City & Country

At the Philadelphia School, learning has never been confined to the classroom. The rich resources of our city and the natural environment of the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, our nearby "country classroom," serve as primary sources for our learners. As part of a school day, our students might visit a medieval courtyard at the Philadelphia Museum of Art or observe and sketch a fawn in a meadow.

From the local shopkeeper to world-class museums, the resources of Philadelphia are ready at hand, indeed often just a short walk away. Our students can learn about the complexity of modern urban life by studying their own neighborhood. They can also connect directly with America's past by walking the city's streets or visiting its museums. In fact, one of the first printed copies of the Emancipation Proclamation is located just a few blocks away from our school at the Rosenbach Museum & Library.

Our school's founders were early environmental educators. From the beginning, our program has been committed to empowering students as stewards of the natural world. Each week in the fall and spring, students travel to the Schuylkill Center to spend meaningful time in nature. Science classes and hands-on explorations take place in the woods, in the meadows, or along the creek.

Students bring their outside experiences into the classroom, enriching their basic work as learners: mastering skills, analyzing information, and constructing meaning. Teachers work closely with students throughout their busy days, helping them to integrate their experiences. What a powerful learning experience it is when children see the connection between the Magna Carta studied in the classroom and the medieval art at the museum!

Middle School vocalists help Mayor Nutter celebrate the reopening of the South Street Bridge.