The Athletics of Scholarship
by Amy Purcell Vorenberg, Head of School
Growing up in the Boston area, I spent many hours each Patriot’s Day in April on Heartbreak Hill, the last ascent of the Boston Marathon course, between miles 20 and 21. Waiting for the athletes to run by was itself a marathon of sorts. The early part of the day was filled with anticipatory energy – when will they get to us? First would come the wheelchair divisions, small in number, but very fast. Then, before noon, the elite runners were in high gear, gracefully and powerfully gliding toward the final stretch of the 26.2-mile course. As the day wore on, gaits shifted from confident and strong to pained and, occasionally, hobbled. Hours into the race, when most of the runners had crossed the finish line, one or two athletes continued to struggle up the hill, unified by the steady and determined pursuit of marathon glory in last hours of daylight. “The” marathon (as the race is known to Boston denizens) was the standard by which serious runners gauged their hopes and planned their trainings.
I am not a runner, but I love a good marathon. As head of school, I am still that fan cheering on the sideline and rooting for the runners passing by. At the same time, I too am running purposefully and determinedly with a great TPS team toward exciting short- and long-term goals. Please read more . . .
A Bittersweet Decision
During the past few years, the Girl Scouts of Southern Pennsylvania – owners of Shelly Ridge – have undergone significant reorganization. In addition to raising our rent significantly, the Girl Scouts advised us that there might be times during the school year when scouting activities would curtail access to the Shelly Ridge or impact programming in other ways.
Soon thereafter, TPS formed the Country Classroom Committee, made up of board members, parents, and faculty, to explore alternate sites in the region and to reassess continued use of Shelly Ridge. The process led us to reexamine our curricular goals for the country classroom program and to explore new and exciting ways students might engage with the natural world.
The Country Classroom Committee has determined that it is in the school's best interests to relocate our country classroom in fall 2010 to the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education – which is located next door to Shelly Ridge.Yes, literally, next door. Please read more . . .
Every Inch a Classroom
by Dana Marcus, Director of Institutional Advancement
It’s been a little more than 18 months since The Philadelphia School seized the opportunity to purchase the property at 2501 South Street (affectionately nicknamed “SoLo” for “South of Lombard”). Having contiguous property across three city blocks will enable the school to enhance curriculum, support the work of students and teachers in facilities worthy of our academic program, and make the school available to more families who choose to live and raise their children in the City of Philadelphia.
An intense, careful architectural, financial, and fund-raising planning process has been under way for some time now. We are pleased to be able to share some specific information regarding plans for improving our facilities. Please read more . . .
Better Than the Final Four
by Amy Purcell Vorenberg
There are moments that a teacher has the privilege of sharing with students – moments that are reserved for groups of children working together in a school setting, moments that perhaps a parent might not know or understand, moments that most likely would not happen with a mother or a father nearby. Since I have become an administrator, those direct experiences come less frequently for me. But there was one such extraordinary moment during my trip with our 8th graders to Puerto Rico in February.
It was a simple mid-day game of pick-up basketball. Please read more . . .
Sports Preparedness at TPS
by Meg Waldron, Physical Education Teacher
At The Philadelphia School we value the developmental benefits of sports for young people. Many area high schools feel the same, and require athletic participation by all students. As a result of this, one of our goals at TPS is to prepare our students for the physical and emotional demands of high school–level sports play through our physical education and athletics programs.
Although children begin acquiring coordination and agility at a young age, by third grade they are developmentally ready for competitive games that build confidence and skill. In the safe space of physical education they can explore and enjoy leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and fair play. Our hope at this level is that every child has a stronger sense of self-worth and physical competence to navigate the challenges ahead. Please read more . . .
Hoop Dreams of a Different Sort
by Elizabeth LaBan
One night last October, two TPS alumni from different eras met at a pre-season NBA game in Tulsa between the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder. They weren’t fans or spectators there to catch up and enjoy the game. Instead, they were each at work, watching the floor for their respective teams competing that night.
Michael Lissack, who graduated from TPS in 1991, is assistant director of sports media relations for the Heat, and Jesse Weinstein-Gould, who graduated from TPS ten years after Michael, is a basketball operations assistant for the Thunder. At that October game, Jesse asked his team’s PR guy to point Michael out to him, and he went over to greet him and say thanks for his support and encouragement during his job search. Then they went back to their sides of the arena and did their jobs. Please read more . . .
Alumna Profile: Carolyn Braff '99
by Elizabeth LaBan
Carolyn Braff recently went to Vancouver to cover the Winter Olympics. But her eyes and ears weren’t on Apolo Anton Ohno, Lindsey Vohn, or Shaun White. In fact, she had no professional interest in the athletes at all. Instead, she paid attention to the cameras, technical equipment, and how the games were broadcast.
As managing editor for the Sports Video Group, Carolyn writes and edits their thrice-weekly newsletters, focusing on the once-a-week college sports issue. Her news stories zoom in on the behind-the-scenes technology and new techniques that viewers are mostly unaware of while watching a game on television. Please read more . . .
Impressions of a TPS Day
by Peter V. Buttenheim
In early March, I had the privilege of spending the entire day at The Philadelphia School (In keeping with modern "full disclosure" laws, let me say at the outset that I was a teacher, coach, advisor, division head, head of school, and advancement officer in six independent schools during a forty-four year career in education. My wife and I are now the proud grandparents of two TPS students – Claire (grade 5) and Julia Saint-Amour (grade 2). Mine was not a casual, drop-by kind of a visit. I was on an important assignment!
The initial reason for my visit to TPS was to observe the school on a regular day and then write a letter of support for the school's Annual Fund program to fellow grandparents and past parents and grandparents. At the end of the day I was only too pleased to agree to write a newsletter about my impressions of a TPS school day. Please read more . . .
100 Gather for Alumni Parent Reunion
by Harry Roth, President, Board of Trustees
On Sunday afternoon, March 14, 2010, TPS held a rather unusual reunion: about 100 hundred alumni parents – representing graduates as far back as the early 1980s – gathered together in the late afternoon in the Multipurpose room and the lobby area beneath the Grand Stairway. Long-missed friends greeted one another as if it were “just yesterday” that they were dropping our kids off in the school yard. We watched a nostalgic slide show and videos of plays and graduations past; a cd of Measure for Measure a cappella singing played in the background. Also joining parents were beloved former teachers, including legendary kindergarten teachers Anne Greenwald and Jane Laties, art teacher extraordinaire Lynn Paige, and magical music and drama teacher Marcia Kravis. Former admission director Abby Levner – responsible for bringing so many of the families into the TPS community – was there too. Please read more . . .
Earth Day 2010!
Join our Middle Schoolers as they host the TPS Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the school yard.
Our students have planned the event all year, and TPS families and neighbors – of all ages! – can take part in a wide variety of fun and earth-friendly activities, including games, raffles, and crafts. We hope to see you there - support Earth Day and our kids! Please read more . . .
City Country Carnival: Fall 2010
TPS parents have been working all year on a new school event – the City Country Carnival (CCC) – which we hope will become a TPS tradition. Please save the date on your calendar now: Saturday, September 25, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 pm.
The City Country Carnival will celebrate the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year, welcome new families, and welcome back returning families. Our neighbors will be invited to join in the activities. Please read more . . .
Development News: EATS & Annual Fund
by Joan Giannobile, Director of Development
EATS Is Right Around the Corner! What is EATS? Only the most fun fund-raiser in Philadelphia!
Join us on April 30, 7:30 p.m., for fine dining, great music, and good company. And help raise funds for TPS!
And Meet the Annual Fund Challenge! The Philadelphia School Annual Fund has raised more than 77% of its $225,000 goal. Our goal is to reach 100% parent participation in this year's Annual Fund.
We are challenging parents to send in their gifts to the Annual Fund. Please read more . . .
