As the leader in co-educational, independent school education in the Western Pennsylvania region, Shady Side Academy was founded in a one-room schoolhouse in the Shadyside section of Pittsburgh in 1883. Since its founding, Shady Side Academy has seen many changes, including the addition of a Junior School in 1909, the move of the Senior School from the city to a "country" locale (Fox Chapel) in 1922, a merger with another prominent independent school (The Arnold School) in 1940, and the opening of the first standalone Middle School in Western Pennsylvania in 1958. The Academy celebrated its quasquicentennial (125th) anniversary in 2008-2009. Today, Shady Side Academy enrolls approximately 930 students across three beautiful campuses, where students explore, engage and excel in academics, arts and athletics within a diverse and inclusive learning community. Nearly 100 percent of SSA graduates go on to further their education at a four-year college or university. The Academy boasts an extensive global network of alumni who remain an important part of the Shady Side community.