A group of Sewickley Academy parents plans to meet with the school’s administration Friday to discuss their concerns about the academy’s recent changes.

Kaitlin Busch, the academy’s communications and publications specialist, said the meeting is not open to the public, but the academy is committed to having ongoing conversations with the community.

“On behalf of the new Sewickley Academy leadership team, we’re eager to listen to members of our community, answer questions and work collaboratively with each other toward solutions that embrace our values and position Sewickley Academy for continued success,” a media statement from the academy said.

At the meeting, the group said it will address students’ safety at the school, the direction of the curriculum and the leadership changes. This follows the announcement of the departure of five administrators and a fifth-grade teacher July 21.

Sewickley Academy parent Dominic Odom, who is spearheading the group, said the school has not been transparent about everything that has happened.

“We have no idea why these decisions are being made,” Odom said.

Private entities are not required to share any information with the public, said Gary Niels, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools.

“A school can determine how transparent they want to be and how close they want to be with the public,” Niels said.

Because the matter at hand is a personnel issue, the academy may not want to open up conversation about what is happening because it is a sensitive topic, Niels added.

“I don’t really know what all the motivations were. All I know is that what happened in terms of the head school being fired and almost the entire administration is an extremely unusual situation in the independent school world,” he said.

Interim head of school Ashley Birtwell said the changes were made to ensure the academy is meeting its “standards of academic excellence.”

“With these changes, I assure you that our team at the academy is working toward a common vision of creating an environment of welcoming and belonging for all families and students. Diversity, equity and inclusion has always been and will remain a core part of our culture,” she said.

Odom also said some parents feel the school is unsafe after a letter was sent in June by another group called the Sewickley Parents Organization. The group voiced concerns over the school’s diversity, equity and inclusion plan, which is part of the school’s strategic plan, dubbed EnVision 2024.

“The school has yet to denounce them, and we don’t know the school’s association with the group. People are afraid if they speak up, there will be repercussions,” Odom said.

Rob Frazzini, a representative of the Sewickley Parents Organization, sent a statement on behalf of the committee that pointed out Birtwell has publicly announced “long-standing fundamental problems and challenges at the academy,” such as decreased enrollment, college placement not being where it should be, and the lack of transparency and adequate communication.

“Our mission is intended to facilitate a safe, supportive campus environment where each student can be their authentic self. We intend to collaborate with Dr. Birtwell and the Board to ensure that the Academy is a welcoming, inviting place for all students of all backgrounds in our campus community,” the statement said.

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