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We focus on where students are now, so they'll know where to go next. 

At TPS, high school choice is a team effort

Alyssa Rickels, our Middle School Dean of Students, works in partnership with families and their children to find a high school “fit” that honors the student's unique gifts and achievements. TPS knows the schools and knows your student and can help to guide the exploration and decision making process. TPS' students are sought after as high school freshman because they are prepared, self-assured, well-rounded, and solid community citizens.

High School Process

Applying to area high schools can seem overwhelming at first but with a little planning and research, the process can be an exciting opportunity for students to assess their interests, talents and how they learn best in order to prepare them for college and beyond. 

Meet Our Middle School Dean

I joined the TPS community in 2002 as a parent and volunteer, before becoming a member of the staff in 2018. As a clinical social worker by training, my primary responsibility is to provide social, emotional, and behavioral support to middle school students and families. This guidance includes counseling around high school placement, the transition to ninth grade, and various aspects of normative pre-adolescent and adolescent development. I partner closely with area high schools, both independent and public, to ensure TPS students and families are well-informed about a wide variety of options and aspects of the application process. I also oversee traditional middle school capstone events, such as the eighth grade trip and graduation, that provide students with important leadership and independence opportunities. Middle School students are complex and wonderful young people and it is a privilege to help shepherd them through their final years at TPS.
 

Questions?

Reach out to Alyssa Rickels with questions about high school placement process. Current families can find additional details, including a general timeline of the High School Admissions process, in the Parent Portal.

Graduates of The Philadelphia School are confident, self-assured, and well-prepared to excel in a variety of environments.

Alumni attend many of the area’s highly regarded public and independent schools including:  

TPS alumni are positive role models and leaders in college and beyond

collegeslider
Boston University
Duke
Georgetown
Haverford College
MIT
Northwestern
Oberlin College
Oxford University
Penn State
Pratt Institute
Stanford
Temple University
Tufts University
UC Berkeley
University of Chicago
University of Michigan
University of Pittsburgh
Washington University - in St. Louis
Yale University

Testimonials