April 9, 2020
Dear Shady Side Community,
As many of you likely already know, this morning Governor Tom Wolf ordered that all Pennsylvania PK-12 public and private schools close for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.
This decision comes in response to a growing consensus among medical experts and public health officials regarding the steps we must take together as a state and region to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic and protect the health and safety of our community. In accordance with the governor's announcement, Shady Side Academy will extend its campus closure and Distance Learning Plan through the end of the school year, or Wednesday, June 3.
While many of us surmised this outcome was inevitable, the finality of the news is truly heartbreaking. All of us in the Shady Side community undoubtedly had a lengthy list of campus events and capstone experiences to look forward to in the final weeks of the school year. And we know our parents and families anticipated celebrating these year-end milestone achievements in person. For everyone, the sense of loss is real. With support from each other and the courage of our community, we will need to grieve this loss in our own ways and then move forward together.
This news likely will inspire a series of important questions about end-of-year ceremonies and the likelihood that summer programs will run as scheduled. We are working in real time to respond to these questions substantively, and I intend to keep you all informed of our progress as soon as possible. For the moment, we all need some time to process the governor's announcement and attend to the emotional and psychological needs of our community.
As I noted earlier this week, Shady Side Academy has weathered difficult storms throughout its history, and the resilience of the SSA community will enable us to fulfill our mission and thrive amidst these circumstances.
The governor's announcement may have changed the end of our school year as we once envisioned it, but as our good neighbor and fellow Pittsburgher Fred Rogers once said, "Often when you think you are at the end of something, you're at the beginning of something else." With Fred's observation in mind, we will continue to look forward, reimagine the delivery of our mission, and treat each of our students with deep care and a sense of possibility.
On behalf of the entire team here at Shady Side, thank you for all you are doing to support our efforts as we navigate this extraordinary moment in our school's proud history, together.
Please know that I am sending positive energy your way and wishing you and your loved ones good health and peace of mind in these disquieting times.
May we remain "together apart." Glory to Shady Side!
Gratefully,
Bart Griffith '93
President