Paid for by ConcernedSewickleyParents.org "2020/2021 Enrollment is the highest it's been in three years." Stand Together, the philanthropic community founded by Charles Koch, reached out to City Paper after this story was first published to say they oppose efforts to ban ideas, whether we agree or disagree, including critical race theory. Why Were Six Senior Leaders Fired (Including All Of The (3) Most Senior Leaders Of Color)? If the Sewickley Parents Organization wants to make sure their children aren't ever confronted with uncomfortable topics, fine. Home and School membership include all parents, legal guardians, and other persons standing in loco parentis with a child or children enrolled and attending Sewickley Academy, as well as all members of the faculty, staff, and administration of Sewickley Academy. We are Parents of children that attend the Academy, and we are Alumni of Sewickley Academy who are passionate and committed to its long-term success. Academic Excellence on the Decline? We studied your demands. Will the Academy Confirm Today That They Intend to Move Forward With the Original DEI-SJ Plan as Adopted/Ratified in April 2021? Parents say it's creating division. At Sewickley Academy, an anti-CRT campaign from the group Sewickley Parents Organization has led to the firings of five administrators and one teacher who were in support of the school's. Sewickley Academy is now facing a civil rights lawsuit from former director of admissions and financial aid Douglas Leek, who is Black, alleging racial discrimination. In the Pittsburgh area, private schools such as Sewickley Academy and public school districts such as Fox Chapel, Gateway, and Mars Area are seeing pushes from parents and school board members to ban CRT. We would like to see the following actions implemented immediately: submitted by various constituents. Fall 2020 - After 1.5 years in development, the Board ratified the Strategic Plan EnVision24 and it's embedded DEI-SJ Plan. The Interim Head of School at Sewickley Academy, Ashley Birtwell, sent out a letter Aug. 4 to parents addressing the recent turmoil of events that have occurred at Sewickley Academy over the past six weeks. Edinboro University Alumni. To turn the academy upside down without drawing from a comparable schools practices will, in our view, risk undercutting your childrens education while gaining little in return. Astronauts, world-renowned doctors, fashion designers, chefs, filmmakers, zombie experts, world travelers our alumni are proof that students become determined, courageous, and caring individuals ready to take on life's next challenges. We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other; if we are to succeed. Please see www.concernedsewickleyparents.org for details. Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users Get the Facts: The anti-CRT advocacy at Sewickley Academy is not unique in the area, though, and barely concealed ties to right-wing officials, organizations, and media are a common thread among the people calling for bans of critical race theory throughout the region. Now, this appears to be part of the growing national debate over the teaching of critical race theory a view of history seen through the lens of racial discrimination and its impact. Concerned Sewickley Parents @sewickleyparent "The Man Who Fired Dr. Wolfe is a Coward & Not Half The Educator She Is" - Dr. Barrett Gough High School History Teacher Concerned Sewickley Parents Retweeted Talia Kirkland @talia_kirkland Removal of restrictions on free speech "that damages the rep. of the school," a reference to the S.A. Handbook. A group of families, alumni and allies of made up of multiple racial and ethnic backgrounds, immensely concerned See more 134 peoplelike this 157 people follow this http://www.concernedsewickleyparents.org/ admin@concernedsewickleyparents.org 2014-2021 - 19 professional development workshops were conducted to strengthen the faculty, and define an incremental and sustainable path forward." Paid Advertisement Is Sewickley Academy's Academic Excellence on the Decline? Edinboro University Psychology Department. 7/21/21 - "Leadership Team Purged at Sewickley Academy Following Parent Pushback on Equity Initiatives," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. www.sewickleyacademy.org. Concerned Sewickley Parents outraged over recent siege of power at the school; dismissal of key administrators and faculty, and the diminution of the equity and Inclusion plan. 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Through these volunteer efforts, our funds are used to enhance student life and support faculty, staff, and administration of Sewickley Academy: Interested in volunteering with Sewickley Academy's Home and School Association? 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved, Sewickley councilman featured in Super Bowl ad, Blackhawk steps up, drops rival Quaker Valley to return to WPIAL championship game, In brief: Chamber leaders announced, kindergarten registration and more around Sewickley, Seniors help Quaker Valley girls swim team capture 4th straight section title, Sewickley area real estate transactions for the week of Feb. 26, 2023, GZA, Donnie Iris, John Mayer among top concerts to see around Pittsburgh in March, How officials cracked case of eyedrops that blinded people. Birtwell concluded the letter by mentioning this will not be the last time she will be open to the public about Sewickley Academys internal workings, and that she is proud to be a member of the community. Founded in 1838, Sewickley Academy is Pittsburghs oldest independent coeducational school. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. This mission of restoring Sewickley Academy and making it better than ever is critical to our children and community, and we will not fail, she said. College & university. The school has had to reduce the number of athletic teams and eliminate some sports over the years. The letter, which the school also sent to the Sewickley Herald, comes after Academy representatives met with a concerned group of parents July 30 to discuss the schools plans for its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice plan dubbed EnVision 2024. Administration cites "mutual separation." Make all future Board of Trustees meetings open to all Sewickley Academy parents and alumni. The top three leadership positions at Sewickley Academy are occupied by individuals who Our Mission - Sewickley Parents Organization Our Mission Working with the Board, the Administration and the Community ensure Sewickley Academy: A strong focus on academic fundamentals unencumbered by divisive social or political doctrine Engagement of parents in the selection and adoption of curriculum presented Sewickley Academy with multiple formal complaints June 4th school wide communication. Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. Sewickley Academy Odoms son is in seventh grade at Sewickley Academy and has attended the school since he was in second grade. Our overriding reaction, however, is to urge you to reconsider. TV Q&A: Is a Pittsburgher writing for CBSs East New York? Readers write in to address the "Concerned Sewickley Parents" who authored the petition advertisement on page 7 in the Sewickley Herald's March 31 edition. Why Did Two People Of Color On The Board of Trustees Suddenly Resign? Sproul described the experience as fun to Explore Clarion, which also used Sprouls photographs of people entering and occupying the Capitol. Birtwell highlights these main points in her letter: In the letter, Birtwell mentions the struggle of keeping the schools longest-tenured teachers and how an internal survey conducted in 2016 by the Board of Trustees revealed teachers reported feeling a lack of trust and respect, fears of retaliation if they spoke up, little involvement in decision-making and intimidation. Although the school does not teach critical race theory, the school has severed ties with outgoing head of school Kolia O'Connor, who had adopted a strategic plan called EnVision 2024 calling for equity, inclusion and social justice initiatives. Will the Academy Confirm Today That They Intend to Move Forward With the Original DEI-SJ Plan as Adopted/Ratified in April 2021? 6/14/2021 - In spite of its policy to "not engage parents," the Board of Trustees agrees for "clarity," to reach out to the Sewickley Parents to "Invite them to share more specifically what the central issues of their concerns might be." Follow the link to read our updated Privacy Policy, We wish to address the Concerned Sewickley Parents who authored the petition advertisement on page 7 in the Sewickley Heralds March 31 edition. and Parents and Community Partners) were involved in the development of EnVision24 and the accompanying Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Social Justice (DEI-SJ) Plan. O Appoint an entirely new Board of Trustees that includes experienced educators who Login to the Home and School Resource Board on. Concerned Sewickley Parents. Contact Us - Sewickley Parents Organization We Are Stronger Together Please join our email list by completing the form. Whether we agree or disagree is not the point. In an email to Pittsburgh City Paper, she called critical race theory racist itself, based on an excerpt from Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalisms Looming Catastrophe by Voddie T. Baucham, who has collaborated with the Koch-funded Heritage Foundation. "Parents, community groups upset over staffing changes at Sewickley Academy https://t.co/yTIw8C5PJv" College & university. Cirucci has obfuscated her affiliation with elected Republican officials before, including when she appeared in a conservative super PACs attack ad against Lamb, in 2018. College & university. Edinboro University Psychology Department. Press Release. Sewickley Academy is an independent, private school, giving parents referred to by Odom as stakeholders more influence over the schools actions. 7/27/21 - "The head of school being fired and almost the entire administration is an extremely unusual situation in the independent school world," Gary Neils, Penn. One even attended the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Religious Organization. There are 500 other constituents in the school. Immediately hire a competent DEI-SJ consultant to transition the school through this difficult time. Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users While Odom says she and her son have faced incidents of anti-Black racial bias before at Sewickley Academy, Odom says there was a sense that progress was occurring, and that the former head of school Kolia OConnors EnVision 2024 plan, which called for diversity and equity measures when it was introduced in 2019, indicated an interest on the part of the school to continue that progress. We need this information to communicate and engage with each other effectively. While Nesmith remembers his years at Sewickley Academy fondly, he also recognizes the longstanding issues that Sewickley Academy has with race. Why did Sewickley Academy choose "Learming for Justice" standards? But a spokesperson for a group now calling itself Concerned Sewickley Parents said they'll meet with Birtwell next week to demand the administrators' reinstatement. Sewickley Academy NAIS Principles of Good Practice. Rather, we are unaware of any private school successfully launching such a dramatic change in its educational focus. In this conversation. The ban, which passed several days before Sprouls measure in Clarion-Limestone, is part of a patriotism amendment, framing critical race theory in a light similar to right-wing media platforms. For these reasons, pause to consider your demands. When Inequality Exists In One Area of a Community, It Affects the Whole Community The Sewickley Academy Board of Trustees Needs to Commit to the Following: Immediately hire a competent DEI-SJ consultant to transition the school through this difficult time. But the problem is, its not your school. The published plan was distributed to the community. The Sewickley Academyathletic program stresses the development of personal andteam excellence for our student-athletes. Sponsors were assigned by the administration In recent weeks, Sewickley Academy settled the federal discrimination lawsuit filed by Dr. Douglas Leeks (terms not disclosed) The Concerned Sewickley Parent Group would prefer not to put this information in an ad. student led clubs, specifically the African American Culture club READ: Sewickley Academy Announces Changes in Leadership, First published on July 23, 2021 / 6:55 PM. The PAIS only pursues credible complaints "that could seriously impair the Stephen Nesmith is one of many Sewickley Academy alumni who are upset about the schools actions. The Parent Programming Chair actively participates with Youth Connect, a group of concerned adults from a variety of schools and organizations in the Sewickley area who are working to provide the information, resources, and support our young people need to avoid risky behaviors and enjoy their teen years. 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