recognition through the Apple Award.”
In recent years, McKiernan has completed the Orton-Gillingham training, participated in the district’s LETRS training, and served as a pilot teacher for the CKLA language arts program. She analyzed student data and enhanced instruction by incorporating principles grounded in the Science of Reading. McKiernan also provided professional development for her colleagues, offering practical, high-quality training on CKLA.
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Through the first three weeks of the school year, Keystone Oaks High School’s freshmen class has toured the school, navigated Google Classroom and Google Suite tools, learned how to sign up for daily Eagle Times, reviewed the building’s PBIS expectations, met upperclassmen mentors, and began discussing a variety of skills that are essential for success in high school: organization, advocacy, note taking, test preparation, and study skills.
In total, students have completed 14 hours of lessons and activities as part of Keystone Oaks High School’s new Golden Eagles Academy, a program designed to support students’ transition to high school.
“The goal of the Golden Eagles Academy is to not only prepare students for the academic, behavioral, and cultural expectations of Keystone Oaks High School,” said High School Principal Michael Linnert, Ed.D., “but also to grow a culture that encourages support and kindness throughout the high school.”
The Golden Eagles Academy was developed after students shared through surveys and other feedback loops that a program designed to support their transition to high school would have been beneficial to their academic, social, and behavioral success. High School science teachers Allyson Culp, Rebecca Hritz, and Michelle McSwigan, and social studies teacher Sean McCrerey, along with High School Principal Michael Linnert, Ed.D., and Assistant Principal Ryan Brown, created the program, which includes 36 student mentors, six homeroom teachers, one mentor counselor, one dedicated school counselor for 9th grade, and the high school principal and assistant principal.
Freshmen will continue to participate in Golden Eagles Academy sessions daily through the end of September when they will commemorate the completion of their first month as high school students with a field day event. Sessions will then continue weekly through the remainder of the school year and teachers and mentor students will continue to lead activities and sessions on goal setting, time management, career exploration and standards, growth mindset, Keystone Exams, graduation pathways, understanding transcripts and GPA, and more.
“I am proud of the hard work the Golden Eagles Academy team has put into making this program meaningful and impactful for the Class of 2030,” Dr. Linnert said. “My hope is that not only will it cultivate friendships and build a sense of community at Keystone Oaks High School, but that it will have a lasting positive impact on our students’ and teachers’ high school experience.”
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The Keystone Oaks School District’s $35 million, multi-year project to renovate the district’s three elementary schools is well underway, with the renovation of two playgrounds completed and significant progress made on replacing the windows and exterior doors at all three buildings.
Two classrooms at Myrtle Avenue Elementary School will remain closed through the fall as construction crews install an Exterior Finish and Insulation System to better absorb the solar radiation and thermal stress that impacts the front of the building.
In August, the Board of School Directors awarded four contracts for roof restoration and building infrastructure improvements:
- General Construction - Walter Mucci Construction Co., Inc. in the amount of $4,137,600.
- HVAC Construction - Renick Brothers Construction Company, in the amount of $7,015,000.
- Electrical Construction - Allegheny City Electric, Inc. in the amount of $5,539,000.
- Fire Protection Construction - Vrabel Plumbing Company, LLC in the amount of $272,200.
Construction will begin at Dormont Elementary in late September 2026. As part of this project, all ceiling tiles and materials, except for the kitchen area, will be removed and mounted fixtures, including lights, HVAC diffusers, and other items, will be temporarily suspended. New fire alarms, public address, and ATC head end systems will be installed. The boiler system will be drained and new shut-off valves will be installed on all boiler equipment.
Crews will work after the school day and on weekends and are responsible for ensuring that classrooms and other areas of the building can operate as needed each day. This work is expected to be completed in June 2027.
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During the summer of 2027, ceiling tiles and materials will be removed at Myrtle Avenue and Aiken Elementary Schools. This work will take place at Myrtle Avenue Elementary from August 2027 through February 2028 and at Aiken Elementary from March 2028 through July 2028.
Additionally, during the summer of 2027, the following work will be completed in each building:
Dormont
- Roof restoration
- Mechanical and electrical roof work
- Boiler room upgrades
- Kitchen and cafeteria work
- Reheat coil installation in the gymnasium
- Switch gear replacement
Myrtle Avenue Elementary
- Boiler room upgrades
- Mechanical and electrical roof work
- Kitchen and cafeteria work
- Reheat coil installation in the gymnasium
- Switch gear replacement
Fred L. Aiken Elementary
- Ceiling tiles removed
- Boiler system drained for shut off valve installation
- New fire alarm and public address systems installed
- New ATC head end system installed
The final portion of this project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2028 and will include the following construction at Aiken Elementary :
- Main office suite work
- Boiler room upgrades
- Chiller replacement
- Multi--purpose room replacement
- All kitchen and cafeteria work
- Switch gear replacement
- Room restoration
- Mechanical and electrical roof work
While this work is being completed, District and project engineers will be further evaluating Myrtle Avenue Elementary School in order to expand available parking at the building. Once a decision is made about parking, new playground equipment and surfacing will be installed at Myrtle Avenue Elementary.
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Keystone Oaks High School is proud to recognize 51 graduates and current students as AP Scholars for their outstanding performance on the 2025-2027 exams. This cohort includes 26 AP Scholars with Distinction, 11 AP Scholars with Honor, and 14 AP Scholars. Visit our website for more details.
Additionally, 39 students achieved a 100% pass rate (scoring 3 or higher) on the AP Precalculus, Calculus AB, and Calculus BC exams this spring. Notably, all 12 students who took the AP Calculus BC exam earned a perfect score of 5.
Congratulations to this hard-working groups of students and their dedicated teachers on this tremendous success!
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Please join us in giving a warm Golden Eagle welcome to more than 30 new Keystone Oaks employees!
Keystone Oaks High School
- Casey Biglin, English Teacher
- Abigail Bosco, Social Studies Teacher
- Haley Brenny, English Teacher
- Ronald D’Amico, Special Education Long Term Substitute
- David Falk, Math Teacher
- Kaleb Meyer, Special Education Teacher and Transition Coordinator
- Anna Milano, Physical Education Teacher
- Christiana Raftis, Special Education Teacher
Keystone Oaks Middle School
- Diana Dugina, Paraprofessional
Dormont Elementary School
- Megan Bliss, Kindergarten Teacher
- Sierra Constantine, Title I Reading Long Term Substitute
- Isabella DeMark, Special Education Long Term Substitute
- Uma Dharmana, Personal Care Assistant
- Nicole McCandless, Paraprofessional
- Melissa Parrucci, School Nurse
- Rima Safy, Paraprofessional
- Evan Serakowski, Title I Reading Long Term Substitute
- Jess Steinmetz, Paraprofessional
Fred L. Aiken Elementary School
- Alexis DeShong, School Counselor
- Gabriele Geyer, Special Education Teacher
- Madelyn Nazak, Special Education Teacher
- Zilala Madirimova, Personal Care Assistant
Myrtle Avenue Elementary School
- Emma Hensley-Coomer, Paraprofessional
- Callie Lacerena, Third Grade Teacher
- Emily Hensley-Coomer, Personal Care Assistant
Food Service Department
- Dahlia Johnson-Burke
- Patricia Joseph
Buildings & Grounds Department
- Ross Bickel, Custodian
- John Enscoe, Custodian
- Robert Martin, Custodian
- Elijah Miles, Custodian
- Corey Hughs, Custodian
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The Keystone Oaks Foundation for Educational Excellence has announced that seven classroom projects have received more than $16,000 in grant funding for the 2026-2027 school year.
- Middle School English language arts teacher Adam Gavlak was awarded $1,345 to support the Middle School’s Culture Day event, a yearlong project that culminates with a schoolwide day to celebrate and learn about different cultures. The funding will be used to support the International Food Court, as well as presenters.
- The Dormont Elementary School PBIS team was awarded $3,000 to support Dormont Houses 2.0: Expanding Student Belonging and Leadership as part of the school’s PBIS program. The funding will be used to support leadership resources and community-building experiences that will positively impact all Dormont Elementary students.
- Middle School family and consumer science teacher Jessica Boronky was awarded $1,500 for the Keystone Oaks Restaurant Project, a unique project that allows students to develop restaurants from-scratch while collaborating with students in business classes.
- Middle School business teacher Andy Bell was awarded $1,500 for a new t-shirt print shop, Flight Deck Apparel, that will give middle school students hands-on experiences in design, marketing, production, customer service, and financial management. They will develop real-world career and entrepreneurship skills while creating custom apparel for school teams, clubs, events, and the community.
- High School science teacher Suzie Deemer was awarded $2,817 for a Sustainable Systems Lab: Expanding AP Environmental Science through Renewable Energy and Air Quality Investigation, which will expand the AP Environmental Science course through hands-on investigations using Vernier air quality sensors, wind energy kits, and solar energy exploration kits.
- Dormont Elementary special education teacher Devan Pappaterra was awarded $3,000 to implement a program that supports emotional regulation and goal attainment for students in the elementary emotional support program.
- Middle School counselor Sharissa Shatten was awarded $3,200 to implement ROX (Ruling Our eXperiences), a program designed to empower middle school girls through lessons on confidence, leadership, emotional wellness, healthy relationships, communication, and resilience.
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The Keystone Oaks Board of School Directors took the following noteworthy actions at its September meeting:
- The Board approved club and activity sponsors and grade level / department leaders for the 2026-2027 school year.
- The Board approved TK Elevator Corporation to install a new pump motor on the elevator in Keystone Oaks High School, as well as to provide annual pressure relief tests and installed required test tags on the elevators at Keystone Oaks High School, Keystone Oaks Middle School, and Dormont Memorial Stadium.
- The Board also approved Manion Plumbing to replace failed backflows with air gaps at Myrtle Avenue Elementary School and Keystone Oaks Middle School.
The following Board of School Directors Committee meetings are scheduled in September:
Policy Committee
Monday, September 28 | 6:30 p.m.
Board Room
Athletics & Activities Committee Meeting
Tuesday, September 29 | 6 p.m.
Board Room
Buildings, Grounds & Transportation and Finance Committees
Tuesday, September 29 | 6:30 p.m.
Board Room
The Board of School Directors will holds its October Work Session Meeting on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, beginning at 7 p.m. at Parkway West Career & Technology Center. The Business/Legislative Meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Board Room. The agenda will be posted online 24 hours prior to the meeting.
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