Homestead native donates to Steel Valley

Thursday, August 21, 2008
By Mary Niederberger, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Steel Valley School District is about to receive what appears to be its largest single donation yet from benefactor William Campbell, a Homestead native who is chairman of Intuit Inc., a technology software company.

School Director Joe Ducar, a friend of Mr. Campbell's, announced at Tuesday's board meeting that Mr. Campbell is willing to donate $3 million to build a full-sized gymnasium with locker rooms and four additional permanent classrooms at Barrett Elementary in Homestead.

Barrett is the smaller of the district's two elementary schools that hold grades 1-5. It currently has no gym and has some classes held in modular structures attached to the school, Mr. Ducar said. He said the cafeteria at Barrett doubles as a gym.

The donation will be made to the Steel Valley Foundation for Education, which plans to advertise bids for the project soon that an actual price can be determined, Mr. Ducar said.

Mr. Ducar said the donation will have to be accepted by the board during a formal vote. He's hoping that can be in the next month or two, but first, he said, the foundation wants to advertise for bids on the project.

Two members of the audience questioned why all of Mr. Campbell's donation was going to Barrett and not being shared with Park Elementary, which is in Munhall.

Mr. Ducar said although the gym will be attached to an elementary building, it will be full-sized and could be available for games of high school teams or community sports leagues.

In addition, he said community groups will be able to hold activities there.

"This is the first of Mr. Campbell's money to go to Barrett," Mr. Ducar said.

The $3 million donation is in addition to the $5.5 million Mr. Campbell already has donated to the district in recent years, including $1.1 million for improved technology last year and $1 million for a new middle school gym that is named after his late brother James.

Mr. Campbell also has donated money for improvements to the high school football field, for laptops for teachers, batting cages, pitching machines, football uniforms and equipment and band uniforms.