As the 2025–2026 school year comes to a close, Shady Side Academy celebrates and honors several dedicated faculty and staff members whose combined over 182 years of service have left a lasting impact on generations of students and colleagues.

At the Junior School, Lisa Budd retires after 31 years of inspiring fourth grade students with her enthusiasm, care, and commitment to learning. Librarian Phyllis Guering retires after 32 years of opening worlds of imagination and discovery to thousands of students as they entered the Junior School library. Joseph “Joe” Molinaro is also retiring after four years as a valued member of the Junior School Campus Security team, where he helped create a safe and welcoming environment for students and families.

At the Middle School, Elizabeth “Betsy” Gorse retires after 38 years of encouraging and supporting students as a Health & P.E. teacher and Learning Area Coordinator. Donna Giel retires after 27 years of dedicated service supporting student health and wellbeing as Middle School Nurse and, most recently, as Interim Director of Nursing.

 At the Senior School, Visual Arts Teacher Anthony “Tony” Goodwin retires after 31 years of inspiring countless students through creativity and artistic expression. Also retiring are Robert “Bobby” McAdams, who faithfully served on the Senior School Campus Security team for six years, and Dennis Mackie, an integral member of the Senior School Facilities team for 11 years.

Shady Side Academy is deeply grateful for the dedication, compassion, and professionalism each of these individuals brought to the Academy community throughout their careers. Their contributions have shaped the experiences of countless students and colleagues, and their presence will be greatly missed.