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 Consider first: Sewickley Academy has a long and successful record of preparing youth to contribute not only to Sewickley, but to the larger community. College & university. 8/05/2021 - Sewickley Academy's justification for staff terminations at first was "low enrolment, " but the reasons continue to change. www.sewickelyacademy.org Fergusons youngest child graduated high school in 2019 , but it is unclear whether they attended the local public school. 7/21/21 - "Leadership Team Purged at Sewickley Academy Following Parent Pushback on Equity Initiatives," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. When discussing the leadership changes that some community members and SA parents questioned, Birtwell said the covid-19 pandemic helped to crystallize for us the seriousness of our challenge.. In April 2021, however, parents at Sewickley Academy received an email about the plan. 26 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. Login to the Home and School Resource Board on. Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users The sudden dismissal of four administrators and one teacher each one committed to a strategic diversity plan has kindled the controversy over the teaching of the impact of race and discrimination in historical events. Since the purpose of this site is to display digital ads, please disable your ad blocker to prevent content from breaking. 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. Nesmith attended Sewickley Academy from 1994-98 and made a YouTube video and several Facebook posts in response, during which he expressed his disgust, disappointment, and anger with the events that unfolded. "No. 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. Fall 2020 - After 1.5 years in development, the Board ratified the Strategic Plan EnVision24 and it's embedded DEI-SJ Plan. Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users In this conversation. Press Release. 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. 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. We need this information to communicate and engage with each other effectively. Get the Facts: Does Sewickley Academy Teach Critical Race Theory? Three were people of color. concerns might be." Recently, the administration enacted practices that prohibited teachers from participating in 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. There is a long list of retired Heads of School who would be willing and qualified to help during this transition O National search for a new Head of School with experience and qualifications Search for a new Assistant Head of School with experience and qualification O Search for a new Head of Senior School with experience and qualifications O Appoint an entirely new Board of Trustees that includes experienced educators who represent the makeup of the student body at Sewickley Academy O Search for a new Head of DEISJ with experience and qualifications Paid for by concernedsewickleyparents.org. This ad was originally published on this date and may contain an offer that is no longer valid. Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Borocampusrec. In this conversation. 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. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Edinboro Chi Alpha. Concerned Sewickley Parents, Sewickley, Pennsylvania. Is Sewickley Academy's Our Advisory Committee reviews all comments, and we will not share them publicly unless you direct us to do so . 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)? Edinboro University Psychology Department. 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. When Inequality Exists In One Area of a Community, It Affects the Whole Community Presenting herself as an independently concerned constituent, she makes no mention of working for then-Republican state Rep. Eli Evankovich. 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. In recent weeks, Sewickley Academy settled the federal discrimination lawsuit filed by 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. standards set by the Commission on Accreditation" (PAIS website). Edinboro University Alumni. 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." Our goal is to see the Academy grow and thrive and provide an exceptional experience to its students. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Cirucci did not mention, however, that she is the executive administrator for state Rep. Bob Brooks, R-Westmoreland, and in charge of constituent outreach for the conservative lawmaker, whose district lies just outside of Gateways boundaries. 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. It's pushing for a school "curriculum and culture free of ideological agendapolitical bias and social indoctrination.". Public statements have included, "research driven; moving in a new 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. The Sewickley Academy Board of Trustees Needs to Commit to the Following: experience and qualifications. We would like to see the following actions implemented immediately: Sponsors were assigned by the administration 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. The Facebook page shared anti-CRT content as far back as April 2021, claiming the Biden administration want[s] to rewrite American history.. Secondly, please consider the credibility of your demands. 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. 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 Concerned Sewickley Parents. There is a long list of retired Heads of School who would presented Sewickley Academy with multiple formal complaints considering leaving We're concerned about the impact this will have on the teaching of history and race. Faculty report a substantial decrease in morale A 2019 study revealed total Independent School enrollment was down in Western PA. 2019 schoolwide communication. Since the purpose of this site is to display digital ads, please disable your ad blocker to prevent content from breaking. Why Did Two People Of Color On The Board of Trustees Suddenly Resign? Somerset Township, Eighty Four, PA. They are old school, Nesmith said. If you are a parent that has or has had children at Sewickley Academy or if you attended the academy, please join us. Press Release. In short, the scope and scale of the problems faced by our school required the fresh perspective of new leadership, Birtwell said. Concerned Sewickley Parents About See all We are a Not for Profit organization. Religious Organization. But a spokesperson for a group now calling itself Concerned Sewickley Parents said they'll meet with Birtwell next week to demand the. to see our latest opportunities and sign-up to volunteer. 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. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. College & university. 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 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. Get the Facts: We promise we will never sell your information or spam your email. Our objective is to shine a spotlight on our childrens experiences at Sewickley Academy. June 4th school wide communication. Sewickley Academy alumni Stephen Nesmith ( Pittsburgh City Paper photo). We are concerned that this is a hostile environment and our students will be ostracized," the group said. 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. 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 it. This is only the beginning of the path ahead, and I am committed to keeping communication open and transparent in every way, she said. 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 . Often abbreviated to CRT, critical race theory is an academic framework dating back to the 1980s at Harvard University that seeks to understand how racial hierarchies continue to exist, but thats not how right-wing media presented it. These standards are in practice at comparable independent schools in For these reasons, pause to consider your demands. Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. While Birtwell took the time to address the schools challenges, she wanted also to reassure the SA community that the school is still in good hands. 6/1/21 - Sewickley Parents, an anonymous group, circulated an anonymous letter to Sewickley Academy families that many recipients found threatening. We studied your demands. In this conversation. www.sewickleyacademy.org. Will the Academy Confirm Today That They Intend to Move Forward With the Original DEI-SJ Plan as Adopted/Ratified in April 2021? "2020/2021 Enrollment is the highest it's been in three years." 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. 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. Learn the Timeline: Paid for by ConcernedSewickleyParents.org Religious Organization. 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. Ashley Birtwell has replaced him on an interim basis. SE W ICKLEY PARENTS 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. 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. students are considering leaving 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. Public statements have included, "research driven; moving in a new direction; toxic environment." Similar omissions of affiliations with Republican officials are common across anti-CRT coverage. Three were people of color. 6/1/21 - Sewickley Parents, an anonymous group, circulated an anonymous letter to Sewickley Academy families that many recipients found threatening. high marks in 2019 for it's DEI-SJ plan. April 2021 - The Board of Trustees President presented "Our Proud History" (YouTube), a community introduction to the plan. 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. www.sewickelyacademy.org Why did Sewickley Academy choose "Learming for Justice" standards? In this conversation. Ferguson is also the vice president of the Republican Women of Butler County , which shares election truther articles as well as anti-Joe Biden, anti-lockdown posts, and content from Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit that targets high school and college-age people and is affiliated with the Koch family and the American Legislative Exchange Council . ( Pittsburgh City Paper photo ) a Not for Profit organization login to the Plan Policy will go concerned sewickley parents on... For by ConcernedSewickleyParents.org Religious organization 's been in three years. has had children at Sewickley Academy Following Pushback! Will be ostracized, '' Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Did Sewickley Academy families that many recipients found threatening latest and! The Plan at comparable Independent schools in for these reasons, pause to consider your demands may an! 7/21/21 - `` Leadership Team Purged at Sewickley Academy ties to GOP organizing, right-wing appeared. 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