Fair 79°
Schools
Second Hoax At Villanova University Sparks Police Response Ahead Of Classes Second Hoax At Villanova University Sparks Police Response Ahead Of Classes
Second Hoax At Villanova University Sparks Police Response Ahead Of Classes Villanova University faced a second false emergency report involving a weapon on campus Sunday, Aug. 24, one day before classes were scheduled to begin, Radnor Township Police confirmed. Officers were called to Austin Hall after a report of a possible threat, but police later confirmed the call was unfounded. Law enforcement searched the building, cleared the scene, and worked to restore normal operations. The investigation into the hoax is ongoing. The incident comes just three days after a fake active shooter report at Villanova’s law school sent the campus into chaos during orientation a…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Schools
21 Hospitalized, 1 MedEvaced After PA Football Team Crashes: EMS 21 Hospitalized, 1 MedEvaced After PA Football Team Crashes: EMS
21 Hospitalized, 1 MedEvaced After PA Football Team Crashes: EMS Twenty-one people were hospitalized after a school bus carrying Aliquippa Junior High football players crashed on Shaffer Road in Economy Borough, Beaver County EMS said. Police, fire, and EMS were called to the 190 block of Shaffer Road for the crash involving a bus with students and staff from the Aliquippa School District around 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, according to officials. One patient was flown to Allegheny General Hospital, two were taken to UPMC Children’s, and others were transported by ground, authorities said. Some parents later took their students to a Sewickley hospit…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Schools
PA Kindergarten Teacher Wins National Contest Twice, Plans Interactive Playground PA Kindergarten Teacher Wins National Contest Twice, Plans Interactive Playground
PA Kindergarten Teacher Wins National Contest Twice, Plans Interactive Playground A Cogan Station kindergarten teacher has won a national classroom contest for the second year in a row, bringing major prizes to her students and school, officials announced. Michelle Boyles of Hepburn-Lycoming Primary School was once again named one of 10 winners in Simple Modern’s "Stock Your School" giveaway, the company said. The program launched in 2024 with about 2,000 teachers and 66,000 votes cast, according to Simple Modern PR Manager Kayte Spillman. This year, participation soared to more than 3,200 teachers from all 50 states, with over 114,000 votes submitted. Boyles credited h…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Two PA High Schools Ranked In Nation's Top 100: See Niche's Full List Two PA High Schools Ranked In Nation's Top 100: See Niche's Full List
Two PA High Schools Ranked In Nation's Top 100: See Niche's Full List More than 30 high schools across the Northeast have earned spots among the top 100 in the country, according to a new ranking. Niche has released its Best Public High Schools in America rankings for 2025. The list evaluates schools using data from the Department of Education, along with millions of student and parent reviews. Rankings are based on academics, college readiness, graduation rates, teacher quality, and school culture. Unlike past years, SAT and ACT scores were not considered to reflect a growing de-emphasis on standardized testing in college admissions. Here are the …

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Schools
‘Cruel Hoax’ Active Shooter Report At Villanova University Result Of Swatting (VIDEO) ‘Cruel Hoax’ Active Shooter Report At Villanova University Result Of Swatting (VIDEO)
‘Cruel Hoax’ Active Shooter Report At Villanova University Result Of Swatting (Video) A frightening active shooter scare that prompted a massive police response and a campus-wide lockdown at Villanova University was a hoax, officials confirmed on Thursday, Aug. 21. The Radnor Township Police Department and assisting agencies rushed to the school after alerts were sent at 4:30 p.m. warning of an “active shooter” on campus. Students and residents were ordered to shelter in place as officers cleared buildings, and SEPTA trains bypassed Villanova and Stadium Stations during the lockdown. Hours later, officials said no shooter, no victims, and no firearms were found. A second inc…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Two PA High Schools Ranked Among Top 25 Nationally: See Which Ones Two PA High Schools Ranked Among Top 25 Nationally: See Which Ones
Two PA High Schools Ranked Among Top 25 Nationally: See Which Ones More than two dozen high schools across the Northeast have been recognized among the top 100 in the US, according to a new ranking. The U.S. News & World Report released its annual Best High School Rankings on Tuesday, Aug. 19. The 2025 list evaluated more than 24,000 public high schools nationwide based on test scores, college-level coursework, and graduation rates. The report highlights schools where students outperformed expectations in math, reading, and science, passed college-level exams, and graduated on time. U.S. News said its goal is to recognize high achievers while…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Schools
School Lunches Are Costing Families More Than Ever: Here's Why School Lunches Are Costing Families More Than Ever: Here's Why
School Lunches Are Costing Families More Than Ever: Here's Why As the new school year gets closer, parents are preparing to pay more to pack a lunch, with many changing what will be in their kids' lunchboxes to save money. Nearly half of parents and caregivers (48%) expect to pay more for school-day lunches this year than last, according to Deloitte's 2025 Back-to-School Survey. The study also found that grocery prices are 23% higher than they were in 2020. The increase comes as many everyday staples are getting more expensive under President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on imports, which economists say are raising costs on a variety of foods f…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Schools
Penn State Fraternity Sigma Pi Suspended For Hazing, But Continues To Operate Off-Campus Penn State Fraternity Sigma Pi Suspended For Hazing, But Continues To Operate Off-Campus
Penn State Fraternity Sigma Pi Suspended For Hazing, But Continues To Operate Off-Campus A Penn State fraternity has been formally suspended from the university for at least four years following an investigation into hazing, officials announced on Thursday, July 31. The Sigma Pi fraternity was placed on an indefinite organizational suspension, effective Wednesday, July 17, after Penn State’s Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response investigated multiple reports of hazing and serious misconduct beginning in March 2025. According to the university, allegations included physical and mental abuse, forced consumption of alcohol and other undesirable substances, forced …

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Back-To-School 2025 Deals: More Families Shopping Early To Dodge Rising Prices Back-To-School 2025 Deals: More Families Shopping Early To Dodge Rising Prices
Back-To-School 2025 Deals: More Families Shopping Early To Dodge Rising Prices Most families are already hunting for back-to-school deals in the summer heat. Roughly two-thirds (67%) of families with children in kindergarten through 12th grade had started shopping by early July, according to the National Retail Federation. That's up from 55% in 2024 and the highest level since NRF began tracking early shopping in 2018. More than half (51%) of families said they're shopping ahead of time because they expect prices to rise due to President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs. "Consumers are being mindful of the potential impacts of tariffs and inflation on b…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Schools
PA Behind Northeast Neighbors For School Quality, Safety In New Study: Here's Why PA Behind Northeast Neighbors For School Quality, Safety In New Study: Here's Why
PA Behind Northeast Neighbors For School Quality, Safety In New Study: Here's Why Many public school systems in the Northeast are outperforming the rest of the country in quality and safety, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 list of States with the Best & Worst School Systems on Monday, July 21. The study ranked every state's public schools based on academic performance, safety, funding, and teacher credentials. Massachusetts ranked No. 1 in the country, earning top scores in both fourth- and eighth-grade math and reading. The Bay State also had the highest share of students scoring a three or better on Advanced Placement (AP) exams and …

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Schools
Antisemitic, Racist, Pornographic Video Interrupts Baltimore Schools Board Meeting: Officials Antisemitic, Racist, Pornographic Video Interrupts Baltimore Schools Board Meeting: Officials
Antisemitic, Racist, Pornographic Video Interrupts Baltimore Schools Board Meeting: Officials An unauthorized person hijacked a Baltimore City Public Schools board meeting with a hateful pornographic video, prompting officials to pause the livestream and launch a hate crime investigation on Tuesday, July 22. The disruption occurred during the public comment portion of the virtual meeting, when an individual accessed the platform and aired content described by Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS) as “antisemitic, racist, and obscene adult material.” The board halted the meeting immediately after detecting the graphic, BCPS spokesperson Sherry Christian confirmed. “The meeting was rec…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Schools
UPenn Bans Trans Athletes After Feds Find Title IX Violations, Ending Lia Thomas Case UPenn Bans Trans Athletes After Feds Find Title IX Violations, Ending Lia Thomas Case
UPenn Bans Trans Athletes After Feds Find Title IX Violations, Ending Lia Thomas Case The University of Pennsylvania will no longer allow male athletes in women’s sports. The US Department of Education announced Tuesday, July 1, that the school (UPenn) has signed a Resolution Agreement after federal investigators found the school violated Title IX by permitting “a male to compete in female athletic programs and occupy female-only intimate facilities.” According to the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the findings stemmed from a Title IX investigation that began after UPenn awarded swimmer Lia Thomas a roster spot on the women’s swim team.  UPenn had been at …

SHARE

by Zak Failla