Shaler Area School District plans to culminate its celebration of the Class of 2021, the 50^th graduating class in the school district’s history, during a special commencement ceremony on June 11, 2021.

 

The Class of 2021 Commencement will take place on the Louis C. Martig Field at Titan Stadium at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 11. The commencement ceremony is limited to ticketed guests, but the entire community is welcome to watch the ceremony via live stream on the district’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/mo0ZHBvLuuo.

 

“We are very excited to kick off the school district’s 50^th anniversary year with the school district and community by celebrating the 50^th graduating class,” said Dr. Sean Aiken, superintendent. “The Class of 2021 will forever hold a special place in the school district’s history.”

 

The Shaler Area School District was officially sanctioned by the Pennsylvania Department of Education as a merged school district in July 1971. The district was created by joining the K-12 school districts of the Borough of Etna, Borough of Millvale, and Shaler Township, and the K-8 school district of Reserve Township. Shaler Area School District began its operations in the 1971-72 school year. 

 

As part of the Class of 2021 celebrations, each graduation gown will feature the addition of a patch of the district’s 50^th anniversary logo. 

 

The commencement ceremony will include three student speakers as well as Dr. Sean Aiken, Dr. Timothy Royall, high school principal, and Mr. Jim Tunstall, school board president. As a special honor for the Class of 2021, Shaler Area’s 2020 Distinguished Alumnus Jerry Dickinson will deliver the featured address during Commencement. Mr. Dickinson, a 2005 Shaler Area graduate, is an associate professor of law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Mr. Dickinson was recognized as the 2020 Shaler Area Distinguished Alumnus in November 2020 for his accomplishments following high school graduation and his contributions to the study of constitutional law and community activism. 

 

If the weather forces Commencement cancellation, the following procedure will be followed: Cancellation decisions will be made by 5:30 PM and will be announced on the District website, radio stations and TV stations KDKA, KQV, WTAE, and WPXI between 5:30 and 6:30 PM. Inclement weather dates and times are June 12 (11 AM, 2 PM, 7 PM) and June 13 (2 PM). If Commencement is unable to occur on one of these two dates, it will be canceled and diplomas will be mailed.