Playground Gets a New Look

Decades of children from the Academy as well as the surrounding Sewickley-area have enjoyed the playground nestled just below the Lower School and Early Childhood buildings. Known as “Timbertown” the wood structures were gifted to the school in 1994 by the Konig family, Tom, Jeri, Kristin, and Chadd, and have been diligently maintained for 28 years. But the need for repairs and more frequent splinter injuries resulted in the resolution that it was time for an update.

Timbertown was dismantled in the fall of 2022, and with great excitement came the opening of a new playground space in February 2023. Designed to take advantage of the terrain, it includes two uniquely different play zones that utilize the existing playground footprint as well as the hillside. Preserved in the renovation were the gazebo and amphitheater. The gazebo is home of an SA-student- invented game called Gazebo Soccer in which seven children sit inside, one per bench, goalkeeping and kicking a soccer ball back and forth while trying to score by getting the ball under one of the benches. Per Dr. Jerilyn Scott, Head of Lower School, “This has become a beloved tradition that is passed on from class to class and played at nearly every recess. There is even a Gazebo Soccer tournament offered as an after school club.” with customized lighting for practicing for the FIRST® tech challenges. The lab also includes 3-D printers, plenty of storage, work counters, tool chests, movable tables, and a TV for wireless presenting. Across the hall, a lab for Middle School Lego® robotics is complete with new kits, a double competition table and movable challenge table, charging stations with enough programmable robots for each student to work individually, and bins upon bins of Lego® blocks and pieces. Erin Whitaker, SA’s educational technology coordinator, noted that the improvement to the space, “allows students more time to work on their robots and complete the challenges.”

As a hub for the community, the new playground includes a rope bridge, two large climbing structures, monkey bars, numerous obstacles, and of course, slides. Playground turf has been installed on both the flat and hillside areas to allow for both organized and unstructured play. A connecting walkway, landscaping, benches, and picnic tables complete the area. A mild winter has allowed students and children of all ages to enjoy the space almost daily since its opening, and they have even created new games like races that involve repeatedly rolling down the turf hillside.

The Events Center also saw significant advancement with the renovation of the 10,000 square foot newly named Panthers Performance and Wellness Center, aka “The Den.” The space is overseen by the Academy’s Sports Performance and Wellness Coach, Sam Futrovsky, a certified personal trainer, USA weightlifting coach, and former member of the Slovak National Lacrosse Team. It is designed to be used by all Middle and Senior school students as well as faculty, and staff, and Coach Futrovsky said he wants everyone to get “that feeling that it’s a welcome space no matter what your fitness level is.” Highlights of the facility include customized free-weight, machine, and cardio equipment options and six fully-equipped weight racks all customized for Sewickley Academy by Plae, a company who designs elite training environments for numerous professional and collegiate athletic teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona State University, Vanderbilt University, and the Under Armour Performance Center in Baltimore, MD. The center also features technology to store training sessions and testing results allowing users to follow their performance and progression.

Tours of the new facilities were available on February 1 and were well-attended. One of the attendees, parent Elise Scott, noted that, “It was a joy to share the positive energy and see the new spaces. [Your team has] done a phenomenal job, on a very short timeline, creating so many opportunities for the students.” Another parent, Kristene Smith, commented on social media, “Absolutely amazing transformation and exciting time for all students to utilize and have fun learning in these decked out, cutting edge computer science classrooms….Well done, SA!”

Rea Auditorium received paint and carpet over Spring Break as hopes for a successful Campaign for Rea (see page 24) will lead to significant updates including lighting, storage, dressing rooms, equipment, and more.

Other facilities improvements this year have included a redesigned workspace for Breakthrough

It was a joy to share the positive energy and see the new spaces. [Your team has] done a phenomenal job, on a very short timeline, creating so many opportunities for the students.”

Elise Scott, parent

Pittsburgh, new flooring in both cafeterias, as well as new furniture in the Middle/Senior School Cafeteria, and enhanced security both inside and outside of the buildings.

Still in the works are enhancements to Nichols Field to include paved parking and improved walkways, stormwater management, new bleachers, fencing, scoreboards, backstops, and batting cages, as well as aesthetic updates to the concession stand and restrooms. The baseball infield will be replaced with synthetic turf.

For an up close view of many of these campus improvements, check out the Academy’s Facebook page, facebook. com/SewickleyAcademy, for the Live tour that was recorded and posted on February 2.

At Sewickley Academy, facilities updates and technology upgrades are important, but it is our people who truly provide for our outstanding reputation. In this issue of Sewickley Speaking, let’s recognize some of the people on Academy Avenue who put our students first day after day.