The Moon Area School District is located about 20 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It serves a portion of the West Hills/Airport Area and comprises Crescent and Moon townships, which include unincorporated villages such as Glenwillard, Wireton, Coraopolis Heights, Thorn Hollow, West Coraopolis, Carnot, Thorn Run Valley, and Mooncrest. Moon Area School District encompasses approximately 31 square miles. After an ill-advised plan and against the wishes of the community, Moon Area School District in 2015-2016 reconfigured to a "centers based" model for its elementary schools. On February 22, 2016, the Moon Area School Board voted to restore the elementary schools to its original configuration. The district's administration offices are located inside Moon High, at 8353 University Boulevard, Moon Township, PA 15108.
Moon Area School District Facilities
The district currently manages six schools:
Central Admin - inside Moon High; Phone: 264-9440
Allard Elementary - located in western Moon Township, 170 Shafer Road, Moon Township, PA 15108; Phone: 262-2500.
Hyde Elementary - located in eastern Moon Township, 110 Wallridge Drive, Moon Township, PA 15108; Phone: 262-2700.
Brooks Elementary - located in Coraopolis Heights, 1720 Hassam Road, Moon Township, PA 15108; Phone: 264-6540.
Bon Meade Elementary - located in Bon Meade, on the BeaverCounty line, 1595 Brodhead Road, Moon Township, PA 15108; Phone: 457-7471.
McCormick Elementary - located 5 miles south of Moon, 2801 Beaver Grade Road, Moon Township, PA 15108; Phone: 893-0421
Moon Area Middle School - located in Moon, 904 Beaver Grade Road, Moon Township, PA 15108; Phone: 262-4140
Moon Area High School - located in Moon, 8353 University Boulevard, Moon Township, PA 15108; Phone: 262-9040.
Moon Area School Board members, in 2004, voted to undertake a massive renovation project of the school district's middle school and high school campus. The construction, set to begin after the 2005–06 school year, prompted district residents to elect a new majority of school board members opposed to the construction plans. The plan was halted in 2006 after a 5–4 school board vote. The new plan calls for building a new high school and renovating the current high school, making it the new middle school. The school earned a poor grade, a "D-" according to Sunshine Review's transparency checklist, for not disclosing information on the school's website.
District Employee Contracts
In March 2007, Moon Area School Board approved a five-year contract for the district's support staff. The new contract included an increase of 2.85 percent and the support staff members must now pay part of their health care benefits.
Teacher strike, eventual contract (2010–2011)
In November 2010, Moon Area School District teachers went on strike for three weeks before returning to the classroom. In June 2011, Moon Area School Board members approved a five-year contract with the teachers union that included no raise the first year and for salary increases as follows in the next four years of the deal: 4 percent, 3.2 percent, 4.5 percent and 4.4 percent.
School board votes to furlough at least 20 staff members
Without any warning, Moon Area School Board members voted, 7–2, to furlough at least 20 staff members in June 2011.
On December 8, 2015, the Moon Area School Board voted to put superintendent Curt Baker on administrative leave. Board president Jerry Testa stated, "We made decisions we felt where in the best interest of the district." After the vote, Dr. Donna K. Milanovich became the new Moon Area School District's interim superintendent.
District in the spotlight
Given the district's location to the Pittsburgh International Airport and access to the city, many of the school's students, faculty and buildings have been thrust into the spotlight. The school's marching band has, at times, performed at the airport for presidential visits. Some notable spotlights include:
Scenes from the 1979 movie The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh were shot in the gym at the high school.
President Gerald Ford made a surprise visit to Moon a day after pardoning President Richard M. Nixon on Sept. 9, 1974.
A day after grabbing the Democrat nod for president, then-Vice President Al Gore held a rally at the school's gym on March 16, 2000.
