Officials from St. Bernard Parish and the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford are discussing the possible sale of St. Bernard School to the university.
However, discussions have only just started. Whether the sale eventually comes to fruition depends on several factors.
Additionally, parish officials stress that no matter what happens, the elementary/middle school will not close, and any changes to the school will not take place until fall 2019.
“The school will still be here, no matter what,” said school Principal Linda Cecchetti.
If Pitt-Bradford were to acquire the school building on West Washington Street, St. Bernard School would move to its former location at 95 E. Corydon St., which currently houses the parish office and is home to the Rev. Ray Gramata, pastor.
However, there are several steps in the process that will need to be completed before any sale could take place. The first step involves working with the University of Pittsburgh to complete a property assessment of St. Bernard School, which could take as long as six months, to see if the building could be renovated to provide appropriate space for Pitt-Bradford’s use.
“Discussions with St. Bernard Parish are exploratory at this point,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, Pitt-Bradford’s president. “A principal concern is ensuring that we maintain the integrity of St. Bernard School, even as we look into the possibility of acquiring the facility to provide much-needed space for new and expanding academic programs.
“If we were to proceed with a purchase transaction, there would have to be absolute certainty that the school would be able to successfully fulfill its educational and religious functions at its former location.”
If the sale were to take place, officials think it would provide opportunities for both the parish and Pitt-Bradford.
“For St. Bernard, it would enable the parish to use the building on East Corydon Street more efficiently. Additionally, having the schoolchildren across the street from the church would be advantageous,” Gramata said.
For Pitt-Bradford, the school building on West Washington Street would provide much-needed space to house possible new programs such as engineering technology, occupational therapy assistant, and physical therapy assistant, or to enhance existing academic programs.
