Sewickley Academy welcomes students on August 29

Sewickley Academy teachers and staff are preparing to welcome their students in preschool through 12th grade back to school.

The first day for learners at the private campus on Academy Avenue is August 29.

According to official figures, 513 students are enrolled for the 2024-25 school year, including 109 new students.

There are 137 full-time employees, including 72 teachers.

Headteacher Ashley Birtwell said this month would be the start of something big.

“We are very excited about the upcoming school year, when we will welcome another large group of new and highly talented students to the Academy,” said Birtwell. “Our enrollment, which includes students from more than 50 postcode areas, has grown to over 500 students, with some year groups already at full capacity. This is a testament to our dedicated, exceptional teachers and staff, our innovative academic offerings, our growing athletic programs, and our tremendous opportunities in the performing and visual arts.”

Students may notice some improvements to the facilities that were made over the summer.

The second floor of the Lower School was renovated and modernized to further improve the learning environment for all grade levels. The goal of the renovation was to upgrade and modernize the classrooms.

The Win Palmer Court in the Means Alumni Gymnasium and Events Center was renovated after its dedication in January to the late athletic director and coach Winthrop “Win” Palmer.

Sewickley Academy is also among the first 10 schools in the country to partner with Flint, a company that has developed an all-in-one AI platform for schools to help teachers design learning experiences tailored to students’ needs and help them find solutions to problems without giving them answers directly.

“We continue to invest in redesigning our spaces to attract and retain teachers and enable them to teach in innovative ways. Our students also benefit from the latest technology in classrooms and spacious breakout rooms that enable collaboration and creativity.”

Lower level

Jerilyn Scott, a Sewickley Academy graduate and former teacher, is in her fourth year as principal of the lower school, preschool through fifth grade.

“The community is one of the most important aspects,” Scott said of her time at the academy. “It’s such a positive, collaborative and energetic group of people. That makes it a pleasure to work.”

She also describes the four-year-olds in the preschool area as cooperative and full of energy, where an additional class was added due to the increased number of pupils.

Scott attributes this success to the combination of structured academic instruction and a playful learning approach.

In addition, teachers recently completed professional training to improve the literacy program.

“That’s what people want from a school of this caliber,” Scott said. “The junior students need a really solid foundation in both mindset and problem-solving skills, and the fundamentals of that foundation will carry them through the rest of their school careers.”

Middle School

Mark Shelley has been in education for 29 years. He joined the academy this summer and will begin his first year as head of the middle school.

One of his goals is to provide more leadership opportunities for grades 6 through 8.

One way he and his team are doing this this year is by expanding Community Builders, an application and interview program that was previously only available to eighth-graders. Sixth and seventh-graders will now be included as well.

In total, about 16 students will participate in organizing events such as school assemblies, fundraisers and charity events. The older students will also support new families on campus.

“One of the things we try to do in middle school is transition from an elementary school student to someone who is ready for independence and self-advocacy in high school,” Shelley said.

The Student Government Program will also be held again this school year.

Shelley said that these participants would be chosen by their classmates and not selected by teachers as in the above-mentioned program.

The seventh and eighth grade students have already been elected. A sixth grade election is expected to take place in the next few months.

Shelley said he hopes both programs will give students a sense of ownership and show that their voices are being heard. The theme for the year is “Developing Community Engagement.”

“The more opportunities you can give, the better,” Shelley said.

The middle school is a relatively new facility compared to the lower school and did not require many repairs over the summer.

Secondary school

The high school also did not require major maintenance, but some academic content and student counseling were improved.

Jamie Nestor, in her third year as high school principal, will oversee the launch of three AP courses – AP English Literature and Composition, AP African American Studies and AP Human Geography.

Nestor said the new additions were inspired by a strong representation of the school’s Model UN and interest from families, and by “staying on the cutting edge of what colleges want to see.”

A total of 21 AP courses are available.

The high school has a student government and a spirit council, both of which are designed to help bring the kids and their community together. Activities organized by the spirit council include pep rallies and flag football games.

“You can concentrate so much on your studies that you forget that there has to be joy in life,” said Nestor.

The high school recently introduced the “Dean Model,” a comprehensive approach to academic advising and student assistance.

All freshmen are assigned a dean to assist them with course selection, internships, and extracurricular activities.

Nestor said deans also keep an eye on students’ social and emotional health and help explain how their decisions can have lasting impacts on their future.

For more information about the Academy and its programs, visit sewickley.org.