Brashear, Langley Prepare for Merger

Moving to a new school is never easy—moving an entire school to another school is even more unique.

That’s what will happen when Langley High School closes and new take effect. As a result, the majority of Langley’s 300 students become Brashear students next fall.

Brashear learning environment specialist Jen Gruber said mergers have happened in the district before, but this is one of the bigger transitions. Not only will most Langley students start attending Brashear, but because of new feeder patterns, some Brashear students will attend Carrick High School next year.

Brashear and Langley students have formed focus groups, and Langley students have been teaming up with “Brashear Buddies” and visiting the school in small groups throughout the month to shadow classes and participate in school activities.

Gruber said the transition won’t be easy, but because Brashear is a larger high school than Langley—Brashear currently has 1,200 students—more programming and school activities will be available for Langley students.

“I think there’s some apprehension. Both groups of students will have a change,” Gruber said. “With programming, and seeing the Langley students in small groups, they’re accepting the transition and moving in the right direction.”

In honor of their mascots, they’re even been abiding by a new motto: “The speed of a Mustang combined with the strength of a Bull will conquer all!”

Two students—freshman Briana Barrow of Brashear and freshman Sierra Gist of Langley—happened to know each other already. The transition won’t be quite as hard for them, they said, but many students are not happy with the changes.

“I’m looking forward to meeting new people, but some Brashear kids aren’t happy,” Barrow said. “Some of the kids here have to leave, and now they have a longer bus ride to other schools.”

Gist agreed, and said many Langley students are in the same position. She said she was nervous about changing schools before she and Barrow became focus group members.

“The Langley kids aren’t all happy about coming here,” Gist said. “Why do we have to go so far away now? We’re not sure why they closed our school. It might work, but it might not.”

Nevertheless, the girls said they and their classmates would do their best to make it work. Gist said she is looking forward to taking foreign language courses that weren’t offered at Langley, and that once she’s settled into Brashear, she might take up cheerleading again.

Barrow said the teachers have been especially helpful in the process.

“I’m excited to see what happens,” Barrow said. “The teachers make it easier and make it more fun.”

More information about the transition can be found on the Pittsburgh Brashear High School homepage.

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