Fund for Advancement of Minorities ends Sewickley Academy partnership

A Black student mentoring group that aims to provide Black students access to private schools around the Greater Pittsburgh area ended its partnership with Sewickley Academy on Feb. 17.

The announcement comes amid concerns about the school’s direction with its diversity, equity and inclusion plan, a part of the school’s strategic plan, dubbed EnVision 2024.

Fund for Advancement of Minorities through Education (FAME) helps Black youth gain access to participating local independent schools through needs-based financial assistance. Support is given to scholars and alumni throughout their academic careers. The group ultimately aims to increase the number of Black leaders in the area.

Multiple calls made to FAME for comment were not returned.

Sewickley Academy spokesperson Jennifer Donovan said the school was saddened to hear about FAME’s decision to part ways. The Academy has six FAME students enrolled.

“Sewickley Academy was one of the schools that helped to found the FAME fund in the effort to increase access for talented African American students with financial need to attend the academically challenging independent schools of Pittsburgh,” Donovan said.

The school faced criticism for leadership changes announced in July including the termination of its director of diversity, equity and inclusion.

A group of parents expressed their concerns about the termination being influenced by a letter sent from a parent group called, Sewickley Parents Organization in June. The letter described concerns over the school’s DEISJ plan.

Head of School Ashley Birtwell said the board was considering leadership changes in early 2021, before the letter was sent out. She said changes were made to ensure the academy is meeting its “standards of academic excellence.” Birtwell cited the steady low enrollment the school has seen over the years as another factor.

Birtwell was an interim Head of School position during the time following Kolia O’Connor’s departure on July 1 before she was formally named Head of School on Feb. 15.

One of the terminations, Douglas Leek, who served as the director of admissions and financial, sued the school in July, alleging race discrimination. According to the lawsuit, in Leek’s first full year, he enrolled the most students of the last three years. The lawsuit was settled in October.

The school appointed health and physical education teacher Derek Chimner as the interim director of DEI. Birtwell said the school plans to appoint a permanent hire and announce the hire in July. The school hired a consulting firm, Mattingly Solutions, to help guide its strategies involving diversity, inclusion and equity moving forward. Interviews, surveys and social groups will be conducted to help familiarize the firm with the community.