August 3, 2020

 

Dear Shady Side Academy Community,

 

I write to update you on the status of the search for the school's next mascot.

 

With a directive from the Board of Trustees, Shady Side's administration has initiated this process by establishing a Mascot Committee, listed below and composed of students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and trustees. Senior School Director of  Admission Bob Grandizio Jr. '91 and longtime member of the Alumni and Development Office Jamie (Brush) Scott '98 will c0-chair the committee, which will facilitate the early stages of the process and ultimately present the trustees with a small number of "finalist" mascot nominees for consideration by the late fall. 

 

Both Bob and Jamie claim long histories at the Academy and a deep love for their alma mater. They also understand and respect Shady Side's culture and community and are thereby well-positioned to kick this process off for us. Please join me in thanking them, as well all of the committee members, for their leadership and for accepting this responsibility on behalf of the school. 

 

This will be a community endeavor with opportunities for students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni to participate along the way – and we expect it to be a lot of fun for all involved. Bob and Jamie will be in touch soon to outline the process in greater detail and make an open call to the community for mascot suggestions. As a reminder, the board will make the final decision on the Academy's new mascot and hopes to announce it by December 31, 2020.

 

Please visit www.shadysideacademy.org/mascot-search where updates such as this will be archived, along with a listing of the committee members. 

 

So please stay tuned and thanks in advance for your engagement in this process. 

 

Best wishes from SSA and Glory to Shady Side! 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Bart Griffith '93

President

 

Mascot Committee

Scott Aiken '79, Retired Senior School Faculty, Parent of Alumni

Kanika Capel, Trustee, Parent

Gene Deal, Director of Athletics, Parent of Alumni

Sonia Dickson '90 

Karen DiFiore, Junior School Faculty, Parent of Alumni

Joyce Fu '99

Sean Gray '97

Bob Grandizio '91 (Co-Chair), Staff, Parent

David Kassling '02  

Jack Keating '21, Student Council President
Kara (Salvitti) Conomikes '87, Trustee, Parent

Raquel (Gonzalez) Kramer '92, Country Day School Faculty, Parent

Reggie Mitchell '14 

John Salvitti '84, Parent of Alumni

Jamie (Brush) Scott '98 (Co-Chair), Staff, Parent

Henry Stafford, Parent

Molly Skvorak '20 

David Vadnais, Middle School Athletics Coordinator, Parent

Bill Wallace '66, Board of Visitors

Sarah Woodings, Parents' Association President