Pittsburgh Whittier K-5

Pittsburgh Whittier K-5, a neighborhood school located off Grandview Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington community, is guided by the motto, “High Expectations – High Achievement – High Atop Mt. Washington”.  Whittier welcomes students living in parts of Mt. Washington, Duquesne Heights, Allentown, and Beltzhoover. 

Whittier is committed to achieving academic excellence and building strength of character with a warm, nurturing learning environment where ALL students can learn, achieve, and grow.  In addition to a comprehensive academic core program, eligible students have access to gifted education at the Pittsburgh Gifted Center.  Other offerings include Learning Support, Autistic Support, Speech and Hearing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Mercy Behavioral Therapy. 

Whittier students follow the PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) expectations of Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe…and Just Be Nice.  Quarterly school-wide celebrations are held.  Homerooms and individuals earn compliment cards for following the school-wide expectations.  Daily morning announcements include shout outs to those earning compliment cards. 

Social Emotional Learning is important to us, so time is set aside on Mondays during intervention time for this.  The ESTEEM Group led by Gena Melago offers an 8 week, 16 session course of yoga, dance, and team building.  Strong Women/Strong Girls, led by Duquesne University students, offers mentorships to girls in grades 3-5. 

Whittier has an active PTO led jointly by parents and teachers.  We hold family events throughout the school year such as Back to School Night, Fall Festival, Light Up Night, Literacy Night, and Arts Night.  The Scholastic Book Fair is held twice a year with profits being immediately converted to free books for students and classroom libraries.  Ongoing fundraising efforts support monthly activities including Fun Day in June.  Community service projects have included valentines for local senior residents and Penny Wars donations to favorite charities.

Student activities include Student Envoys, Yearbook Club, SEED Club, and Intramurals.  Additional partnerships exist with OASIS Intergenerational Tutoring, Reading is Fundamental, Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, The Education Partnership, Allegheny County Parks Department, Animal Friends Therapets, and Pittsburgh Glass Center.