A Time of Beginnings - Shady Side Academy

ShadySideAcademywww.shadysideacademy.org MAGAZINE

WINTER 2007–2008

A Time of Beginnings

2 Shady Side Academy Magazine

Dear ShadySide AcademyCommunity:Those of us whowork in educationare fortunate tohave the opportu-nity every fall to‘begin again’ withthe new schoolyear. Students, fac-

ulty and even independent school presidentsreturn to the task of learning and educatingwith renewed energy and commitment.

Many of us took time during the summer totravel — some for leisure, some for learningand some to participate in service projects.Seven teachers were awarded WimmerGrants to engage in professional developmentopportunities, seventeen were awarded studygrants and five were awarded BenedumTeaching Fellowships. These professionaldevelopment grants offer faculty membersthe opportunity to learn, enhance and expandupon their educational passions which, in

turn, they bring back to the classroom toinform work with their students as theymodel what it truly means to be a lifelonglearner. Compared with other independentschools in our region — or even in the nation— Shady Side Academy offers unparalleledprofessional development opportunities forour faculty.

Combining learning with service, nineShady Side Academy Juniors and Seniorswere awarded Parkin Fellowships to performenvironmental and community service pro-jects in locations around the globe. As thesestudents prepare to enter a world whereboundaries are becoming virtual and “flat”, itis critical that we graduate people who have abroader understanding of the issues and chal-lenges that face citizens of countries aroundthe world. Our students traveled to Fiji,Ghana, Haiti, the Bahamas, Indonesia,Slovakia, Vietnam, Nepal and China to buildschools, research reforestation, study coralreefs, teach English and music, work inorphanages and work with disabled children.We believe these experiences will be the foun-

dation for lives informed by compassion andservice to others through the priceless gifts oftime and talent.

We’ve made some strategic additions to theadministrative operations at Shady Side. Wehave redesigned our Admissions Departmentin order to meet the challenges of a shrinkingschool-age population in Western PA. In thisissue you’ll ‘meet’ Lisa Perry, serving in thenewly created role of Director of Communityand Global Education and you’ll learn aboutKatie Mihm’s new role as Director ofEnrollment Management and Marketing.You will be provided an “early impressions”update from Jeremy LaCasse regarding hisfirst months as Senior School Head and beintroduced to new faculty and staff.

Our Annual Fund is out of the gate with agreat start this fall. Beginning in this issue of theMagazine , we are attempting to be all the moreintentional in sharing the connection betweenour vision, mission and the impact of theAnnual Fund. We have all heard the phraseabout how annual funds ‘close the gap’between tuition and the cost of operating the

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

In this issue… 2 President’s Message

4 A Declaration for a Diverse and Inclusive Community

9 Shady Side Academy Rowe Hall Renovation Project Acheives a LEED Gold Rating

10 2007-2008 Parkin Fellows Reflect on Their Journeys

14 Professional Development: Triple Win For Faculty, School and Students

17 Admissions Team Evolves to Meet Demographic Challenges

18 Head of Senior School Settles In

19 New Members of the Board of Trustees

20 Shady Side Academy Welcomes New Faculty and Staff

25 Composer Gary Chang ’71 Visits Senior School

26 Homecoming 2007

38 Sports Briefs

41 Alumni Events

44 Snow Day Reading List

46 Class Notes

54 In Memoriam

The following are corrections from previousissues of the Shady Side Academy Magazine.We apologize for all errors and omissions.

On page 7, in the 2007 College Choices, the listshould read, Jesse Ament, Loyola University –Chicago.

On page 15, in the bottom photo caption,Michele Ament’s first name is misspelled.

On our front cover: Members of the first Pre-K class at Shady Side Academy listen to a story..

Cover Photo by: Jack Wolf

Editor: Melinda Miller

Associate Editor: Jamie Brush ’98

Contributors: Jamie Brush ’98, Lauren Gilchrist ’03, Bob Grandizio, Sr., Bob Grandizio, Jr. ’90, David Liebmann, Katie Mihm’83, Melinda Miller, Rick Munroe ’84, Lisa Perry, Anna Sabo ’09, Tom Southard, Tom Trigg.

Photography: Jamie Brush ’98, Nico Fedusa ’13, Tron McConnell ’71, Melinda Miller, Rick Munroe ’84, Dudley Parr, LisaPerry, Jack Wolf.

Class News photos are submitted by alumni and Class Correspondents.Shady Side Academy Magazine staff seeks writers and contributors. If you are interested in writing an article for the mag-azine, interviewing a fellow SSA grad or have a great idea for a story, we’d love to hear from you. Please email MelindaMiller [email protected]. Please do not send unsolicited feature story or alumni profile submissions.

Design Consultant: Peggy Warnock

Printed by: Herrmann Printing and Lithography

Shady Side Academy Magazine is published by Shady Side Academy for its alumni/ae, parents and friends of the school.Letters and suggestions are welcomed and should be sent to Melinda Miller, [email protected]. Addresscorrections should be sent to The Alumni Office, [email protected].

Junior School, 400 S. Braddock Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15221, 412-473-4400

Middle School, 500 Squaw Run Rd. East, Pittsburgh, PA 15238, 412-968-3100Senior School, 423 Fox Chapel Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238, 412-968-3000 www.shadysideacademy.org

school. However, in this issue, you’ll learn moreabout how Annual Fund gifts help us stage fora future that is changing at an exponential rate.

Every fall students and faculty join andrejoin our learning community. We watchedas our first-ever Pre-Kindergarten classreminded us of the joyful (and sometimeschaotic!) nature of play as learning. Whilesixth graders — looking like a sea of pastel-colored polo shirts — searched for lockers atthe Middle School — teachers stood by offer-ing reassurances. At the Senior School Mr.Gable’s office was swamped with add-dropsand the Kassling College Counseling offices’computers were quickly occupied by Juniorsand Seniors preparing for lives beyond ShadySide Academy. New faculty members movedon to the middle and senior campuses andbegan learning the routines of boarding life.As September waned into October we expe-rienced a glorious Homecoming weekend,highlighted by celebrations in honor of BobGrandizio, Director of Alumni Development,who will retire this December after more than30 years of service to the Academy and morethan 40 in education.

This fall Gary Chang ’71 and JonathanZittrain ’87 each made a visit to campus anddelighted our Senior School students by shar-ing their insights in assembly with more than20-30 years removed from their school dayshere. We’re excited when alumni visit becausewe are reminded that the gifts of time, men-toring and caring that Shady Side facultyextend each day leave an impact that enduresthroughout a lifetime. We invite alumni tocome for a visit and renew your relationshipwith Shady Side Academy.

This 2007-2008 school year has now set-tled into a vibrant “hum”. As the calendaryear draws to a close and we look ahead tobeginning a new calendar year, let me offeron behalf of our community, a Shady Sideblessing: May your new year be safe; mayyou experience spontaneous kindness fromothers and reciprocate accordingly; mayyour challenges be addressed with respectand honesty, and may you be energized inyour responsibility toward yourself, yourloved ones, your community and our world.

With every good wish, I am,Sincerely,

Thomas N. Southard, PresidentShady Side Academy

Fal l/Winter 2007 3

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SHADY SIDE ACADEMY ANNOUNCES

A Declaration for a Diverse and InclusiveCommunity

An Introduction from Shady Side Academy President

Thomas N. Southard

In the following pages we entreat the broader community of Shady Side Academy — alum-ni, alumni parents, friends, and current parents — to understand the well-considered wayswe are endeavoring to equip and orient our students for a diverse and flattening world.

A seminal part of our recent work is our Declaration for a Diverse and Inclusive Community.(See sidebar on page 5.) This statement and its corresponding action plan (page 6), grew out ofour Strategic Plan for 2001-2006. Because it concerned addressing complex relationships andmatters of school culture, the strategic goal of cultivating a more inclusive and diverse schoolcommunity was the last plank of that plan to be fully developed. In turn, realizing the goals ofthe Declaration and Plan with a focus on Community and Global Education has become oneof the six areas of the new strategic plan currently being developed. Those areas are:• Academic and Co-Curricular Programs• Alumni Engagement• Community and Global Education• Facility and Campus Configuration• Faculty and Administration — Recruitment and Retention• Safety of Individuals and Campuses

As you will see in the portrait that emerges in the following pages, both the goals and languageof the Declaration are natural extensions of the well-established Mission of Shady Side Academyand the Guiding Principles of our daily life. In concert and individually, all three of these touch-stone documents convey the imperative to attend to the affective development of our studentsjust as well as the practical matters of skills and knowledge.

Winter 2007–2008 5

A Declaration for a Diverse and Inclusive CommunityAs an Academy, we must cultivate, understand and embrace the differences among us aspart of our educational endeavor. Academy leadership, faculty, staff, alumni, parents andstudents provide an example by fostering an environment of understanding and respect ofall people. Further, we must instruct and empower children to challenge assumptions andask questions in order to become responsible citizens in a diverse world. We believe thatthe recognition and appreciation of differences in race, socio-cultural status, religious tra-dition, age, gender, ability and sexual orientation enhance the individual's sense of identi-ty, broaden respect for others and inspire strong character. As we strive for academic excel-lence, so shall we strive for richness and depth in the community life at Shady SideAcademy. Through curriculum and informal school experiences, students at Shady SideAcademy must appreciate and respect the inherent value of all people.

Shady Side Academy is committed to the following:• Developing multicultural curricula and programs which bring out or elevate less com-

monly heard voices and enhance the experience of all students• Promoting professional growth and development for the enhancement of Academy

leadership, faculty, and staff as regards knowledge, understanding and sensitivity in adiverse and inclusive world and school community

• Designing and leveraging admissions and hiring commitments to further our efforts indiversity

• Developing and enhancing a school culture that fosters respect and inclusivity of all indi-viduals and enabling community members to question biases and express opinions

• Reviewing on a continuous basis issues of diversity among all members of the schoolcommunity through ongoing meetings, discussions, and professional development

For more information please visit: http://www.shadysideacademy.org/about/comm_global_edu.html

Many alumni will remember the sign hung in the Junior School which read: DO ITBECAUSE IT’S RIGHT. While Shady Side Academy has evolved our mission state-ment and Guiding Principles beyond this simple but powerful statement, it could be

said that any new initiative we, as a community, undertake is ‘because it’s right’. As Shady SideAcademy prepares to enter its 125th year in 2008, it has unveiled A Declaration for a Diverseand Inclusive Community that was presented to the entire Academy faculty and staff onNovember 14, 2007.

Conversations out of which the Declaration developed began several years ago. Initially, theShady Side Academy Board of Trustees had an Academic Programs and School Life Committee,with a sub-committee at each of our three schools. During Shady Side Academy’s most recentaccreditation self-study through the former Pennsylvania Association of Private Academic Schools(now merged into the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools — PAIS), it was recom-mended that we revamp the Academic Programs and School Life Committee into theCommunity Life Committee (CLC) with a focus on the ‘student life’ component. This Committeecame to life in late 2003 and is chaired by Shady Side Academy Trustee Steve Halpern ’74.

PAIS recommendations for this committee included:• Engage all constituencies of SSA in discussion to reach a community-wide understand-

ing and definition of diversity.• Commit to advancing diversity in the hiring of faculty.• Target more qualified minority student candidates.• Create forums which include both faculty and students for broader discussions of diver-

sity-based topics including sexism and homophobia.• Encourage discussion of the positive and negative impact of affinity-based membership in

clubs like the Black Student Union.• Promote awareness of the need for cultural and gender sensitivity.

In keeping with this, our Declaration is astatement of how we live out in an authenticmanner the moral imperatives of theGuiding Principles of Respect,Responsibility, Honesty, Kindness, andSafety. When good schools such as SSAspeak of diversity and inclusive community,we are talking about the fundamental affec-tive foundation for education. Students, fac-ulty, staff and parents need to feel emotion-ally safe in their school, they need to feelwanted, they need to feel cared for, they needto feel fully part of their community. Thisincludes people of differing economic back-grounds, genders, national origins, physicalappearances and capacities, political views,ethnicity and races, religions, and sexual ori-entations. Though some parents and othersmay think they care most about the academ-ic programs of a school, nothing is trulymore important to any parent than the emo-tional well-being of his or her children.

During a recent conversation with a col-league about what is meant by a “diverse”community we agreed that we are, in fact,talking about the cognitive (academic) stim-ulation that comes a community wherepeople feel able, in good schools like SSA toshare their differing experiences and per-spectives, where, in my colleague’s words,“that affective foundation — that sense ofbelonging, that assurance of safety allowspeople to disagree, to challenge, even toargue”. The cognitive stimulation is depen-dent on the sense of affective safety.

This is all at the heart (kindness, respect,responsibility, honesty) of providing a set-ting for a lively learning community inwhich we actively realize our MissionStatement: “Shady Side Academy offers anexceptional K-12 academic and balancededucational experience by challenging eachstudent to realize his or her potential in astimulating and nurturing environment.”

As a graduate recently remarked to me viaemail, “There’s a passion to this languageand it builds upon the tradition of theAcademy. The focus is on student learningand creating an environment for learning.”

Neither inclusivity nor diversity is an endof education in itself. Inclusivity is about oureducational atmosphere and general disposi-tion toward each other. Diversity is a fact —one with local and global permutation —and the extent to which we introduce thisreality into the composition of our commu-nity, curriculum and pedagogy is one degreeto which we make our education practi-cal…and vital!

Equipping and Orienting our Studentsfor a Diverse and Flattening World


Services and Support for Students (Initiative #4)

As part of the school’s enrollment manage-ment program, the Director of EnrollmentManagement and School Heads will devel-op a plan to address the retention of stu-dents. The plan should focus on enhancingservices to and support for all students inthe school, but pay particular attention tothe needs of those who are in jeopardy ofleaving the school for academic, social orfinancial reasons or because they do not feelwelcome or included in the school commu-nity. The plan should be in place for the2008-09 school year.

Financial Aid Program (Initiative #5)

The Board of Trustees, through itsCommunity Life Committee, Enrollmentand Financial Aid and Finance Committees,will review, and revise as appropriate, thepurpose, philosophy and policies guiding theschool’s financial aid program. The reviewshould be completed prior to the winter ofthe 2008-09 school year. The potentialimpact of Initiative #3 (increased recruitmentand enrollment of students of color).

3. Recruitment, Hiring and Retention ofFaculty and Staff of Color Recruitment, Hiring and Retention Plan (Initiative #6)

The Academy’s Executive Group, with theDepartment Chairs and Learning AreaCoordinators, will develop a plan forrecruiting, hiring and retaining faculty andstaff of color. The plan should be in place bythe spring of 2007-08.

4. Faculty and Staff ProfessionalDevelopment Professional Development Goals (Initiative #7)

Faculty and staff professional development isat the heart of the Academy’s effort to be agood place for children and their families. It isthrough the development of more skill andknowledge that teachers are better able toserve all of their students. Because theAcademy wants to support faculty and staffin their efforts to become more culturallycompetent and more able to teach studentswith a variety of learning styles and needs, theschool will ask each member of the facultyand staff to identify and achieve at least oneprofessional goal per year related to one ofthe four aspects of diversity identified by theCommunity Life Committee (noted above inthe 2nd paragraph of the introduction to thePlan) as needing special institutional atten-tion. The establishment of these goals shouldbegin in the 2008-09 school year.

The aim of this plan is to invite conversationand action that will build the kind of schoolcommunity for which we aspire. The plan isa first step in building a school culture that ismore inclusive, supportive, welcoming of allmembers of the school community and ismore reflective of the school’s mission, phi-losophy and goals. The plan will be imple-mented over a three-year period and focusedon the most pressing community issues facingthe school. Essential for the implementationof this Plan is the hiring of a Director ofCommunity and Global Education. The planaddresses six critical domains of school life:

1. School Climate 2. Student Recruitment, Enrollment and

Retention 3. Recruitment, Hiring and Retention of

Faculty and Staff of Color 4. Faculty and Staff Professional

Development 5. Curriculum 6. The Board of Trustees

While acknowledging the importance ofcreating a school climate and culture thatembraces all kinds of difference in the schoolcommunity, the Community Life Committeehas identified four aspects of diversity whichneed special attention: (1) racial, religious,ethnic and cultural differences; (2) differ-ences in sexual orientation and alternativelifestyles (3) differences in economic status;and (4) learning differences, including varietyin learning styles, within the context of achallenging educational program.

The responsibility for implementing this planwill be shared by the Board of Trustees and theadministration of the school. The school’sDirector of Community and Global Educationwill play a key role in facilitating and assessingthe plan’s overall implementation.

Plan Initiatives1. School ClimateThe climate of the school is shaped by theassumptions, norms, expectations andbehaviors of all members of the schoolcommunity. In order to create a climate thatleads each member of the community to feelwelcome, included and well served, theschool must assure that its operation andprogram are characterized by fair, clear andconsistent expectations and accountability.Without this institutional foundation, theinitiatives outlined in this plan cannotachieve their full effect.

Community Conversations (Initiative #1)

The Board of Trustees and the administrationof the school will develop strategies to ani-mate school-wide conversation about diversi-ty and inclusivity ( i.e. race, socio-cultural sta-tus, religious tradition, age, gender, abilityand sexual orientation). The aim of these con-versations will be to determine how theschool can become more welcoming, inclu-sive and supportive for all members of theschool community. These strategies shouldfoster self-reflection, dialogue and, ultimately,a shared community-wide commitment toinclusivity. These conversations should pro-mote a sense of individual and shared respon-sibility for welcoming and supporting allmembers of the school community, and theyshould enlist broad support for orienting newfamilies, students, faculty and staff to theschool. For students, these conversationsshould relate to school expectations, butshould focus on engendering respect, kind-ness and relationship building as keys to cre-ating a welcoming school culture. Thesestrategies should be developed and imple-mented during the 2007-2011 school years.

Welcoming and Orienting New Families to theSchool (Initiative #2)

The Academy will assess and change, asneeded the current program for welcomingand orienting new families to the school.The assessment should be based on theAcademy’s desire to create broad supportfor new families and students. The orienta-tion of new families should lead to thedevelopment of meaningful relationshipsbetween host and new families and betweenkey school personnel, like homeroomteachers and advisors, and new families.Orientation to the culture of the school, aswell as to the logistics of dealing withschool structures, protocols and procedure,should be included in the program.

2. Student Recruitment, Enrollment andRetention Recruitment and Enrollment of Students of Color(Initiative #3)

Based on the Academy’s admissions policy,the Admissions Offices will develop a planfor recruiting and enrolling more studentsrepresenting racial, ethnic and culturaldiversity. The plan should include specificstrategies and action plans for increasingthe enrollment of students of color and formeasuring the school’s progress in thisregard. The plan should be in place for the2008-09 admission season.

Shady Side Academy — The Plan for Diversity and Community Life

Winter 2007–2008 7

Faculty and Staff In-service (Initiative #8)

The climate of the school is impacted most byits faculty and staff. The adults in the schoolestablish the expectations and norms for thethousands of daily interpersonal interactionsthat take place in the school. For this reason,the school will provide an ongoing compre-hensive and integrated program of in-serviceactivities for faculty and staff aimed at thedevelopment of skills and knowledge neededto serve effectively students from diversebackgrounds and with different learningneeds. The program of activities should beginin the 2008-09 school year.

5. Curriculum Curriculum Assessment (Initiative #9)

As part of the curriculum mapping process,each department of the school will describeand assess its curriculum in light of multi-cultural issues and matters of learning styledifferences and learning disabilities. Themap and the assessment should be complet-ed by the spring of 2010.

6. The Board of Trustees Composition and Education of the Board ofTrustees (Initiative #10)

The Board of Trustees must lead a long-term commitment to create a more inclusiveschool culture. Through its TrusteeCommittee, the Board should continue itsefforts to become more racially, ethnicallyand culturally diverse and should continueto act on its plan to increase the range ofracial, ethnic and cultural differences repre-sented on the Board. The Board shouldcontinue to represent a range of differencein economic status among its members. TheTrustee Committee should, as part of itsresponsibility for the ongoing education ofthe Board, ensure that all trustees are devel-oping their knowledge and understandingof the three aspects of diversity identified bythe Community Life Committee as needingspecial institutional attention.

Plan Implementation and EvaluationThe Community Life Committee of theBoard of Trustees will monitor implemen-tation of this Plan. It will establish a calen-dar of regular reports from the administra-tion of the school regarding progress oneach of the objectives of the plan. TheCommunity Life Committee will use thesereports as the basis for formal reports onplan implementation to the full Board ofTrustees and to the broader school commu-nity at least once per year.

During the first year the CLC undertookissues of safety, working with AcademyDirector of Health and Safety Tom Giel.However, beginning in late 2004, the CLChas focused entirely on community anddiversity. The Committee began developinga plan to build a school culture that is moreinclusive, supportive, welcoming of allmembers of the school community and ismore reflective of the school’s mission, phi-losophy and goals.

When Associate President Tom Triggjoined Shady Side Academy in 2005, part ofthe charge given to him by AcademyPresident Tom Southard was to continuethe diversity dialogue amongst faculty andhelp develop some concrete ‘next steps’ tobe taken. Part of what Trigg learned frommeeting with Senior School faculty mem-bers Carol Jean McGreevy-Morales, DavidLiebmann, Reed Williams and MicheleGreene was that faculty felt they lacked afundamental vocabulary to address diversi-ty initiatives in a meaningful way.

To that end, working with the CLC ShadySide Academy was able to undertake someinitiatives in the first years of the Committee’sexistence. The Academy broadened its state-ment of religious observances, sharing withour families the major events in a wide vari-

ety of religious holidays that fall during theacademic calendar. The Academy also point-ed out that, within our community, familiesmay follow none, one or several of theseobservances and provided a resource wherefamilies could learn more. In addition, ShadySide Academy added many of these obser-vances to our academic calendar so thatschool activities would not conflict with theseimportant events. A recent example is that theSenior School play was not performed onFriday, November 9 because that day wasDiwali, the Festival of Lights celebrated byHindus, Jain and Sikhs around the world,symbolizing the triumph of good over evilwithin every human being.

Shady Side Academy also focused two fac-ulty in-service days around diversity includinga viewing of the film Crash in September of2006 and a talk given by the ExecutiveDirector of the PERSAD Center, a licensedcounseling center focused on serving the les-bian, bisexual, gay and transgender commu-nity in the Spring of 2007. The CLC alsobrought in consultants Wanda Hill, SheilaWashington and Eric Chapman to help guideand facilitate our internal conversations.Other efforts included Steve Halpern andTerence Parham ’94 attending the NationalAssociation of Independent Schools’ People


of Color Conference. (This year, Shady SideAcademy is sending faculty representativesfrom each of our three schools and severalstudents to the People of Color Conference).Diversity has also been a focus of the Boardof Trustees and is one of the legs of ShadySide Academy’s next strategic plan.

In addition to these endeavors, the CLCrecommended and helped make the case forhiring a staff member whose role would beto focus on diversity and inclusiveness initia-tives. According to Steve Halpern, “Weexamined the appropriateness of hiring adiversity ‘champion’ for quite a while. Therewas some concern that, with someone inthis role, members of the faculty and admin-istration might be inclined to ‘pass off’ anydiversity-related initiatives and programs tothat one person. In the end, though, we metwith several representatives from otherschools who had a staff member in a similarrole. We thought that the right person couldlead and bring the community togetheraround issues of diversity and inclusivity.Thankfully, we had the total support of theBoard for this approach when the time cameto get budget approval for this position. Ialso give credit to Tom Southard and TomTrigg for the position’s title.”

The Board of Trustees approved the posi-tion, and in the Summer of 2007 Lisa Perrywas hired as the Director of Communityand Global Education, thus formalizing theefforts to date of the CLC. Mrs. Perry hasspent her first months at the Academy set-tling in her family on the Senior Schoolcampus, teaching Ethics at the MiddleSchool and listening to students, faculty andparents talk. Lisa’s husband, Jim Perry ’81,is the Director of Admission at the SeniorSchool and also teaches physics.

About her interactions with students andfaculty during her first months at theAcademy, Mrs. Perry says, “I think that stu-dents, faculty and staff feel confident that wehave a diverse community and that at least,on the surface, we do a really good job rec-ognizing our differences and commonali-ties.” While the starting point of Perry’swork is positive, she feels there is muchmore to be done. “I get the sense that thereis more many would like to see done to cel-ebrate and address issues that are consistentwith bringing a diverse community together.I also have the sense that students want totalk about the issues that surround diversityand ignorance. Students are curious andencouraged by the diversity at the Academybut want to be more engaged in learning

Community and GlobalEducation Activities

A s Director of Community and Global Education, Lisa Perry is involved in a spec-trum of activities that help further the initiatives in The Plan for Diversity andCommunity Life.

Created a Community & Inclusivity Committee (CIC) for the faculty & staff at threeschools to enable discussion, planning, and the implementation of our diversity initiativesand the ongoing assessment of school climate along with several faculty and staff mem-bers. Helped facilitate three Senior School students to attend the Student DiversityLeadership Conference held during the People of Color Conference. Faculty and studentswho attended will be presenting to the students, faculty and Board of Trustees in the com-ing months.

Chairing a new Diversity Roundtable — a consortium of faculty of color in our localindependent schools. The group meets monthly to offer support and programming devel-opment for students and faculty of color in our schools.

GlobalFest! Chairing the planning committee for the week-long celebration of our diver-sity within the Academy community. This is a senior school event, but the hope is thatwe will be able to extend it to the entire academy.

Black History Month — participating in planning programs for the month-long celebra-tion including the African American Read-In, This Griot Tells the Story: History of AAthrough poetry from slavery to hip hop.

Assisted the Senior School library in creating its first Hispanic Heritage book display. Thehope is that we will continue to expand this idea to other key celebrations and through-out all three schools.

One of four faculty sponsors to the Gay-Straight Alliance.

Fund for the Advancement of Minority Education — Academy Liaison.

Helping to develop this winter’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Assembly program.

Working with the three Parents’ Associations — invited to speak to Senior School parentsduring their February Lunch & Learn at Eastover, the home of President and Mrs. Southard.

Outreach into the larger Pittsburgh Community through networking efforts.

Member of the Residential Life Community, eating evening meals with boarding stu-dents, dorm duty, etc.

Member of Advancement Team and Executive Group, attends all Community LifeCommittee and Board of Trustees meetings as well as several other senior administrativecommittees and is involved in the overall life of the School.

Winter 2007–2008 9

SHADY SIDE ACADEMY ROWEHALL RENOVATION PROJECTACHIEVES A LEED GOLD RATING

Shady Side Academy’s Rowe Hall classroom building renovation earned the GoldLEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification in September,with 41 LEED credits. Shady Side Academy is one of only six LEED certified schools

in Pennsylvania. Renovation of the Senior

School’s main classroom build-ing was planned as part of theschool’s recently completed$40.154 million capital cam-paign. Originally built in 1922,the renovation began inSummer of 2005 and was com-pleted in Fall of 2006. TheRichard King Mellon Foun-dation granted the school$900,000 to be used towardsconstruction and LEED certifi-cation expenses. During the pro-ject, while 96% of the building’soriginal shell was retained, allexisting mechanical systems were removed and replaced with new electrical, plumbing andenvironmental and data systems. New insulation was added and all windows were replaced.Other aspects of the project included improved day-lighting, significant fresh air into class-rooms, and cost savings due to efficient mechanical and electrical systems that do not containHCFCs or Halons.

The site also has designated green spaces and did not increase in overall land footprint.Landscape design around the building uses native and drought-tolerant plantings that do notrequire permanent irrigation. The building systems have also reduced water use by more than40% through use of low-flow lavatories and a rainwater harvesting system since renovation.

The project also earned LEED points by diverting 75% of the project waste from landfilldisposal, using recycled materials in the renovation and for using materials that were manu-factured within 500 miles of the construction site.

With the renovation came a reconfiguration of student spaces, creating locker pods on eachfloor where students can congregate at the Paul G. Benedum, Jr. student center. Additionalmonies were raised to install SMART Board™ technology into classrooms, to create new fac-ulty work areas and to reconfigure the school’s Kassling College Counseling Center. In addi-tion, educational signage and brochures (produced from renewable and/or recycled sources,using LEED compliant processes) has been installed throughout Rowe Hall.

Rowe Hall was featured as one of The Pittsburgh Green Building Alliance’s tours, whichbrought developers, architects and other visitors to the building in November to tour the facili-ty and learn a bit from school administrators about some of the internal processes and decisions.

Shady Side Academy’s Rowe Hall project is the only high school in Pennsylvania to achieveGold LEED Certification.

Additional Information:LEED-NC consultant on project: Marc Mondor, evolve LLCArchitect: Bowie Gridley Architects, P.L.L.C.http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1614http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1615http://www.usgbc.org/LEED/Project/CertifiedProjectList.aspx?CMSPageID=244&CategoryID=19&

about one another and feeling comfortablebringing their uniqueness to the table.”

Mrs. Perry is beginning by undertaking ini-tiatives such as GlobalFest (formerly CulturalExtravaganza) and sitting in on Black StudentUnion and Gay/Straight Alliance meetings.But the process involves her involvement in farmore (see sidebar). “Curriculum is one of thekey areas of the Diversity plan. We want tolook at our curriculum to ensure that we aregrowing and changing with our world, as wellas make sure the information we provide inthe classroom not only reflects the studentshere, but the larger world perspective. Wewant to make sure that we have a strongunderstanding of the books we are reading inclasses and that we are also creating comfort-able classrooms where an exchange ofthoughts, ideas and perspectives can be wel-comed and managed in a way that allows forlearning and growth.”

Both Halpern and Perry agree that it’s a bigchallenge.

“There are many programs and events that Iwould love to bring to the Academy,” saidPerry, “for example, a speaker series and com-munity-building events and activities. But weshould also be using our local Pittsburgh com-munity to weave into our school community.We are a diverse city and I think we should tapinto the resources that are all around us.”

“Lisa has a big challenge,” added Halpern,“in that we are asking her to lead the SSAcommunity through what I often refer to as aculture change. While we are a somewhatdiverse community, we need to do a better jobof embracing diversity and making SSA asafe, welcoming place for everyone. I thinkLisa will do a great job in her role, and Iknow that she has the total support of TomSouthard and Tom Trigg.”

A global education model means helpingeach Shady Side Academy student “learn howto become an effective member of a family,community, nation and the world…mere tol-erance is not enough, proper communicationskills and true understanding of the intercon-nectedness of all human beings must be taughtand understood.” (www.globaleducation.org)

Perry concludes, “We live in a global anddiverse world, interrelated through education,environment, business, families and politics.Shady Side Academy cares because everyonematters in this shared community. Our job asteachers and mentors is to ensure that studentswho graduate from the Academy are ready tocompete and excel in college, the workforceand in their lives.”


Welcoming Visitors — A Universal ExperienceThe Parkin Fellows reported that they feltalmost immediately at home in and wel-comed by their adopted communities insuch far flung places as Fiji, Ghana,Slovakia, Vietnam and others. Our studentsexperienced kindness and an open accep-tance that moved them.

From ceremonies to spontaneous gesturesof friendship, the Parkin Fellows were awedby the frank welcomes they received. “Wewere greeted by nearly every member of thevillage (of Atobiase, Ghana),” reportsHanna Berkowitz ’08. “They paraded us tothe town center where there was a huge

welcoming ceremony for us.” For NiaPhillips ’08, within hours of arriving in Fijishe had “met the village Chief’s spokesper-son and was formally welcomed into thecountry by a traditional [kava] ceremony.”

Thousands of miles away in Indonesia,Hannah Terrar Foster ’08 spent her ParkinFellowship trip working at a foundation thatprovided mother and child care and educa-tion. Hannah shared that, “Ibu Asi, a Muslimwoman I worked with at Yayasan BalitaSehat (in Jakarta), gave me a beaded bracelet,similar to those she and other Muslimwomen wore. She told me it was their gift tome to welcome me into their family...I wasoverwhelmed by this kindness and trust.”

The Language of Friendshipand Respect SpokenEverywhereMany of the most poignant moments report-ed by the Parkin Fellows included remem-brances of the friendships they formed. Inmost cases the hosts did not speak Englishand Parkin Fellows did not know more thana few phrases in the native language. Still,plenty of communicating and bonding hap-pened — during meals — through show andtell and teaching each other.

While visiting an orphanage in Slovakia toteach English, Alexandra Bodnarchuk ’08found that even the most advanced of herstudents were challenged by Dr. Seuss. She

�We Are Human BeingsMade to Connect Withand Love Each Other�— Hannah Foster ’08

2007-2008 Parkin Fellows Reflect on Their Journeys

Fred Parkin ’59 established a fund to award travel grant money for Senior School students to perform service and or environmentalprojects in communities outside the United States. While each of thenine 2007-2008 Parkin Fellows participated in a service project [seesidebar], our students broadened their perspectives and came homeoffering insights fitting the wisdom of a person with far more life-experience than a typical high school student.

was impressed with how her students persevered and with how muchthey knew about America. “Their enthusiasm for learning Englishovercame their skill level. I made study sheets. I wrote numbers, col-ors and simple words and phrases. All of the children were very inter-ested and each day I was there, more of the children would ask ques-tions about English and America. Many of them love Beyoncé,Christina Aguilera and Avril Lavigne. They wanted to know themeanings of words and whether celebrity gossip was true.”

During her trip to Ghana, Hannah Berkowitz lived with a ruralGhanian family for two and a half weeks. Of the experience sheshared, “We bonded with and became incredibly close with our fam-ilies. Despite huge language barriers — my host parents spoke noEnglish and I could only say a few key phrases in their language —Twi, we were still able to communicate and forge truly unique andincredible relationships.”

Hannah Foster added, “I experienced great love and friendship withpeople of a completely different culture — specifically one of Muslimmajority nation. My experience was very valuable because it showedme even more clearly that people cannot be stereotyped by religion orany other difference.”

Anna Rued ’08 found that “We (and the other students on her tripto Vietnam) became very close to the families and workers who wewere helping to build houses. The owners of the house [where Istayed] really did become my family. I helped cook meals with thewomen and played with the children. I became very close to thegrandpa of the house that I worked on. He asked if I could adopthim and take him back to America.”

2007-2008 Parkin Fellowship Awardees

Ghana: Hannah Berkowitz ’08, Form V Student — Hannah traveled toGhana with the Global Routes High School Summer Volunteer Program. Shealso traveled to a nearby village near the city of Cape Coast where she assist-ed in the construction of a new school as well as assisted local farmers in theirfields. Hannah spent approximately one month in Ghana, July 3 to July 31.

Slovakia: Alexandra Bodnarchuk ’08, Form V Student — Alexandratraveled to Medzilaborce in Northeastern Slovakia where she taught Englishat St. Nicholas orphanage. Alexandra spent a total of two weeks in thisregion.

Indonesia: Hannah Foster ’08, Form V Student — Hannah traveled toJakarta, Indonesia where she lived with an American family for approximate-ly two weeks. She volunteered at a local orphanage for handicapped childrenand served a community of poor families, all connected with the Society of theSacred Heart. She took with her crayons, coloring books and other arts andcrafts which helped her teach the local children. This project covered a twoweek period over the summer.

Haiti: Sam Heuck ’08, Form V Student — Sam flew to Haiti and workedwith the Albert Schweitzer Hospital conservation program and Snavely ForestProducts. The project involved the research and reforestation of a tree that willsurvive and thrive in Haiti. Sam traveled to Haiti in late June for a three weekperiod.

Fiji: Nia Phillips ’08, Form V Student — Nia attended the “Sun, Sand andCommunity Service School” hosted by Rustic Pathways. She traveled to Fijifrom June 19 to July 5 . She taught English and Music to elementary schoolchildren as well as assisted with the repair and upkeep of the local schoolgrounds. She also assisted with many other smaller community service pro-jects where needed.

Bahamas: Luke Racek ’09, Form IV Student— Luke participated in Earthwatch’s BahamianReef Survey Project. This study concentrates onthe impact of environmental changes on thecoral reefs in the area. This project took place atthe Gerace Research Center. Luke spent 7 daysin the Bahamas from July 7 through the 14th.

Nepal: Charlie Rosenthal ’09, Form IVStudent — Charlie participated in GlobalRoutes program in assisting to construct anaddition to a local school in Nepal. He was alsoable to participate in local service projects ofhis own choosing. Charlie also raised $400 of

his own money to donate toward the local service project. Charlie spentapproximately 5 weeks in Nepal from July 2 through August 5.

Vietnam: Anna Rued ’08, Form V Student — Anna traveled with PutneyCommunity Service Student Travel to Vietnam. There she worked in the villageof Son My assisting in building brick homes for the local population. This is anarea often ravaged by flooding which makes brick homes essential to survivalin the area. She also assisted by teaching English to local students and inter-acting with the community. Anna spent one month in Vietnam from July 2 toAugust 2

China: Ally Supowitz ’08, Form V Student — Ally traveled to China to helpdisabled children. The program was titled “Lifeworks” and she cared for andtaught children who were both physically and emotionally handicapped. Allyspent 21 days in China from June 20 to July 10.


Anna’s relationship with the communitywhere she worked was challenged by thehistory of the region and the knowledge ofher own father’s draft into the Army duringthe Vietnam War. The people of Binh Phu,where she stayed, had never seen a foreign-er other than soldiers. She stayed very nearMy Lai, the site of a horrible massacre ofwomen and children during the VietnamWar. “We saw the terror and destructionour country brought to this region. I wasovercome by how kind and forgiving theVietnamese were to our group.”

“The friends I made in Ghana,” conclud-ed Hanna Berkowitz, “wanted to sharetheir astonishingly rich culture with me andwanted me to do the same. I think some-times it can be easy to feel guilty for howmuch we have and how much we waste.No one I met wanted me to feel guilty aboutanything. The best part of this trip, withouta doubt, was getting to know the Ghanianswith whom I lived and worked.”

Where Happiness Is FoundLeaving the comforts of home to travel toanother part of the world for several weeksmight have presented many hardships.Instead — Shady Side Academy’s ParkinFellows embraced the culture and amenitiesof their host communities and came awaywith some important knowledge aboutthemselves and where happiness is found.

As Nia Phillips explained, “The kids in Fijitaught me that you don’t need a lot of things

to experience happiness and a ‘good life’.Some of the kids were excited to tell me thatthey had one CD or even a few nice books.I have countless CDs in my collection, manythat I haven’t listened to for years. The kidswere grateful for what they were able tohave, regardless of how big or small it was.”

Ally Supowitz ’09, who traveled to Beijingand Liming, China found that, “even inimpoverished conditions, the villagersseemed selfless and happy, supporting andappreciative of one another.”

Reported Alexandra Bodnarchuk, “I waspleasantly surprised to learn of all thewarmth available to the children at theorphanage. They are truly surrounded byloving people who believe in them. All ofthem were so kind; they wanted to give uspresents. They were literally giving us theirown artwork and stuffed animals, thoughthey had very few.”

“The people we met and with whom webecame incredibly close had very little

Winter 2007–2008 13

money and, especially by our standards,very few material possessions, yet they weredeeply happy and content with their lives,”added Hannah Berkowitz.

Charlie Rosenthal ’09 traveled to Kath-mandu in Nepal. While there, his grouphelped begin construction on a school.“Never before had I seen poverty soextreme. I saw firsthand that, even withnothing, one can still have a great life. Thepeople of Sirubari were all very poor, yetthey still managed to have lives that werefull of joy and happiness.”

Last ThoughtsThe combined experience of warm wel-comes, participating in a service project andmaking friends despite huge social, culturaland language differences drew thoughtfulreflections from the Parkin fellows.

“I was allowed to see, first hand, how wehave a large affect on the world in which welive,” said Luke Racek ’09, who traveled toSan Salvador Island in the Bahamas to dofield research on the coral reefs. “I’ve learnedhow important it is for all of us to protectour planet and use our resources wisely.”

Added Hannah Berkowitz, “I have a muchclearer sense of the developing world. I amalso aware of how much we, as Americans,have to learn from Ghanians and other peo-ples of non-western countries.”

“What was underscored for me,” saidAlexandra Bodnarchuck, “during my time inSlovakia was the importance of educationand of doing well academically so that it ispossible for Roma and Rusyn [two ethnicminorities in Slovakia] children to succeedafter high school by going to a university.”

“Fijian culture taught me a lot about shar-ing,” concluded Nia Phillips, “It doesn’tmatter how much you have; all that mattersis that you care about other people and thatyou want to share what you have withthem. I honestly miss the simplicity andhappiness of Fiji.”

Hannah Foster reflected finally that, “dif-ferences and uniqueness are beautiful andbeneficial so that people can learn and growfrom each other. [This trip] revealed to mea one-world commonality: we are humanbeings who are made to connect and loveeach other, no matter what our race, cul-ture, religion or language.”

Parkin Fellows — thank you for sharinglessons and insights from which we can alllearn.


W hether traveling to an exoticlocale like Hawaii, or taking atrip down the road to the

Community College of Allegheny County,Shady Side Academy faculty members oftenspend summers, and time during the schoolyear, enhancing knowledge and skills sets.Summer study and travel grants, offered byShady Side Academy, give teachers theopportunity to further explore aspects oftheir chosen field. In total, 29 Shady Side fac-ulty members were awarded study and trav-el grants last year. Compared to otherschools in our country, or even in our region,Shady Side Academy offers unparalleled pro-fessional development opportunities.

The classes and learning undertaken byour faculty cover a wide range of subjects.For Paul Bodnarchuk, Middle School health

soned professional of the passion for thesubject originally undertaken.

Stan Nevola, Senior School MusicTeacher, received a Benedum to experiencethe origins of his worship culture by takinga trip to England to visit several cathedralsand hear the music performed therein. Asdirector of the Jazz ensemble at the SeniorSchool, as a teacher of music and as a mem-ber of the Pittsburgh Camerata [chamberchoir], Mr. Nevola had the opportunity tohear church choirs, congregational singing,organists, men and boys choirs and girlschoirs. Mr. Nevola has long studied churchmusic. He sang in an Episcopal boy choir inPrinceton, New Jersey and has beeninvolved with music in the church since thattime. “I had the blessing of experiencingincomparable music that I have studied for30 years,” said Nevola of the trip. “Ilearned things that will help my studentslearn. Visiting England was also a respite inan ancient country so different from ourhome in the ’burgh.”

Lucy Turner, Middle School Englishteacher, traveled to Ohio to the KenyonReview Writers Workshop at KenyonCollege. Styled as a ‘bootcamp’ for writers,Ms. Turner was excited about the prospectof being “mentally buff”. The week-longfiction workshop participants included “agoat farmer, a biologist, a dancer, two socialworkers, multiple teachers, a college stu-dent and professional baseball player.” Shespent her days writing and her eveningsproducing work for the next day’s assign-ment. Ms. Turner learned much more thanwriting technique. She experienced againthe pressures and anxieties of being a stu-dent — delivering work, being called on inclass, and “the terror and joy of being sur-rounded by people who know what theyare doing and are seriously trying to get bet-ter at it.” She returned home to her familywith a renewed commitment to her ownwork — promising herself that she would

Middle School Librarian Audrey Ashworthwith Carolyn Copland, Librarian at KirkhamGrammar School, Kirkham, Lancashire,England as part of the Paul G. BenedumTeaching Fellowships

Professional Development:Triple Win for Faculty,School and Students

Windermere St. Anne’s School inWindermere, England

and physical education teacher that meanttaking a hip-hop dance class. For SeniorSchool English Teacher Tom Murphy, thatmeant attending an American TheaterFestival in West Virginia. Other teachers optto take classes to work toward a degree. SueWhitney, Senior School math teacher, took aclass in Probability and Statistics. Dan Stern,Junior School Publishing CenterCoordinator and physical education teachertook a course at Duquesne University enti-tled ‘The Healthy Child’.

As the nature of jobs and the ready avail-ability of information evolves at an expo-nential rate, our faculty knowledge andexperience-base must also remain at theleading edge. Since our school is located in apart of the country where population isdeclining, the excellence of our faculty willcontinue to be a critical asset to parentswho, in Pittsburgh, have excellent schooloptions for their children — public, privateand parochial. Beyond helping Shady SideAcademy remain the leading independentschool in our region, providing professionaldevelopment opportunities offers many ben-efits to faculty, to our school and mostimportantly, to our students.

Learning and RenewalWhile Shady Side Academy faculty under-took a wide variety of learning experiencesthis past year, five were chosen to receiveBenedum Teaching Fellowships. Originatingfrom the Paul G. Benedum TeachingEndowment, the Benedum TeachingFellowships provide funding for the purposeof strengthening professional developmentthrough an experience which will lead topersonal growth and enrichment, and topermit faculty members to maintain a senseof intellectual vitality and excitement abouttheir work. These fellowships allow recipi-ents to play an active role in determining thekinds of experiences that will be most usefulto them. Benedum recipients chose a spec-trum of enriching experiences. Professionaldevelopment can help a novice teacher gaininsight and finesse and it can remind a sea-

Winter 2007–2008 15

write every day for twenty minutes (apromise she has managed to meet). “WhenI talk to my students about commitmentand practice, I’ll have some credibility withmyself, which is where it all begins.”

Audrey Ashworth, Middle SchoolLibrarian, spent her Benedum trip network-ing with librarians in the UK and learningfrom their experiences as she visited cuttingedge libraries in schools older than theUnited States. Dudley Parr visited Hawaiiand studied geologic formations. FredGigler attended the annual conference ofthe American Alliance for Theatre andEducation. Mr. Gigler was thrilled to attenda conference that offered opportunities for

him to learn more about technical theaterbut to also learn more about teaching tech-nical theater. He learned about engagingstudents in the staging, design and costum-ing of productions.

Add to the Benedum recipients the 17recipients of Study Grants and the sevenrecipients of Wimmer Grants, which pro-vide funding for teachers to attend confer-ences, workshops and seminars, or to bringin professionals for in-school training andour teachers were gaining experiences insuch diverse areas as astrobiology, leader-ship, poetry, voice, using electronic instru-ments, mathematics, Spanish, concrete tech-niques, Shakespeare, techniques of teachingphysics and chemistry, guitar and more!

Successful Faculty EqualsSuccessful SchoolShady Side Academy is culturally devotedto organizational analysis and growth, e.g.are we doing the best job possible? TheBoard of Trustees is undertaking to developour next strategic plan and recentlyapproved our Declaration for a Diverse andInclusive Community. We are examiningour class scheduling and holding informa-tional meetings with parents about childdevelopmental stages. We have receivedGold LEED certification for our SeniorSchool main classroom building RoweHall. We have opened a pre-kindergartenprogram. Clearly Shady Side Academy iswilling to grow and change to best meet theneeds of our students. It follows that a cul-ture of change and growth is encouragedamongst the faculty and staff. Professionaldevelopment helps Shady Side Academymaintain itself as a vibrant community oflearners.

Engaged teachers are a necessary compo-nent of developing this sort of culture.According to Edes P. Wilson, “First andforemost, [staff development] is active par-ticipation in growth of self and school.”1

Wilson deems faculty development neces-sary for the health of the school.

“Faculty members are the best modelersfor our students. Life-long learning, the con-tinual development of oneself and the desireto understand the world in new ways, helpsour students feel inspired to do the samekind of work,” Head of the Senior SchoolJeremy LaCasse explained, “I had a profes-sor in graduate school named MaxineGreene. She was, at the time, in her eighties.She may be in her nineties now. She contin-ually talked of the person she was becoming.

Wimmer Grant Recipients

Scott Aiken, Senior School ArtsInternational Glass Society Conference —

Pittsburgh, PA

Paul Ejzak, Senior School English Department Chair

Poetry Institute for Education — Boston, MAExeter Shakespeare Festival — Exeter, NH

Harold Hendershot, Senior School EnglishPoetry Institute for Educators — Boston, MA

Celeste Janosko, Junior School Science — Grades K-2

Chautauqua Institute — Chautauqua, NY

Kathy Malone, Senior School Science Department Chair

Astrobiology Institute — Maui, HI

Thomas Murphy, Senior School EnglishAmerican Theatre Festival — Shepardstown, WV

Susan Whitney, Senior School Mathematics, Assistant Head Form VI Advisor

Gardner Carney Leadership Institute — Colorado Springs, CO

Summer Study Grant Recipients

Paul Bodnarchuk, Middle School Health, Physical Education

Dance Alloy Theatre — Modern Dance I, Hip Hop I

Randal Broker, Middle School Music, Dramatics, Head Form II Advisor

Touchstone Center — Glass Fusion, Guitar Lessons

Paul Ejzak, Senior School EnglishPhillips Exeter Academy — Shakespeare Seminar

Chad Fularz, Senior School Mathematics, Summer Prep Director

Indiana University of Pennsylvania — “The Teacher as Researcher”

Phyllis Guering, Junior School LibraryPhipps Conservatory — “Art and Illustration”

Chris Holt, Junior School Art, Grades K-3Heritage School — Dry Stone Masonry

Kerrene Killino, Junior School Kindergarten University of Pittsburgh — Research Seminar

Kathy Malone, Senior School Science Department Chair

SETI — “Investigating Astrobiology”

Carolyn Mericle, Junior School Pre-KindergartenUniversity of Pittsburgh — Reading in Context,Introduction to Research

Chester Cathedral in Chester, UK

Mt. Waialeale, Hawaii — Wettest place on earth

Lithified Dunes Measuring the Strike


Summer Study Grant Recipients

Ruth Ann Modic, Junior School Instrumental Music

Duquesne University — Electronic Instruments

New Science Teachers 1 & 2Arizona State University — Methods of TeachingChemistry, Methods of Teaching Physics

Ira Ross, Middle School Music, EthicsPrivate Piano Lessons with Sonomi Sakai

Daniel Stern, Junior School Publishing Center Coordinator,

Summer Day Camp Discovery Director, Phyical Education TeacherDuquesne University — “The Healthy Child”

Cydra Vaux, Junior School Art — Grades 3, 4, 5Point Park University — Voice Techniques,Advanced Poured Concrete

Susan Whitney, Senior School Mathematics, Assistant Head Form VI AdvisorCCAC Boyce — Probability and Statistics

Kelli Wood, Middle School Mathematics, LatinCCAC — Elementary Spanish II

Paul G. Benedum Teaching

Fellowship Recipients

Audrey Ashworth, Middle School Librarian

Stanley Nevola, Senior School Arts, Music, Head Form IV Advisor

Dudley Parr, Senior School Science, Croft House Dorm Parent

Lucy Turner, Middle School English

Fred Gigler, Senior School Arts, TheaterCoordinator/Technical Director

The process of learning is not somethingthat stops at the school-house door. It needsto be part of everything we do, all the time,no matter who we are or what we do.Following this idea, lifelong faculty learnersare critical to our students’ successes.”

Education models around the world sit ona precipice of change. We are preparing stu-dents to enter a work force and fill jobs thatdon’t yet exist. Our faculty must be able toprepare students to synthesize informationnow available from myriad sources. Studentscan read about current events in both TheNew York Times and The Times of India viathe internet. When teachers are examples oflifelong learning and they overtly embracenew ideas and technology, we set a positiveexample for our students and promote aschool culture of innovation and creativity.

In order for Shady Side Academy toremain competitive, we must continue toattract and retain faculty members who willenhance our community through his or hercommitment to professional development.

“[There is a] constellation of factors thatdraw faculty to the independent school.These include many things that are consis-tent with the goals of professional develop-ment: the desire to develop one’s own cur-riculum, a wish for colleagues, the opportu-nity for innovation, a chance to work close-ly with talented students, and the wish forautonomy.”2 These goals are “consonantwith the primary goals of professionaldevelopment: growth and change. Effectivefaculty development programs lead tohealthy faculty and healthy schools. These,in turn, lead to a stimulating, creativeatmosphere...that generates intellectualcuriosity, tenacity, and caring.”3

As we expect excellence from our students— so too we expect excellence from ourfaculty. And from our faculty is emerginggreat teaching, new and prospective admin-istrators, winning coaches, technology lead-ers and project innovators.

Students Biggest Winners inProfessional DevelopmentIt is fairly obvious to say that a teacher whofeels nurtured in his or her learning area willhave a more positive affect on the learning ofstudent than a teacher who doesn’t feel sup-ported by the school in professional learningand development. But what is the effect ofprofessional development on students?

While in the United Kingdom, AudreyAshworth spent her time visiting with col-league librarians discussing the importanceof information literacy. While the BenedumTeaching Fellowships are not meant to pro-vide formalized instruction, Mrs. Ashworthreturned with a reinforced sense of theimportance of helping our students be famil-iar with the quickly changing informationresources available to them, in preparationfor working independently in the collegelibrary. Audrey was able to collect resourcesin use to help further the case for developingan information literacy course.

With a commitment to a culture of intellec-tual curiosity in a supportive environment,professional development opportunitiesenhance our school’s culture by helping noviceteachers gain experience and helping seasonedfaculty, as Stan Nevola said, “reinforce thelove of subject that a teacher can lose sight ofthrough the day-to-day routine.” These ele-ments, in turn, benefit the experience of ourstudents — by continuing to hire and retainfaculty of excellence. We model what weexpect our students to undertake stayingabreast of our subject matter, embracing newtechnologies and teaching techniques, andremaining, in a way, students ourselves.

Shady Side Academy is committed to theenduring vitality of our faculty and encour-ages professional growth through ongoinglearning. It is how we achieve our mission tooffer an exceptional education, to maintain astimulating and nurturing environment andto offer our students the best of our knowl-edge and of ourselves.

1 “How Schools Can Encourage Professional Growth AmongTeachers” by Edes P. Wilson Independent School Magazine,October 1979

2 “Faculty Professional Development: A Primer for SchoolLeaders” by Lynn Friedmann, www.NAIS.org

3 Ibid.

Stan Nevola at Ripon just north of York, England

Winter 2007–2008 17

who as been the Admissions Assistant since2004. Andrea Lovelace is Shady SideAcademy’s Director of Financial Aid andworks with families across all grades Pre-Kthrough 12.

The audience to which I am writing caresabout Shady Side Academy and in many waysis our best source of referral. Please continue

to partner with us in the years ahead by send-ing families our way, asking questions aboutShady Side today, sharing your thoughtsregarding marketing and outreach, and beinginvolved. Your support and commitment toour school is an important tradition, and theseconnections strengthen all of us.

With Warmest Regards,

Katie Mihm ’83Director of Enrollment Management and Marketing

Admissions Team Evolves to Meet Demographic Challenges

Standing from left: Vanessa Cannon, Andrea Lovelace, Matt Fisher ’95, Maggie Dauer, JimPerry ’81and Becci Carter. Seated from left: Stephanie Beck and Katie Mihm ’83.

opened our new Pre-Kindergarten and facilityfull with 20 students and are receiving a greatdeal of interest from the community — soStephanie and Maggie have great news toshare.

The remaining members of the team havebeen with us for a number of years and theirexpertise and history are an invaluableresource to all of us. Matt Fisher ’95 is ourMiddle School Director of Admission, andalso coaches. Becci Carter is our MiddleSchool Administrative Assistant. In additionto working closely with Matt in admissions,she also supports Amy Mindlin, Head ofSchool. At the Senior School, supporting JimPerry and Katie Mihm, is Vanessa Cannon

This summer we embarked on a newway of thinking about the business ofadmissions and what is needed to be

competitive in the Western Pennsylvania mar-ketplace. As part of this plan, we welcomedthree new members to our admissions team.

If you live in Pittsburgh, you have read overthe last couple of years about the changingdemographics in our region. The number ofschool-age children is declining and Pittsburghis a “graying population”. As Patrick Bassett,the President of the National Association ofIndependent Schools states, “Demography isDestiny” — the only times enrollment hasdipped in Independent Schools is when schoolage population has declined. And at ShadySide Academy, we are not immune to thistrend. So important changes have been madein our office to try to address this reality andgive increasing energy to job of admissions.

I have served most recently as AcademyDirector of Admission with primary responsi-bility for Senior School Admissions. This sum-mer my role changed and I am now theDirector of Enrollment Management andMarketing. In this role, I oversee admissionsPre-K through 12, manage the admissionsteam, support the needs of our members andam working to find new ways to attract morepeople into the admissions funnel. We need tobe increasingly strategic about admissions,and with the blessing of Tom Southard andour Board of Trustees, the time and space hasbeen created to do so.

The newest members of our team are JimPerry ’81, Maggie Dauer and Stephanie Beck.Jim Perry is our new Senior School Director ofAdmission and is living on the Senior Schoolcampus with his wife, Lisa Perry, and theirthree children. He joins us from theWestminster School in Connecticut where heserved as the Associate Director of Admissions,Physics and Math teacher and coach. Jim isalso teaching one section of Physics to fresh-man and is working in our residential life pro-gram. It is wonderful to have Jim back inPittsburgh and with us at Shady Side.

Maggie Dauer moved into the Director ofAdmission role at the Junior School afterteaching in our second grade for 8 years. Sheis full-time admissions and is able to dedicateall her energies to working with prospective

families. Stephanie Beck joins Maggie as ournew Junior School Admissions Assistant.Stephanie relocated to Pittsburgh with herhusband Andy, and most recently worked atthe Rio Grande School where she served asAdmissions Coordinator and was also amusic teacher. There are exciting things hap-pening at the Junior School. This fall we


Head of Senior School Settles InOriginally published in the fall issue of Shady Side News

By Anna Sabo ’09

In late September I had the privilege of interviewing Shady Side Academy’snew Senior School Head, Jeremy LaCasse. Sitting with him in Morewood’scommon room one afternoon, we conversed about topics such as food,

the Steelers, cell phones, picnics and long walks at, not the beach, butBeechwood Farms.

We also talked about some relatively serious issues too, such as scheduling,student opinions, the community and the traditions of Pittsburgh itself.

The first topic that we focused on was our school community. Mr. LaCassesaid that everything about Shady Side Academy so far affirmed his original pos-itive impression and that he sees the school as “a dedicated community ofthoughtful students and teachers.” He also pointed out the great sense of humorexhibited by SSA’s students, teachers and administration. Commenting thatColorado’s western culture was much more literal, Mr. LaCasse said that ourstudent body was much “wittier” and more “fun” than his past one had been.

We also talked about the boarding community and all it has to offer. Mr.LaCasse tremendously enjoyed the boarders’ most recent picnic, held at Dr. JeffSuzik’s house. Mr. LaCasse said that he really enjoys the Monday andWednesday formal dinners in McCune Dining Hall, saying that they really seemto bring the community closer together.

Mr. LaCasse seemed eager to show how much he already knew about our greatcity. Calling Pittsburgh “a city that offers tremendous things,” Mr. LaCasse report-ed that his family attended its first Pirates’ game at PNC Park in September; in addi-tion, he and his family now have memberships to the Pittsburgh Zoo and theCarnegie and Children’s Museums. He also said that although his past home,Colorado Springs, had a population twice as large, Pittsburgh feels more urban andis simply “welcoming”and its people are help-ful and friendly.

Some of Mr. LaCasse’shobbies include bikingand crew, but he hasnot yet had the oppor-tunity to row in one ofour many rivers (sayingthat he hopes to soon).

What does the restof the student bodyhave to say about Mr.LaCasse?

Junior Jessica Hirshremarked, “He hasan expansive bowtiecollection and Iappreciate that.”

Junior Aurelia Henderson commented, “Mr. LaCasse is a very energeticman. We hope that great enthusiasm lasts as long as he stays with Shady SideAcademy.”

I’m sure it will.

Winter 2007–2008 19

DivyaAnnamrajuDivya Annamrajuhas worked atMEDRAD, a hightech medical imag-ing company, since2002 and is present-ly a Sterile Dispos-ables Plant QualityManager. She holdsa Masters of Science

in Computer Engineering from the Universityof Pittsburgh and a Bachelors degree inTechnology, Electronics and Communi-cations Engineering from the NationalInstitute of Technology in Warangal, India.Divya is a member of the American Societyfor Quality, the Association for Manufactur-ing Excellence, the Association for theAdvancement of Medical Instrumentationand the Regulatory Affairs ProfessionalsSociety. Divya is married to Dr. SrinivasAnnamraju, and they have two children,Apoorva ’14 and Sameer ’17. They reside inMurrysville.

Diane M.FisherDiane returns tothe SSA Board ofTrustees after serv-ing on the Boardfrom 2000-2006,during which shewas the Vice Chairfor Developmentand the Co-Chair ofthe Capital Cam-paign, “This, OurGolden Opportu-

nity.” Diane received her B.A. from theCollege of the Holy Cross and her M.A.from Stanford University. Diane currentlyserves as a Board Member of CoroPittsburgh (non-profit), a training organiza-tion promoting civic leadership. Dianeresides in Fox Chapel with her husbandJohn. They have four children, Patrick ’03,George ’04, John ’08 and Michael ’09.

William K. Lieberman ’65Bill Lieberman isPresident of TheL i e b e r m a nC o m p a n i e s ,which specializein business,estate and retire-ment planning aswell as insur-ance. Prior tojoining TheL i e b e r m a nCompanies asPresident, he wasExecutive VicePresident of Hilb, Rogal and HamiltonCompany of Pittsburgh and Executive VicePresident of The Frankel Company. Bill is amember of the Class of 1965 and a gradu-ate of Penn State University. He presentlyserves on the University of Pittsburgh Boardof Trustees, the Hussey Copper, Ltd. Boardof Directors, the Genco Distribution SystemBoard of Directors and the Board ofDirectors of AMPCO Pittsburgh. Bill previ-ously served on the SSA EndowmentCommittee. He and his wife, Sissy, reside inSquirrel Hill. They have a son, Benjamin, adaughter, Anne ’05 and one grandchild.

Frances Magovern O’Connor ’79Fran currently serves as Special Counsel forthe Corporate Practice Group of DuaneMorris LLP, practicing primarily in theareas of general corporate and securitieslaw, including mergers and acquisitions, pri-

vate equity finan-cing and privatecompany services.Previously, she ser-ved as an Asso-ciate for Lowen-stein, Sandler, Kohl,Fisher & Boylanand Counsel forBuchanan Inger-soll ProfessionalCorporation. She

is a member of the class of 1979 andreceived her B.A. in American Studies fromGeorgetown University and her J.D., cumlaude, from the University of PittsburghSchool of Law. Fran is also a former mem-ber of the SSA Alumni Council. She and herhusband, Desmond, reside in Allison Park,and they have four children, Matthew (age11), Thomas (age 9), Ronan (age 7) andColm (age 7).

Charles A. Scales, Jr. ’83Chuck is a LicensedPhysical Therapistfor Medi HomeHealth, the Bishopand Pastor of PraiseCenter Full GospelChurch of MoonTownship and aCertified Elemen-tary and SecondaryGuidance Counse-lor. He is a memberof the Class of 1983,received his B.S. inPhysical Therapyfrom the University of Pittsburgh, complet-ed an M.Ed. in Educational Counselingfrom the University of Pittsburgh and wasgiven an Honorary Doctorate of Divinityfrom Praise Center Full Gospel ChurchAssociation, Inc. He is a Head Coach of thePA STRIDERS Track and Cross CountryTeams, Moon Little League Baseball Team,the Moon Wildcats Tournament BaseballTeam and Moon Recreation BasketballTeam. Chuck was once drafted by theKansas City Royals Baseball Club andsigned as a Free Agent by the DenverBroncos. He resides in Moon Townshipwith his wife, Janice, and they have threechildren, Jazmine (age 17), Taylor (age 12)and Chuckie (age 11).

New Members of the Board of Trustees


■Marciann AndersonThird Grade (January 2008 Sabbatical Replacement),Junior School

Marciann has a Master’s degree inEducation from Duquesne University and isa reading specialist. She also has aBachelor’s degree in Elementary Educationfrom the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.She served as a substitute teacher at ourJunior School in 2006-07. Previously shetaught Kindergarten at The Ellis School forfour years and coached the Ellis Middle andUpper School swim teams from 2003-2007with her husband, David, who graduatedfrom SSA in 1976. Marciann is a two-timePIAA and three-time WPIAL swimmingchampion. She is also a NCAA Division 1swimming academic All-American. Dailylife now includes being the President andCo-Founder of the non-profit charity SteelCity Greyhounds Inc. and Co-Owner ofThe Golden Bone Pet Resort.

■Thomas P. ArnoldVice President for Finance

Mr. Tom Arnold has 13 years of experiencein higher education in the areas of financeand administration, purchasing, businessoperations and accounting. Since 2004,Tom held the position of Associate VicePresident for Finance and Administration atChatham University and served asController for all financial matters of theUniversity. In addition, Tom was theUniversity’s primary Risk Manager and a

liaison for contract service vendors. Prior toChatham University, Tom was employed atRobert Morris University from 1993 thru2004 serving in such official capacities asBusiness Manager (1994-1996) andDirector of Purchasing and BusinessOperations (1996-2004.) He holds aBachelor of Science in BusinessAdministration with an Accounting majorand a Masters of Business Administration,both from Robert Morris University.

■Stephanie BeckAdmissions Assistant, Junior School

Stephanie comes from the Rio GrandeSchool in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where shewas the interim Admissions Coordinator,music specialist and Extended CareProgram Director. Since Stephanie has expe-rience teaching music to young children andtheir parents, she will use her expertise as amusic teacher in the Pre-K program thisyear. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree inMusic from the University of SouthernCalifornia in Los Angeles, CA. She andMaggie Dauer will partner with KatieMihm, the new Academy Director ofEnrollment Management, James Perry,Senior School Admission Director and withMatt Fischer, Director of Admissions at theMiddle School.

■Kim CalandraAfter-School Discovery, Junior School

Kim has a Master’s degree in ElementaryEducation from Chatham College and a

Bachelors degree in Sociology from RollinsCollege. She and Kanika Mehta will bedoing After-School Discovery this year, andKim also assists with Pre-K twice a week.Kim has been substituting at the JuniorSchool over the past year.

■Melanie ClausPre-Kindergarten, Junior School

Melanie Claus joined our faculty as a Pre-Kindergarten teacher. She has a Master’sdegree in Early Childhood Education fromthe University of Pittsburgh, as well as anEarly Childhood Teaching Certificate. HerBachelor’s degree is in DevelopmentalPsychology from the University ofPittsburgh. Melanie is originally fromPittsburgh, but she has been teachingKindergarten in Ecuador at Colegio MenorSan Francisco de Quito.

■Sarah CudneyScience Department, Senior School

Sarah and her husband Nicholas join usfrom Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sarah earnedher B.S. from Wheaton College in Biologyand Secondary Education. She earned anM.A. in Foundations in EducationalAdministration and Policy in April of thisyear from the University of Michigan.Sarah will be teaching in the ScienceDepartment and living in Croft and over-seeing the boys there.

■Margaret (Maggie) A. DauerDirector of Admission, Junior School

Maggie served as teacher of second grade atShady Side Academy since 1999 and alsoheld the following positions at the JuniorSchool: Assistant First Grade Teacher,Publishing Center Coordinator andExtended Day Assistant. She received herB.A. in English with a concentration in Ele-mentary Education from Allegheny Collegeand a Masters of Science in Education fromDuquesne University. Also from DuquesneUniversity, Maggie received her Certificationin Elementary Education and Certificationas a Reading Specialist. Further pertinent toher role as Director of Admission, Maggiehas served on the Admission Committeeand as the Junior School Math LearningArea Coordinator, as a TechnologyLeadership Consultant and as a member ofthe Report Card Committee.

Shady Side AcademyWelcomes NewFaculty and StaffThe Fall of 2007 brought new beginnings not only for Shady Side Academy stu-

dents but also for new faculty and staff members. They bring with them a variety

of experience, education and skills and are already enriching our community with

their smiles, diverse opinions, and a sense of nostalgia as we vicariously relive our

own first days as new students, faculty, staff and parents.

Winter 2007–2008 21

■Heather FaniScience Department, Senior School

Heather has aided Shady Side several timesin the past as a part time replacement andsubstitute. She joins us from Fox ChapelHigh School. She is a graduate of theUniversity of Pittsburgh with a B.S. inPhysics and Astronomy. She also has a B.A.in Psychology from Westminster College.

■Paul FrancioniDirector of Facilities

Paul Francioni joins SSA as the newDirector of Facilities. With over 25 years ofexperience in construction and mainte-nance, Paul is certified in ADHERAPlanning, pool/spa operations and pesti-cides and holds a certificate from Penn StateUniversity in Building Operations andMaintenance.

■Mary GueringLibrary Aide, Senior School

Mary Guering will be joining us in the librarythis year, providing clerical support and help-ing with book processing and the day-to-dayfunction of the library. She is an aid, current-ly working on a graduate degree in library sci-ence from the University of Pittsburgh. She isalso the aunt of Cassie Guerin ’10.

■Paula HillArts/English Departments, Senior School

Paula joins us from the great state ofKentucky, although she is not new to ShadySide Academy. Paula is one half of the teamof Paula Hill and Tom Murphy and joinedthe Academy as a sabbatical replacementfor Mary Beth Gray. Paula has a long histo-ry in the theater as a writer, producer anddirector. She has spent time teaching atHargrave Military Academy, The GallowaySchool, Brandon Hall and in the KentuckyGovernor’s Scholars Program. Paula hasalso taught at the collegiate level and withvarious companies as a writing consultant.Paula earned a B.A. in Theater from CentreCollege of Kentucky and an M.A. inEnglish from the University of Kentucky.

■Jonathan JohnsonBoys’ Prep Head Hockey Coach

Jonathan Johnson joined Shady SideAcademy as the new Boys' Prep Head

SeniorSCHOOL EVENTSCUP Competition

Grandparents’ Day


SeniorSCHOOL EVENTS

Coach. Jonathan comes to our communityafter serving nine years as a SpecialEducation Teacher and Head Boys VarsityHockey Coach at Rocky River High Schoolin the Cleveland area. He also serves as aEvaluator and coach for USA Hockey Mid-American district. Jonathan served twoyears as a Graduate Assistant coach forMercyhurst College were he received hisBachelor of Arts in Education and hisMasters of Science in Special Education andwas a team captain and leading scorer.Before attending Mercyhurst Jon spentsome time at Colorado College. He alsoplayed Professional Minor League Hockeywith the Erie Panthers ECHL and the WestPalm Beach Barracudas SPHL.

■Amy Dlubak KimKindergarten, Junior School

Amy Kim was at the Junior School in 2000-2001 working in the Publishing Center, theAfter-School Program and also helping outas a substitute when needed. She moved toNew York City, married, and has beenteaching at The Columbia Grammar andPreparatory School for the past year. Shealso taught kindergarten for five years atThe Alexander Robertson School there. Shehas a Master’s degree in Early ChildhoodEducation from the University of Pittsburghand a Bachelor’s degree in ElementaryEducation from Carlow University.

■David “Jeremy” LaCasseHead of the Senior School

Jeremy comes to us from the FountainValley School of Colorado in ColoradoSprings, Colorado, where he served as Deanof Students since 2003. He graduated fromthe Berkshire School in Sheffield, MA,received his A.B. in History with a minor inEconomics from Bowdoin College andcompleted his M.A. in EducationalAdministration with a focus in PrivateSchool Leadership from ColumbiaUniversity’s Klingenstein Center, TeachersCollege. Jeremy was a teacher of varioushistory courses at the Berkshire School andat the Fountain Valley School of Colorado.While at Berkshire, he also held suchresponsibilities as Dean of the Fourth Form,Dean of the Sixth Form, Director of the RittKellogg Mountain Program (an environ-mental education and outdoor experienceprogram) and Director of Leadership andCharacter Development. While at Fountain

Valley School of Colorado, he was appoint-ed Executive Director of the GardnerCarney Leadership Institute. He and hisfamily are thrilled to be part of the ShadySide Academy community.

■Jeffrey LambLanguage Department (Chinese), Senior School

Jeffrey joins us from half-way around theworld. He is working to complete his M.A.in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Languagefrom the National Taiwan NormalUniversity. He has taught Chinese at theConcordia Language Villages and Englishas a Second Language in Joy EnglishLanguage School in Taipei. Jeffrey earnedhis B.A. in Asian Language and Literaturefrom the University of Iowa.

■Gary MarzulloComptroller

Joining Tom Arnold and the Business Officestaff, Gary will be working on managing theday to day accounting functions for theAcademy and developing comprehensivefinancial analysis models as Comptroller forthe Academy. Gary holds a Bachelors degreein Business Administration from DuquesneUniversity where he majored in Accounting.His experience includes such roles as a Sr.Financial Analyst with Electrolux Inter-national and Director of Business andFinance for Fosnight Associates, where hewas responsible for the accounting andoperations of multi-location personal carefacilities in the North Hills.

■Linda Lee McDonaldEnglish Department, Senior School

Linda joins us from the great state of Texas.A Pittsburgher by birth, she returns to herhome locality as a sabbatical replacementTim Vincent. She is a graduate of St.Edward’s University with a B.A. in EnglishLiterature. She earned her M.F.A. in writingfrom the University of Pittsburgh. Shearrives here from the Liberal Arts andScience Academy, a magnet school in theAustin School District. Linda will be con-necting back to her Pittsburgh roots.

■Carolyn MericlePre-Kindergarten, Junior School

Carolyn taught Kindergarten at the JuniorSchool during the 2006-2007 school year

Parents PhysicsDemonstration

Form II Community Service Day

MiddleSCHOOL EVENTS

and is now teaching in the Pre-K programthis year. She is working towards a Mastersof Education in Reading from the Universityof Pittsburgh and holds a Bachelor’s degreein Elementary/Early Childhood Educationfrom George Washington University. Sheserved as the Educational Director/Principalat River Valley School in Pittsburgh, theAfter-School and Summer ProgramsDirector and first grade teacher at LowellSchool in Washington, DC and as apreschool teacher at Clarendon Child CareCenter in Arlington, Virginia.

■Caswell NilsenHistory Department (Chair), Senior School

Caswell and his family, Liz, Josiah andCampbell, join us from Chatham Hall inChatham, Virginia. There, Caswell taughtEuropean and U.S. History classes alongwith Western Civilization and Economics.He has served on the Honor Council,coached soccer, and advised the senior andjunior classes. Caswell earned a B.A. inInternational Relations from the Universityof Virginia and an A.L.M. in History fromHarvard University. At Shady Side, he willaid in the residential program, head coachthe girls soccer team and teach in and over-see the History Department.

■Jessica ParkerCo-Director of the International Program, Senior School

Jessica is joining us as the Co-Director of theInternational program where she will workclosely with Dr. Carol-Jean McGreevy-Morales to ensure the longevity of ourInternational Study Program. She is not newto Shady Side Academy, having substitutedover the course of the last four years. Jessicaearned her B.A. in Russian and EastEuropean Studies from the University ofVermont and M.A. in Applied RussianLanguage and Linguistics from theUniversity of Pittsburgh. Having spent partof her high school experience studying inLorient, France, Jessica knows how forma-tive these experiences can be to our students.

■James O. Perry, IV ’81Director of Admission, Senior School

Jim Perry served as an Associate Director ofAdmissions as well as a teacher of Physicsand Algebra II at the Westminster School inSimsbury, Connecticut from 2004 until he

Winter 2007–2008 23

Spirit Day

MiddleSCHOOL EVENTS

Latin ClassRomanFeast

Halloween

JuniorSCHOOL EVENTS


returned to Shady Side Academy as SeniorSchool Director of Admission. While atWestminster, he was also head football coachand assistant track coach. Jim received hisB.A. in Physics from the State University ofNew York at Buffalo, an M.S. in Taxationfrom Robert Morris College in 1999 and aJuris Doctorate from the University ofPittsburgh School of Law in 1993. His earlycareer was in finance as a Loan Officer inboth Manufacturers Hanover TrustCompany (NYC) and Manufacturers andTraders Trust Company (Buffalo, NY). InPittsburgh, Jim has worked as AssociateAttorney with Buchanan IngersolProfessional Corporation as well asAssociate Corporate Counsel with FederatedInvestors. Together with his wife Lisa, Jimwill be involved in our 5-day boarding pro-gram and teach Senior School Physics.

■Lisa PerryDirector of Community and Global Education

Lisa joins Shady Side Academy in the newlycreated role of Director of Community andGlobal Education. Previously, she served asDirector of Multicultural Affairs, AssociateDirector of Admissions and Senior StaffRepresentative at the Westminster School inSimsbury, Connecticut. She holds a B.A. inCommunications from Thiel College and aMasters in Public Management fromCarnegie Mellon University. Before comingto SSA, Lisa held such positions as AssistantDean of Student Affairs at CMU andCareer Placement Counselor and CareerDevelopment Specialist at the University ofPittsburgh and Duquesne University,Coordinator of Multicultural Recruiting atSt. Paul’s School, Concord, NH andAssociate Dean of Students at the EthelWalker School, Simsbury, CT. Lisa and JimPerry will be involved in our 5-day board-ing program, serve as classroom facultymembers, and be involved in advising,activities and co-curricular programs.

■Kimberly J. VallejoK-5 Spanish, Junior School

Kimberly spent last year in Peru andColombia traveling and teaching. Shereceived her Bachelor’s Degree in PoliticalScience/Latin American Studies and Artfrom Hobart and William Smith Colleges inGeneva, New York. Kim taught Spanishrecently at the Neighborhood Academy fortwo years and was also the Director ofStudent Life. She also taught with Ameri-Corp for one year.

First Graders MakingApple Cider

Secret Reader — President Tom Southard

T

Winter 2007–2008 25

TThe boys would gather as a whole grade, thisacademic exercise different from the normalroutines of class in Rowe Hall. One boywould lead the discussion. Others might speakup and share their thoughts about the authors:Dostoyevsky, Kierkegaard, Sartre, DeRopp.Boys who were behind in their reading assign-ments would remain silent, absorbing com-ments and reflections of the others. In thisway, it became something of a study in groupdynamics, too. The boys learned who amongthem were the natural leaders, who the fol-lowers, who impulsive, who reflective. Theseconversations spilled over into meals, freetime, and into evening ping pong games inCroft with teachers like Chris Hench. Theconversations mixed with debates about thewar in Vietnam and protests in Pittsburgh, thestudent shootings at Kent State. During a peri-od in American history when tradition wasquestioned, even turned on its head, it was thetalking that drew them together, students andfaculty alike.

Those are some of the memories of GaryChang, Class of 1971, who visited Shady SideAcademy for the first time in 36 years this fall.“As a student here, it was great to be able tointeract with adults who were sincere andhonest who talked about values and ideals,”remembered Chang. “The debates we hadweren’t just for an hour a day, three times aweek. Those conversations were the begin-ning of a dialogue that I have continued withpeople in my life to this day, from the age of16 until now.” Academic pursuits during theday and living in the dorms at night gaveChang the gift of time to pursue ideas beyondthe classroom and offered him the gift of dif-ferent perspectives from faculty, students,authors, philosophers, coaches and others.“Shady Side was important because it made

me a literate person. I read the classics here.”Chang returned these gifts during a two dayvisit to the Senior School campus in mid-September, when he addressed the studentbody and engaged music and English classes.

“I learned from my classes at Shady Sidethat I could create my own labels, my own cri-teria for success.” After graduating fromCarnegie Mellon University with a BFA inmusic, Chang attended the California Instituteof the Arts, earning an MFA. He was recog-nized with a grant for jazz composers from theNational Endowment for the Arts. Everythingseemed on track. But it wasn’t until severalyears later, including a stint selling electronicorgans in a mall, that Chang got his break.

You know his work: musical scores or indi-vidual songs for movies with Marlon Brando(The Island of Doctor Moreau) and the1980’s “brat pack” (The Breakfast Club), anaction film with Steven Segal, Tommy LeeJones, and Gary Busey (Under Siege) and TVfilms based on the books of Steven King(Storm of the Century, among others). Hisfull list of credits is far, far longer. The musicbusiness has been good to him. Even so,when Chang played film clips for students inthe Hillman Center’s Richard E. RauhTheater, it was almost with reluctance. Hewas less eager to talk to the Senior School stu-dents about success in Hollywood than whatit means to pursue the life of the artist.

On the West Coast, explained Chang, every-thing feels new, and the institutions he grew upwith in Pittsburgh — and admittedly took forgranted at the time — its religious and socialtraditions, the instruction he received in the artsform the fundamentals onward, the groundingprovided by the books he read at Shady SideAcademy, ultimately became sources of inspi-ration in his life and work. Chang observedthat “music, from an empirical point of view,is about tradition, ritual, and the quest for thespiritual. You can’t write music without under-standing what tradition is.”

A casual listener might be befuddled by thatstatement when it comes to some of Chang’swork. His music is rich with electronicsounds and tonal shading, quickly pushingthe listener beyond expectation into a placewhere the ears must focus on the soundscapeitself. That makes sense for Chang. Considerhis musing on school and life. “High school isvery achievement oriented, but maybe life,”said Chang, “isn’t about achievements. It’snot about sign posts.” Apply those ideas tohis music, and the unique qualities of his art

are immediately apparent. “Life is not likeschool. All sorts of things come at you, all atonce.” As a theme in his music as well as inhis remarks to the student body, Chang’sobservations ring true.

“When you’re creative at 16, you have anever ending cache of ideas. As an adult,”Chang said, “you either trade the stores ofimagination for the ‘ability to manifest ideasinto reality’ or you run out of ideas and haveto confront your feelings, deeply.” What hedescribed was a psycho-spiritual journey, aprocess Chang began in his late thirties andcontinues through his music today. In summer2007, he toured Italy as part of a project called‘Sanctuaries’, “a program of ambient electron-ic music installed in sacred spaces.” (Visitwww.sanctuariestour.blogspot.com for details,audio clips, and photos of Chang at work.)

As part of his journey, Chang spoke to class-es as well as individual students. LoganHandelsman, a member of the Class of 2009,expressed to Chang both interest and trepi-dation in the arts as a profession. Chang lis-tened as Logan worked out his thoughts, hishopes, and some of the fears that wereswirling through his head. “Music choosesyou,” Chang told him. “My path wasn’talways a bed of roses, but at a certain pointyou live with what you are.” Chang went on,“The durability of a human is to fail until yousucceed.” He explained that Logan had thechoice to try, and that failure was, paradoxi-cally, a trait shared by all successful people.

Somewhere between the existentialist dis-cussions of an earlier era at Shady SideAcademy, Chang’s life as a musician, and thewisdom that life has brought him, he beganto sound a lot like a Shady Side Academyteacher. Perhaps the lessons we learn carrysome echo of the people and places that havetouched us. For Gary Chang, those lessonsseem to have reverberated within him sincethe turbulent years of the late ’60’s and early’70’s over three decades ago. Some of his finalcomments suggest he reconciled the boy whowalked away from the school and the manwho returned. “We have a proud communi-ty. I can feel the pride we have that someonelike me is a member of the Shady Side com-munity…that I walked the path that I did.The community is proud that someonewalked in the forest alone for a while.”

Special thanks to Marty Moffat and TronMcConnell, both members of the Class of1971, who encouraged Gary Chang’s returnto his alma mater.

COMPOSER GARY CHANG ’71 VISITS SENIORSCHOOLBy David Liebmann, Academy Director of Programs


Homecoming/Reunion Weekend thisyear was another in a long line ofgreat Shady Side Academy events.

There was something for everyone. The weekend started off with several

determined-looking foursomes teeing off inthe summer-like heat at the Pittsburgh FieldClub. Simultaneously, Jonathan Zittrain’87, Chair of Internet Governance andRegulation at Oxford and Harvard wasdelivering a presentation in the Richard E.Rauh Theater to the Senior School studentsand faculty on the history of the internetand where technology is headed.

Friday evening started off with alumni per-formances on stage in the Richard E. RauhTheater which led to a welcome reception

and alumni dinner in McCune Dining Hall.The highlight of Friday evening was BobGrandizio, Sr.’s speech at the dinner. DuringBob’s final pre-retirement Homecoming, hespoke candidly about the joys (and pains) ofbeing a father as well as how important thealumni of Shady Side Academy are to theschool. The Grandizio family was on handto cheer on the patriarch of this beloved SSAfamily. The evening concluded with BobGrandizio, Jr., Assistant Athletic Director,presenting his dad with a Shady Side letterjacket.

Saturday morning began early with therunning of the Al Stewart Memorial ShadyStride. Alumnus, B.J. Siegel ’87, was thewinner of the grueling 5K, finishing in just

over 25 minutes. Soon after the conclusionof the ‘Stride’, the campus was flooded withalums, students, parents and faculty just intime for the start of the Children’sHomecoming Play. Senior School studentsMargaret Fero ’10, Zack Wright ’10 andHanna Brourman ’11 received well-deserved laughs and applause from theoverflowing crowd during the performanceof Furry Tails with a Twist.

From the theater, the crowd rushed downthe hill to the Kids’ Karnival organized byBrendan Scott ’09 and Mike McDonald’09, where everyone could participate incarnival games and pumpkin painting.

In keeping with tradition, during halftimeof the football game, (an SSA victory) reunion

HOMECOMING 2007

Winter 2007–2008 27

year captains of athletic teams were recog-nized for their leadership. As Bob Grandizioannounced the names of his former playersand boarders, a plane flew overhead sendinga message to Bob from the Shady SideAcademy community. SSA loves Bob G.

From campus, alums headed to theirrespective reunion venues where senior promdates, football co-captains and Gargoylesociety leads reunited and relived some oftheir most memorable adolescent moments.

Homecoming 2008 is just around the cor-ner. Classes ending in 3’s and 8’s will havetheir turn to relive old times. SSA hasalready ordered great weather and beautifulfall foliage, so please start talking with yourclassmates and planning now.

Dominic Navarro ’46, Crock Hunter ’73, David Hunter ’46 and Ed Rieck ’46 catch up over eighteen holes.

Vicki Wilson, Bob Wilson ’57, Ken Squires ’57, Carol Ann Squires, Tom Mayer ’57 and LoisMayer at the Alumni Reception on the Mary Hillman Jennings Plaza.

Kambra McConnel ’92 and Courtney(Hershey Bress) Hearn ’92.

Karen (Berman) Ross ’83 and BrendanMcLaughlin ’86 celebrate Karen’s acceptance of the Robert E. Walker Award.

Alumni prepare to process to McCuneDining Hall for the Alumni Dinner to thetune of a melodious bagpipe and againstthe backdrop of a setting sun.


Lance Labun ’66 and Lough Kuhn ’63.

Current parent Susan Laufe, Karen (Berman) Ross ’83 and current parent Nancy Weitz.

Bob Grandizio, Sr., Director of AlumniRelations, delivers his address, “TheImportance of Alumni,” during Friday night’s Alumni Dinner.

Charity Glass ’01 graciously accepts thePaul R. Pigman ’52 Prize.

John Kramer ’57 welcomes the 50thReunion Class of 1957 to the annual Alumni Dinner in McCune Dining Hall.

Stan Nevola, Senior School Music Faculty, joins Clark Slater ’87, Chuck Scales ’83, Rod McMahon ’87 and Bob Grandizio, Sr., Director of Alumni Relations, at the Alumni at the Rauh performance.

Winter 2007–2008 29

Junior School students eagerly wait for the Children’s HomecomingPlay to begin.

Future actors eagerly don bear costumes to particpate in Furry Taleswith a Twist.

George Stewart ’81, Emily Stewart, B.J. Siegel ’87, Janney Stewart and Holly Stewart relax afterthe Al Stewart Memorial Shady Stride.

Senior School students perform in thisyear’s Children’s Homecoming Play, FurryTales with a Twist.

Participants in the Al Steward Memorial Shady Stride anxiously anticipate the start of the race.


The Picnic Box Lunch was a great start to Saturday afternoon’s festivities!

Class of 1947 Captain: Pete Bolanis.

Class of 1957 Captain: Ken Squires. Kids’ Karnival: An afternoon of artistic fun.

A race in the Moon Bounce was just one of the many funactivites for children at the Kids’ Karnival.

Class of 1962 Captains, from left: Kirk Baird and John Dickson.

Winter 2007–2008 31

Ralston Merchant ’67 and James McCune ’67 chat over lunchbefore the start of the football game.

Class of 1967 Captains, from left: Phil Rogers, Mark Donley and RalstonMechant.

Class of 1972 Captains, from left: David Ressler, Dan Mancosh andDavid Heiner.

Class of 1977 Captains, from left: Peter Ellis and Rich Sieber.

Class of 1982 Captains, from left: Marty Calihan and children, Sarah (Knutson) Flanagan, Bob Munroe and Carolyn (Thompson) Molingowski

Class of 1987 Captains, first row, from left: Pete Wymard, Jake Ploeger, Rob Meyer, Vince Acri, Julie (Srodes) Selwood and Eric Garrard. Second row, from left: Rod McMahon, Tom Lee, Jack Kintner ’47 accepting for his son, Chris Kintner, Tom Worrall, Mike Foster, Jon Roscow and Molly (Calihan) Lokteff.


Kids’ Karnival organizers enjoy the fruits of their labor and thesatisfaction of a job well done.

Class of 1992 Captains, from left: Bryan Gentile, Rob Ferguson, BentleyWeiner and Raquel (Gonzalez) Kramer

Class of 1997 Captains, from left: Chip Cephas, Drew Gifford and DavePetett.

Class of 2002 Captains, first row, from left: James Cryan, Britton Weanand Jen Yates. Second row, from left: Dirk Bonessa and Dean DeLuca.

Winter 2007–2008 33

65th Reunion, Class of 1942. Bill Pettit, Les Dunmire, Tom Gillespie, Tom Cosgrove and Dave Bennett.

60th Reunion, Class of 1947. Robert Young and his wife, Jeanne.

55th Reunion, Class of 1952. From left: Ray Rosenblum, Tom O'Shaughnessy,Marten Jenkins and Pete Runnette.

Lois and husband Tom Mayer ’57 catch up with Lyn Hicks and husband Larry Hicks ’57.

Bob Wilson ’57, John Kramer ’57 and Alan Tapper ’57 celebrate their50th Reunion.


45th Reunion, Class of 1962. First row, from left: Fred Half, John Dickson and Lou Martone. Second row, from left: Kirk Baird, John Mullin, Tom Celli and Jim Kennicott.

40th Reunion, Class of 1967. From left: Mark Donley, Harvey Allon, Pat Loughney, Phil Rogers, Barry Hootman and David Donley

50th Reunion, Class of 1957. From left: Tom Mayer, Alan Tapper, Bill Meyer, Bob Wilson, Ken Squires, Larry Hicks and John Kramer.

Winter 2007–2008 35

35th Reunion, Class of 1972. From left: David Ressler,Christopher Bender, David Heiner and Dan Mancosh.

30th Reunion, Class of 1977. First row, from left: Peter Ellis, Anne Miller, RichSieber, Tekla (Pankopf) Hilton and Bob Bushkoff. Second row, from left: BudPerson, Jamie Egan, Randy Struk and Walter Reineman.

25th Reunion, Class of 1982. Seated, from left: Lisa Donoughe, Cherie (Cancelliere) King, Stanley Ference and Carolyn (Thompson) Molingowski.Second row, from left: Lee Cunningham, Jeff Spear, Whit Braham, Alex Howson, Steve Silverman, Sarah (Knutson) Flanagan, Jacque King and PeteSheptak. Third row, from left: Steve Lebovitz, Marty Calihan, Rob Dauer, Amy Middleman, Austin Henry and Bob Munroe.


20th Reunion, Class of 1987. Seated, from left: Alex Merikanskas, Gus Schroeder, Martha Runnette, Kathleen (McKinney) Liston, Kara (Salvitti)Conomikes, Corina Caminos, Katy Braham, Molly (Calihan)Lokteff, Adam Steiner and B.J. Siegel. Second row, from left: Rod McMahon, SteveChoi, Raja Mahidhara, Larry Jacobson, Lillian Wu, Mike Foster, Tom Hector, Darlene (Henze) Wisniewski, Susanna (Bjorkman) Finke, Julie (Srodes)Selwood, Jon Zittrain, Margaret Steere, Mike Gerber, Wendy Munroe, Jon Beckerman, David Joo and Nick Terezis. Third row, from left: Rob Meyer,Jake Ploeger, Pete Wymard, Ed Mitre, Jon Roscow, Jill Swensen, Clark Slater, Elizabeth Taaffe, Tom Worrall, Chris Kintner, Vince Acri, Tom Lee andEric Garrard.

We have come a long way from the Wall ofShame! The Class of 1987 returned to ShadySide Academy for our 20th reunion and madeit our own…once again. We traveled from thefar reaching expanse of North America.Crossing the boarder from Mexico was AlexMerikanskas. The California contingent con-sisted of B.J. Siegel, Kathleen (McKinney)Liston, Molly (Calihan) Lokteff, RajaMahidhara with pleasant, last-minute addi-tions by Tom Hector and Lillian Wu. ChrisKintner, Martha Runette and Mike Gerberdescended from the mountains of Colorado.Wendy Munroe rained in from Seattle,Washington. Corina Caminos arrived Miami-style. And mountain man himself, Rob Meyer,dropped in from New Hampshire.

The festivities began Friday with our veryown Jon Zittrain educating the student bodyto the future of the internet. His presentationwas found to be hilarious and educational bythe young at heart and the not-so-young.Then, the day spilled across the street to thePittsburgh Field Club where enormous swats

were taken on the golf course by RodMcMahon and Jon Roscow.

The evening’s celebration kicked off in thenewly constructed Richard E. Rauh Theaterwhere the indescribable talents of Clark Slaterand Rod McMahon sounded. If you have notheard these guys make music, you have indeedmissed out. Rod laid it all out there with asong especially written for his wife, Barbara(Caminos) McMahon ’89.

The music ceased and the drinks wereserved on the Mary Hillman Jennings Plazaof the Hillman Center for the PerformingArts. While imbibing spirits to the echoing ofbag pipes, Jon Beckerman and Katie Brahamjoined the gathering. Mac, Gene, Sarah,Mary and many of our favorite teachers fil-tered in. It was quite the scene sitting up highwith the beautiful view of campus as the sunset over the hills.

The procession of the classes was lead by thebag piper to McCune Dining Hall (still sansair conditioning). Tommy Worrall arrived aswe rounded the last corner of the Quad. There

were many speeches, but the night belonged tothe Grandizios. Father and son entertained uswith hilarious anecdotes in honor of Bob’spending retirement. Shari Grandizio laughedwith all of us as her father was honored.

The balmy night subsided with a good old-fashioned party at the Slater House. Mr. andMrs. Slater opened their home once again tothe Class of 1987 where Clark’s band enter-tained us all and the neighborhood until thewee hours of the morning. A late-flightarrival was made by Margaret Steere andour beloved “Shag” (Doug Henry) onceagain held court.

Saturday morning arrived all too quicklywhere B.J. Siegel tattooed me in the ShadyStride fresh from the West Coast. He champi-oned the annual event with a first place victo-ry. I meandered around the course with myson, Gray Garrard, and fellow classmate,Martha Runnette, proving to all and ourselvesthat we still have it.

Vince Acri and Gus Schroeder joined theafternoon’s pending kick-off looking ready tosuit-up for quarterback and place kicker ifneeded. Just before the big game the crowdwas delighted to hear the sounds of the youngShady Side students (including Kara (Salvitti)Conomikes’ daughter, Alexa) sing the AlmaMater. Arriving on the scene was a glowingLiz Taffee who had just toured the newly ren-ovated and “green” Rowe Hall. Later, JakePloeger, Jon Roscow, Peter Wymard and I

CLASS OF 1987 REUNIONBy Eric Garrard

Winter 2007–2008 37

mused of letting Mike Foster be the sole cap-tain on the field for the half-time ceremony.But calmer heads prevailed as Nick Terezis,Tom Lee, Julie (Srodes) Selwood and Molly(Calihan) Lokteff rounded out our fine show-ing of team captains.

With one of the largest attended classreunions in SSA history, the party began.Tailgating occurred in earnest. Darlene(Henze) Wisniewski and Jill Swenson wereamong the first to make the scene at the PFC’snew “1882”. Susanna (Bjorkman) Finke,Larry Jacobson, David Joo, Steve Choi andAdam Steiner soon arrived and added to themerry making activities. Joining our class forreminiscing (and with story corrections) werebeloved faculty: Buddy, Gene, Angela, Joe andTim. Ed Mitre and Mattias Fenton werefound contributing to the night’s entertainingstories. Kara (Salvitti) Conomikes, who sodiligently planned and executed our weekendwith little help from me, added a little kick toour evening with some great awards: closestand farthest traveled, who looked most differ-ent, etc. I would tell you about them and whowon, but you will just have to plan to join usin October 2012 for our 25th to find out.

5th Reunion, Class of 2002 First row, from left: Britton Wean, Jessica Graham, Neal Nath, Neil Singh, Kate Gookin, Amy Zidell and Jennifer Yates.Second row, from left: Chip Bogie, Aaron Hayes, Dean DeLuca, Alyson Shogan, Meredith Boyle, Hans Benford, James Cryan, Emily Perrone, LaurenHalloran and Danielle Katz. Third row, from left: Dirk Bonessa, Lucas Hrabovsky, Mark Kuhn, Christy Langston, Christina Davides, Ian Cummingsand Christina Zona.

15th Reunion, Class of 1992. First row, from left: Dorian Johnson, Kambra McConnel, VeronicaCorpuz, Bentley Weiner and Rob Ferguson. Second row, from left: Raquel (Gonzalez) Kramer,Jim Rohr, Jim Turner, Jim McBride and Dave McElhinney.

10th Reunion, Class of 1997 Seated, from left: Lacey Cass, Monica Kapoor, Halstead Morrow,Eve Semins, Sean Gray, Samir Mehta, Sloane Berrent, Bridget Maloney and Stephanie Halpern.Standing, from left: Andrea Elias, Alexandra Compare, Drew Gifford, Dave Petett, Eli Silk andAmisha Wallia.

Girls’ Soccerby Katie Williamson ’08

The Girls’ Soccer team started the seasonslowly with some tough losses against rivalteams like Burrell and Hopewell. The teampicked up momentum during the season,beating teams like Sewickley and Valley,giving the team some confidence. However,it was not enough to secure a spot in theplayoffs. The girls performed well underpressure through the leadership of seniorCaptain Christine Currie in goal, LauraAllen ’09, Maria Macpherson ’09 andStacey Mates ’08. The girls ended the sea-son on a high note, securing convincingwins against Taylor Alderdice and Valley.Despite the poor results, Coach Nilsen washappy with the spirit and determination ofthis young team.


FALL SEASON2007

SportsBRIEFS

On November 2, the football team played anight game here on the Senior SchoolCampus. The Athletic Department rentedlights for the team’s opening-round WPIALplayoff game against South Fayette. ShadySide rallied for 14 points in the final quarterto go on to win 14-6.

The Fall 2007 athletic season at ShadySide Academy was historic. Our studentathletes managed to win three teamSection Championships, two WPIALTeam Championships and our first everfemale PIAA Team Championship inGirls’ Tennis. The fall season extendedwell into November with teams participating in post-season play. A special congratulations to our athletesand coaches for representing ShadySide Academy with good sportsmanshipand athletic excellence.

Boys’ Soccerby Sean Hannon ’09

The Shady Side Academy Boys’ Soccer teamhas completed another spectacular season.For the third year in a row they were unde-feated section champs, and for the secondyear in a row they made the state playoffs.This year, they played to seed, finished inthird place in the WPIAL playoffs and aremoving on to the state playoffs. The teamhas only yielded 12 goals while scoring 90goals and posting 15 shutouts. The seniorteam leaders are midfielder Charlie Phillips,sweeper Seth Bernstein and forward EdwinNiederberger. The team has a lot of experi-ence, starting seven seniors, and has longtime coach Harry Fleishman at the helm.The team has once again won above twen-ty games this year, with a record of 21-3-0.The soccer team has continued to be suc-cessful, as always, and nothing about thathas changed this year.

Girls’ Cross Countryby Kelsey Olander ’08

The Girls’ Cross Country Team had one ifits most successful seasons this past fall.With a very strong group of senior leaders(Emily Harmon, Jenny Dawson, LizMadoono and Julie Nelson) and supportfrom a large group of freshmen and return-ing runners, the girls lost only one sectionmeet and won the IPSL meet. As a team,they placed 5th at WPIALs, missing thePIAA State Meet qualifications by only 50points. Fortunately, the team sent ToryBruch ’10 and Katrina Jueng ’10 as individ-ual runners to represent the Girls’ CrossCountry team at the PIAA State Meet. As awhole, it was one of the most successful sea-sons in a long time. Way to go girls!

Boys’ Golfby Benjamin Cohen ’10

The Shady Side Academy Boys’ Golf teamhad a spectacular season in both team andindividual competition. The boys wereundefeated, and, by virtue of their strongplay, received a birth in WPIAL playoffs.They went on to win the WPIAL semifinaland finished sixth overall in the WPIAL. Inindividuals, senior captain Ben Cohen hadan outstanding run and made it to the statehigh school tournament where he finishedtied for third. Sophomore Robbie Denovealso had a successful playoff season andmade it to the PIAA Western RegionalQualifier (the last qualifier before the statetournament). Congratulations on a greatseason!

Girls’ Tennisby Lauren Greco ’08

Returning to Hershey for the third year in arow, the Shady Side Academy Girls’ Tennisteam finished the season with an undefeat-ed record and both the section and WPIALteam titles for the second straight year. Tocomplete their season, they won the PIAAState Championship, beating every team 5-0. Overall, the girls have had twenty 5-0victories and won the remaining fourmatches 4-1. First singles player LaurenGreco ’08 won the section, WPIAL, andPIAA singles titles, with teammate BobbilynAnthony ’08 becoming section runner-up.This year’s lineup included senior and four-year starter Bobbilyn Anthony and fresh-man Sara Perelman at 2nd and 3rd singlesrespectively. Anthony and Perelman alsowon the Section Doubles title and came infourth in WPIAL Doubles together. Juniors

Winter 2007–2008 39

Meredith Lackey and Alexis Georgiadisplay number one doubles and came in sec-ond at Section Doubles. The girls had a verysuccessful season and worked very hard toaccomplish their goal of winning all teamstate titles.

Girls’ Cheerleadingby Samantha Rossi ’08

The cheerleading squad had a phenomenalseason this year with a team double the sizeof last year. Led by coaches Mindy Mino,Mrs. Sterner and Rachel Mino, the squadheld its best pep rally in the last four yearsbefore the Burrell Game. In addition tobeing able to support one of the best footballteam in years, the cheerleading squad wasnominated for WPXI’s Cheer of the Weekand the McDonald’s Cheer of the Year.

Girls’ Golfby Elizabeth Diggs ’10

This fall season, the underlying tone for theGirls’ Golf team was optimism. After losing


four crucial seniors last fall, the teamviewed this season as an open canvas burst-ing with unpredictability. Senior JessicaChang, junior Britney Andrews and sopho-mores Lauren Laufe and Elizabeth Diggsparticipated in the WPIAL IndividualQualifiers at the Fox Chapel Golf Club onSeptember 25, 2007. Britney qualified witha score of 96, as did Lauren with a score of105. Elizabeth and a Kiski sophomore tiedwith a score of 111 for the ninth positionand began a sudden death, one hole playoff.Unfortunately, Elizabeth crumbled underthe pressure and became an alternate forthe championships. The Girls’ Golf teamfinished the season with a 10-1 record.Number one seed junior Britney Andrewsshot the best score of the season at the FoxChapel Golf Club with a score of 43. Eventhrough the nine-hole slumps and occasion-al losses, the Girls’ Golf team remains vic-torious and upbeat.

Footballby Jacob Cohen ’08

Shady Side Academy Football experiencedtheir "Return to Glory" this year as they fin-ished the regular season 8-1, their best recordin nearly a decade. The team put an excla-mation point on the season by beating SouthFayette 14-6 in the First Round of the WPIALplayoffs in front of a packed McKelvey Fieldin the first night game at Shady Side AcademySenior School since 1962. The team was ledby a great group of seniors, including captainsDan Rooney and Mike Farrell, as well asjunior captain Roman Sandoval. TheFootball team has brought the program backto where it should be and hopes to continuetheir success for years to come.

success, the team had one of its best races ofthe year at the WPIAL Championships,breaking their previous overall best time byalmost 30 seconds. The team believes thatthey can take this end-of-season momentumand use it toward a great season next year.

Field Hockeyby Caroline Washburn ’08

This season, the Shady Side Academy FieldHockey team entered into the fall season withbig plans. After winning the WPIAL AAchampionship in 2004, 2005 and 2006, thegirls were eager to prove themselves worthyof another title. After only losing two seniors,the goal of the season became taking theirskills to the next level. Finishing 13-0-1 intheir WPIAL section, the girls only tied theirrivals, The Ellis School. The Shady Side girlsdefeated Ellis in the WPIAL championship 2-1 and went on to play the Bellville MennoniteSchool in the first round of the state playoffs.

Boys’ Cross Countryby Jacob Bajada ’10

With few returning seniors and several new-comers to the squad, there was no questionthat this year’s Boys’ Cross Country teamwas desperately lacking experience. Guidedby the wisdom of seniors Dhiren Shetty andKen Toler, novice runners MatthewCunningham ’10, Asher Saperstein ’10 andtop runner Jake Bajada ’10 had an almostinstant impact in varsity races. Despite earlylosses to Fox Chapel and Penn Hills, theboys sprung back, easily defeating rivalschools Ford City, Kittanning and Yough.With a few victories under their belt, theteam was ready for stronger competition,participating in larger races such as theAltoona and Pittsburgh Central CatholicInvitationals. Although the team did not fin-ish strongly in either contest, the boys’ hardwork finally paid off in the FreedomInvitational, where they secured a com-mendable 8th place finish. Fueled by their

2007 Fall Sports Records

WinningVarsity Sports Win Loss Tie Percentage League StandingGirls’ Cross Country 8 3 0 73% 5th Place WPIALBoys’ Cross Country 4 7 0 36% 3rd Place Section 4Girls’ Golf 10 2 0 83% Section Runnerup,

6th Place WPIALBoys’ Golf 14 0 0 100% Section Champions,

6th Place WPIALGirls’ Soccer 7 13 0 35%Boys’ Soccer 22 3 0 88% Section Champions,

3rd Place WPIALFootball 9 1 0 90% Section Runnerup,

Final 8 in WPIALField Hockey 18 5 1 78% WPIAL Champions for

Four Consecutive YearsGirls’ Tennis 24 0 0 100% Section, WPIAL,

PIAA ChampionsTotals 116 34 1 73%

Junior Varsity and Freshman SportsField Hockey 4 4 0 50%Girls’ Tennis 5 2 1 71%Boys’ Soccer 1 6 6 14%Freshman Soccer 6 3 4 67%Girls’ Soccer 2 7 3 22%JV Golf 4 8 0 33%Sophmore Football 6 2 0 75%Totals 28 30 48%Season Totals 144 64 15 69%

Winter 2007–2008 41

SSA on the West CoastPresident Tom Southard, his wife Donna,Vice President for Development RickMunroe ’84, and Director of AlumniRelations Bob Grandizio, Sr. spent the weekof October 22 on the West Coast, visiting thecities of Seattle, San Francisco and LosAngeles. Their purpose was to hold alumnireceptions, spread the good news about SSAand engage and re-engage alumni. The well-attended receptions in absolutely beautiful

Alumni EVENTS

Dusty Nelson ’66, BobGrandizio, Sr., Sue AnnLatterman ’75, Ned Scheetz’83, member of Board ofVisitors and the host of the San Francisco Reception,Andy Mathieson ’74, memberof Board of Visitors

San Francisco — Academy President, Tom Southard and his wife Donna, with Matilee Johnsonand former Academy President, A. Emerson Johnson III.

San Francisco — John Chesley ’74 and hiswife Shelley.

San Francisco — Jim Foltz ’76 and Ann Warren with her husband, Sean Warren ’78, member ofBoard of Visitors


venues were the work and planning of ouralumni hosts, Mary Louise and Jay Conte’53 and Ann and Reg Koehler ’50 (SeattleTennis Club), Ann and Andy Mathieson ’74(Willie’s Cafe at the foot of Mt. Tamalpais inMarin County, CA), and Marc Wedner ’56(Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill in Bel Air).Many, many thanks go out to them.

As hoped, many alumni attended thesereceptions and saw a short video aboutSSA, listened to President Southard’s brief“State of the Academy” talk, asked ques-tions, and had a great time with otheralums from their respective areas. Pleasekeep in touch so you will know when oneof these receptions is coming to your area.

Los Angeles host, Marc Wedner ’56, Sally Horner, Mike Horner ’54 and Joe Safier ’68.

Los Angeles — Sloane Berrent ’97 andHeather J. Thomas ’89.

Los Angeles — Jennifer Wootton ’83, Margaret Craig-Chang, Gary Chang ’71 and Jeff Varardi ’66.

JOIN OUR SEMPER SOCIETY

TODAYand Leave a

Legacy for FutureGenerations

A Charitable Bequest is the easiest way tomake sure what you care about at theAcademy will be provided for in the future.Bequests leave you in control of your assetsand can provide valuable tax benefits toyour estate. You can provide a specific dol-lar amount, a percentage of your estate, orspecific assets to be given to Shady SideAcademy.

Retirement Plan Gifts such as an IndividualRetirement Account can shield those assetsfrom a substantial loss of value to incomeand estate taxes. If you are 701/2 or older,you can easily make an outright gift fromyour IRA up to $100,000 in the 2007 taxyear, free of tax obligations, to Shady SideAcademy under the new Pension ProtectionAct signed into law in 2006.

Charitable Remainder Trusts and otherincome-producing gifts such as CharitableGift Annuities and Pooled Income Fundsmake it possible to achieve the dual objec-tive of making a gift to Shady Side and sat-isfying a continuing need of income fromyour assets. Charitable Remainder Trustsare frequently used as tax-effective meansof providing retirement income, collegetuition for children or grandchildren, orcurrent cash for other planning objectives.

If you are interested in exploring the potentialof a life-income gift, bequests, or otherdeferred gifts as a new or existing member ofour Semper Society, get in touch with RickMunroe ’84, Vice President for Development,to request a no-obligation illustration of howthese gifts could work for you!

You can reach him at (412) 968-3044 [email protected]

“The most faithful and generous useof the gifts life has given us is to make,in our turn, a gift to the future,”

— ANONYMOUS

Winter 2007–2008 43

Alumni SoccerParticipants in the 2007 Alumni Soccer Game: Kneeling, from left: Dean DeLuca ’02, Ray Bernabei ’65, James Lee ’06, Ben Roth ’98, JakcO’Malley ’95, Rob Feguson ’92, Ned Nakles ’07, David Bytnar ’98, Dirk Bonessa ’02, Bill Ferguson ’96, Justin Choi ’06, Jon Fleishman ’02and Brook Swinston ’90. Standing, from left: Max Quinlan ’05, James Edson ’76, Rich Easler ’81, George Stewart ’81, Ian Cummings ’02,John Miller ’04, Steve Lee ’77, John Jackson ’73, David Egan ’74, Jeff Todd ’85, Scott Aiken ’79, Will Durkee ’01 and Sean Casey ’84.

Seattle — Wendy Munroe ’87 and George Brodmerkel ’83.

Hosts of the Seattle Alumni Reception, Reg Koehler ’50 and his wife, Ann with Jay Conte ’53and his wife, Mary Louise Conte.

Seattle — Erin Stahlfield ’76, Academy President, Tom Southard and Doug Ramsay ’75.

Seattle — Peter Scheetz ’79 and David Byrne ’79.


1776by David McCulloughRick MunroeVice President for Development

A Prayer for Owen Meanyby John IrvingKim VallejoJunior School Spanish Facultyand Susan ShortMiddle School Mathematics Faculty

A River Runs Through It and Other Storiesby Norman MacleanJeremy LaCasseHead of Senior School

A Thousand Splendid Sunsby Khaled HosseiniLisa AnselmoJunior School Second Grade Faculty

A World of His Own: In the Land of the Creolesby Arlette GaffreyYvonne PhillipsGeneral Manager: Metz Food Service

Angela’s Ashesby Frank McCourtMary ModoonoJunior School Second Grade Faculty

Atonementby Ian McEwanSherri HallgrenSenior School English Faculty

Become a Better Youby Joel OsteenNancy BlubaughSecretary, College Counseling

Bel Cantoby Ann PatchettPamela BramMiddle School Psychologist

Crime and Punishmentby Fyodor DostoyevskyTheresa CrisantiJunior School Fourth Grade Faculty

Cross Bonesby Kathy ReichsHeather FaniSenior School Science Faculty

Crossing to Safetyby Wallace StegnerJeff SuzikSenior School History Faculty

Dave Robicheaux Mysteriesby James Lee BurkePaula HillSenior School Enlish/Arts Faculty

East of Edenby John SteinbeckSarah HeltSenior School Secretary

Eat the Richby P.J. O’RourkeCarl WalzerMiddle School Social Studies Faculty

Gaudy Nightby Dorothy L. SayersLucy TurnerMiddle School English Faculty

Great Expectationsby Charles DickensLiz GarveySenior School English Faculty

Greater Expectations: Overcoming the Cultureof Indulgence in Our Homes and Schoolsby William DamonMa YanSenior School World Languages Faculty

Home: A Short History of an Ideaby Witold RybczynskiBeryl RosenbergSenior School World Languages Faculty

If It Ain’t Broke…Break It!: And OtherUnconventional Wisdom for a ChangingBusiness Worldby Robert J. Kriegel and Louis PalterBob ReilandSenior School Science Faculty

Life Doesn’t Frighten Meby Maya Angelou, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and SaraJane BoyersTerance ParhamMiddle School Social Studies Faculty

Love in the Time of Choleraby Gabriel Garcia MarquezVal Jean DeSantoHousekeeping Supervisor

Love Medicineby Louise ErdrichBuddy HendershotSenior School English Faculty

Man’s Search for Meaningby Viktor E. FranklKristin ScottAssociate Director of College Counseling

Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dogby John GroganScott AikenSenior School Art Faculty

No Angelby Penny VincenziMaggie DauerJunior School Director of Admission

Snow Day Reading List

Snow Day Reading List

“Anything by Jane Austen. Anything by John Steinbeck. Any cookbook with wonderful, complicated recipes and beautiful photographs that I will never make in my life. And a pile of glossy magazines that assure me that I can be5’10” with exotic cheekbones if I just try hard enough.”

— Martha Banwell, Middle School English Faculty

Faculty and Staff recommends their favorite books to readon a snowy winter day.

Winter 2007–2008 45

Pope Joanby Donna CrossAmy SzlachetkaAssistant Comptroller

Preyby Michael CrichtonLou Ann FravelMiddle School Mathematics Faculty

Pride and Prejudiceby Jane AustenAmy Mindlin Head of Middle School

Riding the Iron Rooster: By Train Through Chinaby Paul TherouxChristine HoltJunior School Art Faculty

Sense and Sensibilityby Jane AustenDiane MyersMiddle School Reading and Language Arts

Shadow of the Windby Carlos Ruiz ZafonAmy MickeyAssistant Director of Annual Giving

Shamans, Mystics, and Doctors: A Psychological Inquiry into India and its Healing Traditionsby Sudhir KakarCydra VauxJunior School Art Faculty

She’s Come Undoneby Wally LambAmy KimJunior School Kindergarten Faculty

Shutter Islandby Dennis LehaneTherese CostaSenior School Library Assistant

Strong Poisonby Dorothy L. SayersSuzanne BellesSenior School World Languages Faculty

The Alchemistby Paulo CoelhoMelanie ClausJunior School Pre-K Faculty

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clayby Michael ChabonPaul EjzakSenior School English FacultyandLauren GilchristPrograms Associate

The BibleGraham AshworthSenior School Mathematics Faculty

The Black Mountainby Rex StoutJohn CurryMiddle School Director of Studies

The Courage of their Convictionsby Peter IronsJohn SutulaSenior School Philosophy and Mathematics Faculty

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed Americaby Erik LarsonMarilyn MartensJunior School Kindergarten Faculty

The Emperor of Scentby Chandler BurrDavid LiebmannDirector of Programs

The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town Americaby Bill BrysonBob GrandizioDirector of Alumni Relations

The Marchby E.L. DoctorowDeb BellManager: Accounts Payable

The Notebookby Nicholas SparksDonna Ponzi Senior School Assistant to the Head of School

The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Mealsby Michael PollanBill DiehlSenior School Science Faculty

The Outlander Seriesby Diana GabaldonKate SchandlerDatabase Administratorand Elaine ForbesJunior School Psychologist

The Secret Life of Beesby Sue Monk KiddJennifer KellerJunior School First Grade Faculty

The Valley of Decisionby Marcia DavenportMary KraulandSenior School Mathematics Faculty

The Wind in the Willowsby Kenneth GrahameAudrey AshworthMiddle School Librarian

The World is Flat: A Brief History of theTwenty-first Centuryby Thomas FriedmanCheryl LittleHead of Junior School

Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission toPromote Peace…One School at a Timeby Greg Mortenson and David Oliver RelinTom SouthardPresident

Till We Have Facesby C. S. LewisRichard BeyerMiddle School English and Latin Faculty

Timelineby Michael CrichtonDiane CurryAcademic Records Manager

Trinityby Leon UrisKathy MaustellerSenior School Library Assistant

Wuthering Heightsby Emily BrontëTim VincentSenior School English Faculty

“I would have to spend at least 10 minutes with the Bible (I think you know the author). In reality I would rather curl up in front of the piano and play some Jazz.”

— Stan Nevola, Senior School Music Faculty


Included in this section are news itemsreceived through October 31, 2007.

■1940 We are looking for a Class Correspondentfor this year.

Ben Dangerfield writes: “My wife of 59years and I still enjoy traveling and our fourgreat children.”


Bryan Black is living at EvergreenRetirement Community in Cincinnati.Blackie has had a spell of bad health recent-ly, had surgery for an aortic aneurysm, andis on oxygen long term. He reports that heis not a happy camper. Peggy is well, andBlackie is back driving. Calls from GeorgeGilmore and his wife, Janet, buoyed theirspirits.

Ed Crump writes: “I have made every reunionon the even years, but somehow have trou-ble with those odd years. Eileen and I nowlive in Eugene, OR, a really nice place.”

Mac Gibbons writes from Fort Lauderdale:“Sally and I just returned from a four-weektour of Eastern Europe and will set off soonon a twelve-day swing through the South.Sorry, we couldn’t make the reunion."

From Bill Humphreys: “Well, I had hopedto, then planned to, then looked forwardto, then counted on attending our reunion.Alas, it was not possible. First of all, I havea wonderful significant other, whom I lovedeeply and who has just been a great com-panion to me for over a year. Her name isGeorgia Rea and, like me, she is a full timeFlorida resident. She has a pilot’s licenseand likes my airplane. What more can youask for? In addition, she’s a beautiful blue-eyed blond and far more worldly and intel-ligent than I. Well, anyway, she has becomeill and is on a new concentrated treatmentat the University of Miami, requiring her tobe there every two weeks. She depends onme to do the driving, and it hit right onreunion weekend. So far the treatment has

shown good results and we are optimistic.If you guys live right and drink lots ofIndian River Orange Juice, you’ll be therewith me in 2012.”

Bud McGrath and his wife, Dottie, havemoved from St. Simon’s Island, Georgia toa continuing care place near Jacksonville.

John Rea writes: “My wife and I are livingin the Hollenbeck Palms retirement home(oldest licensed home in California). She isdisabled and bedridden because of numer-ous surgeries (two on spinal column) andlives in the skilled nursing building. I amreasonably well and attended a large Reaclan family reunion in northern Michiganin June 2007 with three of my daughtersand three grandsons. Upon return I madeup a ballad about our ancestor MajorGeneral John Rea of Chambersburg, PAcommissioned July 4, 1814 to lead a divi-sion of troops from Cumberland &Franklin counties.”

Sandy Reed has had a bout with prostatecancer, from which he has finally recovered.However, the medication side-effects lefthim in pain for a year.

Dick Stackhouse says he has just turned 84and looks forward to our 70th reunion.Dick comments that he has trouble playingto his 1 handicap. He and Jean will cele-brate their 63rd anniversary, soon.


Joseph Steim writes: “Fifty-two years ofmarital bliss has rewarded Caroline and mewith our son, Joe (Harvard ’78, PhD ’86),his wife Dawn (Wheaton ’79) and our threeoutstanding granddaughters: Ella (Harvard’05), Anna (Harvard ’09) and Molly (asenior at Groton). We’re looking forwardto our 41 years at Brown University, whereI’m professor of Chemistry.”


Bruce Browne writes: “Grandson NickWalrath graduated from MIT with twodegrees and has entered the PhD Physicsprogram at the University of Colorado.”


Jim Richardson writes: “I retired from cor-porate life two years ago after a long careerin publishing, which included 20 years atFortune, and ended with my being VicePresident and Associate Publisher of ChiefExecutive. I now own Richardson Media,LLC, an independent publishers’ represen-tatives’ organization, and spend any freetime with my four grandchildren. Still havea daughter in college at Pitt, so I may workforever.”

■1962 Class Correspondent — Kirk Baird

Tom Benghauser reports that after 27 expatri-ate years (Germany, South Africa, the UK) heis back in the States and living in Denver. Heis COO of Enhanced Medical & InsuranceSystems (EMIS). See www.EMISTesting.com.

Jon Renthal writes that he has a CPA prac-tice (since 1991) and that he and his wife,Betty, still live in Alexandria, VA. He staysin contact with Louis Tarasi the old-fash-ioned way as Louis has no email. Soundskind of nice!

ClassNEWS

John Knepper writes: That isme drinking from the StanleyCup in August 2007. Thepourer is good friend and

Canada summer neighbor, Randy Carlyle,Head Coach of the 2007 Stanley CupChampions The Anaheim Ducks. Randyplayed for the Penguins in the early 80’sand won the Norris Trophy as the bestdefenseman in the NHL in 1981 whileplaying for the Pens.

1957

Winter 2007–2008 47

■1963 Class Correspondent — Thomas Oppenheimer

Terry Baugh writes from La Mesa, CA. Hehas been married to Marcy for 38 years,and their children, Mike and Ellen, andgrandchildren live within a few blocks ofthem in La Mesa. Mike teaches at Bishop’sSchool in La Jolla. Terry says that they seeLouise and Bob Staley often and that twoyears ago Sally and Pat Getty and Ann andErik Lieberman met them in Prague to attendtheir son Mike’s wedding.

Dave Hoffman reports that after college andlaw school, he arrived in Honolulu courtesyof the U.S. Coast Guard and spent 5 yearson active duty doing legal work, afterwhich he decided to stay in Honolulu andwork for 26 years as in-house counsel forPacific Resources, Inc., retiring four yearsago. He has two daughters, one born in1975 and now working in San Francisco,and the other born in 1979 and now pur-suing an M.A. in Asian Art at the Universityof Hawaii. Dave says that he now has golf,SCUBA diving, kayaking and swimming asfull time activities, except for the odd con-sulting job working on oil spill responseand Superfund site clean up.

Craig Kerins also stayed where he landedcourtesy of the military, in this caseAugusta, Georgia. He finished a residencyin orthopedics at Pitt in 1978, was sent toAugusta for two years of military service,went into private practice there in 1980,and has been there ever since. He has beenmarried for 36 years and has three daugh-ters. The oldest went to Kenyon, and theother two to Vanderbilt and Wake Forest.Craig writes that he visited Jane and JimRust this summer, that he and Jim remainavid Steelers fans, and they hope to meet inPittsburgh for a game this fall.

Jim Rust writes to say that he is still playingtennis, still enjoying being married to Jane,and still coordinating the school psycholo-gy graduate program at Middle TennesseeState University. He also reports that farm-ing has been tough this year because theyhave had virtually no rain and that the cowsare hungry and getting hungrier. In additionto Craig, Jim has also kept in touch withRoy Dorrance and Howie Foster.

■1966 Class Correspondent — Jeff Varadi

Chris Abernethy says: “We have been travel-ing a lot and visiting with friends and fami-ly lately. We are looking forward to ourdouble-header coming up inSeptember/October. We will be visiting withour son Pete and his wife Amy in Reno fora few days prior to joining all of you in LasVegas.”

John Harrison writes: “I’m leaving for theUK in the next couple of weeks to direct mynext film, an adaptation I wrote based onClive Barker’s short story, Book of Blood.Going back to my horror roots. I’m prettyexcited about the project. It’s a great haunt-ed house erotic thriller. Before I go, I’m fin-ishing work on a graphic novel calledMegas for Virgin Comics. Never done any-thing like this before, and it’s great fun, if abit challenging. The George Romero film Iwas Executive Producing last fall inCanada, Diary of the Dead, will premiereat the Toronto Film Fest in September. Weexpect it will be in theaters sometime in2008. My son, Ian, is off to Lehigh this falland my daughter, Sidney, starts high school.Fortunately, I have a great wife, Leslie, whoalways keeps everything together so I get totravel around the world acting like aHollywood director. (It’s a good thing mybest friends are still the ones from the’Burgh. I can’t get away with any bull.) I’ma very lucky guy to be making a living in thecrazy entertainment biz, especially withlabor strikes on the horizon. My best toeveryone in the class. GO STEELERS!”

Lance Labun tells us: “My son, Lance A.Labun, graduated from Dartmouth on June10, 2007. He graduated with honors and adouble major in mathematics and physics.His honors thesis is entitled: “StochasticResonance and Measurement Backaction inNonlinear Oscillators.” It has to do withchaos theory and resonance that can occurin noise. It is rather counter-intuitive, butthat is what it is about. I am a bit embar-rassed to say that I have not read it yet. Healso won a prize from the physics depart-ment. He will be attending graduate schoolin physics at the University of Arizona start-ing in August. Not much new with me, Icontinue to flounder along with my pianolessons. My squash game seems to be on aplateau, I am stuck in the bottom quartile ofour league.”

Rich LaMagna is: “…happy to be back onthe East Coast where I’ve had the opportu-nity to re-connect with SSA and my class-mates. Our 16 year old son, Daniel, isenjoying his third year at Georgetown Prepand our six year old, Rachel, continues tobe a joy and is in Kindergarten. Yun Wha,my wife, has her hands full with the kidsand her mother who lives with us. I leftMicrosoft and I enjoy my private consultingpractice. I especially like my assignmentconsulting for Microsoft working with theNational Center for Missing and ExploitedChildren.”

Jan Rovelli writes: “My son, Matthew, mar-ried Meghan Berger on August 4, 2007 atthe Inn at Castle Hill in Newport, RI.Matthew works as Managing Director ofEquity Capital Markets at Dahlman Rose,an investment bank specializing in thetransportation and energy market sectors;Meghan runs her own public relations busi-ness. The newlyweds honeymooned inSouth Africa. They are both Colgate alum-ni and live in the NoLita area of New YorkCity. My daughter, Meredith (anotherColgate alumnae!), was a bridesmaid, andmy wife, JoAnne, helped me give the groomaway. Jeff Varadi, our erstwhile ClassPresident & Alumni Secretary (and myroommate for three years at SSA) and hiswife, Laura, were our guests and a greatsupport system for our three day destina-tion wedding.”

Casey Wolff informs us that this summer aSouthwest Florida magazine recognizedhim as a “most sought-after attorney” inimmigration law in their article entitled“The Go-To Lawyers When Winning is aMust”.


Ralston Merchant reports: “As some of youknow I sold Aegis Realty Partners to RickDimidjian. Rick had been with me since thecompany was started nine years ago. I ampleased to announce I have joined Burnsand Scalo Real Estate services in a businessdevelopment and production capacity.”



Jon Saxton was featured in an article in theWayland Town Crier in August 2007. Atthe end of the summer, Jon went on aEuropean tour with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra as a member of the TanglewoodChorus. Jon began pursuing his musicalinterest around the time of his 49th birth-day when his wife gave him voice lessons ashis gift. Since April, Jon has also been study-ing cello with a teacher from the BostonConservatory.

■1976 Class Correspondent — Mike Vogan

Romy Albin writes: “I currently live inBirmingham, Alabama with my husband,Leon Dure, who is a professor of pediatricneurology at the University of Alabama atBirmingham School of Medicine. We havetwo children, Leon, 14 and Olivia, 12. I amemployed as an Assistant United StatesAttorney for the Northern District ofAlabama.”

Janet (Chesley) Devaney-Denton writes: “Iam a teacher and working on my masters inorder to move into administration. My old-est is starting her third year in college, mymiddle child is off to UGA in a couple ofweeks (Go Dawgs) and my youngest, andthe only boy, is going into middle school.”

Bahra McConnel Eddy writes: “My daughterand I visited Patty Van Horn last summer inFrance. I am an Emergency Room nurseand have three children, one of whom justgraduated from high school. My husbandworks for Costco. We live in NorthernCalifornia.”

Jim Foltz writes: “I have been living in theSan Francisco Bay area for the last eightyears with my wife and three teenage chil-dren. I am currently a VP at Safeway basedin Pleasanton, CA.”

Mary Helen (Joyce) Ryan writes: “I am sit-ting in Leesburg, VA visiting my brother asI write this on our way to Cape May, NJ tovisit my parents. In fact we are planning toall be there at Thanksgiving. My dad’shealth has not been the greatest the last cou-

ple of years so they are moving back toPittsburgh to be closer to my other brotherand myself. I am married with three chil-dren. My oldest is a senior so college is onthe horizon — (Conor, 17, Meg, 15 andPatrick, 14). They all attend Fox ChapelHigh School where I work in the Library.Our class was always my dad’s favoritefreshman football team.”

Lisa (Struk) Tourek writes: “I am inPittsburgh, working as a lawyer for theCommonwealth. I am also married to alawyer, and we celebrated 25 years of mar-riage in May. I have 2 boys who graduatedfrom Shady Side. One will be a junior atColby College in Maine, and the other will bea sophomore at Lafayette College. It keeps usbusy (and working to pay college tuitions!!).”ZFrom Lynn (Pitcher) Tracy: “My husbandJohn and I celebrated our 25th anniversarylast year. We live in Vermont with our fivechildren. Twin sons, 21, daughter, 20, son,19, daughter, 17. Three in college, one inthe Vermont Army Guard and one in highschool. No grandchildren. Not quite readyfor that jump yet.”

Mark G. Wholey writes: “We are currently inCharlotte, NC busy raising our boy (Colin,8) and girl (Caroline, 10) along with workand everything else.”


Andy Sayles, who teaches sixth-grade socialstudies at The Lovett School in Atlanta,GA, received the Dinos Middle SchoolMaster Teacher Award. The recipient ischosen from Lovett School middle schoolteachers and is based on superior classroomteaching skills, the ability to motivate stu-dents and a deep commitment to the teach-ing profession.

■1981 Class Correspondent — Catherine Vodrey

Carol Demmler Carty and her husbandMichael recently left behind the corporateworld of southern California. With theirthree sons-Tom, 5, Will, 3 and Sam, 3, theyrelocated just south of the Canadian borderto beautiful Sandpoint, ID (population6,853).

John Goldblum and his wife, Asmita, live inBeachwood, Ohio and have four children:Andrew, 15, Ryan, 13, Janavi, 10 andRaedan, 7. Andrew is starting goalie for theBeachwood High School soccer team. He ishoping to continue to play into college andlike his parents, is hoping to attend theUniversity of Michigan! Ryan and Raedanboth go to University School. Since Ryan isnow in high school, he will have the oppor-tunity to compete against SSA in soccer.Raedan has developed a love for baseball.Janavi goes to Hathaway Brown, an all-girls school. She loves swimming and com-petes for the Lake Erie Silver Dolphins.Asmita just completed the three-day, 60-mile breast cancer walk in Cleveland andwas in the top 1% of participants in termsof fundraising. She trained intensely forfour months, and needless to say, is intremendous shape. John is the Chairman ofAnatomic Pathology at the ClevelandClinic. The fifth edition of his textbook,Enzinger and Weiss’s Soft Tissue Tumors,was published in November 2007. It is thelargest-selling pathology textbook in theworld. The second edition of his other text-book, Surgical Pathology of theGastrointestinal Tract, Pancreas and Liver,will be published in July 2008.

Nancy Kim Hewlett and her husband,Charlie, have two children: Katharine(Rinnie) and Alex. Catherine’s son HenryKlein just entered SSA as a third-former andis roommates with Robert Stokes, son ofFraser Stokes ’80.

Gary Middleton was recently on theBroadway stage for a performance ofInherit the Wind (we all remember Gary inthe Clarence Darrow role at SSA senioryear). He and his partner, Matt Cullen, had“onstage” tickets as members of the jurywhile Christopher Plummer and BrianDennehy acted the main roles.

Andy Neimann writes: “I have three chil-dren-two boys, 14 and 12, and a girl who is9. My oldest will be attending LawrenceAcademy in Groton, MA as a ninth graderin the fall. Sometimes I wish we lived inPittsburgh so my children could attend SSA.I was so impressed by SSA during my visitin October 2006 for the 25th reunion. I hada chance to see some classes and an assem-bly. I can see that SSA is in great hands. Asfor me, I am working on 16 years withCorning, Inc. in the Life Sciences division. I

Winter 2007–2008 49

am responsible for marketing and e-busi-ness globally for the division. I coach littleleague baseball and have been very active inthe Boy Scouts with my boys. I would cer-tainly like to see any SSA classmates whohappen to be in the area.”

After sixteen years in Market Square, JamiePetrolias moved his restaurant to 3220 WestLiberty Avenue in the South Hills in 2004.Jamie graduated from both LehighUniversity and the Culinary Institute ofAmerica. www.Jamies3220.com is hisrestaurant’s web site. Jamie’s wife, Athena,is Director of Alternative Education for theAllegheny Intermediate Unit. Jamie writesthat they have two great boys: Johnny, 11and Anthony, 9. “The boys are into differ-ent sports and do very well in school(Washington Elementary and MellonMiddle School in Mount Lebanon). Theyare also really into Bruce Springsteen. Don’tknow where they get that from! Johnnyplays guitar and Anthony plays piano, celloand is taking up the saxophone this year.We’re trying to start our own E StreetBand!’

John Tadler married his college sweetheart,Mary, on July 28th. They live in Emsworth.


Mary Ellen Lederer writes: “I just finishedmy second Masters, a MAT in Spanishfrom Rutgers University. It was quite a chal-lenge but I learned so much from the expe-rience.”

■1984 Class Correspondent — Walter Jenkins

Leigh (Grandizio) Boyer and her husbandKen would like to announce the birth ofDillon Robert on February 27, 2007. Hejoins his siblings Sonny, 15, Cullen, 7,Emma, 6, Callie, 4, and Briana, 2 at homein O’Hara Township. Ken is a softwareengineer working on a Theology PhD atDuquesne, and Leigh is a homemaker.

Lloyd Fales writes: “Danny Fales would likeyou to know that he is now a big brother.Margaret Page Fales (a.k.a Greta) andTheodore Parsons Fales (a.k.a. Theo)

arrived into the world on June 12 at 4:22PM and 4:26 PM respectively. The twinsare at home, eating well and thriving.”

■1989 Class Correspondent — David Close

Eben Adams writes: “Ann and I wanted tolet you know that our son, Tatum JohnAdams, was born on Monday, July 9, 2007at 1:25 AM. Tate weighed in at 7 lbs. 14 oz.We are all doing well and really happy to behome.”

David Close writes: “My family and I madea quick weekend trip to Pittsburgh fromAtlanta in late September to visit my par-ents and hit the sights. We knocked out theScience Museum and the Zoo. But the high-light for my girls (Phoebe 4, Darby 2) wasriding the Duquesne Incline. It didn’t hurtthat the weather was spectacular. A greattown that Pittsburgh. We had the pleasureof running into both Eben Adams and Julie(Wolff) Rost while in town. Julie, her hus-band David and three children (Sloan,Maxwell, James) are all well. Julie is a real-tor with Prudential Preferred Realty.”

Wendy (Fruehauf) Fogg says she and herfamily are doing well in Orlando.

Jose Juves writes: “In the last three weeks,my family and I have moved to Switzerland(just outside of Zurich). Still working forBiogen Idec, and preparing for the adven-tures that will come from living here. Mywife is also expecting our second child (duein December), so lots of change.”

Amy (Hartmann) Martell reports: “I graduat-ed from law school (BU Law) in May. I’mnine months pregnant with my secondchild. Don’t know gender, only that it’s ababy. I will be parenting full time this fallthen getting back into legal work in thespring, practicing in special education lawand probate/family law. Lilja’s amazing —26 months old and no longer resembles ababy in any shape or form. She can’t wait tobe a big sister.”

Evan Rosenfeld is back in Pittsburgh afterhaving been in Portland. Evan sharessome sad news — his mom recentlypassed away. Thoughts and prayers toEvan and his family.

Maren (Jolliffe) Roush writes: “I’ve beenemployed with NSF International in AnnArbor since 1996. I’m currently working inthe engineering laboratory, but I’m trying toget back into the project management sideof things. My parents moved to the AnnArbor area shortly after I did. We have allbecome avid geocachers and roam theMichigan woods on the weekend with ourGPSs, searching for hidden treasures. Mybrother, Steven ’87, is chair of the Englishdepartment at The Linsly School and hastwo beautiful daughters and a lovely wife.In December 2006, I gave birth to my sec-ond son, Anders Eli Roush. My other son,James, started first grade this year. I can’tbelieve how fast he’s growing up. He stilllets me cuddle with him on occasion, but Iknow the day is coming when he’ll be “toocool” for that.”

Kim (Ayers) Shariff checked in from NYCwith some great news. From the officialpress release: “Kimberly Ayers Shariff hasbeen named Deputy General Counsel ofLincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.In her new position, Ms. Shariff will assist inmanaging all legal aspects of Lincoln Center,Inc.’s activities, including the Center’s rolesas one of the world’s largest presenters ofperforming arts programming, as a leadingarts-in-education institute and as managerof the 16.3 acre facility in Manhattan. Ms.Shariff comes to Lincoln Center from BlackEntertainment Television, LLC, where sheserved as Associate General Counsel. Sheoversaw the legal and business affairs forBET’s New York operations, providing sup-port for the production, digital media, cre-ative services, corporate communications,news, human resources, facilities andfinance departments. Her broad legal expe-rience of more than 10 years includes nego-tiating and documenting production andlicensing deals, reviewing marketing andadvertising materials and handling riskmanagements, intellectual property, tax andcorporate matters.”

Erica (Merkow) Strauss writes: “Noah ’21, myson, just started Pre-K at SSA. He is class-mates with several other children of alumsfrom our time at Shady Side, including JackTodd ’21, Selma Kamin ’21, Gabriela Jegasothy’21, and Alexander Biglan ’21. He loves it!”


■1989 continued

Heather Thomas continues to act and per-form comedy in L.A. One of her latest gigsincluded sharing the stage with Fishbone.

Treloar Tredennick writes: “I’m living inMorristown, New Jersey with my husbandBrad and our two sons Tristan, 2 and Avery,6 months. I just ended a ten year Frenchteaching career in private schools and earnedmy Ed.D in Education Administration fromTeachers College, Columbia University thispast May. I’m not sure when I’ll join thework force again, but I am enjoying stayingat home with my boys.”

Joe Wojdak emailed from New England.“My wife Sarah and I live in WestNewbury, MA. I moved to Massachusettsto attend Boston College and basicallynever left. We’ve got two great kids, Peter, 4and Jessica, 2. I have been working in salesfor Oracle since 2001. Sarah has the joy ofraising Peter and Jessica, a more than fulltime job.”

■1990 Class Correspondent — Mike Lee

Jim Berman was named Wal-Mart’sDelaware Teacher of the Year. Jim is a culi-nary arts teacher at Delcastle Technical HighSchool, near Newport Delaware. Along

with the honor, he received a $10,000 edu-cational grant from the Wal-MartFoundation, as well as an assortment ofother prizes. Jim is also eligible for thenational Wal-Mart Teacher of the Yearaward which will be announced this month.

Mi Lee Haisman writes: “Hello everybody! Ipassed my oral boards. Yay! I don’t think Ihad enough stress with changing practices,having twins and then taking the Boards sixweeks later…what should I tackle next?”

Kim (Moyer) Rigney writes: “Jackson will be2 in July and Chris and I are due with oursecond child in January. We’re still livingoutside of NYC and I’m still working forCooking Light Magazine.”

■1991 Class Correspondent — Eileen (Acosta) Nehira

Tanya (Torres) Wilson writes: “I’m living inPittsburgh. I married Joseph Wilson inDecember 2002, and I’ve been working forWest Penn Allegheny Health System for thelast four years. I’m a strategic planner intheir managed care and planning depart-ment. I had a son in July 2005, and today ishis second birthday actually. Things aregoing well, I really love it here. As for otherpeople from SSA, I see John Rummel ’90quite a bit, as he still lives in Pittsburgh too.He now goes by the name “Andy” if you

can believe that. Bindu Gutti is married andhas a daughter now, a beautiful little girlnamed Krishna. She and I try to get togeth-er whenever she has an extended breakfrom Med School. Raul Jocson and I still gettogether every now and then too when hecomes home from San Francisco. He’s ascreen writer and lives with his brotherVincent, but his parents are still in FoxChapel. Over Christmas, I had lunch withKen Ross, Matt Walker and Matt Twitchell,and their respective significant others/wives.I think Matt Twitchell is the only one still inPittsburgh, and everyone else has scatteredto the four winds. So I guess we’ve all goneand grown up. It’s funny how conversationswith these people over the years havechanged from college stories to storiesabout weddings, families and children. Ihope you’re all doing well.”


Rick Byerly writes: “I just moved back toPittsburgh in mid-June after nine months inMinnesota and just had my second photoshow opening in Garfield which went real-ly well. Website is www.uniquetake.com.”

Jessica (Hughes) Breedlove notes: “I amhappily married and living in SewickleyVillage. We have six children and I also runmy own art licensing business and spendwhatever free time I may have designingbaby bedding, gift products, stationary, fab-ric, etc.”

Mike Collins reports: “I am married, livingin New York and recently graduated fromFordham Business School in New YorkCity with an MBA in Accounting andFinance with honors. I left the high techindustry and will be starting a new job as afinancial advisor with Axa in September.”

Alissa (Shields) Good reports: “After livingin Leipzig, Germany for a year, Jeff and Iare now settled in Buffalo, NY. We just cel-ebrated our daughter Lilly’s 1st birthday onJuly 15, 2007.”

Jennifer Gress writes: “My husband and Ihave been living in London for 5 years. Wehave a daughter, Emily and a second on theway in November.”

Ben Engelhard and Liza Heilman-Houser of Dayton, PA were married on July 14in Dayton. In attendance were the following Shady Side alums from left: Tom Pohl,Adam Gurson, Ken Urish, Chris Marsico, Blair Urish ’00 and Liz Urish ’98.

1996

Winter 2007–2008 51

Thanya (Chinakarn) Lee reports: “My hus-band and I currently live in Henderson, NV— a suburb outside of Las Vegas. I’m tak-ing time off from being a pediatrician in pri-vate practice to be with my newborn son. Ifanyone is visiting Vegas and wants to meetup, please contact me!”

Erin (Mancuso) Smith writes: “My husbandMike and I live in Charlotte, NC. We’vebeen here a little over three years now sincefinishing our residencies and I now practiceEmergency Medicine. I must say, I am asouthern convert now. I love the heat anddo not miss the snowy Pittsburgh winters.We are looking forward to the birth of ourfirst child in January!”

■1995Class Correspondent — Aya Dawn Andrew-Jaja

Roland Criswell is the President and FuneralDirector of the Samuel E. Coston FuneralHome, which has been awarded theNational Funeral Directors Association’s(NFDA) Best of the Best Award. This pres-tigious recognition honors firms for theirdevelopment and execution of an innova-tive and creative program or service thathad a positive impact on the families orcommunities they served. Only eight funer-al homes in the country were awarded thishonor this year. Samuel E. Coston FuneralHome, Inc. is the first Pennsylvania firm toever receive this award.

■1996Class Correspondents — Anne (Mulock)Westbrook, Courtney (Chesin) Vadnais andLara Grandizio

Jessica (Young) Kolko and her husband Jonmoved from Savannah, GA to Austin, TXthis summer. Jon was teaching at theSavannah College of Art and Design(SCAD) and is now working for a designfirm in Austin, TX. Jess is training for amarathon and is applying to University ofTexas (Austin) for dietary science, nutritionetc. She will hopefully start in the spring.

Adam Kukic is engaged to wed Allison S.Hoge. They plan to marry overThanksgiving weekend in beautiful HeinzChapel in Oakland. They will be living inAspinwall. Check out Allison’s art gallery inLawrenceville: www.ashgalleries.com.


Patrick Herward writes: “The summer of2007 brings two great pieces of news. InJune, I proposed to my girlfriend AimeeMidei. We are now engaged to be marriedin July of 2008 in the Mayan Riviera.

Aimee is a PhD student at the University ofPittsburgh, working towards her doctoratein clinical psychology. In addition to myengagement, I completed my MBA at PointPark University in August.”

■1999Class Correspondent — Jessica Strelec

Joyce Fu is an in-house attorney for theNew York Mets. She is engaged to ChadMartin ’98, and the wedding will take placethis December in Pittsburgh! Joyce keeps intouch with several SSA alumni: AllieLowenstein, who currently works in privateequity at Goldman Sachs’ New York office;Dan Leers ’98, who works in the photogra-phy department at the MoMA; AndrewSeguin, who does communications for theChapin School in New York; and AndrewRoss ’98, who just made partner at his firm,First New York Securities.

Mike Parker sent his update from Phoenix,Arizona, where he works as a DistrictRepresentative for Nalco, a Fortune 500international water treatment chemicalcompany.

Joshua Farber and Julie Curtiss were married on July 14, 2007 at the DuquesneClub. Many Shady Side alums were in attendance. Front row, from left: JulieCurtiss, Josh Farber, Mia Farber ’01, Joyce Fu ’99, Mollie (Hanna) Lang ’99,Monica Coslow and Mary McKinney. Back row, from left: Alex Seed, Chad

Martin, Ben Roth and Andrew Ross. Missing from photo: James Ross ’70 and Bill

Follansbee ’65. Josh is also pleased to have begun work as an associate attorney at MeyerUnkovic & Scott LLP specializing in real estate, banking and corporate law. Josh has enjoyedmeeting the Shady Side alumni at his new firm and looks forward to seeing the Class of 1998next year at our reunion.

1998

Josh Feira and his wifeVirginia had their first childon August 28, 2007. LittleCatherine Rose is happy andhealthy.

1996


■2003We are looking for a Class Correspondentfor this year.

Matthew McKeown was named a 2007-2008 Astronaut Scholar by the AstronautScholarship Foundation, established bythe six surviving members of the originalMercury Seven astronauts. This scholar-ship is given to one student from each ofthe participating engineering schools. A2007 graduate of University of Michigan,he will return to Ann Arbor to finish amasters degree in Aerospace Engineering.He is currently doing a summer internshipat NASA JPL in Pasadena, CA, working inthe propulsion group on the Mars ScienceLaboratory project. As an undergraduatehe was the recipient of a Class of ’31Engineering merit scholarship, a MichiganSpace Grant Fellowship and was a JamesB. Angell Scholar. In his spare time heplays on the Michigan club tennis team,which placed third in the 2006 nationaltournament.

Joe Ulerich will begin graduate studies inmechanical engineering this fall atStanford University with a StanfordFellowship. He graduated with highesthonors from Princeton University this yearand was awarded the Sau-Hai Lam ’58Prize for being the student having the high-est GPA in mechanical and aerospace engi-neering. His thesis proposal won the JohnMarshall Memorial Prize. He also wasawarded the PRISM Newport Award ofExcellence from Princeton’s School ofEngineering for his senior thesis.

■2004 Class Correspondent — Missy Fleck

William King is currently working as a2007 U.S. Department of Labor SummerIntern in Washington D.C. In the Fall of2006, William served as an intern with theHonorable Arlen Spector and the U.S.Senate Judiciary Committee. William is asenior at Holy Cross College and willapply to law school in the fall.

■2005 Class Correspondent — Noelle DiGioia

Mallory Falk and Adam Levine wrote a musi-cal comedy, Certified Organic Musical,which premiered at Middlebury College inOctober. The show centers around a groupof college students during a growing envi-ronmental movement on campus. Mallory’switty lyrics and Adam’s catchy tunes madefor a certified good time.

Dylan Guyer reports: “I worked in Houstonthis summer as a Mechanical EngineeringIntern for a French company called AirLiquide (their main business is AirSeparation Plants). I joined a club swimteam over the summer and am now swim-ming as a “rabbit” with our D1 women’steam at Rice (yes! 19:1 girl to guy ratio).Unfortunately, 6 AM practices every morn-ing limit my social life, but I try to have funwhen I can. I am running the HoustonMarathon in January and am training foran Iron Man in the spring. I am currentlysearching for an engineering/consulting jobin Pittsburgh over the summer, and I hopethe rest of you will be in town with me.”

Jenna McMahon writes: “After graduatingin 2005, I began attending university inWashington DC at The Catholic University.I spent my freshman year interning atDemocrats for Life, a democratic pro-lifegrassroots lobbying group based out ofWashington DC. The following year I cam-paigned all across the country through theDemocratic National Committee for bothSenatorial and Congressional races. Mostrecently, I spent the summer in Londonworking in Parliament for a Member ofParliament for Wales at WestminsterPalace. I am now currently interning atSenator Bob Casey’s (D-PA) office onCapitol Hill and living in a townhouse inGeorgetown. In the spring, I will be study-ing in Europe, living in Rome and doingsome extensive travel around the world.(My exchange program at Shady Sideinspired me to learn Italian, which I have,and return to Italy!) I love living inWashington, DC and being amidst otherpolitical persons. Working in governmenthas exposed me to some of the most inter-esting and influential people in the world.Walking past Tony Blair on the way tolunch in London and sharing an elevatorwith Hilary Clinton in DC make for surre-

Laryn Kovalik is playing midfield on the women’s soccer team at DennisonUniversity. Laryn had her own cheering section when her team was in town toplay Carnegie Mellon. In attendance from left: Laryn’s mother, Rosemary Kovalik,Senior School faculty members Scott Aiken ’79, John Sutula, Mary Beth Gray

and Sue Whitney with her daughter Weezie.

2004

al workplace conversations. Feel free to callme up if you are in DC for a tour of theCapital Building!”

Benny Shaffer writes: “I spent the summerin New York living in Harlem and interningfor an NGO downtown called HumanRights in China. I also started working at aradio station, WKCR 89.9 FM, where Ihosted a Jazz show every few weeks. I’ll beaway from Columbia this fall in southwestChina for the semester, practicing myChinese and learning about the issues ofethnic minorities in the region. I’m alsoplanning to do some research on historicalmemory of the 1960s in China. I really missSSA, especially being in Croft with all of myhomies. If anyone is interested in joiningBernie and I on a journey across the coun-try this winter break, get in touch. It couldbe outrageous!”

Alistair Spatz writes: “I traveled to Londonin late May to visit my sister and my babynephew who was born in March, and I wasalso fortunate enough to see some amazingtheatre (including a play called Equus star-ring Daniel Radcliffe from the Harry Pottermovies). I got back to the U.S. in early Juneand immediately started a job as Box OfficeManager at a small summer stock theatercalled the New London Barn Playhouse inNew London, New Hampshire. I also hada small part in the play Amadeus which wasproduced at the same theater towards theend of the summer. Now I’m off toSkidmore to start my junior year.”

CALL TO ALL CLASSCORRESPONDENTS!

We have launched a new ClassCorrespondent program in an effort to keep allof you connected with your classmatesthrough news published in the magazine. Themagazine is published three times a year andClass Correspondent(s) will work with theAlumni and Development Office staff to col-lect news and updated information via email,snail mail, or phone prior to the deadline. TheClass Correspondent(s) for each class willalso help disseminate information from theAcademy to the class for reunion planning orother event planning. If you have been anactive class agent and would like to do bothroles simultaneously, you are encouraged todo so; many of you already do both and wewould like to recognize you! If you are inter-ested, please contact, Bob Grandizio, Sr. [email protected]

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DECEMBER 1, 2007 THROUGH JANUARY 15, 2008


IN MEMORIAM

Alumni

Cary Campbell ’56Henry Jackson Sargent Cheever ’69Robert Earl Henderson ’42James Palmer Jacob ’43Herbert Charles Mansmann Jr. ’42Allan McClain ’59Thomas Nimick, Jr. ’41Reverend C. Bradley Watkins ’31

Family, Friends and

Former Faculty Members

William P. Durkee IV, father of Will ’01 andMusetta ’02.

Mark D. Hagerman, Middle School facultymember from 1958 to 1970 where he wasHead of the English Department andAssistant Headmaster under David A.Mancosh. He is survived by his wife, JeanFord Hagerman, who was the Shady SideAcademy school nurse in the 1950’s and adaughter, Dorothy Hagerman.

Madeline Oppenheimer Half, mother ofFred Half ’62 and Chuck Half ’65.

Virginia Hamilton, mother of ThomasHamilton ’58.

E. Donald Ladov, father of Chad Ladov ’95and Anne Ladov ’99.

Ann P. Leibrick, Senior School faculty mem-ber and administrator. She served as Deanof Faculty for 17 years at Shady SideAcademy from 1973 until 1990. Her son,John, graduated from Shady SideAcademy in 1978 and her son Kennethattended Shady Side Academy for severalyears.

Edgar McKean, Jr., father of Edgar III ’65and Brad ’68, grandfather of Fraser(McKean) Habermeyer ’99.

Veronica Yaken, mother of Junior SchoolCustodian, Joe Yaken.

Cary Campbell ’56

Cary Campbell, of Bradfordwoods, PA,died Thursday, October 11, 2007, on his70th birthday, after a short battle with can-cer. He was the son of the late Alice ArndCampbell and Edmund Mudge Campbell,the brother of Carol Swinston of Aspinwalland uncle of Brook Swinston and his wifeDaisy of Point Breeze. He is survived by hiswife Holly, his daughter Susan Campbell,his son Jed, daughter-in-law Kirsten andtwo grandsons Connor and Dylan ofPhiladelphia. Cary grew up in the SchenleyFarms area of Oakland and was a lifetimemember of the PAA. He graduated fromShady Side Academy, and Penn StateUniversity where he was a member ofSigma Alpha Epsilon. A graduate also ofthe Stonier School of Banking at RutgersUniversity, Cary spent most of his manage-ment career in the service of Mellon Bank.In his retirement, he developed a deep affec-tion for the natural surroundings of his vil-lage in Bradfordwoods and for his neigh-bors. He was a kind of conservator of itsponds and woods and wildlife, as well astreasurer of the Homeowners Association.Every Friday, he answered phones forChrist Church at Grove Farm, and was oneof its founding members.[Information excerpted from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Henry Jackson Sargent

Cheever ’69

Henry “Harry” Jackson Sargent Cheever ofRiverside, CT, formerly of Shadyside, died onAugust 18, 2007, while on vacation inMassachusetts. Born and raised in Pittsburgh,Mr. Cheever was the son of the late Dr. F.Sargent and Julia Martin Cheever. Dr.Cheever was the former vice chancellor forthe Health Professions at the University ofPittsburgh. Mr. Cheever attended Shady SideAcademy before enrolling at Groton School,Harvard College and the Harvard BusinessSchool. After earning his MBA at Harvard,he began his banking career at ManufacturersHanover Trust in New York City, but soonmoved to Chemical Bank, also in New York

City. He retired from JP Morgan in 2006. Mr.Cheever attended St. Paul’s Episcopal Churchin Riverside, where he served as a vestryman.He also served on the Greenwich, CT UnitedWay Appropriations Committee and had alifelong interest in the Juvenile DiabetesAssociation. He is survived by his wife,Margaret Sproul Cheever; two children,David Archibald Cheever and HannahMargaret Cheever; two brothers, GeorgeMartin Cheever, of Pittsburgh, and FrancisSargent Cheever Jr., of Washington, D.C.;and a sister, Julia Cheever Altshuler, of SanFrancisco. [Information excerpted from the Pittsburgh Tribune Review]

Robert Earl Henderson ’42

Dr. Robert Earl Henderson died on July 31,2007. He was the son of the late Dr. Earl F.and Jean Henderson. Dr. Hendersonattended New Castle High School andShady Side Academy in Pittsburgh. Heattended Haverford College in Philadelphiabefore joining the Navy in 1943. Hereturned to Haverford College in 1946 aftercompleting his tour of duty and graduatedin 1948. He continued his education at theUniversity of Pennsylvania School ofMedicine graduating in 1952. He then wenton to his surgical internship at GeisingerMemorial Hospital in Danville, PA. Dr.Henderson then moved to Rochester toaccept a General Surgery Fellowship at theMayo Clinic, where he met and marriedHelen Joan Griffin in 1954. They had fivechildren. He returned to New Castle in1958 after completing his fellowship andjoined his father in private, general surgerypractice. He was on the staff at bothJameson and the former St. Francis hospi-tals until his retirement in 1989. Dr.Henderson was a member of the HighlandPresbyterian Church, and a member andpast president of the Lions Club. Survivorsinclude one sister, Carol Laude ofNorthville, MI; his children, Mary KayTaylor and son-in-law Darryl Garvin ofCharleston, SC; Deborah J. Henderson ofCharleston, Earl F. Henderson and daugh-

The Academy expresses deepest sympathy to the families of the following Shady Side Academy alumni and friends. Although we and contributions to the Shady Side Academy community during their lives. These listings are current through October 26, 2007.

Winter 2007–2008 55

ter-in-law Cathy Watson of Boulder, CO;Susan R. Caparoula and son-in-law RonaldCaparoula of New Castle, and William G.Henderson and daughter-in-law SandraHenderson of Butler; and his nine grand-children, Dawn K. Garvin, Michelle S.Caparoula, Jessica L. Lahr, Robert E.Taylor, Griffin A. Henderson, Colin G.Henderson, Cynthia R. Caparoula, AndrewP. Caparoula and Myles G. Henderson. Hewas preceded in death by his parents as wellas his brother, John F. Henderson and hissister, Mary Ellen Sotus. [Information excerpted from the New Castle News]

James Palmer Jacob ’43

James Palmer Jacob, educator on three con-tinents and former admissions director forthe Collegiate School, died early Saturday,April 21 in his home surrounded by hisfamily. He was 82 years old. Born April 12,1925, Jim was the son of Helen Palmer andWilliam Paull Jacob. Raised in Wellsburg,West Virginia, he attended Shady SideAcademy and graduated in 1943. Draftedat the age of 18, Jim was initially enrolled inthe Army Study Training Program beforebeing deployed to the European theatre.Following the war, Jim returned to theUnited States and enrolled in 1946 atHarvard University where he studied chem-istry before changing course and ultimatelygraduating with a degree in English in1950. After a brief stint as a newspaperreporter, Jim was hired in 1953 by Dr.Joseph Kidd to teach mathematics andEnglish at St. Luke’s School in NewCanaan, CT. In 1965, Mr. Jacob becameActing Headmaster and later, Headmasterof St. Luke’s until 1970. Fulfilling an earlypromise to show his wife the world, Mr.Jacob moved wife and family of four toTorino, Italy where he served asHeadmaster of the International School.After two years, the Jacob family movedagain, this time to Venezuela, where Mr.Jacob served as Headmaster of the ColegioInternacional de Caracas until 1974. In1974, Mr. Jacob began his long association

with the Collegiate School. He was Head ofthe Middle School until 1978 when hebecame Director of Admissions, a positionhe held until his retirement in 1986. A greatadmirer of Rudolph Steiner and OwenBarfield, Mr. Jacob was an active memberof New York’s Anthroposophical Society.His studies continued into his retirement,and in 1996 Mr. Jacob was awarded aPh.D. from Columbia University for histhesis, “An Astounding Unity.” Mr. Jacob issurvived by his wife, Mary Louise, his chil-dren, Abigail Miller, John Jacob, Bill Jacoband Sarah Beyrich, his sister Betsy Zukoskiand grandchildren, Sarah, Chelsea, Breck,Acadia and Henry.[Information received from family]

Herbert Charles Mansmann Jr. ’42

Herbert Charles Mansmann Jr. died Sept. 4,2007. He was born April 11, 1924, inPittsburgh, PA, the son of Herbert Charlesand Aletha (Taylor) Mansmann Sr. He methis wife-to-be, Margaret Miller in 1943, atthe age of 20 and married her in August1947. He then went off to serve his countryin the U.S. Army infantry during WorldWar II in the European theater, where hewas injured during the Battle of the Bulge.Margaret wrote to him every day. Uponreturning home, he looked beyond hisobsession with football and went on tograduate from the Jefferson MedicalCollege in Philadelphia, PA, in 1951. As aphysician, he went on to teach and becomethe director of the Division of Allergy andImmunology at the Jefferson MedicalCollege. He was also the medical director ofthe Children’s Heart Hospital inPennsylvania for five years, and the execu-tive secretary of the Board of A & I for 25years. He and his wife retired to live in theirbeloved camp on Dodge Pond in Rangeley,ME where the whole family has been com-ing for many years to enjoy hunting, fishingand skiing. Since retiring, he had been doingresearch on magnesium and was currentlyworking on putting this research into abook. Survivors include his wife of 60years, Margaret; a daughter, Margaret

Karen Mosakowski, and her husband,Robert, of Florida; five sons, Herbert C.Mansmann III, and his wife, Cindy, KevinA. Mansmann, M.D., and his wife, Danise,both of Philadelphia, Paris Mansmann,M.D., and his wife, Leslie, of NorthYarmouth, Ian Mansmann, and his wife,Sally, of Philadelphia and John J.Mansmann, and his wife, Andrea, ofProvidence, RI; 13 grandchildren, Sean,and his wife, Erica, David, and his wife,Mary, Allison, Erin, Robert, Paris, Katrina,Maureen, Timothy, Ryan, Ben, Taylor andLilly; one great-grandchild, Grace MeaMosakowski; a sister, Elizabeth Hogan ofMaryland; and many nieces, nephews andcousins. He was predeceased by a brother,John T. Mansmann. [Information excerpted from the The Original Irregular]

Allan McClain ’59

Allan McClain died on Thursday, September6, 2007. He was born April 28, 1942 inPittsburgh, PA and was the only child of thelate James and Dorothy Beegle McClain. Mr.McClain graduated from PrincetonUniversity in 1963 with an A.B. degree inEnglish Literature and a certificate in theSpecial Program in the Humanities. From1963 to 1967 he served as an officer in theUnited States Navy, being separated from theservice as a Lieutenant U.S.N.R. in 1967after having seen combat duty in Vietnamaboard the U.S.S. Fletcher (DD-445).

From 1967 to 1970 he attended theUniversity of Pittsburgh Law School andreceived a J.D. degree in 1970. In 1969 and1970, he served as law clerk for JusticeThomas W. Pomeroy, Jr. of the SupremeCourt of the Commonwealth ofPennsylvania. Between 1970 and 1972, hewas an associate in the law firm ofKirkpatrick Lockhart Johnson andHutcheson in Pittsburgh. In 1972, Mr.McClain moved to Martinsville, VA afterbeing elected Assistant Secretary ofSouthwestern Virginia Gas Company andits affiliates. In 1974, he was promoted toVice President — Operations and Manager

are unable to include remembrances of all, we sincerely value their special involvement in

IN MEMORIAM

of Southwestern Virginia Gas Companyand affiliates. In 1978, he was electedExecutive Vice President of SouthwesternVirginia Gas Company and affiliates. In1979, he was elected President and ChiefExecutive Office of Southwestern VirginiaGas Company and affiliates and served inthat position for twenty-four years when heretired as President and CEO and was elect-ed Chairman of the Board. Mr. McClainhas been very active in the affairs of thecommunity having served as President ofthe United Fund and the Chamber ofCommerce. From 1981 to 1983, he waspresident of the Virginia LP GasAssociation. He was also a trustee of theCarlisle School. In May of 1986, Mr.McClain was elected to a four-year term onthe City Council of Martinsville. During hissecond term on Council he was electedMayor of the City, a position he held forfours years. Mr. McClain has served as avestryman and as chairman of the layread-ers of Christ Episcopal Church where heand his family are members. In 2001, Mr.McClain was appointed a Director of theVirginia Propane Gas Association for a fulltwo-year term and received the President’sAward from the Association in 2006. He issurvived by his wife, Charlotte RiemanWilliams McClain of Martinsville; a sonand daughter-in-law, James McClain, II andAnna McClain of Martinsville; two broth-ers-in-law, Charles T. William, III andDavid Williams, both of Baltimore. [Information excerpted from the Roanoke Times]

Thomas Nimick, Jr. ’41

Thomas Nimick of Squirrel Hill andLigonier, died of cancer October 4, 2007 atUPMC Shadyside. Devoted to his family,the community and his church, Mr. Nimickhad interests that ranged from ShadysideHospital, now UPMC Shadyside, to cancerresearch and the environment. Mr. Nimickwas born at Shadyside Hospital, the son ofThomas Nimick and Genevieve MurtlandNimick. He was a descendant of ThomasMarshall Howe, who served in the U.S.

House and was chairman of an AlleghenyCounty committee that recruited Union sol-diers during the Civil War. Mr. Nimickattended Shady Side Academy, then St.Paul’s School in Concord, N.H., graduatingin 1941. He served in the U.S. Navy from1943 to 1946, graduated from PrincetonUniversity in 1948 and received a master’sdegree in business administration from theHarvard Business School in 1950. In the1950s, Mr. Nimick worked for H.J. HeinzCo. and the Shenango Furnace Co. He laterfounded Norbatrol Electronics Corp. andTyra Industries Inc., companies he eventual-ly sold. For much of his life, he also waspresident of Nimick Co., a venture capitalfirm. Mr. Nimick was a longtime trustee ofShadyside Hospital and also served onmany hospital committees. He served as afounder, director and vice president of theShadyside Hospital Foundation and formany years was on the board and the exec-utive committee of the Children’s Instituteof Pittsburgh and the advisory council ofthe University of Pittsburgh CancerInstitute. Mr. Nimick also served on theexecutive committee of the East LibertyFamily Health Center and on various com-mittees for the Carnegie Museum ofNatural History. Mr. Nimick’s first wife,Florence, died in 1981. In her memory, heprovided funds to establish the FlorenceLockhart Nimick Nature Center atPowdermill Nature Reserve in Rector. Healso founded the Nimick ForbeswayFoundation, which supports higher educa-tion, health and environmental causes. Healso was a director emeritus and formercommittee chair for the LoyalhannaWatershed Association and a longtimemember of the Pennsylvania EnvironmentalCouncil. A supporter of Republican candi-dates, Mr. Nimick had been a campaignmanager and finance chairman for formerSen. Hugh Scott, his wife said. He also sup-ported the campaigns of former SenatorsRick Santorum and Alan Simpson and for-mer Governors Bill Scranton and DickThornburgh. He was very patriotic andinsisted on displaying the American flagevery day. Besides his wife, Dr. Theresa L.

Whiteside, a professor at the University ofPittsburgh School of Medicine, survivorsinclude son Charles L. Nimick of GreatFalls, VA; daughters Cathleen Carrasco ofAspinwall and Victoria Enright ofMadison, WI; stepson George Whiteside IIIof Cambridge, MA; six grandchildren andone step-grandchild.[Information excerpted from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Reverend C. Bradley Watkins ’31

Reverend C. Bradley “Brad” Watkins diedpeacefully on September 20, 2007, two daysbefore his 93rd birthday. Brad was a graduateof Haverford College and Pittsburgh – XeniaSeminary (now Pittsburgh TheologicalSeminary) and Princeton TheologicalSeminary. Ordained by the UnitedPresbyterian Church, he served as pastor ofBethel United Presbyterian Church in EnonValley, PA (1939 –1942) and the UnitedPresbyterian Church in Valencia, PA (1942–1943). He requested an overseas assignmentand was subsequently sent to the mission inEgypt where he served faithfully from 1944to 1967 as a chaplain, consultant to pastorson the Coptic Evangelical church, teacherand administrator for the School forMissionary Children (now Schutz School).Together with his wife, the former MarthaSims, whom he married in 1939, Brad pro-vided support and guidance to countless oth-ers associated with the mission in Egypt.Following this assignment he worked withthe American Bible Society in the translationsdepartment (1968 –1976) before acceptinghis final pastorate at the First UnitedPresbyterian Church in Chester, WV (1976–1980). In 1999 Westminster College award-ed him an honorary Doctor of Divinity. He ispreceded in death by his wife Martha andsurvived by four loving children, Charles ofPittsburgh, PA, Franklin of Columbus, OH,Virginia of Somers, CT and Marilyn ofRichmond, IN as well as six grandchildrenand seven great grandchildren.[Information excerpted from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]


Date and Time Event Location

December 22 - January 6 Winter Break All Three Schools

January 1 New Year's Day - Academy Closed All Three Schools

January 5, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Family Skate Roy McKnight Hockey Center

January 7 Faculty-in-Service Day - No Classes at JS, MS, SS All Three Schools

January 12, 8:00 AM Admissions Testing Day (Grades 6 - 8 Middle School

January 12, 8:00 AM Admissions Testing Day (Grades 9 - 12) Senior School

January 12, 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Screening Junior School

January 12, 9:00 AM Middle School Program for Prospective Parents Middle School

January 12, 9:00 AM Senior School Program for Prospective Parents Senior School


January 14, 9:00 AM Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Screening (No Classes for Killino/Martens) Junior School

January 15 Mr. Sauer's Fifth Grade Class Visits Middle School Junior/Middle Schools

January 16 Mrs. Suhody's Fifth Grade Class Visits Middle School Junior/Middle Schools

January 18, 9:00 AM Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Screening (No Classes for Brozek/Kim) Junior School


January 21 Martin Luther King Day - Academy Closed All Three Schools

January 23, 8:30 AM Parent Coffee with Junior School Head Junior School

January 23, 7:00 PM Form II Parent Open House Senior School

January 23, 7:30 PM Instrumental Concert Richard E. Rauh Theater in The Hillman Center for Performing Arts

January 24 Blood Drive Senior School

January 24, 9:00 AM Pre-Kindergarten Screening (No Classes for Pre-K Students Only) Junior School

January 24, 1:45 PM Gateway to the Arts "Attack Theatre" Junior School

January 25, 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM Pittsburgh Camp Expo 2008 Senior School Curry Gymnasium

January 25, 7:30 PM Hillman Performing Arts Series Presents "Ira Ross and Friends" Richard E. Rauh Theater in The Hillman Center for Performing Arts

January 26, 9:00 AM Pre-Kindergarten Screening and Testing Grades 1 - 5 Junior School

January 26, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Pittsburgh Camp Expo 2008 Senior School Curry Gymnasium


January 27, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Pittsburgh Camp Expo 2008 Beth Shalom Congregation in Squirrel Hill

January 30, 7:30 PM Choral/Strings Concert Richard E. Rauh Theater in The Hillman Center for Performing Arts

January 31, 8:00 AM Middle School Open House for Current Parents Middle School

February 2, 8:00 AM Admissions Testing Day (Grades 6 - 8 Middle School

February 2, 8:00 AM Admissions Testing Day (Grades 9 - 12) Senior School

February 2, 9:00 AM Admissions Testing Day (Grades 1 - 5) Junior School

February 2, 9:00 AM Middle School Program for Prospective Parents Middle School

February 2, 9:00 AM Senior School Program for Prospective Parents (Tentative) Senior School

February 2, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Family Skate Roy McKnight Hockey Center

February 4 - 8 Diversity Week All Three Schools

February 7, 2:00 PM Middle School Speech Contest Finals - Formal Dress Day for MS Students The Hillman Center for Performing Arts

February 8 Evaluation Day at Junior School - No Classes for JS Students Only Junior School

February 8, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Form I & II Dance Middle School Cafetorium

Winter 2007–2008 57

Important Dates to RememberImportant Dates to Remember


Important Dates to RememberImportant Dates to RememberDate and Time Event Location

February 9, 3:00 PM - 5:00 Family Skate Roy McKnight Hockey Center

February 13, 7:00 PM Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Acceptance Reception for Parents Junior School

February 14, 7:30 PM SSA Dating Game - Sponsored by Student Council TBA

February 15, 7:30 PM Hillman Performing Arts Series Presents "Samite of Uganda" Richard E. Rauh Theater in The Hillman Center for Performing Arts

February 16, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Family Skate - LAST SKATE OF THE YEAR Roy McKnight Hockey Center

February 18 Presidents' Day - Academy Closed All Three Schools

February 19, 9:15 AM Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Acceptance Reception for Students Junior School

February 22 Evaluation Day at Middle and Senior Schools - Middle and Senior SchoolsNo Classes for MS or SS Students Only (JS Regular Schedule)

February 22, 8:00 AM Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Conference (Classes in Session) Junior School

February 25, 8:00 AM First Grade Conferences (Classes in Session) Junior School

February 26, 8:00 AM Second Grade Conferences (Classes in Session) Junior School

February 27, 8:00 AM Third Grade Conferences (Classes in Session) Junior School

February 27, 2:05 PM Athletic Award Ceremony Richard E. Rauh Theater in The Hillman Center for Performing Arts

February 28, 8:00 AM Fourth Grade Conferences (Classes in Session) Junior School

February 28, 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM Middle School Winter Musical Performance for Students Only - Middle SchoolFormal Dress Day for MS Students

February 29, 8:00 AM Fifth Grade Conferences (Classes in Session) Junior School

February 29, 7:30 PM Middle School Winter Musical Performance for Parents and Guests Middle School

March 1, 7:30 PM Clipper Dance Gateway Clipper Fleet at Station Square

March 3 Spring Athletics Begin Middle and Senior Schools

March 3, 8:00 AM Fifth Grade Conferences (Classes in Session) Junior School

March 7, 8, and 9, 7:30 PM Gargoyle Musical Production Richard E. Rauh Theater in The Hillman Center for Performing Arts

March 11, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Grades 1 - 5 Acceptance Reception Junior School

March 11, 7:00 PM Middle School Acceptance Reception Middle School

March 12, 6:00 PM Senior School Acceptance Reception and Curriculum Night Senior School

March 14, 8:00 AM Grandparents' Day and Lynne Voelp Reed Day Junior School

March 14 - March 30 Spring Break - No Classes for JS, MS, SS Students All Three Schools

March 31 Faculty-in-Service Day - No Classes for JS, MS, SS Students All Three Schools

April 3, 7:30 PM Hillman Performing Arts Series Presents "Flamenco Sepharad" Richard E. Rauh Theater in The Hillman Center for Performing Arts

April 8, 9:00 AM Junior School Open House for Prospective Parents Junior School

April 10, 8:00 AM Grandparents' Day - Formal Dress Day for MS Students Middle School

April 16, 9:50 AM Cum Laude Assembly Richard E. Rauh Theater in The Hillman Center for Performing Arts

April 24, 8:00 AM Blood Drive Senior School

April 30, 7:00 PM Middle School Open House for Prospective Parents Middle School

April 30, 8:00 PM Instrumental Honors Concert Richard E. Rauh Theater in The Hillman Center for Performing Arts

May 3, 8:00 AM SAT Testing Senior School

May 3, 11:00 AM Senior School Open House for Prospective Parents Senior School

May 3, 5:00 PM GALA TBA

Shady Side Academy423 Fox Chapel RoadPittsburgh, PA 15238www.shadysideacademy.org

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A Time of Beginnings - Shady Side Academy

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