About 40 parents, educators, pastors, school volunteers and other Hill District stakeholders gathered yesterday at Pittsburgh Milliones Magnet School to begin writing a blueprint for the future of the neighborhood's schools in light of a new round of proposed closings by the board of Pittsburgh Public Schools.

The workshop was held by the Hill District Education Council, an organization that former City Council member Sala Udin and the retired Rev. Johnnie Monroe founded about six years ago.

The Hill has been a swirl of school closings and reopenings since 2006, when the board closed Madison Elementary and Milliones Middle School and moved middle school students into Miller, Vann and Weil elementaries. Milliones has since reopened and Miller has returned to being solely elemetary.

Pittsburgh Vann Elementary is one of 14 schools the board now proposes closing.

"I'm really concerned about all the transitions," said Rev. Melvin T. Jackson, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church.

Outgoing school board member Randall Taylor derided the timing of a study the board proposes to assess the long-range future of city schools. "You would think that the time for a study would be before you close schools," he said.

The Rev. Monroe said the council is planning to meet with the school board to present the blueprint after several more meetings and workshops like yesterday's. "We need parents at the table," he said.

Mr. Udin asked for a show of hands to gauge commitment for what he said "is going to be a long road."

"We don't want to be reacting to everything that happens at 341," said the Rev. Monroe, referring to the Bellefield Avenue address of Pittsburgh Public Schools. "We want to be proactive, and we want to give to them a plan that we feel we need. We believe we can develop an excellent system in the Hill."

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