We have witnessed so much of this over the years, beginning with our four children who completed 43 student-years at the academy all flourished thereafter, each in their own way. www.sewickelyacademy.org Another hired independent study done on the faculty experience in 2016 landed the schools results in the toxic quadrant for school culture, characterized by low predictability and low supportiveness, she said. The post Critical race theory protests in Pgh-area schools have ties to GOP organizing, right-wing media appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star . Sewickley Academy received very high marks in 2019 for it's DEI-SJ plan. Make all future Board of Trustees meetings open to all Sewickley Academy parents and alumni. Academic Excellence on the Decline? Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users 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. College & university. Our objective is to shine a spotlight on our childrens experiences at Sewickley Academy. Ashley Birtwell has replaced him on an interim basis. Founded in 1838, Sewickley Academy is Pittsburghs oldest independent coeducational school. Finally, Mars Area School District school board member Dayle Ferguson, who introduced a proposal that unanimously passed banning critical race theory, has similar ties to right-wing activity. College & university. concerns might be." As of June, the schools internal forecasts for enrollment in fall 2021 would be 530 students, a 34% decline from 2002 when the school was last at full capacity, she wrote in the letter. 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? Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users Public statements have included, "research driven; moving in a new direction; toxic environment." Kimberly Rooney is a reporter for Pittsburgh City Paper, where this story first appeared . Speak out, share this information and help us get answers from the Sewickley Academy Board of Trustees. Paid for by concernedsewickleyparents.org Sewickley Academy .Celebrates differences, and educates students that every individual is a valued member of our community." submitted by various constituents. Sewickley Academy 4/2020 Communication. Join the Concerned Sewickley Parents and sign the petition at https://concernedsewickleyparents.org 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. Learn the Timeline: 2014-2021 - 19 professional development workshops were conducted to strengthen the faculty, and define an incremental and sustainable path forward." Albums. In this conversation. 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. In this conversation. Two more teachers have since left the school, as well as many minority families. 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. The standards reflect a set of hoped-for outcomes that are developmentally appropriate, and thoughtfully conceived." The PAIS only pursues credible complaints "that could seriously impair the SE W ICKLEY PARENTS READ: Sewickley Academy Announces Changes in Leadership, First published on July 23, 2021 / 6:55 PM. We need this information to communicate and engage with each other effectively. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Private Schools in 315 Academy Ave, Sewickley, PA 15143 We notice you're using an ad blocker. TV Q&A: Is a Pittsburgher writing for CBSs East New York? Last week, The Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) / CBS Pittsburgh. In other school districts, people with similar connections are trying to join school boards. Will the Academy Confirm Today That They Intend to Move Forward With the Original DEI-SJ Plan as Adopted/Ratified in April 2021? Press Release. Now, much of right-wing media has moved on to protesting mask mandates in schools and criticizing the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. Send a message to info@sewickleyparents.org Become A Member 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. O National search for a new Head of School with experience and qualifications Public statements have included, "research driven; moving in a new 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. We would like to see the following actions implemented immediately: standards set by the Commission on Accreditation" (PAIS website). 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sewickley Academy .Celebrates differences, and educates students that every individual is a valued member of our community." "Learning for Justice supports the educational outcomes that we want for our students. Were seeing it as a movement and instead of take back your country, its take back our school, saidDominic Odom, a representative of Concerned Sewickley Parents, which formed in response to the firings of the five Sewickley Academy faculty and administrators. Photos. The top three leadership positions at Sewickley Academy are occupied by individuals who If you have a personal story you wish to share, please submit a comment below. 8/05/2021 - Sewickley Academy's justification for staff terminations at first was "low enrolment, " but the reasons continue to change. Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Borocampusrec. 7/1/21 - 18 year Head of School is terminated effective immediately. CONCERNED Birtwell also said that having more students enrolled allows for the vocal, music and dramatic arts offered to improve. Ashley Birtwell began as the interim head of school effective June 25, and less than one month later on July 21, she fired the five administrators and one teacher, three of whom were Black. 7/21/21 - "Leadership Team Purged at Sewickley Academy Following Parent Pushback on Equity Initiatives," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. These connections indicate that the anti-CRT pushes in the Pittsburgh area, like those in other regions across the country, while having some connections to parents of school children, appear to be mostly driven by right-wing officials and media rather than the organic desire of concerned parents. "No. Members plan to meet with the administration Friday at 1:00 pm to address the unexpected and numerous changes immediately before the start of the school year. Fergusons youngest child graduated high school in 2019 , but it is unclear whether they attended the local public school. Birtwell said the dwindling student enrollment has prompted existing students to leave for other schools, which affects the student experience. Veteran Senior School teachers are In short, the scope and scale of the problems faced by our school required the fresh perspective of new leadership, Birtwell said. 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. Our goal is to grow and maintain an active group of members that collectively can support Sewickley Academy. 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, Recruitment of diverse students of high potential regardless of background, A continued strategy for robust diversity and inclusion that encourages curiosity and dialogue, A campus environment that fosters authentic free expression with a path for students and parents to report restrictions anonymously, Hiring and retention of faculty and administrators based on proven track records of professional and academic excellence. Three were people of color. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Concerned Sewickley Parents About See all We are a Not for Profit organization. Concerned Sewickley Parents, Sewickley, Pennsylvania. Edinboro Chi Alpha. Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. 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. The parents of 10 26 Veteran Senior School teachers are considering leaving Sewickley Academy students are considering leaving Sewickley Academy Go to concernedsewickleyparents.org for survey Last week, The Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) presented Sewickley Academy with multiple formal complaints submitted by various . 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. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice, Grants for Innovative Frameworks in Teaching, Instructional Technology Upgrades including iPads for all faculty members,Wireless Network Expansion, Robotics. Three were people of color. Edinboro University Psychology Department. All anti-CRT pushes in the Pittsburgh region have occurred in 2021. The Home and School Association is a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational organization with a purpose to support the education of the children at Sewickley Academy by fostering relationships among parents, faculty, and the administration. 2019 - Sewickley Academy engaged a consultant for its Strategic Plan Envision24. The Sewickley Academy Board of Trustees Needs to Commit to the Following: Theyre not changing. Association Independent Schools (Accreditor) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Nesmith still maintains hope that the school will improve and better serve its minority students and families, but he also implores white community members to speak up on the issue and notes that their silence and complicity can be just as harmful as those who go out of their way to speak up and act. Search for a new Assistant Head of School with experience and qualification 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. This ad was originally published on this date and may contain an offer that is no longer valid. Please see www.concernedsewickleyparents.org for details. Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Borocampusrec. Secondly, please consider the credibility of your demands. Rather, we are unaware of any private school successfully launching such a dramatic change in its educational focus. 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. But the problem is, its not your school. - Frederick Douglas, North Star, December 3, 1847 Paid for by ConcernedSewickleyParents.org. If they were, and diversity was something that was important then we wouldnt be in this situation now.. students are considering leaving Does Sewickley Academy Teach Critical Race Theory? 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." Youth Connect conducts a series of community forums where speakers are brought in to . 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. Since the purpose of this site is to display digital ads, please disable your ad blocker to prevent content from breaking. In doing so, we recognize the passion and beliefs driving your insistence that the school make these radical changes. considering leaving Make all future Board of Trustees meetings open to all Sewickley Academy parents and alumni. Why Were Six Senior Leaders Fired (Including All Of The (3) Most Senior Leaders Of Color)? While these small-scale, local campaigns attempt to make anti-CRT actions appear non-partisan and organic born from individual reflection and necessity many of the people leading these campaigns have ties to Republican elected officials and cite or reference right-wing media sources. Somerset Township, Eighty Four, PA. Become a member and together we can make a positive, lasting impact on Sewickley Academy. We promise we will never sell your information or spam your email. In this conversation. 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." Our Advisory Committee reviews all comments, and we will not share them publicly unless you direct us to do so . In this conversation. Religious Organization. Dolan, like Cirucci, also has portrayed himself as a concerned parent in right-wing media, although he announced in his newsletter that his school-aged child will attend the Catholic school where he teaches, rather than the public schools in the Fox Chapel school district. www.sewickleyacademy.org. 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Paid Advertisement 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. During the school board meeting, she acknowledged that the divide over critical race theory is a political issue while also stating her belief that schools should provide curricula free of any political or ideological agenda. Ciruccis two children and one foster child have attended Gateway High School. Concerned Sewickley Parents. 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." The foundation for the academy is on a strong Republican, white foundation, and they are old fashioned. Please let us know how we can help. 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. The Koch family , which made its money in the fracking and oil refining industries and actively opposes climate change legislation, funds conservative platforms and organizations such as The Manhattan Institute, the Heritage Foundation, and the American Legislative Council. And the Vice President of the Charles Koch Foundation penned a Letter to the Editor in the Chronicle of Higher Education in May criticizing efforts to pass anti-CRT legislation. Videos on platforms such as PragerU , a conservative media company initially funded by fracking billionaires, decried critical race theory as un-American and focused on the alleged harm it does to childrens perceptions of themselves. They are old school, Nesmith said. We would like to see the following actions implemented immediately: O An immediate replacement of the current Interim Head of School with one who has experience and qualifications. Paid Advertisement The school won't comment except to say the moves were made to "ensure academic excellence," but the firings came after pressure from a parent group called the Sewickley Parents Organization. We point this out not to boast, but to give considerable credit to the faculty and administration of Sewickley Academy. July 23, 2021 / 6:55 PM O Appoint an entirely new Board of Trustees that includes experienced educators who Other leaders in local anti-CRT campaigns also have ties to additional right-wing actions and organizations, despite attempts to rhetorically frame anti-CRT measures as non-partisan concerns for childrens education and emotional well-being. www.sewickelyacademy.org Why did Sewickley Academy choose "Learming for Justice" standards? 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 At least 1 dead, 3 injured in McKeesport shootings, authorities say, Morning Roundup: State gives $272K to Allegheny County for 'clean' vehicles, Death of Penn Hills couple treated as murder-suicide, police say, GZA, Donnie Iris, John Mayer among top concerts to see around Pittsburgh in March, How officials cracked case of eyedrops that blinded people. 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. Concerned Sewickley Parents @sewickleyparent Joined July 2021 Tweets 2021 Twitter About Help Center Terms Privacy policy Cookies Ads info Dismiss Close Previous Next Close Go to a person's profile Saved searches Remove In this conversation Verified accountProtected Tweets @ Suggested users Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users Join the Cause for a Better Future (What You Can Do): Religious Organization. June 4th school wide communication. Those involved in Pittsburghs anti-CRT campaigns have been congressional staffers to Republican elected officials such as U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and involved in previous attack ads against local Democrats such as U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, D-17th District.