The Episcopal Academy's Road to Newtown Square

19073 The Episcopal Academy’s Road to Newtown Square

Relive the journey.

THE EPISCOPAL ACADEMY has a long, proud history of making bold decisions in an effort to prepare students for lives of purpose, faith, and integrity. In looking back through the school’s storied past, there are countless stories that capture this spirit and demonstrate Episcopal’s commitment to preparing future generations of leaders.

Perhaps the boldest story of all lies within the school’s journey to Newtown Square. Twenty years ago, school leaders adopted a Strategic Plan that aimed to find a large tract of land that could present options for the future. In 2001, a committed group of visionary trustees, parents, and alumni helped school leaders acquire 123 acres of land in bucolic Newtown Square.

The location would allow Episcopal to attract families from the western suburbs, which were experiencing significant population growth, all while maintaining a strong connection to the city. In 2006, construction on the new campus began.

“This is about ensuring the future of this institution for generations to come,” explained Ham Clark, Hon., who was Head of School during the pivotal construction phase. “It’s about taking on a monumental challenge and, as a community, making the conscious decision to advance this institution in every way possible.”

After nearly a decade of whirlwind planning and unprecedented execution, students, faculty, and staff gleefully descended upon the pristine, state-of-the-art campus, kicking off the 2008-2009 academic year.

Today, under the leadership of current Head of School Dr. T.J. Locke, our “new” campus continues to provide limitless opportunities to our entire school community. In celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the move to Newtown Square, we invite you to relive the journey with the help of the following archived articles from Connections magazine.

Connections TO OUR PAST

Join us in revisiting the road to Newtown Square through feature stories from three editions of Connections magazine.

FALL 2006

Connections T h e M a g a z i n e o f T h e e p i s c o pa l a c a d e M y

FA LL 2 0 0 6

Every Picture Tells A Story After more than eight years of planning, the future home of The Episcopal Academy is taking shape.

WINTER 2007

Connections

FALL 2008 The Maga zine of The episcopal acadeMy

Fall 2008

T h e M a g a z i n e o f T h e e p i s c o pa l a c a d e M y W i n t e r 2 0 0 7

Building the Future Plans become action at the official groundbreaking for the newtown Square Campus Also inside: The Stripes: Stronger Than Ever Memories of Fitz Dixon

Inside this issue A New Era for Episcopal On September 3, 2008, The Episcopal Academy officially opened its doors in Newtown Square.

Also inside: The Rodin Family Partnership funds bioethics program with Penn A testimonial from Heyward Wharton ’39

External Programs Four new programs will allow alumni, parents, and staff to utilize the new campus in a variety of ways, while a new summer program will provide flexibility and choice for the busy family.

The Future of The Episcopal Academy

Making History

A Vision Realized

Experience the excitement as The Episcopal Academy prepares for groundbreaking on the site that would become our new home. Learn how campus spaces took shape in the minds of visionary architects, designers, and school leaders, and explore a timeline of the process.

Feel the energy as 2,000 attendees celebrate the official groundbreaking of the new campus. Hear the reflections of school leaders, catch photos from the event, and see construction unfold as we take the next, bold step on the road to Newtown Square.

Relive the celebration as The Episcopal Academy’s brand new Newtown Square campus welcomes students, teachers, parents, and alumni after years of planning. Learn how our ambitious move to Newtown Square transformed the student experience.

begin the journey

Connections T h e M a g a z i n e o f T h e e p i s c o pa l a c a d e M y

FA LL 2 0 0 6

Every Picture Tells A Story After more than eight years of planning, the future home of The Episcopal Academy is taking shape.

Also inside: The Rodin Family Partnership funds bioethics program with Penn A testimonial from Heyward Wharton ’39

TH E ROA D TO N E WTOWN SQUA RE

“The Future of The Episcopal Academy” Connections Magazine: Fall 2006

The Future of The Episcopal Academy More than eight years ago, The episcopal academy Board of Trustees began an uncertain search for a “large tract of land to serve as a means of preserving future options� for the school. This month, that once hazy vision will become a reality when ground is broken for what will be one of the finest independent day school campuses in the country.

By courtenay h. Bond fa ll 20 0 6

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Computer generated rendering of the new campus from the southwest.

Rt. 252 is at the top of the image.

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he moment is here. On Sept. 27, the Episcopal community will celebrate another major milestone in its 225-year tradition of educational leadership by commencing the building of its new campus at Route 252 and St. David’s Road.

“It’s exceptionally exciting after what amounts to five years of preparation and literally tens-of-thousands of hours that have gone into this project,” says Episcopal Head of School Ham Clark. “But this isn’t just about bricks and mortar, new buildings, or unifying our campuses. This is about ensuring the future of this institution for generations to come. It’s about taking on a monumental challenge and, as a community, making the conscious decision to advance this institution in every way possible. I find the greatest satisfaction in knowing that this unrivaled project is a perfect example of the type of leadership we work hard to instill in our students.”

Former Head of School Jay Crawford ’57, who was in his final year at Episcopal when the school raised nearly $20 mil-

lion during the summer of 2001 to purchase the new site, could not agree more.

“It really opens up a lot of possibilities for an institution to see itself both in the present and the future, honoring the traditions and accomplishments of the past but not being bound by them,” Crawford says about consolidating the Merion and Devon campuses in Newtown Square. “This is a very rare opportunity for a school. Schools have moved in bits and pieces, but it’s like instead of buying one new car and having another car that’s four or five years older, everything will be brand new. Everything will be brand new and planned by the people who use it.”

With a Chapel, four main academic buildings, a Campus Center, an Athletic Center, parking lots, courtyards, and playing fields designed by four renowned architects, the school aims to move into the new campus in just two, short years— by the fall of 2008—for a total price tag of close to $200 million. In August of 2005, the Academy reached a monu-

The hisTory of a Move Reaching this historic moment has been an arduous task, involving not only the Master Planning Committee and architecture firms, but also the commitment of board members, administrators, fundraisers, parents, teachers, and students. Designing the

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new campus required that the Episcopal community envision a new future for itself—one that reaches deep into the 21st century but preserves the essence of the school that was first chartered “The Academy of the Protestant Episcopal Church” in 1785 on Fourth Street in Philadelphia.

19 9 8 b In June, the Board of Trustees adopts a strategic plan, which directs the “active pursuit of a large tract of land to serve as a long term asset and a means of preserving future options.” That plan envisioned the land as a possible location for one unit of the school, although Merion would continue to be the institution’s anchor.

“This is about ensuring the future of this institution for generations to come.” mental agreement whereby St. Joseph’s University will acquire the Merion campus and the school is currently marketing the Devon campus. In May, the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors unanimously granted final approval of Episcopal’s final land development plan for the new campus, and as of August, the capital campaign was already halfway to its goal of $90 million.

It has been a long and complicated process that involved a number of critical pieces, but as construction vehicles began moving earth on August 14th, parents, alumni, and friends began to realize that the future of The Episcopal Academy is here and the new campus is quite literally taking shape. The planning is complete and the execution has begun.

Starting with a Clean Slate

the program and design of the master plan over the period of a year.

Armed with that master plan, the school applied for and received in September of 2003 a special exception from the Newtown Township Zoning Hearing Board to locate the facility in a residential area.

In November of 2003, after a national search, the Master Planning Committee selected Hillier Architecture as the master architect for the entire project, with the individual buildings designed by separate design architects (see “The History of a Move” timeline below).

“We simply didn’t want the new campus to look sterile,” Clark says. “We didn’t want it to look like a corporate campus. So we said, ‘Let’s bring in several architects.’”

Former Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Co-Chair of the Master Planning Committee, Rush Haines ’61, agrees: “We wanted it to look like it evolved; like a college campus that evolves over time.”

In addition to designing the three main academic buildings (Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools) and the landscaping, Hillier will coordinate the work of four firms. Having come up with the concept of a Campus Center during master planning, Gund Partnership was then hired to design that facility,

While it’s one of the most unique and compelling aspects of the new campus project, figuring out how best to build a PreK-through-12 campus from scratch was a formidable task. “To figure it all out was not easy to do at first,” recalls Patsy Porter, former parent, Episcopal Trustee, and member of the Master Planning Committee formed immediately after the land purchase. “It was really daunting.” Early on, the group spent countless hours traveling to schools that had done major construction, vetting master planning firms, architectural firms, and project management firms that could View of the (from left to right) Middle School, Science Center, design the new campus.

Upper School, and Lower School from the front of the Chapel.

After those initial brainstorming trips and interviews, the Master Planning Committee began a national search for master planning firms. After interviewing nearly a dozen firms, the committee then chose Gund Partnership and Olin Partnership to design the master plan for the campus. Immediately thereafter, the committee interviewed a number of firms for project manager and chose Brailsford and Dunlavey. Together, these choice professionals, with input from more than 250 constituents, developed

19 99 b Head of School Jay Crawford and Trustee Newbold Smith look at a number of possible sites before focusing on the 223-acre Lisiter farm in Newtown Square owned by G&W Partnership, which was planning a housing project on the site. “

“There were really two sides,” Crawford recalls. “One side was saying that it didn’t make sense from a practical standpoint to be in Merion, away from the center of our constituency. Others were saying, ‘It’s working. People must be coming here for a reason.’”

2000 b Then Board Chair, Rush Haines, Crawford, Smith, and Trustee David Crockett, Sr. approach Jack Gambone of G&W with a proposal for the school to acquire 50 or 60 acres.

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Architectural sketches of the Chapel, designed by Robert Venturi ’44.

“The Chapel will be what you see as you drive up to the school and wherever you are inside the campus.” which will be home to The Roger Annenberg Library, the dining facilities, two theaters, arts classrooms, a faculty commons, and administrative offices. Bohlin Cywinski Jackson was hired to design the Athletic Center, while Venturi Scott Brown and Associates (led by Episcopal alumnus Robert Venturi ’44) was hired to design Episcopal’s new Chapel.

While no one doubted the expertise or reputation of any of the firms, having four architects of this stature working together on one project is a relatively new concept in American architecture and had the potential to create friction.

“Working in parallel with other architects—that’s unusual,” says John Hunter, senior associate with Venturi. “Normally you’re the one architect that’s there talking with the client.

In this process, we’ve met regularly with the other architects, and that has been very interesting.”

2 00 1 b G&W obtains approval for a 123-lot subdivision and announces its intent to sell the entire site for the best offer over $30 million. b Board members Brian Tierney, Crocket and his son, Dave Crocket, Jr., and parent and real estate developer, Brian O’Neill join together to try and obtain an 4

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option on the land for the school. O’Neill recalls: “We went to see Jack Gambone on the first Saturday in June and reached an agreement that tied the property up as long as we kept making non-refundable deposits and closed in 90 days. We wrote personal checks for the first few deposits and offered the agreement to Episcopal which, we were warned, had

no money to complete the purchase. So we went and raised the money.” b During the first 45 days of the agreement, $12 million in pledges were received and the Nolen Companies, headed by parent Jim Nolen, agreed to acquire 100 of the 223 acres for $14,250,000.

“The day I knew it was going to work was when we pulled all of the architects and about 75 constituents together in the wrestling room, and the architects made their pitch,” Haines recalls. “Then they kicked us out and the architects stayed behind brainstorming, working together, sketching what the buildings might look like. They were really into it when we came back five hours later and, in fact, didn’t want to stop. It was great to see all these individual architects coming together as a team.”

Bernard Cywinski, principal at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, was also intrigued by the opportunity to collaborate with other renowned firms. “Episcopal is taking an interesting approach in that they retained a number of architects to ensure diversity in design solutions, while there is compatibility with each architect in overall design through use of similar materials.”

The prospect of giving an institution a new home was a fascinating project to tackle, says Philip Dordai, principal at Hillier Architecture. “It’s the kind of problem you’re given in graduate school, and your professor says, ‘Enjoy this now, because out in the real world you will never have this opportunity again.’”

Having several firms collaborate on a project from scratch has been a great success, administrators and board members say. “These professionals spent a lot of time together and supported each others’ designs and figured out how to make this work for us,” Clark says. “We’ve ended up with a more interesting design because of the different creative minds involved in the process.”

The Master Plan In formulating the master plan, architects from Gund held meetings with different groups from the Episcopal community. “We had one workshop in the gym where we had trustees, faculty, parents, and students, and everyone was broken into teams,” recalls Graham Gund, president of Gund Partnership.

“They collaborated on site planning issues, budget issues, program issues. It was really quite a wonderful day.” Gund and members of the Episcopal community discussed a wide range of issues, like how to keep pedestrian traffic separate from car circulation, how to maintain the heavily wooded ar-

b Based on those events, the Board of Trustees votes to accept the assignment of the purchase contract. b Development Director, Meg Hollinger, recalls a telephone call from Crawford in the summer of 2001 when he told her: “I need you to come up with a plan to raise $20 million,” recalls Hollinger. “Before you knew it, 84 people had donated $20

eas of the site and work with the natural terrain, and how to orient the buildings.

In the master plan, Gund located the Chapel on the north end of the academic quadrangle, seeing it as the anchor of the new campus. The Upper, Middle, and Lower Schools are situated to the east of the Chapel. The Science Center, which lies between the Upper and Middle Schools, is also situated to the east of the Chapel. The Campus Center sits to the west of the Chapel, with a central Campus Green uniting all of these facilities. The Athletic Center—containing the pool, performance gym, field house, fitness center, wrestling room, squash courts, training facilities, and locker rooms—is on the same side as the Campus Center, but set back from the Chapel.

Nine regulation-size playing fields—both natural and artificial—a football stadium, and 14 tennis courts will flank both sides of the main entrance road to the campus. The Chapel spire will be visible both as you approach the campus and as you circulate through it, uniting Episcopal’s ideals of mind, body, and spirit.

The Chapel “We always thought the Chapel should be at the head of the campus, stating its importance as you drive in,” Gund says. “It will be what you see as you drive up to the school and wherever you are inside the campus.”

Episcopal approached Venturi Scott Brown and Associates to do the Chapel, not only because Robert Venturi is an alumnus, but also because in an ironic twist-of-fate, Venturi designed a new chapel for Episcopal for his master’s thesis at Princeton University over 50 years ago. Although the design Venturi created for the new campus is different from the theoretical one he envisioned as a student, the architect and the school found a pleasing symmetry in his taking on this project. Venturi was also interested in the project “because he has maintained a close connection with Episcopal and because it’s a local project,” says Hunter, a senior associate at Venturi, says.

“Most people really like the existing Chapel on the campus,” Hunter continues. “They like being able to see the other members of the congregation… They like the sense of community that space creates.” Venturi wanted to incorporate

million. It was a sense of urgency and a bold vision” that encouraged people to make critical gifts, Hollinger says.

Says Tierney: “People respond to the emergent opportunity, and this truly was a project that captured the imagination.

2002 • After a national search, Graham Gund Architects and Olin Partnership

are retained by Episcopal to develop a master plan for the new campus. b The school retains firm Brailsford & Dunlavey as Project Managers. b With the participation of more than 200 constituents over the next year, the Master Plan for the new campus is developed.

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these characteristics into the new building and ended up placing the 900 seats radially, so that everybody will be able to see the altar as well as each other.

The new Chapel will be a third larger than the existing Chapel. “A lot of the discussions were about how do you create a soaring space and still feel comfortable when a smaller group is in there,” Hunter recalls. In addition to creating a sense of intimacy through the seating arrangement, Venturi worked to incorporate natural light and views of the landscape “to create a space that was inviting and also awe-inspiring and soaring.”

The Campus Center The other building that will act as a focal point on the new campus will be the Campus Center. “The campus center was viewed as a very important building,” Gund says. The entrance to the building will be a main reception area with wood paneling and a founders’ wall containing plaques of major donors. “It should be a very welcoming space.”

A sky-lit cupola will draw the eye from the reception area up a grand staircase to the second floor, where the headmaster’s office will look out over the entrance to the building and onto the Campus Green. The Admission Office and other administrative offices will be nearby. A board room, also with dramatic views of the surrounding landscape, will sit at the south end of the building. The main entrance to the new Roger Annenberg Library will be near the entrance to the Campus Center, forming the north wing of the building.

“The library is a very traditional school library, but it also recalls some of the grand reading rooms of great libraries, such as the Boston Public Library and the New York Public Library,” says John Prokos, the principal architect for Gund.

A two-story space with ample reading area, the library will have windows on three sides, tables around the exterior, and books mostly collected in the center section. The library will also boast two computer labs for teaching research skills.

A faculty commons will offer the entire faculty a space to gather and share ideas. The idea was to make this a space for all faculty members and to place it in the Campus Center so that teachers will not always be tucked away in their respective units. “Part of the goal Episcopal has is to continue to create a lot of opportunities for interaction between the fac-

2003 b In September of 2003, the Newtown Township Zoning Hearing Board grants Episcopal a special exception to locate the school in a residential area in accordance with the Master Plan. b The decision is reached to retain multiple design architects and one master architect for buildings. “We 6

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“The theater will be as good as almost any theater—not just school theaters—in Philadelphia.” ulty and students, both outside the classroom and inside the classroom,” Prokos says.

The dining facility, at the opposite end of the building from the library, will be another gathering spot for faculty and students. Younger students and older students will have their own seating areas, with students and faculty filing through a serving hall to collect their food before entering the main space. Views of the campus and landscape will make this an inviting area, one in which students and teachers will linger in conversation. The senior commons and lockers, college guidance offices, and a health suite will adjoin the dining hall.

The Arts At the heart of the Campus Center will be the theater, art studios, vocal and instrumental music rooms, a ceramics studio, a dark room, a digital photography studio, a digital video production studio, a woodworking and scene shop, and a communal arts office. “Having all of us in one place, not in a lot of different buildings, will create a synergy,” says Chair of the Art Department, Mary French. “We’ll all work off each other and share curricular ideas.”

Chair of the Music Department, Joe Buches, agrees. “It really will enable that built-in time where we can easily collaborate within the department itself and with other art departments,” Buches says. Furthermore, music groups and art classes will no longer compete for space but will have specialized rooms and performance venues. “The facility will lend itself to having more opportunities for students,” Buches says. “There will be more flexibility in continuing to develop the program instrumentally and chorally.”

A black box theater will offer a smaller space for both formal and impromptu performances. “It is a theater that has a very flexible arrangement so that you can arrange the audience any way you want,” Prokos explains. But the crown jewel of the arts complex will be the 600-seat, state-of-theart theater, with a courtyard for gathering before and after performances.

simply didn’t want the new campus to look sterile,” Head of School Ham Clark says. “We didn’t want it to look like a corporate campus. So we said, ‘Let’s bring in several architects.’”

as the principal in charge, and individual building design architects as follows:

b In November, following a national search, Hillier Architecture is selected as Master Architect, with Philip Dordai

Gymnasium Complex Bernard Cywinski Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Chapel Robert A. Venturi ’43 Venturi Scott Brown & Associates

Architectural sketch of the Campus Center.

“Theater design is something we enjoy and also specialize in,” Prokos says. “We prefer to wrap the audience around the room so it recalls the Elizabethan stage of Shakespeare’s time.

That gets everyone closer to the stage, and it creates a more successful space for students to perform in because everyone is in close proximity.”

“The theater will be as good as almost any theater—not just school theaters—in Philadelphia,” Clark says. “We have a very good arts program now, but it’s not always perceived in the way it should be because it’s in somewhat peripheral facilities. People outside our community will now know that the arts are, and always have been, a major component and asset of our program.”

The Academic Buildings Across from the Campus Center will be the Upper and Middle School buildings, connected by the Science Center. “The Middle School is purposely designed in a somewhat understated way because you have the Chapel in front of you,” explains Dordai of Hillier. As designs evolved, the Middle

Campus Center Graham Gund Architects Lower School Nicholas Garrision and Grace Weng Hillier Architecture Middle School Nicholas Garrison & Taek Park Hillier Architecture

School was reduced from three to two stories, making it less tall but longer so it would not interfere with the view of the Chapel. The first major space visitors will see upon entering the Middle School will be a study hall and meeting area. “The study hall is the major center of activity for the school—a kind of defining space for the [Middle] School,” Dordai says.

The Science Center, which will join the Middle and Upper Schools via a series of enclosed walkways, will have a threestory atrium at it’s center, which will flood the entire building with natural light. All of the classrooms and labs on each of the three stories will be organized around the atrium. In addition, the Science Center will include an outdoor greenhouse, while open courtyards will provide outdoor environments for fall or spring classes.

The three-story Upper School will have an inviting entry with a fireplace. Common spaces around student lockers, smaller meeting rooms, and departmental offices will give both students and teachers places to gather and work. The Upper and Middle Schools will share several top-of-the-line technology labs, and both units will have more classroom

Upper School Nicholas Garrison & Taek Park Hillier Architecture Science Center Andy Buchsbaum Hillier Architecture Mansion & Farmhouse Restoration James Garrison ’75 Hillier Architecture

2005 b In August, Saint Joseph’s University enters into an agreement to acquire Episcopal’s Merion facilities. b In November, approval for the preliminary land development plan for the new campus is granted by the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors. fa ll 20 0 6

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Entrance to the Turner Upper School.

space than they currently do. In addition, each classroom will be equipped with display devices, Internet access, and coordinated technology systems. “We’re making sure that the infrastructure is in place for maximum use. We want it to be ubiquitous, standard, and easy to use,” says Upper School Head Geoff Wagg, who has been involved in designing technological aspects of the new campus.

Making technology access seamless and pervasive will improve teaching and learning, Wagg says. “It will enable teachers to experiment and find new ways to do things,” Wagg explains. “It will also enable us to have a more consistent experience for the students with technology. By building this great infrastructure and having these great offerings, we can ensure students will leave with greater technology skills and appreciation for the ethics involved.”

“What can also be exciting via technology is the possibility of broadening the classroom borders,” says Curriculum Director Mindy Hong. “We can have teleconferencing with experts in various fields. For instance, we can have speakers in the classroom through teleconferencing with live feed.

Other independent schools use such technology to enhance the classroom experience. For instance, if a class is studying

b The Development Committee and the Board of Trustees approve a capital campaign goal of $90 million to support the new campus project. $20 million of the campaign includes the already secured land campaign purchase. The remaining $70 million, titled the Ever Episcopal Campaign, includes a $15 million endowment component. This $15 million will double Episcopal’s 8

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space technology, we can arrange for our students to interact via live feed with experts from NASA.” Hong is also excited to have the Lower School take advantage of the lush Newtown Square landscape. “We can have our Lower School start a garden that can be integrated into a bio-environmental program where students engage in experiential learning by planting, harvesting, and studying the ecosystem,” Hong suggests.

“The Lower School has a very different set of needs, and in many ways it both wanted to be a more self-contained world but also to participate in the main campus,” Dordai says. In addition to classrooms containing more space than those at Merion or Devon, the Lower School will house its own library and art, music, and computer rooms. “We worked hard to break up the mass of the building,” Dordai says. “We wanted the building to feel intimate.” Hillier used open gathering spaces to connect the wing containing the music and art classrooms with the academic classrooms. They also designed larger areas outside corridor doors so that students would not funnel out of classrooms directly into narrow hallways, and generous windows look out onto the outdoor play spaces.

The Athletic Center Set off just slightly from the Chapel is the Athletic Center, which includes a large outdoor concourse inviting visitors to enter the building. The main façade will be a two-story high glass wall, through which visitors will be able to see all the way to the pool. “It’s a very dramatic entrance that includes a view into the body of the building,” says Bernie Cywinski.

The performance gym will be the main competition basketball court for both the boys’ and girls’ teams, with fold-out bleachers to seat more than 1,100 people. A two-story high walkway lined with windows will provide views into the pool, fitness center, and wrestling room and will lead to the locker rooms, offices, and training room. A space will be left available for a future rowing tank. From the locker rooms, students will proceed to the pool, wrestling room, fitness center, and a field house which will hold three basketball/volleyball courts and an area for larger wrestling events. The field house can also double as a large event space.

endowment, securing more money for faculty salaries, building maintenance, and financial aid programs. “It is really important because that’s the way you stay competitive as a school,” says Board of Trustees Chairman, Gretchen Burke. “You can build beautiful buildings, but you’ve got to attract top faculty and students. We’re very committed to making sure that continues to happen.”

b In December, Intech Construction is selected to manage the pre-construction phase of the new campus’ development.

2006 b In January, the Ever Episcopal Capital Campaign begins with solicitations being made to major prospects. b In May, final land development approval for new campus is granted

“It’s the people and experiences that make Episcopal a special place.”

“The flow from arrival to locker room to activity is very open and full of events so that students can see what’s going on in the building in their journey from one place to another,” Cywinski says. The central staircase in the main lobby provides a view back to the spire of the chapel, as well as glimpses of the pool, competition court, and 10 squash courts with seating for approximately 100 people. Outside will be tennis courts, and multipurpose fields for football, soccer, and lacrosse. Two fields will have artificial surfaces and an allweather track will offer top-notch competition and training facilities to the track and cross-country teams—in fact to all teams interested in improving their conditioning, says Athletic Director Gina Buggy.

“The new campus will enable all teams to practice and compete six days a week without having to displace anyone,” Buggy says. “Our primary goal was to provide flexibility because we have such a wide and varied program. But we didn’t want to skimp on the opportunity to provide venues for elite competition. The hardwood basketball court, the squash courts, the artificial surface fields, the tennis courts, the allweather track will allow us to host events beyond Episcopal, such as Inter-Ac Championships.”

sure concerns about a loss of identity were felt in 1921 when we made the jump from Center City to Merion, or when the school went co-ed. Clearly those concerns were unfounded. I know that will also be the case with this move to Newtown Square. The new campus is about creating community. It’s going to be a wonderfully positive environment for everybody that brings with it a sense of possibility.”

The sentimental and emotional attachments to Devon and Merion are clearly being treated with the utmost care by those in charge of getting Episcopal to Newtown Square, but Trustee Brian O’Neill is quick to remind everyone just how fantastic this new campus will be.

“Plain and simple: It will be one of the finest high school campuses in the country and will underscore Episcopal’s position as one of the premier independent high schools in the U.S. of A. Period.”

During the construction, as many as 400 to 500 workers could be on-site at any given time.

Achieving Excellence It is not an overstatement to say that this is truly a momentous time in the rich and textured history of The Episcopal Academy. While the school is no stranger to breaking new ground, as numerous moves can attest, this is arguably one of the most ambitious and courageous undertakings yet. It will certainly test the school in ways it has never been tested before, but the school’s leadership is confident that the essence of what Episcopal is will never be lost, no matter the location.

“It’s the people and experiences that make Episcopal a special place,” says Clark. “New walls and new facilities simply can’t erase more than 220 years of history and tradition. I’m

by the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors. b Episcopal Academy’s Devon Campus is placed on the market.

2008 b September: Projected opening date for the new campus.

b In July, Intech retained as construction manager for the new campus. b First construction work on the new campus begins in August.

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Connections T h e M a g a z i n e o f T h e e p i s c o pa l a c a d e M y W i n t e r 2 0 0 7

Building the Future Plans become action at the official groundbreaking for the newtown Square Campus Also inside: The Stripes: Stronger Than Ever Memories of Fitz Dixon

TH E ROA D TO N E WTOWN SQUARE

“Making History” Connections Magazine: Winter 2007

Making History On September 27th, more than 2,000 attendees helped officially launch the next chapter in Episcopal’s history at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Newtown Square Campus

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he Episcopal Academy celebrated one of the most significant events in its 221-year history on September 27th, hosting the groundbreaking ceremony for its new campus in Newtown Square.

Under sunny skies with temperatures in the mid 60s, more than 2,000 Episcopal community members—including every student and faculty member—converged at the intersection of Rt. 252 and St. David’s Road to actively participate in welcoming the next chapter of the Academy’s history.

Themed “I am a Part of Episcopal’s History,” the program began at 10:30 a.m. and showcased the entire Episcopal family—alumni, students, faculty, staff, past parents, and friends. In keeping with the theme, all current students and faculty processed into the 2,000-seat tent with alumni representatives from each decade beginning in the 1930s, as well as members of the Board of Trustees. The group was led by student cross bearers (Rahul Jha ’07, Cameron Maple ’11, and Nile Hardy ’14) and standard bearers (Joi Patterson ’08 and Stephen Shanahan ’07), as well as four banner barriers (Loyd Pakradooni ’65, Nicole McNeal ’07, Intesar JanJua ’14, and Collin Wright ’12) who presented and hung custom-made banners representing Episcopal’s four locations: Philadelphia, Merion, Devon, and Newtown Square. The processional music was performed by the Upper School Chamber Orchestra and bagpiper Alexander Lee ’08.

Once the procession was complete, Chaplain Jim Squire Hon., gave the collect and student representatives from each of the units (Hannah Schaafsma ’15 and Caroline Jacoby ’15 from the Merion and Devon Lower Schools, Katherine Hirtle ’11 from the Middle School, and Christopher Cox ’07 from the Upper School) read the lessons.

WinTer 2007

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Computer generated rendering of the new campus from the southwest.

Rt. 252 is at the top of the image.

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“We have always brought with us the essence of who we are to where we are.”

– Jay Crawford ’57

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DReams aRe BeComing Reality While the Episcopal community celebrated a new phase in the school’s storied history, work on the new campus sped ahead unabated. As these photos illustrate, foundations for all of the academic buildings are in, excavation of the Chapel and Athletic Center has begun, and the main entry road has been paved.

With construction work on schedule, the Capital Campaign more than halfway to its goal of $90 million (to date $55 million has been raised), the agreement of sale for the Merion Campus complete, and the Devon Campus being actively marketed, the countdown to the opening of school on the new campus in the fall of 2008 has begun.

You can view the groundbreaking ceremony in its entirety by visiting the Episcopal Web site at www.ea1785.org/ groundbreaking. No special software is needed and chapter breaks make it easy to jump from segment to segment.

the main entry road to campus being paved.

the lower school foundation and walls.

Footprints of the Upper school (starting far left) and science Center (foreground).

For updates on the Capital Campaign and construction of the new campus, please visit www.ea1785.org/ newcampus.

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excavation for foundation of the Chapel.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Gretchen Burke, welcomed all in attendance and gave introductory remarks before introducing Head of School Ham Clark. Mr. Clark, who used a number of visuals during his remarks, took those in attendance on a journey through Episcopal’s past, highlighting the numerous locations the school has called home. He emphasized that the location of the school is not what makes Episcopal unique, but rather the accomplishments of its students, alumni, and faculty. He noted that none of the changes that have shaped and strengthened the school— moving from Center City to Merion, becoming a coeducational institution, opening the Devon Campus, and now moving to Newtown Square—were easy to take on.

“Here we will sustain the excellence in Mind, Body, and Spirit that always characterized our school… But let there be no mistake, the move to this (Newtown Square) location was courageous and inspired,” said Clark.

“We could have stayed in Merion.

That certainly would have been the safe decision. But our future there would have been limited… Here we can fulfill our objective to be one of the best day schools in the country.

Here, in the midst of the population boom of the western suburbs, we can attract and enroll the most talented young people from all across the Philadelphia region while still maintaining our connection to the city.”

Mr. Clark’s comments were followed by a time capsule presentation, which included students, faculty, alumni, and former administrators.

Each of the participants contributed an item to a handcrafted time capsule made from cherry, walnut, and oak taken from the Merion, Devon, and Newtown Square campuses. The time capsule contributors were led by former Head of School, Jay Crawford ’57, who focused his comments on the history, traditions, and items that the school will be taking to Newtown Square.

Crawford eloquently quoted T.S. Eliot’s “Little Gidding,” (“And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time”), and then noted: “Exploration has been a characteris-

tic of our history. We have been on the move in Mind, Body, and Spirit for all of those years. But we have always brought with us the essence of who we are to where we are. New settings, new ideas, and new perspectives.” He remarked that The Episcopal Academy Legacy Group, made up of alumni and former faculty members, have already identified more than 95 items and groups of items, as well as 55 traditions or events, that will travel with the school to Newtown Square.

per School Student Council President contributed a video made by Upper School students to celebrate their role in making Episcopal history. The video began with a welcome message and congratulatory remarks from John Wager ’29, the oldest known living alumnus of Episcopal.

The day finished with a blessing of the ground and a prayer of consecration by the Right Reverend Charles Bennison, Bishop of Pennsylvania, and the ceremonial breaking of the

“We move boldly forward, but we are reminded of our past, and today… we are all part of episcopal history.”

–Ham Clark

Crawford closed by donating his own Lower School jersey to the time capsule (see photo on page 1).

Crawford was followed by former Chaplain, Rev. James Trimble, who contributed a prayer book from Christ Chapel (Episcopal’s founding location); Anthony Morris, ’71, a direct descendent of founder Robert Morris, who contributed a copy of Charles Latham’s book, The Episcopal Academy 1785-1984; Dr. Jean Haab ’84, a member of the first coed class to graduate from Episcopal, who donated a Tabula yearbook; Michelle Thomas ’06, a member of the most recent graduating class, who contributed a photo of one of her favorite places on the Merion Campus; John Wynne Hon., the Senior Master of the school (John has been at Episcopal since 1967), who contributed a varsity athletic jersey and varsity letter; and students Sophia Paulette ’16 (gifts from the Lower School at Merion), Allison Farrelly ’18 (gifts from the Lower School at Devon), Angira Pickens ’11 (gifts from the Middle School), and senior Wendy Brown, who as Up-

ground by a number of alumni, students, faculty members, and staff, including: John Rettew ’50; faculty member Elizabeth Cocco Hon.; staff member Eileen Brown; and students Annie Spofford ’07, Sydney Francis ’13, J. Scott Copit ’18, and Anthony Marcucci, Jr. ’17.

It was a fitting kick-off of Episcopal’s arrival in Newtown Square and, more importantly, an affirmation that the spirit and essence of Episcopal will always be present, no matter the location.

“Today we start the next chapter in an incomparable school history by beginning work on an incomparable new campus,” said Clark. “We stand on the shoulders of so many giants, who have written our history and connected the Episcopal name to excellence for more than 200 years….

We move boldly forward but we are reminded of our past, and today, we trustees, students, parents, faculty, staff, past parents, and friends, together with 4,400 Episcopal alumni around the world, we are all part of Episcopal history.” n WinTer 2007

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The Maga zine of The episcopal acadeMy

Inside this issue A New Era for Episcopal On September 3, 2008, The Episcopal Academy officially opened its doors in Newtown Square.

External Programs Four new programs will allow alumni, parents, and staff to utilize the new campus in a variety of ways, while a new summer program will provide flexibility and choice for the busy family.

TH E ROA D TO N E WTOWN SQUARE

“A Vision Realized�

Connections Magazine: Fall 2008

Fall 2008

A Vision Realized A September of celebration marked the arrival of Episcopal in Newtown Square

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even hundred and forty-seven days after work crews first began moving dirt in Newtown Square, wide-eyed Upper School students made their way to Episcopal’s new home for the very first time on September 3, 2008. Middle and Lower School students followed the next day.

In one of the boldest and most enterprising endeavors ever taken on by an independent school, a month of celebration marked the completion of Episcopal’s move to Newtown Square and the beginning of a new era for the institution. Thousands of students, faculty members, alumni, friends, and neighbors helped celebrate a remarkable decade-long march to the new campus, while students and teachers alike marveled at the new freedom the 360,000-square-foot campus provides.

all-school convocation

“When some 200 alumni, parents, faculty, and students came together in 1998 for a two-year planning process to position Episcopal for the new millennium, their first thoughts were about our children — how can we better serve them?,” remarked Ham Clark during the Ever Episcopal Campaign donor celebration on September 26th. “How can we better prepare them for life? How can Episcopal more fully live up to its motto — Esse Quam Videri — to be rather than to seem to be?

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on these last 10 years — from Strategic Plan to Land Plan to Master Plan to Development Plan to Architectural Plan to Landscape Plan to our Chapel consecration and building dedications.

Our new campus represents the culmination of countless hours of time and thought and planning so generously given by so many of you. It represents the faith and courage so impressively demonstrated by our board, our alumni, and our parents to ensure this great school’s strength and mission for generations to come. We are here in this beautiful new space thanks to all of you.”

While administrators and faculty members officially began working on the new campus on July 28th, last-minute details that included final construction work, technology installations, move completions, and countless other loose ends made the final weeks of summer one of the busiest in recent memory. But despite the challenges — and the occasional doubts — construction and occupancy was completed in almost exactly two years, just as projected. And the results are magnificent.

“It is, quite simply, one of the finest day school campuses in the coun-

dedication of smith field

The new campus Master planning committee: (l to r) chris dunleavy, phil dordai (rMJM hillier), christine henisee, ed Vick, Julie green, Michael levine (rMJM hillier), geoff wagg, gary Madeira, patsy porter, chris Mcconnell, Jim garrison (rMJM hillier), ham clark, John hunter (Venturi, scott, brown), gretchen burke, chuck Kensky (bala engineering), frank leto, Julie skolnicki (brailsford and dunlavey), rush haines, bernie cywinski (bohlin cywinski Jackson), brian Tierney, nick garrison (rMJM hillier), and graham gund (gund partnership).

try,” said Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Gretchen Burke. “The possibilities for our kids are nearly limitless. But this is what great institutions do. They take positive risks and continue to evolve and adapt as needs evolve and adapt. That’s what our motto requires of us; to make the difficult decision and challenge yourself to reach new heights because it’s the right thing to do.”

A Month of Celebration In order to accommodate the entire community and provide time for the students and faculty to adjust to their

new surroundings without much distraction, a series of special events to mark the opening of the new campus were spread out over the busy month of September.

Opening Convocation First was an all-school convocation on September 8th, which officially marked the beginning of the school year and featured a gathering of the entire student, faculty, and staff population in one location for an opening event for the first time in more than 25 years. Ham Clark, along with Gretchen Burke and Assistant Head

of School, Cannie Shafer, focused on presenting their expectations for the year and stressing that with the new campus comes renewed responsibilities. Clark introduced his mantra for the 2008-2009 school year, which focuses on character and community responsibility: We will all strive to live the school motto and be real, sincere, and authentic; we will live the Stripes; and we will always act mindfully in all that we do.

Student Council president, Randy Teti ’09, and Warden of the Vestry, Rich Rosati ’09, also spoke on be-

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“our new campus represents the culmination of countless hours of time and thought and planning so generously given by so many of you. It represents the faith and courage so impressively demonstrated by our board, our alumni, and our parents to ensure this great school’s strength and mission for generations to come. we are here in this beautiful new space thanks to all of you.”— h a M cl ar K

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The Lower School ribbon cutting

The Crawford Campus Center ribbon cutting

The Turner Upper School ribbon cutting

Dedication of Sherrerd House

half of the student body, echoing the themes of the new campus inspiring a renewed sense of responsibility, excitement, and engagement. As Rosati noted in his remarks, “New campus, new chances. This is our new opportunity.”

Following the program, the entire community then exited onto the Campus Green for an all-community photograph (see pages 4 and 5) similar to the one taken during the groundbreaking ceremony two years ago.

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Donor Celebration and Building Dedications Opening Weekend for all community members took place several weeks after opening convocation on September 26th and 27th. The weekend began with many of the new campuses’ athletic fields being dedicated during a series of athletic events on Friday afternoon.

To honor all of the donors to the Ever Episcopal Capital Campaign — which will continue through December 31st and has raised more than $93 million to date — a special reception

was held later in the evening. Poor weather couldn’t damped spirits and Ham Clark, Gretchen Burke, senior master John Wynne (41st year as a faculty member at Episcopal), and senior Hallie Snyder, all spoke briefly to the more than 400 in attendance thanking them for their support and highlighting how the new campus will impact the Episcopal experience.

Saturday the 27th began with the official consecration and dedication of The Class of 1944 Chapel. More than 300 community members attended as the Assisting Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, the Right Revered

View the “Our New Home” Video Take a look back at what brought us to Newtown Square and hear from the architects and master planning committee members that helped build our new campus by watching the “Our New Home” video posted on the school’s Web site. The link can be found in the bottom left corner on the front page of the Web site, www.episcopalacademy.org.

Special thanks to the Burke Family for making this video possible.

(l to r): Brian O’Neill, faculty member Dan Dougherty, Edith Dixon, Ginna Buggy, former Head of School Jay Crawford, and 8th grade student David Burke at the ribbon cutting for the Dixon Athletic Center.

Edward L. Lee, Jr., officially sanctified the space while members of the Class of 1944 honored their classmate and the Chapel’s architect, Robert Venturi.

Gretchen Burke noted during the service: “I was lucky enough to be at Bob’s side at the first ‘charette’ about five years ago, where he sketched this very design on the back of a piece of loose leaf paper, indicating how he wanted the sight lines to be, the focus on the altar, the light from above.

From day one he was thinking not just of what the building would be,

but what it would do for our Episcopal community,” said Burke. “It is an honor and a privilege to address you today on the occasion of the consecration of the Class of 1944 Chapel — two years to the day from our groundbreaking. We were all a ‘part of history’ on that day, and we are a part of history today.”

Following the service in Chapel, separate dedication programs in all of the new campus’ major buildings and outdoor classroom spaces, including the Lower School, Middle School, Upper School, Campus Center, and

Sherrerd Alumni House, were held.

Major donors were all recognized and had the opportunity to explore the new campus and the buildings and spaces they helped fund.

Following a brief lull just after lunch, EAPA’s annual Harvest Day got underway, with more than 700 attendees enjoying an afternoon of family fun in the Class of 1940 Dan Dougherty Field House. From hayrides to face painting, smiling children to thankful parents, it was a fitting conclusion to a busy month and an historic decade.

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Challenging and nurturing Mind, Body, and Spirit, we inspire boys and girls to lead lives of purpose, faith, and integrity.

THE EPISCOPAL ACADEMY 1785 Bishop White Drive | Newtown Square, PA 19073 www.episcopalacademy.org