COVER STORY
Providence Heights Alpha School: Celebrating 96 years of excellence in education Founded and sponsored by the Sisters of Divine Providence, Providence Heights Alpha School has been dedicated to providing students from PreK to Eighth Grade with an advanced, rigorous, and relevant curriculum in a nurturing and caring environment since 1926.
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he upcoming 2022-23 school year marks nearly a century of Providence Heights Alpha School working to fulfill and advance its mission to develop servant leaders and innovative thinkers by providing a distinguished Catholic education. Alpha School strives to model Christian values rooted in trust, fostering compassion, leadership, and social justice in a community that welcomes children of all faiths and cultures. Alpha School is an independent, private, Catholic school that works in collaboration with the Diocese of Pittsburgh. This collaboration enables Alpha School to offer a variety of competitive sports as well as sacramental preparation for their Catholic students. Alpha School’s award-winning faculty strives to develop the whole child through relationships that are built on respect and trust. Their curriculum is designed to be student-centered, developmentally appropriate, and focused on social, emotional, spiritual, and academic growth. Students are encouraged to be creative by teachers who emphasize the skills of collaboration, communication, organization, and problem solving. Small class sizes afford teachers the opportunity to work one-on-one with students and differentiate lessons according to each child’s needs and strengths. In 2016, to support their growing PreK and Kindergarten programs, Alpha School opened the Early Learning Center (ELC) at Ketteler Hall. This one-of-a-kind space is specifically designed for their youngest learners. The ELC houses five individual classrooms as well as a large communal gallery. The space allows students to safely explore their environment and provides endless opportunities to creatively engage with their peers. At Alpha School, students are not limited to a single selfcontained classroom. As early as first grade, students travel to
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subject specific classrooms. This lays the groundwork for the middle school model that starts in third grade. They utilize the school’s science, STEM, and computer labs and experience the benefits of cross-curricular activities such as the Talking Art Museum, a collaborative project where students research an artist and painting of historic significance. Students work in pairs to become the artist and the painting, and then present their work to the school community in a fun and interactive atmosphere. Alpha School’s middle school teachers have a passion for teaching that motivates their students to challenge themselves to achieve their fullest potential. As students progress to middle school there is more emphasis placed on developing their independence by building stronger time-management, organizational, and study skills. Students in sixth through eighth grade serve as role models for the youngest members of the community. They are encouraged and expected to participate in leadership and service activities such as the Works of Mercy Program, Student Council, student ambassadors, and the buddy program. Middle school students also plan school-wide events including Trunk n Treat, Baby Jesus’ Birthday Party, Catholic Schools Week activities, and food drives that benefit area food banks. Providence Heights Alpha School is proud to be located on the 40+ acre campus of the Sisters of Divine Providence in the heart of Allison Park. Faculty and students alike frequently take advantage of all the campus has to offer. They can be found gathering water samples from the pond to analyze in science class, reading or reflecting prayerfully on one of the benches in St. Anne Park, or playing on the soccer field and playground during recess. n
