Paid Advertisement CONCERNED SE W ICKLEY PARENTS What Is Happening at Sewickley Academy Affects The Whole Community The Sewickley Academy Board of Trustees Needs to Answer the Following: Why Were Six Senior Leaders Fired (Including All Of The (3) Most Senior Leaders Of Color)? Why Did Two People Of Color On The Board of Trustees Suddenly Resign? Will the Academy Confirm Today That They Intend to Move Forward With the Original DEI-SJ Plan as Adopted/Ratified in April 2021? Learn the Timeline: 2014-2021 - 19 professional development workshops were conducted to strengthen the faculty, and define an incremental and sustainable path forward." 2019 - Sewickley Academy engaged a consultant for its Strategic Plan Envision24. Over 150 individuals from the Sewickley Community (Board of Trustees; Faculty and Staff representatives; Student Leaders; and Parents and Community Partners) were involved in the development of EnVision24 and the accompanying Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Social Justice (DEI-SJ) Plan. Fall 2020 - After 1.5 years in development, the Board ratified the Strategic Plan EnVision24 and it's embedded DEI-SJ Plan. April 2021 - The Board of Trustees President presented "Our Proud History" (YouTube), a community introduction to the plan. The published plan was distributed to the community. 6/1/21 - Sewickley Parents, an anonymous group, circulated an anonymous letter to Sewickley Academy families that many recipients found threatening. Please see www.concernedsewickleyparents.org for details. 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." June 4th school wide communication. 7/1/21 - 18 year Head of School is terminated effective immediately. Administration cites "mutual separation." 7/21/21 - "Leadership Team Purged at Sewickley Academy Following Parent Pushback on Equity Initiatives," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Three were people of color. 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. Association Independent Schools (Accreditor) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 8/04/2021 - NAACP described Sewickley Academy as ".misguided in the meaning of the philosophy of diversity, equity, and inclusion when it comes to staff." Press Release. 8/05/2021 - Sewickley Academy's justification for staff terminations at first was "low enrolment, " but the reasons continue to change. Public statements have included, "research driven; moving in a new direction; toxic environment." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Get the Facts: Does Sewickley Academy Teach Critical Race Theory? "No. Sewickley Academy .Celebrates differences, and educates students that every individual is a valued member of our community." www.sewickelyacademy.org Why did Sewickley Academy choose "Learming for Justice" standards? "Learning for Justice supports the educational outcomes that we want for our students. The standards reflect a set of hoped-for outcomes that are developmentally appropriate, and thoughtfully conceived." www.sewickleyacademy.org. These standards are in practice at comparable independent schools in Western PA. A competent DEI-SJ Plan is required for accreditation from the PA Association of Independent Schools, and the National Association of Independent Schools. Sewickley Academy received very high marks in 2019 for it's DEI-SJ plan. NAIS Principles of Good Practice. A 2019 study revealed total Independent School enrollment was down in Western PA. 2019 schoolwide communication. "2020/2021 Enrollment is the highest it's been in three years." Sewickley Academy 4/2020 Communication. 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. Make all future Board of Trustees meetings open to all Sewickley Academy parents and alumni. Commit to all the items listed in the petition at https://concernedsewickleyparents.org Join the Cause for a Better Future (What You Can Do): Speak out, share this information and help us get answers from the Sewickley Academy Board of Trustees. Join the Concerned Sewickley Parents and sign the petition at https://concernedsewickleyparents.org We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other; if we are to succeed. - Frederick Douglas, North Star, December 3, 1847 Paid for by ConcernedSewickleyParents.org Paid Advertisement CONCERNED SE W ICKLEY PARENTS What Is Happening at Sewickley Academy Affects The Whole Community The Sewickley Academy Board of Trustees Needs to Answer the Following: Why Were Six Senior Leaders Fired (Including All Of The (3) Most Senior Leaders Of Color)? Why Did Two People Of Color On The Board of Trustees Suddenly Resign? Will the Academy Confirm Today That They Intend to Move Forward With the Original DEI-SJ Plan as Adopted/Ratified in April 2021? Learn the Timeline: 2014-2021 - 19 professional development workshops were conducted to strengthen the faculty, and define an incremental and sustainable path forward." 2019 - Sewickley Academy engaged a consultant for its Strategic Plan Envision24. Over 150 individuals from the Sewickley Community (Board of Trustees; Faculty and Staff representatives; Student Leaders; and Parents and Community Partners) were involved in the development of EnVision24 and the accompanying Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Social Justice (DEI-SJ) Plan. Fall 2020 - After 1.5 years in development, the Board ratified the Strategic Plan EnVision24 and it's embedded DEI-SJ Plan. April 2021 - The Board of Trustees President presented "Our Proud History" (YouTube), a community introduction to the plan. The published plan was distributed to the community. 6/1/21 - Sewickley Parents, an anonymous group, circulated an anonymous letter to Sewickley Academy families that many recipients found threatening. Please see www.concernedsewickleyparents.org for details. 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." June 4th school wide communication. 7/1/21 - 18 year Head of School is terminated effective immediately. Administration cites "mutual separation." 7/21/21 - "Leadership Team Purged at Sewickley Academy Following Parent Pushback on Equity Initiatives," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Three were people of color. 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. Association Independent Schools (Accreditor) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 8/04/2021 - NAACP described Sewickley Academy as ".misguided in the meaning of the philosophy of diversity, equity, and inclusion when it comes to staff." Press Release. 8/05/2021 - Sewickley Academy's justification for staff terminations at first was "low enrolment, " but the reasons continue to change. Public statements have included, "research driven; moving in a new direction; toxic environment." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Get the Facts: Does Sewickley Academy Teach Critical Race Theory? "No. Sewickley Academy .Celebrates differences, and educates students that every individual is a valued member of our community." www.sewickelyacademy.org Why did Sewickley Academy choose "Learming for Justice" standards? "Learning for Justice supports the educational outcomes that we want for our students. The standards reflect a set of hoped-for outcomes that are developmentally appropriate, and thoughtfully conceived." www.sewickleyacademy.org. These standards are in practice at comparable independent schools in Western PA. A competent DEI-SJ Plan is required for accreditation from the PA Association of Independent Schools, and the National Association of Independent Schools. Sewickley Academy received very high marks in 2019 for it's DEI-SJ plan. NAIS Principles of Good Practice. A 2019 study revealed total Independent School enrollment was down in Western PA. 2019 schoolwide communication. "2020/2021 Enrollment is the highest it's been in three years." Sewickley Academy 4/2020 Communication. 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. Make all future Board of Trustees meetings open to all Sewickley Academy parents and alumni. Commit to all the items listed in the petition at https://concernedsewickleyparents.org Join the Cause for a Better Future (What You Can Do): Speak out, share this information and help us get answers from the Sewickley Academy Board of Trustees. Join the Concerned Sewickley Parents and sign the petition at https://concernedsewickleyparents.org We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other; if we are to succeed. - Frederick Douglas, North Star, December 3, 1847 Paid for by ConcernedSewickleyParents.org