Dear Friends,

Not many schools are able to celebrate 175 years of history, but last year, Sewickley Academy did just that!  A first-ever Founders’ Day reminded students and faculty of a rich history, one characterized by exciting achievements like enrolling students from as far away as New Orleans and inaugurating a Senior School in 1963, as well as challenges like the need to close the school because of the Civil War and the need to rebuild in the aftermath of the 1970 fire.

Although the fire caused extensive damage to the school, the commitment of this community to our students and faculty meant that not a single day of school was lost, and the school was rebuilt to an even higher standard than before.  Since those days, we have continued to benefit from the dedication and support of the members of our community. These individuals recognize that Sewickley Academy continues to have an important and vital role to play in the lives of our students, creating an experience that will serve to connect them long after they leave us and join our legions of alumni in all 50 states and 24 foreign countries.

The 2012-2013 school year was one that mirrored the history of the school, with many accomplishments to celebrate, including the outstanding record of college placement achieved by the Class of 2013.  I am especially proud that in 2012 the Academy was named one of Pittsburgh’s top workplaces, a designation that is reflected in the extraordinary devotion of our faculty and staff, 100% of whom made a financial contribution to the school last year.

The year also held some challenges to endure, including the loss of three important members of our community: Claudia Gallant, assistant head of school for academic affairs; Pete Babyak, long-time member of our maintenance team; and Alden Sector, legendary history teacher and mentor to generations of Academy alumni.

As in the past, however, we emerged from our challenges stronger than before, and you will note in various places in this report how our community continues to ensure the vitality and robustness of the education we provide our students.

I often say that our success is the result of a group effort, so I want to extend my profound thanks to each and every member of the community for all you have done to ensure the strength of the school today and into the future!

Sincerely,

Kolia O’Connor
Head of School