Dear Shady Side Community, This time of year always brings the bittersweet opportunity to bid thank you and farewell to those teachers who will retire in June. Last week, at the Senior School's choral and strings concert, students took the opportunity to offer their appreciation to retiring music teacher Dr. Dan Brill for his 35 years of service at Shady Side. As a surprise, they performed some of Dr. Brill's favorite songs, offered moving reflections about his impact on their lives, and produced this moving tribute video. Shady Side offers an expansive independent school program, replete with opportunities for students to grow and perform, often on the biggest stages and under the brightest lights. Yet Shady Side's value rests equally in the ties students make with their teachers, bonds that often extend over a lifetime – something on full display at last week's concert. Enjoy this beautiful weather (finally!) and the charms of spring! Best wishes, Bart Griffith '93 President Follow Bart Griffith on Instagram at @ssa_prez | | | Former Astronaut Jay Apt '67 Virtually Visits the Middle School Alumnus and current CMU professor spoke via Zoom with students about his career in aerospace engineering, and helped sixth graders prepare for their Mars Project. Boys Tennis Team is WPIAL Runner-Up, Advances to PIAAs SSA fell to Fox Chapel, 5-0, in the WPIAL Championship and will begin play in the PIAA 3A Boys Team Tennis Championship on May 17. SSA Boys Tennis Team Advances to WPIAL Finals Defending team champion SSA upset No 1 Franklin Regional, 3-2, and will face No. 6 Fox Chapel on Wednesday for the WPIAL team title. DECA Club Members Compete at International Career Development Conference Crystal Ma, Rohan Shrishrimal, Anker Zhao, and Nichole Poltinnikov competed at the three-day conference for emerging young business leaders and entrepreneurs. Junior School Hosts Fourth Annual International Fair The Junior School celebrated the diversity of its school community during the fourth annual International Fair. Boys Tennis Team Advances to WPIAL Semifinals The Bulldogs defeated Upper St. Clair, 3-2, in the quarterfinal round and will face Franklin Regional on Monday, May 9, at 3 p.m., at Norwin High School in the semifinal round. SSA Boys Tennis Team Advances to WPIAL Team Tennis Quarterfinals SSA defeated Pine-Richland, 3-2, in the first round and will face Upper St. Clair in the quarterfinal round on Thursday, May 5, at 3 p.m., at Shady Side Academy. Boys and Girls Track & Field Teams Compete in WPIAL Team Semifinals The boys team finished in second place while the girls finished fourth. Next up for the Bulldogs is the WPIAL Individual Championships. Middle School Community Service Committee Collects Hygiene Items for Light of Life Rescue Mission The Middle School community donated personal hygiene items and parents assembled more than 60 kits to donate to the local shelter. Middle School Science Olympiad Places Second at State Tournament, Qualifies for Nationals Three student teams earned first place finishes in their events. The team will compete virtually in the Science Olympiad 2022 National Tournament on Saturday, May 14. Skyy Moore '19 Drafted by NFL's Kansas City Chiefs in Second Round The former SSA quarterback and Western Michigan wide receiver became the third Shady Side player drafted by the NFL and was the 54th overall pick in the draft. Twelve More Senior Athletes Sign With College Athletics Programs Twelve members of the Class of 2022 signed letters committing to play NCAA Division I or III college athletics in seven different sports. Health Care Leader Dr. Marc Harrision '82 Speaks at Senior School The president and CEO of Intermountain Healthcare, Dr. Harrison talked about his lifetime pursuit of making health care more equitable and affordable for all. Award-Winning Author Malinda Lo Virtually Visits Senior School Students Malinda Lo discussed the research she conducted for the book "Last Night at the Telegraph," which centers around a young Chinese-American woman struggling with her identity in 1950s San Francisco. | | | Senior School PE Adventure Sports Bike Ride Dr. Peterson and his 14 students enjoyed a spring bike ride from Millvale to the Point in downtown Pittsburgh. Senior Honors Band Concert The Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo performed. Junior School Pre-Kindergarten Chicks Hatch! As part of their study of farms and the life cycle of chickens, PK classes watched an incubator packed with seven fertilized chicken eggs hatch. Country Day School JPK "Let's Play" Musical Performance Students in Mrs. Broderick and Mrs. Smith's JPK class performed "Let's Play" for an audience of family and friends. Senior School Dodgeball Tournament $110 was raised for the Senior School Chiapas Club and Student Council. Parent Webinar - Supporting Your Teen: Balancing Ambition, Wellness & Reality A recording is available for those who were unable to attend. Teacher Appreciation Week Celebration The Parents Association celebrated and treated SSA teachers across all four campuses the week of May 2-6. Class of 2022 College Celebration Seniors celebrated their college decisions with a party in the College Counseling Office. Sixth Grade Rivers of Steel Explorers Field Trip Students studied water quality, macro invertebrates and plankton in the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers on the riverboat trip. Country Day School Kindergarten-Hartsock "Under the Waves" Show Mrs. Hartsock's kindergarten performed an original musical for family and friends. Senior Honors Choral and Strings Concert The Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, String Orchestra and The Intonations, performed. The evening marked Dr. Dan Brill's final concert at Shady Side. Junior School Second Grade Fairy Parade Students studied classic fairy tales and chose a character to become for the parade. Seventh Grader's Robotics Team Wins World Championship Özge Uzman and her team, Yinz Girlz, won the World Championship in Core Values in the FIRST LEGO League Challenge Division at the FIRST international robotics competition. Senior School Pre-Med Club Observes Heart Surgeries at UPMC Shadyside Members of the club had the opportunity to observe a variety of heart surgeries, performed by SSA parent Dr. Forozan Navid at UPMC Shadyside Hospital. Freshman Passes DELF French Language Exam Avery Litwin passed the diploma of studies in French language Level B2 exam, awarded by the French Ministry of National Education, indicating a near-native mastery of the French language. Country Day School Kindergarten-Schaefer "Under the Waves" Show Ms. Schaefer's kindergarten class performed an original musical for family and friends. National Bulldog Day: A New Annual Tradition Celebrating Bulldog Pride On Thursday, April 21, Shady Side Academy students, faculty and staff celebrated National Bulldog Day with a special All-Academy celebration featuring treats, games, music, blue and gold spirit and of course – dogs! | | | Monday - May 9, 2022 Win 16-5 Thursday - May 5, 2022 Loss 5-18 | | Monday - May 2, 2022 Loss 1-18 | | | |