Beginning this school year, Shady Side Academy will use Veracross as its primary communications tool to inform employees, parents/guardians, and Senior School students of weather-related closures/delays and school emergencies. Shady Side Academy is no longer using the SchoolMessenger software.

SMS text messaging and email will be the two primary methods of communication utilized. Recorded voice messages (robocalls) and voicemail will no longer be used to communicate information about weather-related closures/delays and emergencies.

Updating Your Contact Information

If you need to update your contact information, you can do so through the Veracross Parent Portal by clicking on “Household Profile Update.”

SSA employees should use the “Faculty/Staff Profile Update” under the Veracross Employee Portal.

More Information About SMS Text Messaging

Veracross has specific sender numbers that will be used when SMS text messages are sent from Shady Side Academy. A short code (73959) will be displayed in the sender field. Please add this number to your mobile phone’s address book. All messages from SSA will begin with “Shady Side Academy:...” in the message body content.

SMS text messages are limited to 160 characters, so please check your email for further detailed information about specific weather-related closings/delays and emergency alerts upon receiving an SMS text message notification.

If you respond with STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE, you will be unsubscribed from ALL text messages from the Academy. To resubscribe, you can text SUBSCRIBE to 73959 at any time.

The safety and education of Shady Side Academy students are the highest priorities, and SSA is committed to making decisions that best serve the community’s interests. Weather-related decisions are made by the Academy President, taking into account local school districts’ decisions and area road conditions.

We recognize that SSA students come from all over the region, and that weather and road conditions can vary widely from place to place. SSA has a liberal attendance/arrival policy when our schedule conflicts with your school district. The safety of our students and families is our primary concern. Please take a “safety first” approach when deciding whether or not to attempt to get your child to school.

What You Can Expect

Shady Side makes every effort to announce weather delays or closures by 6:00 a.m. All four campuses will typically follow the same procedure on a given day. No announcement is made if the Academy is opening on a normal schedule. Families will be notified either by 11:00 p.m. the night before or after 5:00 a.m. the day of a delay/closure. Our aim is to provide timely and accurate information to assist you in planning your day.

Bussing From Other Districts

For students who ride public school district buses, please remember that your bus follows the delay or closure schedule of your school district, not of Shady Side Academy.