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Medical tourism guide
Medical tourism
Spinal Fusion in India
Spinal Fusion in India
Hospitals and medical centers in India performing Spinal Fusion.
Cost of Spinal Fusion (Spondylodesis) in India
Minimum price
Maximum price
Spinal Fusion
Hospitals and clinics offering Spinal Fusion in India
Browse by city:
New Delhi
Global Hospitals Chennai
Private Hospital, Chennai, India
NABH Accreditation
The flagship hospital of the Global Hospitals Group, which operates eight hospitals throughout India. The modern 500 bed hospital was opened in 2009, and offers advanced medical and surgical treatment, including organ transplantation, cardiac surgey and neurosurgy.
Spinal Fusion
upon request
Columbia Asia Hospital - Palam Vihar
Private Hospital, Gurgaon, India
NABH Accreditation
A modern 100 bed hospital opened in 2008, located in Gurgaon, outside of New Delhi.The hospital is a part of the Columbia Asia Group, which has an international patients office able to assist foreign patients with all aspects of medical travel.
Spinal Fusion
upon request
Fortis Vasant Kunj
Private Hospital, New Delhi, India
NABH Accreditation
Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital is a Centre of Excellence for Cardiac Sciences, Renal Sciences, Diabetology, Pulmonology and Thoracic Sciences and a specialty center for Joint Replacement, Genito-urinary, Cosmetic Surgery and Dental care.
Spinal Fusion
upon request
Columbia Asia Hospitals
Private Hospital, Bangalore, India
NABH Accreditation
A 200-bed facility located at Gateway Center in Northwest Bangalore. The hospital opened in 2008 and provides comprehensive tertiary-level services, such as cardiac operations, orthopedics and neuroscience, as well as secondary-level medical care.
Spinal Fusion
upon request
Listed neurosurgeons:
Dr. Raghuram G, MBBS, MD, DNBE
Jr. Consultant Neurosurgeon
Dr. Arjun Srivatsa, MBBS, MD, DNB
Consultant Neurosurgeon and Spine Surgeon
Artemis Health Institute
Hospital, Gurgaon, India
JCI Accreditation
NABH Accreditation
The flagship hospital of the Artemis Health Sciences offers caters to local and international patients alike. It is the first 300-bed multi-specialty hospital in India to function with a paperless information management scheme.
Spinal Fusion
Fortis Hospital Noida
Private Hospital, Noida, India
NABH Accreditation
Located near Delhi, Fortis Hospital Noida is a Centre of Excellence for Orthopaedics and Neurosciences with a focus on Cardiac Sciences, Minimally Invasive Surgeries and Oncology.
Spinal Fusion
upon request
24 listed neurosurgeons:
view all >
Dr. A.K Singh
Spine , Vascular , Skull base
Dr. Atampreet Singh
Epilepsy, Neuro Muscular Diseases and Stroke
Moolchand Medcity
Trust Hospital, New Delhi, India
JCI Accreditation
NABH Accreditation
Trust based hospital that treats around 7,000 international patients a year. India's first JCI and comprehensive NABH accredited hospital.
Spinal Fusion
upon request
Listed neurosurgeons:
Dr. Jawahar Dhar
Dr. Vikram Singh
Apollo Hospital Chennai
Private Hospital, Chennai, India
JCI Accreditation
NABH Accreditation
The Apollo Hospital Chennai is part of the Apollo Hospitals group. The hospital is JCI accredited and considered as one of the best hospitals in India.
Spinal Fusion
upon request
10 listed neurosurgeons:
view all >
Dr. Prithika Chary
Epilepsy, Neuro Diabetology, Speech and Language Disorders, Cognitive Neurology
Dr. L Murugan
Sevenhills Hospital
Private Hospital, Mumbai, India
Spinal Fusion
upon request
Listed neurosurgeons:
Dr. Harleen Luther
Consultant in Brain, Spine & Peripheral Nerve Surgeon
Dr. Kishor Chaudhari
Consultant in Neurosurgery
Fortis Mohali Hospital
Private Hospital, Mohali, India
JCI Accreditation
NABH Accreditation
A JCI accredited hospital, and one of the region's leading multi-speciality hospitals, with a super-speciality in Heart.
Spinal Fusion
upon request
3 listed neurosurgeons:
view all >
Dr. Virender Kumar Khosla
Head of Department- Neurosurgery
Dr. H.S.Maan
Consultant, Neurology
Next >
Neurosurgery hospitals in India (Page 1 of 2)
About Spinal Fusion
This information is intended for general information only and should not be considered as medical advice on the part of Health-Tourism.com. Any decision on medical treatments, after-care or recovery should be done solely upon proper consultation and advice of a qualified physician.
What is Spinal Fusion?
Spinal Fusion is a surgical procedure to fix two vertebrae together. This permanently fuses two bones together and as a result there is no movement between these bones. Other surgical procedures such as laminectomy are usually done prior to a spinal fusion. A graft is used to join the bones permanently together. If the graft is taken from another body part, commonly from the pelvic bone, it is called an autograft. The graft may also be taken from a bone bank known as allograft. In rare cases, synthetic bone substitutes may also be used. Screws, plates or cages are used to join the vertebrae together so that the bones do not move when they are healing.
What are the Different Types of Spinal Fusion?
The different types of spinal fusion may be used in combination with one another. They are:
Posterolateral Fusion
In this procedure the bone grafts are placed between the transverse processes of the spine. The vertebrae are joined with the help of screws and wires through the pedicles of the vertebra, which is attached to a metallic rod on the sides of the vertebrae.
Interbody Fusion
In this procedure the bone grafts are placed between the vertebra. There are three types of interbody fusion:
Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF), in which the surgery is performed through an anterior abdominal incision.
Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF), in which the surgery is performed through a posterior incision
Transforaminal Lumber Interbody Fusion (TLIF) in which the surgery is performed through a posterior incision on one side of the spine.
How is Spinal Fusion Performed?
During spinal fusion, the vertebrae are exposed through an incision. Tissue layers above the bone are put aside. Small parts of bone are then placed beside the vertebrae. A spinal fusion using an autograft is more successful than a spinal fusion performed with an allograft. However, an autograft may cause more stress on the surgery and blood loss.
Spinal instrumentation may also be received by some patients. Rods, wires and screws are attached to the spine. This is used to keep the vertebrae in place during the fusion. Alternatively, an external brace may be applied after the spinal fusion surgery.
Once the surgery is complete, a drainage tube is placed out of the incision area to drain out fluid for some days.
How to Prepare for Spinal Fusion?
The patient should inform the doctor about any medical conditions and ailments.
The doctor should be informed about any medication that the patient is taking.
Certain medication that the patient is taking may be stopped by the doctor a couple of weeks before the surgery.
The patient should stop smoking a couple of weeks before the surgery to enable a quick recovery.
The doctor should be informed if the patient has been consuming alcohol.
Duration of procedure/surgery:
Approximately 4 hours
Days admitted:
4 to 6 days
General Anesthesia
- The drain tube is removed 24 to 72 hours after the surgery.
- Pain medication may be given in the form of pills or intravenous injections.
- The patient is taught how to move, sit, stand and walk in a proper without causing harm to the spine.
- The patient may need to be fed though an intravenous tube for 2 to 3 days.
- The patient may need to wear braces after the surgery.
- After the surgery, the patient may recover entirely or partially.
- Spine problems in future are possible for any patient after a spinal surgery.
- The risks involved in spinal fusion include:
- Infection in the vertebrae
- Injury to the spinal nerve that can cause bladder and/or bowel incontinence, pain, weakness, loss of sensation, etc
- Blood clotting
- Adverse reaction to medication and anesthesia
- Bleeding
- Breathing difficulty
- Stroke
- After a spinal fusion, the spinal column may be stressed.
After care:
- The patient may need to undergo physiotherapy after some days.
- Normal activities should be avoided for several weeks after the surgery.
- Strenuous activities should be avoided for 6 to 8 months after the surgery.
- The incision area should be kept dry and clean.
- For the scar to heal, the incision area should be protected from sunburn for a year after the surgery.
Learn more about Spinal Fusion
Spinal Fusion on Wikipedia
Spinal Fusion on Encyclopedia of Surgery
Spinal Fusion on Medline Plus
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Spinal Fusion in India
Cost of Spinal Fusion in India
Neurosurgery hospitals in India
About Spinal Fusion
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EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. – An investigation, which took nearly a month, has led to the arrest of one man who is now accused of Arson.
The Rensselaer Police Department Detective Office arrested Christopher Gaul, 33, for 3rd Degree Arson, 2nd Degree Criminal Mischief, and Trespassing.
According to authorities, on September 2nd around 12:30 a.m. police responded to a call of a fire at 35 Columbia Street, the Bella Automotive car lot. Officers say that when they arrived, a vehicle, parked next to the building, was on fire.
After the investigation, it was determined the fire was started intentionally.
Gaul was arrested on Thursday and has been arraigned on his charged in Rensselaer City Court. He was sent to Rensselaer County Jail on $15,000 bail and will be back in court on October 1.
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Jim Callis posted an interesting chart of the total signing bonuses that each major league organization has handed out since the 2007 draft (when the current Collective Bargaining Agreement went into effect).
I was a bit surprised to see that the Giants landed at #13 (and that they were less than $600K out of the 11th spot) on the list, because I've had the general impression that they've been relatively on the conservative side during the last 5 drafts with respect to other teams. Although, thinking back it makes a certain bit of sense due to the fact that the Giants had 6 picks in rounds 1 and 1-S in 2007, and they had the #5 and #6 overall picks in the 2008 and 2009 drafts, respectively.
The top 15, in order, are:
Tampa Bay
San Diego
The White Sox were the lowest ranked team by a longshot - spending only 55% of what the Giants spent. Not surprisingly, given their tightwad reputation, the Marlins had the 2nd lowest total. The big surprise, to me, was that the Atlanta Braves came in with the 3rd lowest total and only spent less than $4M more than the White Sox did. That's counterintuitive because the Braves have had one of the most productive and highest ranked farm systems over the last 5 years (don't forget all of the players they traded to the Rangers in the Mark Texeira deal). I guess that just goes to show that you don't have to spend tons of cash to have a great farm system as long as you can identify and develop guys that don't have the most obvious talent. Of course, the Braves have also benefited from a steady stream of players coming out of their international free agent operations.
One other interesting note that BA also posted recently - Buster Posey's $6.2M signing bonus in 2008 remains the highest bonus ever given out in draft history to a college position player and the 8th highest bonus overall. That surprised me somewhat.


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Back in January we sat in 3rd place and had a chance to push for the title so what do we do? we let go of some of our backup players and bring in Ryan Nelsen and Louis Saha which showed a real lack of ambition.
We let Pav go and players like Bassong go out on loan as well as Bentley earlier in the season our only over natural right sided midfielder, there were more but to me in January we significantly weakened our squad rather than strengthen and it could have cost us. I'd rather have seen no new faces than bring in these 2 guys who are no longer up to the standard required to be Spurs players. Nelsen came from a now relegated Blackburn side and nobody ever raved about him there, unlike Chris Samba he never have a reputation as being a quality defender. Saha has long since lost his legs, he will score the odd goal but we need to be aiming a lot higher.
If we sign to many old players then we will find ourselves in a situation where we need to replace a lot of players at the end of each campaign and we simply won't be able to afford it, Chelsea were supposedly in that stage where they let the spine of their team grow to old that they needed about 4 or 5 players but they have the funds at their disposal. Football before business has to prevail sometimes.
I remember watching deadline day and hearing the news that we had signed Ryan Nelsen and to my utter horror even Iain Dowie made fun of the deal. When asked if it was a good move Ryan Nelsen to Spurs he laughed and replied "it is for him" and that summed it all up for me, where the hell did this deal even come from? who actually thought it would be a good idea to loan out players and replace them with Ryan Nelsen. If we are going to sign players of this caliber then I wish Bale and Modric all the best and give them my blessing to leave, they deserve a lot better.
How many more transfer windows do we have to go through to get it right. Previous manager have actually had more money to spend than Harry, we got £30m for Berbatov but did we ever spend all of that on a replacement? We sold Pav in January and Robbie Keane plus O'Hara at the start but we have spent next to nothing so where is the money going?
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Defra on latest ash tree disease survey
We have thrown all possible resources at this surveying exercise which has given us a much clearer picture of the distribution of the disease to inform our evidence base.
The science on Chalara is still emerging and the more evidence we have, the greater our knowledge and understanding of this disease and the better we are able to tackle it.
– Martin Ward, Chief Plant Health Officer, Defra
I'd like to thank everyone involved in this survey.
Together we've surveyed over 92 percent of England and all of Scotland and Wales so far –a tremendous achievement, especially in such a short time, which shows our combined determination to deal with Chalara."


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Apple's A4 and A5 processors under fire in new lawsuit
Apple has another patent-related lawsuit on its hands, reports Bloomberg. VIA Technologies Inc., a Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer, filed suit against Apple on Wednesday with the U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Del. over the alleged misuse of three of its microprocessor-related patents. Read more »


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Elegant Gift Gallery 4030 East Tremont Ave Bronx, NY 10465 Phone: 718-931-0300 Fax: 718-931-0302 Toll-free: 888-328-6770
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When the parish priest rebuked him for his celibacy, saying it would lead him into debaucheryand sin, hesaid that a man who had to be muzzled bya wife as a protection against debauchery was not worthy of the joy of innocence. After that people began to treat him with priestly respect. Liam O'FlahertySearch Quotes Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2010 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
'The Mermaid'.


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How To use an Android Phone/Tablet as a touch input device
While trying to create this blog, I needed to quickly sketch something. Now, as all know doing this using a pen and paper in the old days was easy. But today, the ideal way would be to use a nice tablet input like a Wacom Bamboo!
Well, after a little Googling, I stumbled upon this little gem. The solution is mostly suggested for android devices with a pen based input. I have tested it on my Ubuntu 13.04 laptop, but I guess this should work brilliantly with any prior versions too.
The app in question: XorgTablet GFXTablet ( github )
You will need an android device running Android 4.0+. Device having a pen stylus is preferred (Ideal would be the Galaxy Note 800).
On ubuntu:
[box type="shadow"]
$ git clone https://github.com/rfc2822/xf86-networktablet.git
$ cd xf86-networktablet
$ make
$ sudo make install


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School prayer, experience at issue in race for Clay superintendent | News
CLAY COUNTY, Fla. -- The race for Superintendent in Clay County is getting heated.
"I am doing the job. I have done the job. I think my experience speaks to that," said Clay County Superintendent Ben Wortham.
Wortham thinks his work at the School District speaks for itself.
"So I have the experience, the qualifications and the performance, all rolled in to one package, ready to continue as your Superintendent of schools," he said.
He's held the position for the past four years and was deputy superintendent for 12 years before that.
But primary challenger Charlie Van Zant says it's not just a resume that counts.
"I don't think this race is about qualifications and paper tigers," said Van Zant.
The district got national attention late last year when an atheist group from Wisconsin challenged flag pole prayer sessions that had become routine before the school day.
RELATED: Green Cove pastor agrees not to pray on Clay County school property
It was a debate that divided the town and ultimately led to a new policy that forbid the practice.
Wortham sided with the school district's attorney to ban adult-led prayer on school property.
Van Zant was a vocal supporter of the prayer, but says that's not why he decided to run.
"We have leadership that is not strong right now in the superintendent's office. If we had leadership I thought was strong, I would not be running," said Van Zant.
A series of meetings over prayer at the flag pole drew huge crowds and heated debate on both sides of the issue.
A third candidate is running for superintendent and in a YouTube video says his candidacy is based primarily on the district's decision not to allow the adult-led prayer to continue.
Fred Gottshaulk has qualified for the race, but hasn't raised any money for the race, and could not be reached for comment for this story.
The school policy went in to effect months ago, but it's clear this is a debate that will play heavily in the election.
"We've been beat up on by the union, the ACLU, the atheists," said Van Zant.
"I think there are a small group of people who don't, and won't ever understand why we had to change the policy," said Wortham.
Top Orange Park Stories
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- Teen spends 35 days in jail after mistaken arrest
- Former IT specialist accused of stealing $19K in computer equipment


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Jeff Curtis
360 752-8404
Jeff has worked in a variety of industries including logging, construction and marine repair. He moved to Alaska and worked on the construction of the Alaska pipeline and other large projects. Electronic controls, relating to vehicle and equipment, engines and drive trains, are his real study passion. Relentless study of these systems assists him helping students understand modern electronic controls. Jeff is currently an ASE Master M/H Truck Technician with the advanced "L-2" electronics certification.
Degrees and Certifications
ASE Master M/H Truck Technician
ASE L-2 Certified
Journey Level Mechanic
WA Professional Technical Certification


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There's a new kid on the block in the Olivette restaurant scene: Sugarfire Smokehouse opened last week. The new restaurant, located in the former Dickie's BBQ space near Interstate 170, is the brainchild of Clayton restaurateur Mike Johnson and Carolyn Downs.
Johnson is the former owner of Boogaloo in Maplewood, Barcelona in Clayton, Momo's in University City and Cyrano's Cafe in Webster Groves, among others.
Sugarfire, 9200 Olive Blvd., is a mix of the barbecue world, along with burgers and vegetarian options, as well as the sweet side, with Downs' desserts. Johnson purchased a smoker cooker two years ago and said he spent the last six months after selling Boogaloo around the first of the year honing his technique, traveling to Texas, Memphis and elsewhere.
He's getting used to the open kitchen approach. "It's not like you order something and something magically appears five minutes later. You can see something getting handled right in front of you, there's no hiding anything."
Johnson said his study leading up to opening included time training with Myron Mixon, a BBQ chef featured on cable in TLC's BBQ Pitmasters. He said he spent a week at Mixon's home in Georgia with Downs' husband learning at the feet of the master.
Johnson said people have asked him if the restaurant is part of a chain. The answer is no, and doesn't figure to change anytime soon. He credits the inquiries to the design work done by Joe Lemaster to create the restaurant's signage.
Food from Sugarfire will be available for pickup to clients of Naturally Fit. The new Clayton fitness studio is owned by Johnson's wife, Kimberly.
More recent business articles on Patch:
- Hotel Development Moves Forward in Richmond Heights
- Clayton Attorney Gary Soule Seeks to Ease Divorce with Collaboration
- Commercial Real Estate Firm Opens New Clayton Office
- Clayton Executive Pam Nicholson Among Most Powerful Business Women


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On Lost Dog Wash Trail, teddy bear chollas' spiny branches glow in the sunset, giving them a deceptively soft, fuzzy appearance.
© Greg Binon
>> Click on image to view
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Our newest book, Arizona Highways Hiking Guide, is now available and features 52 of Arizona's best day hikes for winter, spring, summer and fall.
To order, call 800-543-5432
Lost Dog WashThere aren't a lot of places in Metro Phoenix where you can disconnect from the city. This trail in the McDowell Mountains is one of the few.
By Jen Wolfe
No one seems to remember how Lost Dog Wash in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve got its name, although, it's a good bet that at some point, someone lost a dog there. This much is certain: You'll definitely lose the feeling you're in the city in this vast expanse of Sonoran Desert cradled by the McDowell Mountains.
Lost Dog Wash Access is part of a growing network of trails on a 16,000-acre preserve within Metropolitan Phoenix. The access area has plenty of parking, ramadas and an up-close look at a rare crested saguaro.
As you head out on the Lost Dog Wash Trail, city noises instantly fade into the desert, replaced by bird song and the soft swish of the wind through the bushes and trees. If the breeze is strong enough, you'll even hear it moan through the arms of the saguaros. Dawn and late afternoon are the best times to hit the trail. That's when you'll likely encounter wildlife such as deer, javelinas, coyotes, rabbits, snakes, lizards and birds. Don't be surprised if a lone coyote crosses the trail ahead of you and pauses to wonder why you're trespassing on his territory.
"We've seen all types of native animals in the preserve, except mountain lions," says Scott Hamilton, the trails planner for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. "We know the lions are there because we've moved several trails to skirt evidence of their habitation. But they're shy, illusive creatures, and my team and I have never spotted one, although, we've had reports from hikers who say they have."
Lost Dog Wash Trail is a gentle uphill hike that meanders and dips through a beautiful wash. As the path climbs, it reveals majestic views. At the summit (a saddle between Thompson Peak and a southern unnamed peak), be sure to stop at Taliesin Overlook for a 360-degree panorama of the Metro Phoenix area.
From the overlook, there are several options. One is to turn around and hike back down Lost Dog Wash Trail to the trailhead — a round-trip of roughly 4.5 miles. Or, partway down, you can link up with Ringtail Trail and cross over to Sunrise Trail for a 5.3-mile hike. Another option is to continue from Taliesin Overlook on Quartz Trail to the Quartz/104th Street Access area (5 miles), but you'll need to park cars at both ends or be prepared to trek all the way back.
The current trail system strings together McDowell-Sonoran Preserve, McDowell Mountain Regional Park and the Tonto National Forest. The goal is to eventually increase the size of the preserve to 36,400 acres. "The idea is to allow a corridor of migration for animals from the river to the preserve and back," Hamilton says, "as well as provide some superb hiking for nature lovers just minutes from the city."
Trail Guideclick to expand
Getting There: From Phoenix, go east on State Route 202 to State Route 101, and go north on SR 101 to the Shea Boulevard Exit. Go east on Shea Boulevard for approximately 4 miles to 124th Street, turn north and drive to the end of the street. Lost Dog Wash Access Area is clearly marked.
Length: 4.5 miles round-trip
Elevation Gain: 380 feet
Travel Advisory: If you're heat tolerant, you can hike this trail year-round, although it's best to hike in early morning or later in the evening during the hot summer months. Be sure to carry plenty of water.
Additional Information: 480-312-7722 or www.scottsdaleaz.gov/preserve
Leave No Trace Ethics:


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Post to Twitter and Facebook at the same time?
Am I wrong in thinking I should be able to do this? Whenever I try, it only posts to twitter. In order to post to facebook, i have to only choose the facebook option.
Wasn't this available by using tweetstream + facestream?
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"More Tennesseans have hunting and fishing licenses than vote."
"Three of our cities are among the top five worst cities in the U.S. for asthma."
Says "we are overcharging students . . . to help pay for the health care law."
"This rule could prevent children under 18 from using such tools as a power screwdriver, a milking machine or something as simple as a wheelbarrow on the family farm . . . "
"No member of the American public has ever been killed by commercial nuclear power — a record unmatched by other fuels."
The health care bill "dumps 15 to 18 million low-income Americans into a Medicaid program that none of us want to be a part of because 50 percent of doctors won't see new patients."
The Obama administration's cap-and-trade plan would create "a $1,761 yearly energy tax."
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Statements from the Rhode Island: 2010 state representative's race
Rhode Island gives undocumented pregnant women health insurance, plus a cash card "with $400 a month on it" and "$250 a month or $275 a month to spend on food."
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Spine Support Queen Box Spring
$300.00Reg Price $300.00
Please check availability for this item.
Natural Wood Foundation provides long-lasting support to enhance the durability of the mattress.
- This is a Box Spring ONLY. For a complete set, you must also buy a Queen Mattress #54727, 54733, 54739, or #54745.
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Introducing LEGO® Games the world?s first collection of games that you build play and change. With the unique buildable LEGO Dice and changeable rules the LEGO Games collection is a great way of having fun together with family and friends. Join the chase in LEGO City! Thieves are on the loose with lots of stolen money! Help the police officers to catch them and lock in jail before they get away! LEGO CITY Alarm is an exciting race game for 2?4 players. Game play is approximately 10?20 minutes. 1 buildable LEGO® Dice Rules booklet 6 LEGO microfigures Building instructions Chase the robbers through a mini LEGO® City!
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An introduction to support on Envato Market
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Product Recall: Voluntary recall of 260 cases of Velveeta Original Pasteurized Recipe Cheese Products. Click Here.
HEAT dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook 3 min. or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in meat; cook 8 to 10 min. or until browned, stirring occasionally.
STIR in potatoes, chiles and tomato sauce; cover. Simmer on medium-low heat 15 min.
MEANWHILE, blend remaining ingredients in blender until well blended. Serve spooned over meat mixture.


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by Anv‰ndbart Litet Fˆretag and D. Ehrhard, for 3-6 players.
This is a bluffinggame, each player tries to get money from the opponents, but sometimes there are also fake money. The player whose turn it is rolls a colordice and tells that opponent that he owes money to the player. Then the opponent must put down a bill (not showing the value), The player then chooses to take that bill or roll the dice. If the dice is higher than the bill(s), the opponent must put down at least one more bill. If the dice is equal the player takes the money and next player gets his turn. If the dice is lower then the player must pay that amount to the opponent.
The page was updated july 14, 2002
The number of controllettis on this page:


text: Contact District 8 District 8 - Contact Form Thank You for your interest * (denotes required field) Name:* E-Mail Address:* My District:* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 N/A. Check all that apply:* I/we will be a Petition Centurion I want to Help I am a Notary I am a Pastor I represent a Pastor I want a "Church Kit" Other (explain in message below). Phone:* My Church is (optional): Subject:* Select I want to Help I am a Notary I am a Pastor or Pastors representative Other Message: CAPTCHA Code:*


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Dear Shady Side Academy Junior School Community,
In the Spirit of Gratitude and LoveCelebrating Family, Friends, Life and "Our Tomorrows"
The above title is the one I used for my January 2007 parent letter; it seemed appropriate once again. At that time, I had just returned to school after recuperating at home from a very serious car accident. My injuries were severe and numerous: a broken sternum, nine broken ribs, a badly bruised right lung and a compression fracture in my lower back. Throughout the ordeal, the Shady Side Academy community had been so very compassionate, giving, caring and helpful. Just knowing that I had this support facilitated my recovery and return to school after two months, and I felt loved and appreciated.
Once again last spring, I had a serious health issue – breast cancer – and again my Shady Side Academy family supported me with prayers, gifts, meals, cards and letters of encouragement. After only two weeks, I returned to school and I have never looked back. I felt loved and appreciated.
Traumatic experiences like the ones I've experienced often help us prioritize our lives and appreciate all of the blessings that we have. I do know this: Life is fragile and we must live each day like there's no tomorrow. On Oct. 29, 2006, I almost did not have a tomorrow; again on May 10, 2011, my world was shaken. Each time, however, I was blessed with my family, friends, church and school communities who cared enough to support and encourage me. I felt loved and appreciated.
This community has been like a family to me. I have many friends here, and I have had the ongoing support of this family for over 30 years! When I arrived in 1982 as a substitute teacher, it was an all boys' school. As I walked into the classroom my first day here, the boys all stood up. Now, THAT was respect "1982 style." I felt loved and appreciated.
In January 1982, I was hired as a maternity leave replacement teacher for fourth and fifth grade social studies. At the end of that year, I was hired as a science teacher and began our "new" hands-on science program. I spent most of my time here doing what I love – teaching. I went to the Senior School in 2001 to direct the reaccreditation process, and after that I became K-12 curriculum coordinator. In the spring of 2004, I was named head of the Junior School and returned "home."
Shady Side Academy is a place where people care about each other. Teachers care about their children, school and colleagues. Administrators are there to help teachers do their jobs better, and the Board of Trustees is there to support the entire Academy. It is a wonderful feeling to be a part of this family! I am honored to have been a part of the caring community of Shady Side Academy.
As we look to the future, Ellen McConnell will become head of the Junior School on July 1. She is looking forward to her work here, and I wish her all the best. I can only hope I leave the Junior School a little better now than when I arrived. I know I have done my best. I have always put the students first in every decision I made. "Do It Because It's Right" has been the Junior School motto for many, many years; I have tried to do just that. I take with me wonderful memories of this school and all of you. I feel loved and appreciated!
And now, some Junior School updates:
We all enjoyed the kindergarten play this week, and our fifth graders will return from their trip to the Linsly Outdoor Center this afternoon. This morning we hosted our incoming pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students for a fun morning of events, including a showing of the kindergarten play and some free time outside for the children to play and get to know each other.
Let me remind you about the event scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, May 19 and 20. We are partnering with Barnes & Noble bookstore in the Waterworks to host the second annual SSA Summer Reading Kick-Off. This will give the SSA community a chance to get a head start on their summer reading purchases and benefit all three of the school libraries at the same time!
Wednesday, May 23, at 9:30 a.m. at the Senior School is the final Parents' Association meeting of the year. This event replaces the three-school luncheon. I hope to see many of you there!
As you all know, our end of the year events are right around the corner. Please refer to the Junior School handbook, page 15, for the dress code on those days. I remind the girls to wear appropriate dresses. For safety reasons, girls should not wear high heels! Please do not wear strapless dresses, dresses with thin or spaghetti straps or prom-type dresses.
In addition, we cannot allow parents to save seats for either of these events. It's not fair to all of our families for some to reserve front-row seats the night before one of these events. All of our parents would love to sit in the front row, I'm certain. For this reason, we have hired a videographer. It will be possible to purchase a video of one or both of these special days. Thank you for understanding! I look forward to seeing you there.
This summer at the Junior School, we will be remodeling the library. Have a great summer! Enjoy your children and when traveling, please be safe. I look forward to watching from afar all the wonderful things that are sure to happen next year.
With gratitude and love… I wish you enough,
Cheryl L. LittleHead of Junior SchoolShady Side Academy
Dear Junior School Families,
I trust that you were able to enjoy some quality family time over Spring Break. We traveled to Raleigh, N.C. to visit our daughter and her family. Ashton and Ava are now 2 ½ and talking up a storm to each other and to adults. What fun it was to explore the woods, ponds and streams in their area as well as to watch them swim in their pool. My daughter, Tami, is expecting her third child on Sept. 22, so she is delighted that I will be able to spend some time with her during that busy time.
As you know, I will be retiring at the end of June, so I have been reflecting upon the concept of change. I will be facing a major life change; at this same time, my mother is also facing a major change. She had a stroke in December and is not able to return to her home. She was an active 85 year old woman who was working part-time until last fall. She enjoyed golfing, playing bridge, gardening and walking, and now she is unable to live alone. As a family, we are helping her adjust to this major life change; it's a big one!
We all go through change in our lives: the birth of a child; the death of a parent; the loss of a job or the relocation of one. Each one of these life changing events causes us to grow in various ways. Just about anyone would agree that growing is a good thing, but relatively few people actually dedicate themselves to the process. Why? I think it is because growth requires change, and change is hard for most people. However, the truth is: without change growth is impossible.
Education, as you know, is organic; it is constantly growing and changing. It is no secret that in dynamic school environments schools are constantly challenged to reinvent themselves based on the needs of the students, the school's program and pedagogy and the plans of individuals within the school community. In that regard, I want to tell you about some changes that our new Junior School Head, Ms. Ellen McConnell has made.
First of all, Claudine Runnette was recently hired as a full-time school counselor. Claudine holds a B.A. in speech and hearing sciences from Washington St. University and an M.A. in marriage and family counseling from City University in Renton, Wash. Claudine is also a licensed mental health therapist. Claudine is currently employed by the Fox Chapel Area School District as a behavioral specialist. She will join us in August. Claudine's husband, Creighton Runnette, joined Shady Side last August as our Senior School counselor.
There will be some changes in classroom assignments too. After almost 30 years, Bill Sauer will be leaving the Junior School at the end of the year. Bill began his teaching career in the Fox Chapel Area School District, and joined the Junior School faculty in September 1983. He has taught social studies to both fourth and fifth grade students while at the Junior School. Presently, he teaches fifth grade social studies and math. Bill enjoyed working at our SSA Day Camp for many summers. Shady Side Academy "Lifers" often return to the Junior School on Lynne Voelp Reed Day and want to see Mr. Sauer. They have fond memories of their time with him. His wit, smile and charming personality will certainly be missed here at the Junior School. Bill plans to spend more time with Will, his grandson, and I'm certain he'll spend more time on the golf course.
Thus, the fifth grade program will undergo a change. Lisa Anselmo will move to fifth grade and teach humanities. Mrs. Anselmo has done a fantastic job teaching second grade, but is up for the challenge of a new grade and program. Tekla Hilton will join Mrs. Anselmo as a fifth grade teacher and will teach mathematics. Mrs. Hilton has done a wonderful job teaching third grade, but is also up for the challenge of a new grade and program---plus she loves teaching math!
Pat Suhody, current fifth grade language arts teacher, will move to third grade partnering with Dan Stern. Pat has done a great job teaching fifth grade language arts, and she has also taught kindergarten at the Junior School. Since she has experience teaching kindergarten and fifth grade, Pat is ready for the challenge of teaching third grade. Kristin Litster, current pre-kindergarten teacher, will move to second grade partnering with Jennifer Riscili. Mrs. Litster has been a wonderful addition to our PK team; she's a great team member. However, she is open to the challenge of teaching an older grade. She has experience teaching third grade for several years while living in California.
Finally, Chris Holt, art teacher, will also be leaving at the end of this school year after 30+ years of teaching art. She has decided to take an early retirement to pursue her many artistic endeavors and interests. Chris is undoubtedly the most creative person I have ever known! Her talents are many, but her recent accomplishments as both a gardener and a blacksmith are admirable. She designed, created and donated the bench outside the wing hallway, and has presented at many local and national conferences. She's a published author both in School Arts magazine and in the blacksmith trade magazines, The Anvil's Ring and The Fabricator. She is very involved with the Pittsburgh Area Artist Blacksmiths Association as well as the Artist Blacksmithing Association of North America. Chris is also a Master Gardener with Phipps Conservatory, and she has been asked by the Philadelphia Flower Show to present at the national conference two years in a row. She has been featured in a PCN Profile Series, and soon will be appearing in the forthcoming book by Latifa Sayadi, Striking Women, Mild as Steel. There is no doubt in my mind, retirement for her will still mean being very busy and active. She golfs, rides her bike and works out regularly, so she will be busy --- just in a different way. We will miss her fantastic displays throughout the school, her fabulous gift-wrapping and the kind, friendly, collegial, congenial manner in which she operates each and every day of the year.
Before I close, I want to remind you once again to get your yearbook recognition ads in by April 15. This year there will be a charge of around $30 for the yearbook. In addition, we will practice our school-wide evacuation plan on April 24. Details to come later. Also, Grandparents' Day is next Friday--- details are attached. I love Grandparents' Day!
I trust that you have enjoyed Spring Break and are ready for the sprint to the end of the year. There are still many activities and performances coming up, so I hope to see you at one of them soon.
I wish you enough,
Cheryl L. LittleHead of the Junior SchoolShady Side Academy
Attachments: Grandparents' Day and LVR Day information
March is that tug-of-war month; it's the tug between winter and spring. Eventually spring wins, but there are usually some signs that maybe winter will win the tug. This is also the time of year when we look back and realize there's more of the school year behind us than ahead of us, and we begin to wonder how we'll ever fit everything in before June. I must say I am amazed at how much has happened this year and how your children have grown as people and as learners. We all know after Spring Break the year flies by, so right now I am trying to enjoy every single moment!
Last week we welcomed Ellen McConnell back to the Junior School and Shady Side Academy. She had the opportunity to visit all three schools over a three-day period. Fortunately, she was able to spend a day and a half at the Junior School learning more about our family. It was nice for the faculty, staff and children to be able to meet her and begin to learn more about their new Head of School. She will begin on July 1, 2012, and she will live on the Middle School campus.
As I walked around the school last week, I couldn't help but marvel at all the precious memories being created in our classrooms. Our PK children were fast at work creating a time machine to take them back in time---back to the time of dinosaurs! They are preparing for their performance, "Dino-tastic" on March 15 in the PK building. The children were very actively engaged and so excited to discover everything they could about those interesting prehistoric creatures. Whenever I need my little "kid fix," I just spend some time in the magic kingdom of PK. What fun!
When I entered the kindergarten rooms, I was delighted to see all of the children sitting at the tables wearing red and white Dr. Seuss hats and eating green eggs and ham. Yes! They really were eating green eggs and ham for snack, celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday. Thanks to the kindergarten teachers and Mr. Al from Metz, they truly enjoyed the "slightly moldy looking" green eggs. The children said the ham was the best they ever tasted! There was a wonderful atmosphere of excitement and fun!
Our first graders have been Wildlife Warriors recently, as they learned about the Arctic and Antarctica. I observed the children creating their own polar bears in art to go along with these exciting topics. Those bears join the penguins and are on display outside the first grade classrooms.
Second grade has been immersed in learning about Africa and the rain forest. Our third graders were preparing for the State Fair to occur this week. Fourth graders were researching various gods and goddesses in preparation for their upcoming Greek Museum. And finally, I observed fifth graders preparing for their performance on March 13, at our Tuesday Assembly. What a diverse mixture of projects, lessons, performances and activities I observed---all in just a couple of days. There is a lot going on at the Junior School!
As you may know, each grade does a performance of some type every year. These performances take different shapes and forms, but each child has the opportunity to perform yearly. These opportunities, as well as the chance to speak at one of our Tuesday Assemblies, give our children experience with public speaking and also the performing arts. The arts are alive and well at the Junior School!
Since there are several performances coming up before Spring Break, I hope to see you at one of them. March is a short month for us, but it's packed with special events. We look forward to the Third Grade State Fair performance at the Tuesday Assembly on March 6, and to the fifth grade performance, "We Come from Everywhere," on March 13. Each of these presentations will be followed by a reception for parents in the cafeteria. The State Fair takes place in the third grade classrooms after Assembly and then a reception will be held in the cafeteria.
Spring break is just around the corner, and I know everyone is awaiting it with great anticipation. Whether you stay home and enjoy the slower pace of life or travel to enjoy a well-earned vacation, I wish you and your families a restful, relaxing time. Enjoy the break, celebrate the end of winter, and I look forward to seeing everyone back here in April refreshed and ready for the sprint toward the end of the year.
February greetings to you! I begin this month's letter with a quote:
"...to me teaching is as noble, challenging, stimulating, and rewarding a job as one can set one's mind and heart to - except on rainy Friday afternoons and during the month of February." ~Eric W. Johnson
This quote is humorous, yet so true for many of us during the month of February. This is the time of year when we all begin to look forward to Spring Break and warmer days, and we begin to tire of our many gray winter days. It's hard for children to be inside when it's too cold to be outside. As you know, we take the children out as often as we can; however, frigid or rainy weather does not allow much outside time. We are fortunate this winter, however, that we haven't begun to experience two-hour delays. Just in case we need to call for a two-hour delay, I would like to review for you the school's policy:
When a two-hour delay is called, and you hear about it via our Alert Now system, the schedule at the Junior School will be pushed back two hours. There is no before school program on those days. We will welcome students starting at 10 a.m., and the first bell will ring at 10:15 a.m. School officially begins at 10:25 on those days; announcements are at 10:20 a.m. Thank you for your understanding, patience and compliance with this policy. My hope is that we will not have any two-hour delays this winter. I know they inconvenience all of you, but safety is the most important thing to consider when the weather is extremely cold, snowy or icy.
January and February are traditionally known as the long, cold, dark and snowy months; however, that hasn't slowed our progress here at the Junior School. We have enjoyed almost two months of focused learning. I know the teachers enjoy this time between winter and Spring Break, as it provides a span of several weeks in which they can really get involved in their curriculum and enjoy their students as they actively engage in learning. They will soon be preparing report cards and comments for the second period. Where, oh where, is this year going??
We have had a busy admission season here at the Junior School this winter. We have a number of interested and well-qualified applicants who visited, tested and toured our school. Others are coming to visit daily, and we are excited at the prospect of welcoming them to our community. Many of you have been instrumental in sending families to us. We thank you for your help as we go through this important process.
The next step for us is our upcoming PK/K Acceptance Reception which is being held on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 9 a.m. Ellen McConnell, newly appointed Junior School Head, will join us that day. If you would like to meet Ms. McConnell, parents are invited to a Parent Coffee on Wednesday, Feb. 22, from 8:30-9:30 a.m. in the cafeteria. We've added this special date to take advantage of a visit from Ellen McConnell, who will succeed me as School Head upon my retirement at the end of June. You will have an opportunity to meet Ms. McConnell, who will also be spending time getting to know the faculty, staff and students of the Junior School during her visit to Shady Side Academy. Our regularly scheduled Parent Coffee/Parents' Association meeting with the Head of School will still take place on Thursday, March 1, as well. We'll look forward to seeing you on one or both of these mornings!
Our word of the month for February and March is "Safety." Safety is one of our Guiding Principles and those five principles guide our lives here at school. At our assembly this week, John King, Safety and Security at the Senior School, did a presentation on bus safety for the students. As you know, the teachers have a weekly time that is devoted to character education. We have discussed physical safety, stranger danger and bullying this month. Your children need to feel safe here, not only physically, but also emotionally. It's important to us, and we know it's important to you.
The Junior School children are just good medicine! Whenever I begin to feel office-bound, I venture out into the classrooms. That's where wonderful things are happening. That's where I'm at home. Children love to master challenges. They want to try new things, move in new directions and be productive. They are genuine risk takers, sometimes out of faith, sometimes out of desperation. More than anything else, children want and need to belong, to partner, to collaborate, to know and be known. Children teach us how, with a positive focus and strong support, we can move forward in a healthy direction. Your children are growing, playing and enjoying their learning. The many lessons, activities and projects in which the students participate keep them engaged in healthy and wonderful ways. One of the most rewarding tasks in my professional life as an educator has been to teach your children and lead this wonderful school. I will certainly miss my daily "kid fix!"
I wish you enough,
Cheryl L. LittleHead of the Junior School
For many people, the New Year brings about reflection, not only of where we've been but where we're going. It might also involve making some New Year's resolutions, with all good intentions at the beginning of the year. Often it's a waste of time to make resolutions; however, that's only because our efforts are often thwarted by the end of January and we continue on as usual. I hope for all of you 2012 will be a productive, happy, healthy year, and I hope you are able to keep all of your resolutions. Happy New Year!
January at the Junior School is a month for admission screenings. We began the process last Saturday with kindergarten screening; next Saturday we begin with PK. It's always very exciting, and also challenging, as we look to the future and assess children as young as three years old. Our teachers are very adept at assessing whether a child will be successful at Shady Side Academy; but, as you can imagine it's a challenge and a very difficult process. We do it thoughtfully as we put together the pieces that will eventually inform our decisions as we choose the incoming students for the 2012-2013 school year.
We're almost at the half-way point, but I know the rest of this school year will fly by and soon we'll be preparing for Moving-Up Day and Fifth Grade Graduation. Speaking of fifth grade, I must tell you that your children are part of a wonderfully enriching, nurturing, caring environment, and I'm so proud of them. Recently, I accompanied our fifth grade musicians to Schenley Gardens for their holiday concert. This concert was to have taken place in December; however, due to Ms. Modic's illness on the day they were to go, it was postponed until January. When we arrived, the home was still decorated for the holidays and the residents were beginning to gather to hear our students play. The students performed for almost an hour and also read poetry they had written. They played beautifully, but the part that really touched my heart happened at end. After the concert, Ms. Modic told the residents the children would come out into the audience and visit with them. I was thinking to myself, "Oh dear, how will they know what to say? How will everyone have time to chat?" Well, my anxieties were quickly quelled as I witnessed our fifth graders confidently and very maturely talking with all of the residents. They knew exactly what to say and how to engage the older members of the audience. With a lump in my throat, I watched each one of them (even some of our students who are a bit shy) shaking hands, introducing themselves and asking if they had enjoyed the concert. I felt like a proud peacock. That was our fifth graders at their best!
When our students leave the Junior School and move on to the Middle School, we know they are well prepared academically. That's important to you, I'm certain. However, we work with you, our parents, to help our children develop their character. At the Junior School, we all focus on our Word of the Month (which is often one of our Guiding Principles.) The Word of the Month for January is kindness. Teachers, staff and students will be looking for and writing about examples of random acts of kindness experienced here at school. Please help us by talking about kindness at home.
We were happy to see many of our Junior School families participating in our second annual MLK Day of Service. This day would normally be a day off for children, but many of them happily worked here at school to help brighten the lives of others. Thanks to all of you who attended. It was a great day! In addition to this whole school event, each grade at the Junior School participates in at least one other project to help others. The fifth graders' recent visit to Schenley Gardens is one example. I know you'll agree it's important for us to help children learn the significance of these acts of service. Almost as important, are the good feelings one receives when giving back to the community and world. One person really can make a difference!
It is at this time that we continue to envision the future of Shady Side Academy. As schools look to the future and make plans, there are always challenges. As you are aware, this year we are involved in two important processes: a self-study for reaccreditation and also a Strategic Plan. It's a very busy, yet extremely important, year when all of us are working together to plan for the future. I'm confident Shady Side Academy Junior School is "alive and well" and ready to forge ahead.
Health and wellness in your lives---it's a wish made and a wish offered as a new year begins. This year, filled with new possibilities, awaits us. We're ready for whatever it has to offer. One thing is for certain, every year brings many blessings. Enjoy!
It's December already! As you know, many traditional holidays are celebrated in or around December, and this month marks a time of true hustle and bustle for everyone. For most of us, it's also a time to think about, purchase, and give gifts.
When I think about the very best gifts I've received, many of them involved the gift of time. We don't often think of that as a gift; gifts are something one purchases, we assume. However, I can tell you, once again, that the gifts of "Faculty Friday Breakfasts" and also "Wednesday Faculty Meeting Treats" have been enjoyed by the entire Junior School community. Just last week, a parent arrived around 7 a.m., unloaded lots of food from her car, and set up the most gorgeous breakfast display for us in the cafeteria. I know for a fact, that she didn't sleep much last night because all of the items were straight from her kitchen. Now that's a gift of time; it's a gift of love and caring; and it's a gift we could all enjoy. I'm going to think about ways in which I could give the gift of time this holiday season. I believe our children appreciate that more than we realize.
We are looking forward to a visit from Naomi Shihab Nye (poet) this week. The students and faculty are very excited about her visit. Mrs. Crisanti has worked with the teachers and students, and they have made a book of poetry to present to her during her visit here. Once again, that's a gift of time, and it's a gift of love. I'm absolutely certain she will love that gift!
Recently we all enjoyed a presentation by Mrs. Hendershot about our school-wide service project, "Change for Haiti." She showed a PowerPoint slide show of her visit last summer to Haiti. Paul Hendershot, her son, works at Hopital Albert Schweitzer, and she was able to join him this summer and work with the children, teachers and schools of Haiti. Her visit was made possible by one of the generous professional development funds available to all Shady Side faculty members. Each grade at the Junior School participates in some type of service. The projects vary according to the ages and abilities of the children. A complete list of service projects is available on the service page.
The faculty and children are busy practicing for the annual Winter Festival of the Arts. We hope you plan to join us for this wonderful event held on Friday, December 16th at 1:30 p.m. We will not be parking on the field that day, but we will be running the shuttle. Details were sent via email on Friday, December 02, 2011.
Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten small group screenings for admission will take place during the month of January. Also, grades 1-5 will visit and be tested during January; however, this process is ongoing throughout the year. If you have friends who might be interested in Shady Side Academy, please ask them to contact us about the upcoming screening dates. We thank you in advance for passing on the good word about the Junior School.
Personnel Updates: As many of you know, Kristin Litster, PK teacher, welcomed her second child on November 23rd. Mrs. Litster will be on maternity leave until after Spring Break. Mrs. Patel, who filled in for Mrs. Randall earlier this year, will be filling in for Mrs. Litster as well. Congratulations, Kristin!
I would like to welcome Kim Price back to the Junior School. She returned right before Thanksgiving and is doing well. Miss Price and Mr. Murphy are co-teaching until Winter Festival. As you know, Tom Murphy has been teaching music PK-5 since the second day of school. On behalf of the entire community, I would like to thank him for his work with our children during Kim Price's absence. He's a talented teacher, a wonderful colleague, and has been a great addition to our community. He will be with us until Winter Break; he is working on Winter Festival performances and Miss Price is continuing with the general music curriculum. Mr. Murphy will be available to substitute in January.
Finally, due to health issues, Mrs. Forbes, our school psychologist, is no longer able to perform her duties at the Junior School. On behalf of our school community, I would like to thank her for her service and her kind, caring manner. I wish her well and hope that soon she will enjoy restored health. In the interim, we are consulting with Dr. Claudia Henry, the Middle School Counselor and Psychologist, about our next steps. I will keep you informed as we work to fill this position.
A final reminder: as temperatures begin to drop, please remember to send your child to school properly dressed for the weather. This week I observed children getting out of cars in the morning without coats, hats or gloves, and they often started to wait on the platform at the end of the day without a coat on as well. We do have the children go outside as much as possible. Children play in the snow, run around and take pleasure being out in the cold. As long as it's not raining or too windy, the majority of classes go out for recess most days. We know it's important for children to get outside and "blow off some steam." Properly dressed for winter weather, our children have a great time outdoors.
As we all look toward the holidays, the faculty and I send you every good wish and hope that you and your family enjoy happy holidays together. I hope to see you at Winter Festival of the Arts.
This month we find ourselves well into the routines of school, and we're busily preparing for upcoming events. Last week we enjoyed the Halloween parade, and the second grade play is coming up on Tuesday, November 15th. This is also the time of year when plans for Winter Festival are in full gear. It's a special time when we begin to reflect upon the many things for which we are thankful. Since Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I have been reflecting on some of my many blessings. I am filled with gratitude for our school community and those who support our mission to help all learners realize their true potential.
First of all, I am thankful for our bright, energetic, engaged, inquisitive, and happy children. They are actively engaged in learning the various academic subjects here at school; but they are also enjoying athletics and the arts every single day. I am also thankful for our involved and engaged parents because you have trusted us with your most prized possession(s.)
I am thankful for our gifted, talented, and hard-working faculty and staff. The proud parent in me comes out as I watch them at work. The quality of their work and their collective work ethic here is pretty incredible. As you know, teachers at Shady Side Academy are expected to grow professionally and the school funds various opportunities for enrichment and education. Recently, four Junior School teachers attended the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Conference in Atlantic City, NJ. They returned to school energized and renewed by what they learned and eager to share it with colleagues.
During an in-service day last January, the Junior School faculty and several Academy administrators met with Simon Jeynes, a consultant from Independent School Management (ISM), to think about the educational needs of our students in the 21st century. Twenty-first century skills are often noted as the three Cs: communication, collaboration, and critical thinking/problem solving. We knew a new Junior School building would not be constructed right away, but we began to think about it as we spent the day with Mr. Jeynes planning for the future. The Junior School will be an important focus of the Strategic Plan, so we began to think about our needs.
A committee of interested faculty was formed following our work with Simon Jeynes. The 21st century committee began its work by researching, reading, visiting other schools, and meeting to talk about ideas. We know that our current spaces hinder the interdisciplinary/project work we can do because they are not connected in any logical way. Knowing that, we decided to focus on the curriculum that we will teach in our new or renovated building one day.
A small group of teachers met this summer to plan for problem-based units to be carried out this year. Their goal was to apply this framework to new or existing curricular areas throughout the 2011-2012 school year. Teachers who create a project-based learning (PBL) activity/ unit during the year have agreed to share their experiences with colleagues at faculty meetings. We are not changing what we teach; we are simply changing the lens through which we look at what we do.
I am also very thankful for our Shady Side Academy Parents' Association. As you may know, three associations have combined into one, and there is now just one Shady Side Academy Parents' Association. It was the dream of our former President, Tom Southard; he worked to begin the process, and many of you have worked to see it through to completion. The one thing that has changed somewhat is that the three schools are trying to do the same things regarding yearbooks, parties, and gifts from the heart. Here at the Junior School, we have especially appreciated those gifts from the heart.
I know I speak for the entire Junior School faculty and staff when I express a HUGE thank you for Faculty Fridays and Faculty meeting treats. We love having breakfast together on Fridays, and it has been kind of so many families to contribute to this treat. The Junior School children have been involved in many of the preparations and also making signs to advertise the menu. I would like to thank you for pampering all of us and for including your children in the gift.
I am thankful for our substitute teachers. As you know, we have three teachers who have taken or will take maternity leaves this year. We have been fortunate to have been able to hire two talented, collegial, well qualified teachers to replace them: Andrea Cespedes and Dipti Patel. We also had an unfortunate medical leave taken by Kim Price; however, we were fortunate, once again, to have hired Tom Murphy to teach music during her recuperation.
This January, Phyllis Guering will take a well-earned sabbatical. We will miss her dearly, and no one will know the reading preferences of our children like she does. However, we have hired Laurie Cunningham to fill in for her library duties, and Jennifer Asmonga will take over her advisory group. Mrs. Cunningham has been a substitute at the Junior School for the last couple of years, so we know her well. She and Ms. Guering have often discussed various children's books, so it's something we already know she enjoys. Presently, Mrs. Cunningham is subbing for Bill Sauer while he is at home recuperating from eye surgery.
Finally, I am thankful to have been a part of the history of Shady Side Academy Junior School for almost 30 years. It continues to be an honor and a privilege. During my final year, I feel like I'm busier than I have ever been, and I am enjoying every minute of it. There is still so much I want to do! I love this school!
Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday where the goal is to be with family and friends and enjoy good food and fellowship together. We don't have to worry about gifts, shopping or fancy decorations; we can just enjoy the presence of the people we love. Perfect! During this season of Thanksgiving, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect upon all of your blessings and enjoy time with your family and friends.
Parents' Association Plant Sale Flyer and Order Form
It is wonderful to be back in full swing at the Junior School! As I visit classrooms, I marvel at how the teachers already seem to know their children. They are truly gifted in the ways in which they build relationships with your children first and then begin to learn all about each one of them and how to best meet their individual needs. We know that each child has a gift. It's our job to discover what that gift is, nurture it, and help them grow as learners and as people.
Hopefully, you know how very much we value our relationship with all of you. It is the role and desire of parents to want what is best for their children. Who can argue with that? At the same time, teachers have important work to do too. Their role includes nurturing the children; and it involves developing independence, self-reliance, and fortitude in them, at the same time they are teaching academics and social skills.
How do schools forge strong and meaningful partnerships with parents? I think it begins by being honest and consistent. The school's mission should be clear to all and references to it should be made to reinforce what we value. We, as adults in the lives of children, must model the relationships we value. Everyone who is part of the school community needs to understand and honor the mission and philosophy of the school. If you would like to view these statements, please visit our website.
Word of the Month - HONESTY
Our word of the month for October is honesty. We read a story at our last assembly about honesty and how very important it is to always tell the truth. Honesty is one of Shady Side's Guiding Principles as well. The classroom teachers at each grade level have planned to spend one period a week discussing this word during the month of October. They will be reading books about honesty, doing activities together, or conducting class discussions. Character education is extremely important to us, and we know it is to you as well. Please join us by focusing on honesty at home too.
Community building is also important here at the Junior School, and the beginning of the year is when teachers get to know their students and they get to know one another. Through various activities, messages, morning meetings, group meetings, etc., the students are getting to know each other. Children feel safe in rooms and spaces where they feel known, valued, encouraged and supported. It's only when they feel safe that they are willing to take a risk, and through taking risks they grow as learners and as people. School-wide community building is also going on during our Tuesday Teams time once a month during our Tuesday Assembly. At those meetings, our entire school is divided into 12 teams and they each have given themselves a name and a color. Each team consists of students from grades K-5, as well as several adults. We do activities together during this time to build school-wide community. In two weeks, we will meet to do an activity to get to know our teammates better.
A brief dress-code reminder: On page 15 of our Handbook it states that tie or Velcro tennis shoes with non-marking soles are required. In inclement weather, students may wear boots and change into tennis shoes at school.
We are beginning to see flats and boots being worn to school. Although the girls look good in flats and boots are stylish, it goes against our dress code. We do feel that safety must be the most important consideration regarding shoes. When running at recess, flats and/or boots are not safe. I will agree, however, to revisit this rule with the Junior School faculty for next year.
Parent conferences will be held on Wednesday, October 12, 2011. There is no school for students on October 12th. If you have not yet scheduled your conference, please call the office to do so. This conference period is a time to sit down with your child's teacher and hear how he/she is doing right now. The first report period ends in mid-November, and you will be able to view your child's first report in early December.
October is the official beginning of our admissions season. We will be holding our first Open House on October 19th from 9:05-11:00 a.m. If you have friends or neighbors with a child who might be interested in Shady Side Academy, please tell them about our school. In my opinion, there is no better advertisement for our school than happy, satisfied parents and children. Many times new families come to us by referral from a current family. Thank you so much for your help in spreading the word about our wonderful learning community.
Next weekend is Homecoming (October 14-16) and I hope to see many of you at the Senior School. There are lots of things going on during that weekend and our third, fourth and fifth graders will be singing the Alma Mater before the football game. Mr. Murphy has already sent a letter explaining to those parents when and where to take their children before the game. If you want more information, please visit our website or contact the office.
As we begin the fall season, I would like for each of you to step back for a moment and remember what's really important. (I think we all need to do this from time to time.) We all get so busy with our lives that we often forget that it's people who are important and your children are very important to each one of us here at the Junior School.
I'm attaching a piece titled, "When You Thought I Wasn't Looking" ~ author unknown. It will give you some food for thought.
One of the highlights of my work as Head of the Junior School is the annual return to school by the children, and this year it was quite exciting. Summer is a time administrators use to accomplish all the tasks that cannot be accomplished when the children and faculty are here. Schedules are less hectic then, and there is more time to do the important work needed to be ready to begin the upcoming school year. Teachers do curriculum work, order supplies and put them away, work with colleagues, and prepare their rooms for the year ahead. All of this happens at various times throughout the summer, but a school just isn't a school without children. Only when the students return in late August does it feel like "all's well with the world---and the school."
This year there is a palpable excitement in the building. The students seem to have a new energy, excitement and enthusiasm. I can only guess it might be because of the change to our dress code, or it could be the change to the building. The first day saw lots of khaki shorts, skirts and navy and yellow shirts. It also saw bright-eyed students admiring the renovated spaces.
I am delighted with all the work that has been accomplished over the summer. Our maintenance crew, headed by Paul Francioni and Chuck Scott, as well as many outside contractors, has performed a miraculous transformation of the common spaces: hallways, entrances, the cafeteria and the gymnasium. This group of hard-working people worked all summer, including many nights and weekends, to assure that the school was ready for students last week. Just wait until you see it! There certainly is a "wow factor" when you first look down the wing hall, or walk into the gym. We also have new round tables in the cafeteria and a newly updated sound system in the gym due to a generous anonymous gift to the Junior School. If you haven't seen the newly renovated Junior School yet, I invite you to tour the hallways, cafeteria and gymnasium.
Last Monday morning (August 29th) I received a phone call from Kim Price, our new PK-5 music teacher. She was in ICU at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital due to a bike accident the day before. Kim had ridden her bike to the Junior School from Shadyside to deliver some posters. On her way back home, her hub caught a curb on Penn Avenue and threw her into a utility pole. She broke ribs on her side and back, and lacerated her liver and kidney. Kim is now in a regular room at Presby and expects to be home next week. She will return to the Junior School when she has healed completely. I visited her in the hospital last week and talked to her twin sister, Karen, who lives in Florida and is also a teacher. Karen is here helping her sister and keeping her company; she has to return to Florida this week. I am sure Kim would love to receive cards; she should be home this week. Her address is: 614 S Aiken Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232.
Fortunately, we were able to hire Thomas Murphy to substitute for Kim until she returns. I called him Monday and he was here Tuesday morning. Mr. Murphy had been teaching elementary music for four years in Ligonier at the Ligonier Valley School District. Due to budget cuts, his position was eliminated and he has been looking for a teaching job. The students and teachers have warmly welcomed him, and I can tell they are having lots of fun in music. Tom is a percussionist and has the students moving and dancing already! We welcome Tom Murphy to the Junior School.
Another new teacher I'd like to introduce is our PK-5 Spanish teacher, Andrea Cespedes. Ms. Cespedes is filling in for Tiffanee Peterson's maternity leave. (Tiffanee was due last Monday, but so far no news!) Ms. Cespedes is a native Spanish speaker and has a master's degree in elementary education. You may remember that I introduced you to another person last spring; she decided she wanted a full-time position, thus the hiring of Ms. Cespedes. The students seem to be enjoying Spanish already! We welcome Andrea Cespedes to the Junior School.
I would like to remind you of several new things:
In closing, I must say that I am very excited about the upcoming school year. The students and teachers are engaged and excited and so am I. Let's work together to make this the best year ever!
Please read this message from school nurse Julianne Greece about peanut and treenut safety and a new snack program for grades 2-5.
Ahhh….it's summertime! Schedules are more relaxed, children are less programmed, families are vacationing and gardens are growing. However, in a few short weeks we will be back at school. I trust you have enjoyed some time away to rest, relax and spend some time with your family. Hopefully, you have been able to take pleasure in a pace that is less frenetic than the one you must follow during the school year. As parents, you know you are expected to lead and guide your children in every area of life, including play. In an age when parents often invest significant time and resources in their child's formal education, it's easy to forget that helping teach your children how to play and rest is also very important. By helping your children see the value in unstructured or unscheduled time, you're preparing them for a healthy and balanced adult life. I trust that your children have had plenty of time to play and also to rest.
I want to begin this letter with several important updates. Usually, we mail our Junior School Handbook to all families in August. This year, however, our Junior School Handbook has been updated and will be available soon on the Shady Side Academy website behind the parent portal. Hard copies will be given to all new families and anyone else requesting a hard copy.
*A significant change to our attendance policy outlined in the Junior School Handbook is when a child is absent you must call the school before 10:00 a.m. each day. At 10:00, we will begin calling all parents from whom we have not heard. As always, safety is paramount and this will assure that we know your child is at home when he or she is not at school.
*Another significant change is that we created a transportation email so that all changes to your child's transportation will be sent to: firstname.lastname@example.com If you need to change the way in which your child will go home, please email the above address by 1:30 p.m., and also copy your child's teacher. In the past, we have missed receiving important information in a timely manner. Please do not email or call us after 1:30 p.m. unless it is an emergency. Calling or emailing late in the afternoon is very confusing for everyone, and messages get missed sometimes.
*Our new parent orientation is on Monday, August 29th from 9:30-10:15 a.m. in the cafeteria. At this time, Maggie Dauer and I will welcome all new parents and introduce them to our procedures and policies. Kari Marciniak, JS Division Chair of the Parents Association, will also be there to talk about this group and explain how parents can be involved.
*The instrumental music demonstration for all fourth and fifth grade parents is Friday, September 2nd at 8:30 a.m. in the instrumental music room. A letter has been sent to all 4th and 5th grade parents.
*The first School Head Coffee for all parents will be Thursday, September 22nd at 8:30 a.m. in the cafeteria. At that time we will discuss the various learning support services at the Junior School.
As we begin to think about returning to school, let me remind you of the importance of summer reading. It's essential for your children to form the habit of reading on a daily basis. Please make sure they complete the postcards and return them to the Junior School. We have already received many of them, but I know there are lots more to come. We know you want your children to keep those skills alive; and we do too!
Now, I want to update you on what's going on here at school. All of the common areas at the Junior School are being updated, and some of the areas outside are being improved as well. New flooring, lighting, ceilings and painting is being done in those areas, as well as the creation of brick arches along the wall in the wing hall. The arches copy the arches outside along the wing hall and it looks great! Benches are being built along that hallway as well. This renovation also includes the gymnasium, cafeteria, and hallway going into the cafeteria. The upstairs is also being painted and new lighting installed. The good news is: the Junior School has had lots of attention over the last two summers, and we are very thankful for that. The bad news is: right now it's a mess throughout the school; although, it will be ready when school starts. I am sure you will be amazed and delighted when you see it this fall.
In late August, we will welcome several new people, or people in new positions. I am sure you will join me in welcoming them to the Junior School.
Jennifer Asmonga joins the Junior School community as a third fifth grade teacher; she will be joining Bill Sauer and Pat Suhody. She is not new to the Junior School or to SSA. Jennifer worked with Jessica Pandocchi in our After-School Discovery program and has also substituted. Last year during Jessica Wolf's maternity leave, she taught kindergarten with Janice Brozek. Over the summer, she worked as a Director of Camp Ren, so she is well known by children and adults. Jennifer has a master's degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and she earned her bachelor's degree from Clarion University. Welcome back to the Junior School, Jennifer!
Jessica Pandocchi joins the Junior School community as an Associate Teacher in first grade. This year she joins Jen Keller and Carol Hendershot as an Associate Teacher. She will be working in both of their classrooms. Jessica is not new to the Junior School either; she has been working in our After-School Discovery program and has substituted for us. She has a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Slippery Rock University. Welcome back to the Junior School, Jessica!
Dipti Patel joins the Junior School community as a maternity leave replacement for Alexis Randall and Kristin Litster in PK. She has been subbing and has enjoyed helping out in PK even when she's subbing in another grade. Dipti has her MAT in teaching from the University of Pittsburgh. Her BS degree was also from Pitt. She has experience teaching kindergarten for two years and second grade for a year while living in Tampa, FL. Welcome to the Junior School, Dipti!
Kimberly Price joins the Junior School community as a PK-5 general music teacher. She is also no stranger to the Junior School; she worked as a sabbatical replacement for Ruth Ann Modic in instrumental music during the 2009-10 school year. Kimberly comes to us with a lot of experience teaching in private and public schools, and she has conducted youth orchestras. Her BS degree in music is from Stetson University. Her master's degree in music education is from Carnegie Mellon University. She is working on her doctorate. Welcome back to the Junior School, Kimberly!
Megan Vrcic joins the Junior School community as a receptionist. She will be located in the front hall right inside the door. Megan comes to us from the Pace School where she had been working as a milieu therapist. Megan received her bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in the areas of psychology, education and communications. We welcome Megan to the Junior School!
At the time of this writing, I am in the process of hiring a six-week maternity leave replacement for Tiffanee Peterson, PK-5 Spanish teacher. I will update you about this process as soon as I am able.
Our After-School Discovery program will experience an update as well. Benoni Outerbridge has been hired as the Director of our After-School Discovery program, and he will hire two other people to assist him. Angela Lavrinc is one of them, but Mr. Outerbridge will be sending information about this updated program as soon as it is finalized. The program still runs from 3:15-6:00 p.m. but there are some exciting changes you will hear about soon.
I close with a personal note of thanks to all of you. Thank you for all of your support during my battle with breast cancer last spring. This community was my safety net---my support system. I knew you were out there praying for me and supporting me in various ways, and it helped me through some dark days. One thing I know for sure is this: our Shady Side Academy community is compassionate, caring, thoughtful and very kind. Right now, I am feeling great and have been able to get back to enjoying life completely, and the whole ordeal is behind me. I plan to enjoy the year ahead and work with you, the faculty, and your children to have the very best year ever!!! There is still some summer left, so please continue to enjoy your time away. I look forward to welcoming everyone back in late August.
Choose groups to clone to:
Video: A Day in the Life of the Junior School
Campus Tour
Junior School News


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This off-season for our Buffalo Bills has been somewhat unexpected in a few areas. One I would like to dive into is some positional changes to our line backing corps. Coach Gailey made a statement after moving Arthur Moats to inside linebacker that he didn't have the proto-typical size of an outside linebacker. We have seen some people comment arguing the fact that Moats is a similar size to Elvis Dumervil and James Harrison. I guess the thing that confuses me is that according to CBS Sports, Danny Batten is also 6-2. Do you remember how tall Cornelius Bennett was? Give you a hint...yes, 6-2 according to pro-football-reference.com. Now in our last pre season game Alex Carrington got the start at OLB. How many OLB's play at 305lbs? If you know please tell me because I can not find any. Don't get me wrong, this writing is not to dismiss the talents of Danny Batten, Alex Carrington or even the 6-1 Antonio Colemen as valuable members of our beloved Buffalo Bills, but to discuss the options at linebacker for the team this year and beyond. I have never bought into the "prototypical" football player. Obviously Chan Gailey doesn't either as he now has a 6-4 305 OLB. I do believe that the general consensus from fellow Rumbler's is that Moats didn't play particularly well last year in preseason at ILB, but showed a lot of potential on the outside. I started to buy into the belief that Moats' pass rush ability could be an asset from the inside. I am starting to change my mind back to my original thought that his talents are better suited for the outside. I know I'm not alone by saying that I was looking forward to seeing Moats growth from last year to this as a rush outside linebacker. I felt that a full camp and pre season at OLB help Moats grow and reach so much of that potential that a lot of us saw in his game.
The other side of this is Alex Carrington. He was another young defender that a lot of us seemed eager to see how his game progressed from his rookie season to this one. Carrington showed a great deal of potential as a solid defensive end who could eventually grow into a starter opposite Marcell Dareus. Carrington showed up to camp ready to compete and to play by adding 20 pounds of muscle. Next thing you know he is moved from defensive end to outside linebacker.
Now I know that you cannot judge careers on such a small sampling of pre season games or from a few regular season games from rookie campaigns; but it seems our team could be hindering the growth of such promising young players. Tonight's game will help sort something out I suppose, and final roster cuts could sort some others out as well. In the mean time, here are some questions to ponder:
Was Moats moved to ILB only to make way for Carrington's move?
Are we hurting Carrington's development as a promising young defensive end? (I for one tend to think that we are hurting the development of both players with this series of position changes.)
Is the coaching staff too focused on stopping the run that other aspects of the defense are being sacrificed?
Last one, is all of this movement only to add diversity in sub packages and to keep opposing offenses guessing? In other words, will the final depth chart have Moats listed as an OLB, and Carrington as a DE?