Shady Side Academy unveils plans for new middle school, student commons

PITTSBURGH — Shady Side Academy announced Tuesday its master plan that will unify students from grades 6 through 12.

The academy said there are plans to transform 423 Fox Chapel Road into an Upper School campus, which will feature two new facilities.

PHOTOS: Shady Side Academy unveils plans for new middle school, student commons

The new Rockwell Middle School will feature extensive natural lighting, solar panels and energy-efficient systems. It will house a dedicated library and dining hall tailored to foster a vibrant community spirit, the academy said.

“At its core, the Rockwell Middle School is designed to nurture collaboration and interdisciplinary instruction through its state-of-the-art learning arenas, multifunctional spaces, and adaptable classrooms. Furthermore, it will provide Shady Side Academy Middle School students unparalleled access to the exceptional facilities of the Upper School Campus, ensuring a seamless and enriched educational journey,” officials said.

The Rockwell Student Commons will feature a dining and large-scale event space, student lounge and other amenities that will cultivate community relationships among Senior School day and boarding students. The college-like commons will also provide new collaborative spaces, both indoors and outdoors, for student gatherings and meetings, as well as a renovated school store, the academy said.

“In 2024 and beyond, school spaces need to be so much more than efficient places for adults to transfer information to students,” says Shady Side Academy President Bart Griffith ‘93. “These new spaces prioritize student engagement, flexible use, and community building as design principles and will provide students with abundant opportunity to connect with teachers and classmates—both indoors and outdoors. Students in grades 6 through 12 will have access to a range of campus facilities, resources, and peer leadership opportunities unparalleled in Western Pennsylvania.”

The campus transformation will also include the renovation of sections of Bayard and Croft Houses to provide additional classroom and teacher workspaces, and a new West Gate entrance and access road off Riding Meadow Road on the western side of campus, which will improve accessibility and ease congestion on Fox Chapel Road.

The project is part of Shady Side Academy’s series of campus improvements, which includes a conversion of Memorial Hall into the Class of 1966 Memorial Hall Library and the Gene Deal Fields, which is an outdoor sports complex that can house multiple sports.

For more information about Shady Side Academy’s campus master plan and individual projects, click here.

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