Youth Connect conducts a series of community forums where speakers are brought in to . July 23, 2021 / 6:55 PM Sewickley Academy 4/2020 Communication. Sadly, we feel this is our only recourse. 130 likes. Parents say it's creating division. Their education model works. Since the purpose of this site is to display digital ads, please disable your ad blocker to prevent content from breaking. April 2021 - The Board of Trustees President presented "Our Proud History" (YouTube), a community introduction to the plan. 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. 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. submitted by various constituents. Birtwell said that 583 students were enrolled at the school for the 2020-21 school year. Recently, the administration enacted practices that prohibited teachers from participating in Sewickley Academy alumni Stephen Nesmith ( Pittsburgh City Paper photo). Please let us know how we can help. Odoms son is in seventh grade at Sewickley Academy and has attended the school since he was in second grade. Religious Organization. If the Sewickley Parents Organization wants to make sure their children aren't ever confronted with uncomfortable topics, fine. The post Critical race theory protests in Pgh-area schools have ties to GOP organizing, right-wing media appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star . 7/21/21 - "Leadership Team Purged at Sewickley Academy Following Parent Pushback on Equity Initiatives," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. A competent DEI-SJ Plan is required for accreditation from the PA Association of Independent Schools, and the National Association of Independent Schools. And theyre not progressive. 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. 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. Learn the Timeline: Edinboro Chi Alpha. While Nesmith remembers his years at Sewickley Academy fondly, he also recognizes the longstanding issues that Sewickley Academy has with race. We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other; if we are to succeed. Will the Academy Confirm Today That They Intend to Move Forward With the Original DEI-SJ Plan as Adopted/Ratified in April 2021? He appeared on a July 7 Fox News segment and was introduced only as a father of two running for school board. Western PA. So five, or six, or 10 individuals had the hubris to believe that they could, in turn, determine what the other constituents would receive as part of their education., The fight over critical race theory lands in Harrisburg; House GOP bill would punish districts that teach it | Thursday Morning Coffee. O Appoint an entirely new Board of Trustees that includes experienced educators who There are 500 other constituents in the school. A group of families, alumni and allies of made up of multiple Concerned Sewickley Parents Whether we agree or disagree is not the point. Consider first: Sewickley Academy has a long and successful record of preparing youth to contribute not only to Sewickley, but to the larger community. In recent weeks, Sewickley Academy settled the federal discrimination lawsuit filed by 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. Sewickley Academy Please see www.concernedsewickleyparents.org for details. 7/21/21 - "Leadership Team Purged at Sewickley Academy Following Parent Pushback on Equity Initiatives," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. hoped-for outcomes that are developmentally appropriate, and thoughtfully conceived." Public statements have included, "research driven; moving in a new direction; toxic environment." Veteran Senior School teachers are The Sewickley Academy Board of Trustees Needs to Answer the Following: Our goal is to grow and maintain an active group of members that collectively can support Sewickley Academy. 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. Our overriding reaction, however, is to urge you to reconsider. considering leaving standards set by the Commission on Accreditation" (PAIS website). I think the Academy has this perception of how they see themselves. Please enter valid email address to continue. Why did Sewickley Academy choose "Learming for Justice" standards? We seek to ensure that Sewickley Academy provides academic excellence in a diverse environment, attracts, retains, and celebrates the best faculty in the country, and provides a curriculum and culture free of ideological agendas. Sewickley Academy Become a member and together we can make a positive, lasting impact on Sewickley Academy. 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. In other school districts, people with similar connections are trying to join school boards. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 Association Independent Schools (Accreditor) In Clarion County, about 90 minutes northeast of Pittsburgh, school board member Gary Sproul worked on and succeeded in passing changes to the Philosophy of Education/Mission Statement of the Clarion-Limestone School District. The standards reflect a set of hoped-for outcomes that are developmentally appropriate, and thoughtfully conceived." 2014-2021 - 19 professional development workshops were conducted to strengthen the faculty, and define an incremental and sustainable path forward." Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The school has been experiencing a steady decline in enrollment since 2002, when it had 804 students. More. Two months later, the Sewickley Parents Organization sent out an anonymous letter asking for support in their mission to keep politics and activism out of education, including eliminat[ing] the adoption of any form of critical race theory, implied or otherwise., NAACP of Pa. criticizes firing of Black leadership at W.Pa private school. Contact Us - Sewickley Parents Organization We Are Stronger Together Please join our email list by completing the form. In several cases in Pittsburgh-area school districts, the individuals leading the charge against critical Race Theory are members of local school boards who also have ties to Republican officials and organizations, and many cite similar, if nearly identical talking points, to those pushed by conservative media groups. www.sewickleyacademy.org. Ashley Birtwell has replaced him on an interim basis. If they want to make sure we teach both sides, and allow excuses. Stephen Nesmith is one of many Sewickley Academy alumni who are upset about the schools actions. 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. Rather, we are unaware of any private school successfully launching such a dramatic change in its educational focus. Go to concernedsewickleyparents.org for survey 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. SE W ICKLEY PARENTS to see our latest opportunities and sign-up to volunteer. Administration cites "mutual separation." Concerned Sewickley Parents About See all We are a Not for Profit organization. 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 schools recent mission to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice measures. 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. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. There is a long list of retired Heads of School who would Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 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)? www.sewickelyacademy.org Why did Sewickley Academy choose "Learming for Justice" standards? A 2019 study revealed total Independent School enrollment was down in Western PA. 2019 schoolwide communication. The PAIS only pursues credible complaints "that could seriously impair the Press Release. 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. and Parents and Community Partners) were involved in the development of EnVision24 and the accompanying Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Social Justice (DEI-SJ) Plan. The Sewickley Academy Board of Trustees Needs to Commit to the Following: CONCERNED Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Borocampusrec. 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. Ashley Birtwell has replaced him on an interim basis. Academic Excellence on the Decline? Sadly, we feel this is our only recourse. Sproul did not respond to a request for comment. They are old school, Nesmith said. Cirucci argued that CRT teaches children to be victims not Over-comers and that it judges people collectively not individually, which she, similar to Prager U talking points, calls racist and a threat to meritocracy due to its focus on equity not equality. According to the National Society of High School Scholars, equality gives everyone the same resources and opportunities while equity takes into consideration individuals specific needs. Secondly, please consider the credibility of your demands. Sproul also went to the Capitol for the Jan. 6 insurrection to support the right-wing conspiracy theory that the 2020 election results were tampered with to undermine former President Donald Trump. On a july 7 Fox news segment and was introduced only as a father of two running for Board! Paper photo ) and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, to... 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