INDUSTRY INSIGHT
EDUCATION
SPONSORED CONTENT
Every Day is a
NEW Day in
Sewickley
Academy’s
Middle School
By Middle School English Teacher Anna Foust
Head of Middle School Shannon Mulholland, Ph.D., interacts with
Grade 6 students during a break from classes.
E
very Tuesday and Thursday morning at Sewickley Academy, the Middle
School students and faculty gather for announcements in their common
space. It’s a great way to jump start the day by giving students the
opportunity to share what is happening that week. Some students give a
shout out to each other for raising money for a charitable cause or completing
an engaging project, while others generate ideas that will benefit the school
community. Each meeting always ends the same way, with the collective
voices of children and faculty loudly proclaiming, “Be Nice, be Empowered,
Work hard … because every day is a NEW day.”
Sewickley Academy Middle School students refer to this phrase as their social
contract. In alignment with our focus on social and emotional learning and
the Academy’s four core values – character, educational vigor, diversity, and
community – the contract becomes a principle for students to live by and
shapes the community’s norms of behavior. We recognize that our students’
growing desire for independence is matched by their need for close, trusting
relationships with their teachers. This social contract enables us to balance
those needs by providing a framework for our interactions with each other.
The principles of the social contract are visibly seen throughout the school
day. The NEW day philosophy is evident in what students choose to do.
Being Nice can take the form of publicly recognizing a classmate for his or
her efforts on a robotics team. Students are Empowered to ask a teacher
for help with a complex assignment, speak up when they see injustices, or
try something brand new. It is also visible in the way our teachers interact
with students, assigning collaborative projects that require students to
Work hard to understand challenging concepts, teaching students to select
appropriately difficult novels, or guiding students one on one after school or
during a study hall.
In line with Sewickley Academy’s Mission Statement, we ask our students
“to engage their hearts, minds, and hands in the service of a greater good,”
and our social contract gives them practical, meaningful ways to do so.
Our current social contract is the brainchild of the new Head of Middle
School Dr. Shannon Mulholland. Prior to this position, Dr. Mulholland spent
15 years as the Director of Support Services at Sewickley Academy, giving
her firsthand insight to how the Middle School curriculum pushes and
supports our students to become their very best selves. She said, “There
is something very special about what we are doing here. With an equal
balance of challenging and inspiring curriculum and targeted development
of social and emotional skills, our students are prepared to compete and
succeed in a world where intellectual curiosity, communication skills,
resilience, and empathy are imperative.”
Are you looking for a NEW school for your child? Learn more at
www.sewickley.org.
inspiring and educating hearts, minds, and hands
P R E - K– G R A D E 5
GRADE 6–8
Here in the Middle School, we teach students to work productively with peers,
to set high goals, and to
learn from mistakes. We
want our students to be
relentless in their efforts
to grow, but not be afraid
of failure and to know that
each NEW day provides an
opportunity to start again.
We recognize that these
“soft” interpersonal skills
are increasingly important
in today’s society, and we
also know that they can be
learned and strengthened.
GRADE 9–12
Each day, students are reminded of their social
contract as they move about the Middle School.
Visit sewickley.org today.
412.741.2235 | Sewickley, PA | sewickley.org
CRANBERRY ❘ SPRING 2018
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