Pittston Area School District
Pittston Area School District is a mid-sized school district located in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, the north-eastern part of the state, in the United States. The school district serves students from the city of Pittston, the boroughs of Avoca, Dupont, Duryea, Hughestown, Yatesville, Jenkins, and Pittston townships. Pittston Area School District encompasses approximately 42 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 30,034. In 2019, the residents' per capita income was $16,811 and the median family income was $40,063. Per school district officials, in school year 2005–06, the PASD provided basic educational services to 3,147 pupils through the employment of 196 teachers, 159 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 10 administrators.
PASD was created in 1966 by merging Pittston School District, Pittston Township School District, Hughestown School District, Dupont School District, Duryea School District, and Avoca School District. The first superintendent was Martin Mattei. PASD currently runs four schools: Pittston Area High School in Yatesville, Martin L. Mattei Middle School in Pittston, Pittston Area Intermediate Center in Pittston, Pittston Area Primary School in Hughestown.
Saint John the Baptist Elementary School
Image: Saint [John the Baptist church (Pittston, Pennsylvania) (18).jpg|thumb|right|From left to right: Saint John the Baptist School, rectory, church, and gym]Saint John the Baptist Elementary School was a Catholic school located on William Street in Pittston. It was named after the neighboring church. Its pastors were Rev. Andrej Kazincy, Rev. Matthew Jankola, Rev. Andrej Pavco, Rev. John J. Bednarcik, Rev. Michael J. Krupar, Monsignor Joseph Super, Rev. Andrew Strish, and finally John Bendick.
On March 27, 2004, Bishop Joseph Martino announced that Saint John the Baptist School and Saint Mary's School in Avoca would close for good. After a legal challenge, the school was closed on Friday, June 4, 2004. The last reverend for the elementary school was Andrew Strish. He administered the last school mass for the nearly 200 students and faculty.
Four years later, in late June 2008, the diocese closed the church as well. From December 2009 to March 2010, the Monsignor Joseph A. Super Athletic Center, the Saint John the Baptist Catholic Information Library, the rectory, the flagpole, the church, and a section of the school were demolished.