March 13, 2020 Dear Shady Side Academy Community: In light of the continued global and national spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), we have made the difficult – but, we believe, necessary – decision to proactively close our campuses for two weeks after Spring Break, through Sunday, April 12. We will implement our distance learning plan to continue PK-12 classes online after break, beginning Tuesday, March 31. Given the fast-moving nature of this situation and our desire to model responsible behavior as an institution and community, we believe this is the right choice for Shady Side Academy, even though a tough and disheartening one to make. Please know that this decision was not made lightly. It was informed by the latest local, national, and international public health guidance, in order to fulfill our shared responsibility to reduce the risk of illness in our school, city, nation, and world. The details of the campus closure and distance learning plan are as follows: - SSA's four campuses will be closed during Spring Break and for two weeks afterward, from Saturday, March 14, through Sunday, April 12. We hope to reopen our campuses and resume in-person classes on Monday, April 13.
- The Monday, March 30, in-service day will be dedicated to continued faculty preparation for distance learning. Faculty will receive more information from their school heads in the coming weeks.
- Our Distance Learning Plan will go in effect beginning Tuesday, March 31, when PK-12 classes will resume online. An outline of the plan was shared via email on Wednesday and is available on the COVID-19 web page. Students and parents will receive more details from faculty and school heads in the coming weeks.
- All athletics practices and games through Sunday, April 12, are canceled, including over spring break.
- All school events, activities and field trips through Sunday, April 12, are canceled, including Grandparents & Special Friends Days from April 6-9.
- All auxiliary programs and facility rentals through Sunday, April 12, are canceled.
- Our facilities team will be thoroughly deep cleaning and disinfecting all campus buildings and facilities during Spring Break and the extended closure.
- Faculty and administrative staff are asked to work remotely as much as possible. The only personnel on campus during the closure will be security, facilities and essential staff, as well as campus residents. Should you need to access a campus building during the closure, please call Campus Safety at 412-352-7657.
- Students and employees should take everything home today that they will need to resume classes and work online.
- Families will continue to receive regular email communications from SSA during the closure.
- Please continue to check the COVID-19 web page for regular updates.
In addition, each of us has a responsibility to do our part to restrict social interactions during this time. The closure will not be effective unless it is accompanied by social distancing strategies. If students continue to gather in large groups socially outside of school, it will defeat the purpose of this proactive measure. Feel encouraged to help your child come up with alternate ways to connect with friends they normally see at school.
I empathize with all of you in light of this announcement. To students, who have been looking forward to long-anticipated upcoming events, I know this is difficult news. To the Class of 2020, for whom these final months of high school are uniquely special, I understand your sense of loss. To parents thinking through the impact of this decision on your families, I appreciate the challenges this next month will present you. And to our dedicated faculty and staff shifting to a distance learning model, I recognize the demand this places on you and appreciate all you are doing to adjust and step up in support of our students.
We have the opportunity to bring our very best selves forward in the coming weeks and continue fulfilling our mission to lead responsibly in service to others – a heightened bidding in such unprecedented times. While we will not be on campus together, we can take comfort in the fact that Shady Side Academy is much more than a physical place. As through SSA's proud history, we are a highly relational community where people connect meaningfully and learn deeply with one another – and we will remain so through the challenging weeks ahead.
You are all in my thoughts, and I wish you continued health, happiness, and safety.
Best,
Bart Griffith '93 President |