Education Spotlight
Shady Side Academy: Delivering an Exceptional Education, In Person or Remotely This year, in the face of a global pandemic, schools faced an unprecedented challenge – and a profound opportunity – to reimagine the way they deliver an education to students.
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hady Side Academy was one of a few area schools that opened this fall with in-person instruction five days a week, welcoming 1,108 PK-12 students across four campuses. The administration worked tirelessly over the summer to craft a comprehensive reopening plan grounded in safety, flexibility and academic excellence. “When it is safe to do so, we believe children are at their best academically and socially when they attend school in person and form close relationships with their teachers and peers,” said SSA President Bart Griffith Jr. “However, in these uncertain times, we recognize that a successful return-to-school plan must be flexible enough to adapt. Our plan not only provides a safe, in-person learning environment, but also an effective distance learning environment.” SSA’s reopening plan fully aligns
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with federal, state and county public health guidelines, and was designed in consultation with infection prevention experts at UPMC. Extensive health and safety measures minimize the risk of
COVID-19 transmission. Each morning, parents complete a COVID-19 screening via mobile app, which generates a “green pass” for the child. Students and employees undergo temperature checks upon arrival and wear masks throughout the day. Classrooms were renovated to
JANUARY 2021 | www.northernconnectionmag.com
meet CDC social distancing guidelines, and outdoor learning spaces abound. Hallways and stairwells are one-way, with hand sanitizer stations everywhere. Revamped academic schedules keep students in small, consistent cohorts, and lunches are delivered to classrooms or served grab-and-go. A live remote attendance option is available to students who are unable to learn on campus. Classrooms are equipped with Meeting Owl Pro 360-degree smart cameras that integrate with Zoom, enabling remote learners to attend classes live alongside their peers. Throughout the fall, Shady Side’s students and teachers found creative new ways to learn, play and engage on campus safely – from a socially distant, restaurant-themed second grade “book tasting,” to a herpetologist visiting a sixth grade outdoor science class, to
