TPS_FALLMAGAZINE_2025_EG FINAL

2024

THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL

2025 Fall/Winter Magazine & Annual Report

2025

2024-2025 YEAR IN REVIE W By the Numbers School Year Highlights Faculty & Staff Seasons of Change Honoring Anniversaries Board of Trustees TPSA

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WELCOME BACK PRESCHOOL 3

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THEME LAUNCH: SOUNDS OF OUR CIT Y

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OURS TO SHAPE UPDATE

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ALUMNI IN SOUND

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HONOR ROLL

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WHY I GIVE

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The Edwards Family

OUR GIVING STORIES ALUMNI AWARD: JAKE TAPPER

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DEAR TPS COMMUNIT Y, This academic year marks another exciting chapter for The Philadelphia School. Our all-school theme is Sounds of our City, and the hum of innovation and imagination is filling our spaces and reverberating throughout our newly renovated music classrooms! Having been part of this community for many years, we continue to marvel at the ways TPS evolves each year, all while remaining true to our values and mission.

This year marks meaningful milestones for both of us. Alyssa has begun her first year as our long-term Head of School, receiving tremendous support from the community as she defines her vision for TPS and leads with care and intention.

Zach is serving in his final year on the Board of Trustees after 18 years of dedicated service, including 5 years as Board President. As an alumnus, parent, alumni parent, and trustee, Zach’s deep institutional insight and enduring connection to TPS have been vital to his wise and strong stewardship of our school.

In the next few months, we will be embarking on a multi-year strategic planning process. In the meantime, we are excited to close out our current campaign, Ours to Shape, by highlighting and uplifting our incredible music program. Over the summer, we watched as our newly renovated music rooms took shape. Now, with the school year well underway, we are seeing how modern upgrades, new equipment, and engaging spaces foster students’ love of music and help them find their rhythm. Students are composing, recording, and performing in ways that showcase how artistic expression and academic studies naturally complement one another, embodying our mission to educate the whole child through handson, integrated experiences.

This fall, we also relaunched our preschool program for three-year-olds. Their presence adds one more layer of pure joy, curiosity, and wonder to our school, brightening our days. You can read more about this delightful new class later in this issue.

The strength of TPS has always been its community—our extraordinary faculty and staff, who create an environment that children thrive in; our families, who thoughtfully engage and partner with us; and our alumni and donors, whose support ensures our program continues to grow and evolve. This year, we are honored to present the Founders Award to Ellen Schwartz and Jeremy Siegel, whose generosity and commitment to TPS have profoundly shaped our history and our future. Their belief in the power of a progressive TPS education is inspirational.

We are also excited to present the second annual Alumni Award to Jake Tapper, lead Washington anchor for CNN, author, and winner of multiple accolades, including Emmy awards in 2023 and 2024. His success as a journalist and his dedication to bringing vital news to homes throughout our country is a testament to how a TPS education can lay the groundwork for a wide variety of impressive career paths. You can read more about his journey in an exclusive interview in this issue and you will have the chance to meet him during a fireside chat and award ceremony at the school in February.

As 2025 draws to a close, we reflect on this past year with deep appreciation for one another and our remarkable TPS community. Our work together has been closely intertwined, and we are truly grateful for the trust, collaboration, and shared purpose that continue to define our partnership. We are also grateful to all of you for your ongoing support, and as we move into the new year, we welcome your voices as we consider together the future direction of our beloved school!

Warmly,

Alyssa Rickels

Zach Klehr

HEAD OF SCHOOL P’13, P’16, P’18, P’18

BOARD OF TRUSTEES PRESIDENT ‘92, P’24, P’26

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By the Numbers 2024-2025 Take a look back at our school year by the numbers. Each figure highlights our faculty and staff’s commitment, our students’ achievements, and the joy of learning that defines our community.

REVENUE

Gross Tuition Revenue 87%

Contributions & Special Events 9%

Auxiliary 2%

Other 2%

Plant Operations 14% Program Costs 4%

General & Administrative 5% Board Reserves 1%

EXPENSES

Salary & Related 57% Tuition Assistance & Remission 19%

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25 98

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LEARNING CELEBRATIONS

FAMILY AFFINIT Y EVENTS

33

FACULT Y & STAFF

635

8TH GRADE GRADS

TPSA VOLUNTEER HOURS

100%

13

100

156

ACCEPTED INTO ONE OF THEIR TOP 3 CHOICE HS

HIGH SCHOOLS REPRESENTED

MILES TRAVELED TO ROBOTICS STATE FINALS

MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS PRACTICES AND GAMES

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2024-2025

In Review From joyful learning to leading change

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September

First Day of School First Family Circles Each year, students from kindergarten to 8th grade meet in their mixed-grade Family Circles to learn and play together, guided by the all-school theme.

October

6th & 8th grade overnight camping trips

November

Book Fair Thanksgiving Feast Fall Festival

December

Primary Unit Learning Celebration - Geology & Underground Students learned about different kinds of rocks, the rock cycle, tectonic plates and more through explorations both in the classroom and at the Wissahickon.

Diorama Day Diorama Day is the culmination of the “Create Your Own Country” project. Students spotlight their countries, its animals, plants, and different environmental features in a diorama scene set in a transformed classroom!

January

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service at Smith TPS partnered with Smith Memorial Playground all year and volunteered time and service on MLK Day. Families helped shovel snow, sort clothing, organize toys, and clean common spaces.

Grade 5-8 Spelling Bee

February

8th grade plays Kindergarten Learning Celebration - Friendship toolboxes Each year, kindergarten students learn about friendship and all the tools they can use to solve conflict and repair relationships. Optimism sunglasses, the break it/fix it tool, and others fill their friendship toolboxes.

Talent show

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March

8th grade trip to Puerto Rico Each year, the 8th grade class travels to Puerto Rico and is immersed in Spanish language, Puerto Rican culture and history, and students have a chance to meet their pen pals from a local school.

JU Learning Celebration - Ancient China Junior Unit studied Ancient China throughout the year, learning emperors and dynastic rule, visiting the Penn Museum to study artifacts, and eventually creating their own museum displays for their learning celebration.

Former Head of School from 2013-2017, Justine Hofmann passed away.

During her time as head, Justine led TPS through the strategic visioning process that later became the Ours to Shape Strategic Plan. Through this process, she worked in partnership with the Board to redefine our mission and vision statement to what it is today, “The Philadelphia School educates children for a future that is impossible to know, but not impossible to shape. Learn Here. Go Anywhere.”

April

Grandparents & Great Friends Day Earth Day Rock Band Each year, 7th grade students spend months practicing and preparing for their Rock Band debut. They learn new instruments, write their own biology-themed versions of classic songs, and perform both versions in front of the whole school!

New Head of School Alyssa Rickels is appointed 9th Head of School following a national search.

May

3rd Grade Plays Third grade plays represent the culmination of the year-long theme study, Building a More Fair USA. Students write and help produce their own plays, tackling issues of social justice in history and how young people can make a difference today.

Mini courses Kindergarten Plays Preschool Mercado De Las Frutas To practice the Spanish they learned throughout the year, preschool students had the chance to visit the mercado and ask for their favorite fruits en Español.

Led by Spanish teacher Giovana, students made fruit crowns and sang along to El Baile de Las Frutas!

6th Grade Rite of Passage

June

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Graduation

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2024-2025 FACULT Y & STAFF

Inspiring Minds At TPS, learning is a journey we take together. Our teachers inspire, guide, and support students as they grow into artists, scientists, compassionate citizens, and leaders.

Whether in the city, the country, or the classroom, faculty nurture curiosity and creativity through collaborative teaching and meaningful hands-on experiences, helping students stretch, thrive, and prepare for what comes next.

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Shane Achenbach

Rae Fishman

Ryan Kollar

Alyssa Rickels

Rachel Adams-Kaplan

Thomas Flanagan

John Lauro

Sheri Rider Jobe

Francis Atemo

Brittany Flippen

Mark Leitch

Catalina Rios

DJ Baucom

Sara Forgione

Diane Luckman

Becca Robinson

Kathy Becker

Max Frantz

Emma Luckman

Giovana Robinson

Marisa Block

Qiana Ganges

Dan Lutes

Kelley Seravalli

Catherine Bogart-Rome

Jill Garland

Jaime Maltese

Victoria Seymour

Jamie Bogert

Jennifer Giampetro

Liz McCannell

Keisha Smith

Donna Bostock

Chris Gignac

Bernadette McCleary

Cait Stewart

Elizabeth Bruner

Elise Greenberg

Kevin McClellan

Stasia Sumpaopol

Diane Butler

Devalina Guha-Roy

Courtney Miller

Tor Sumpaopol

Kimberly Carter

Miriam Harlan

Katie Miller

Jared Susco

Maisie Chan

Sam Hartman

Isa Mojares

Megan Townsend

Kaitlin Cino

Josh Herren

Karen Moore

Damesha Tull

Susanna Coates

Mack Hilton

Jeffrey Mordan

Marco Velis

Emma Cottone

Cynthia Hodges

Laurie Morrison

Teyanie Watson-Harris

Claudette Coverdale

Lisa Hoke

Kelly Mulhall

Kate Weiler

Mark Dato

Pam Holland

Rebecca Muntean

Chelsea Weis Passmore

Rachel Daulerio

Rick Jacobsen

Matt Murray

Emily Weiss

Sofia David

Natalie Johnson

Katie Neff

Jane White

Telise Davis-Carter

Brian Jordan

Madelynn Nieves-Renz

Miriam White

Nick Dekker

Molly Kane

Aaron Picht

Noel Yee

Anna Donnelly

Lauren Kibbe

Selekha Ramos

Elizabeth Zack

J.J. El-Far

Emma Kimenhour

Christy Reardon

Mary Beth Fedirko

Allison Kirshner Oz

Kait Renna

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Seasons of Change At the end of the 2024-2025 school year, we celebrated the retirement of three longtime teachers. Each of them contributed so much during their tenure, and we are grateful for all the years they spent with us. While we will miss these amazing educators, we wish them all the best as they enter this next chapter of their lives:

Marco Velis 32 Years

Catherine Bogart-Rome 24 Years

Pam Holland 21 Years

With their departure, we knew that it would take exceptional educators to fill their positions. For art, we didn’t have to look far for the perfect fit. Diane Butler transitioned from teaching third grade to teaching art full time. Having taught art at TPS several years ago, we are excited to see her back in the studio fostering bold creativity and excitement in each student.

Additionally, Brittany Flippen moved from 3A to 3B and partnered with teacher, Emma Luckman.

Rachel Daulerio, former Primary B teacher, and Isa Mojares, former Building Substitute, are now teaching our Preschool 3 program in the newly renovated classroom on the second floor of The Garage. After many months of program development, their work with our youngest learners has brought so much joy to the Early Childhood Education Center. Molly Kane moved from Kindergarten A and is now teaching in Primary B with many of her students from last school year!

Natalie Johnson, previously Middle School Student Life Coordinator, is our inaugural Middle School Cultural Studies Integrator, collaborating with the three middle school teams to deepen and enrich their students’ cultural studies experience. Miriam White, previously High School Placement Coordinator, has taken on an expanded role as our Eighth Grade Capstone Advisor.

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Sixth-grade teacher and beloved volleyball coach Stasia Sumpaopol has taken on an additional role as TPS’ Athletic Director for the 2025-26 school year.

These transitions were developed with a lot of time and intention, and we are so pleased to see many of our existing faculty members shift their focus and responsibilities, as they continue to define their career paths at TPS.

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New Faculty & Staff for the 2025-2026 School Year EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR

MATH SPECIALIST

Rebecca Callahan

Pia Mohsen

SPANISH SUBSTITUTE TEACHER

BUILDING SUBSTITUTE TEACHER

Juan Ceballos

Julia Pastor Trujillo

KINDERGARTEN ASSOCIATE TEACHER

JUNIOR UNIT LEAD TEACHER

Melissa Charles BUILDING SUBSTITUTE TEACHER

Hannah Cohen BUILDING SUBSTITUTE TEACHER

Anna Pritchard PRESCHOOL ASSOCIATE TEACHER

Margaret Silbaugh PRESCHOOL 3 ASSOCIATE TEACHER

Jess Cruz

Kyra Stetler

THIRD GRADE LEAD TEACHER

SPANISH TEACHER

Joanna Gurwitz

Elba Cena Zarate

PRESCHOOL LEAD TEACHER

Emily Hamlin

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Honoring Anniversaries 41 Years MIRIAM HARLAN

“

From my very first year of teaching at TPS I knew it was a place I wanted to stay at for a long time. In addition to being a caring community, TPS has provided me with a space in which to be a lifelong learner and to participate in creating lifelong learners. Above all, I love teaching children to become critical thinkers who grow up to have agency in the world. The third grade theme of Building a More Fair USA is one that I co-created years ago and that I get to keep recreating with my teammates each year. Especially at a time like the present, I feel so lucky to be able to help my students learn the truth about this country’s past and how ordinary people became extraordinary as they stood up, organized, and fought for change. My hope is that TPS will keep doing that far into the future.

”

30 Years JEFFREY MORDAN ELIZABETH ZACK

25 Years RACHEL ADAMS-KAPLAN DONNA BOSTOCK MARY BETH FEDIRKO CHRIS GIGNAC LISA HOKE

10 Years JOSH HERREN JOHN LAURO

5 Years JAMIE BOGERT RACHEL DAULERIO BRITTANY FLIPPEN SAM HARTMAN TOR SUMPAOPOL MEGAN TOWNSEND

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Powered by wonder.

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Leading with Purpose BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2024-2025

HONORARY TRUSTEES

Zachary Klehr ‘92, President

Paul Gabriel

Robert S. Adelson

T. Carter Fussell*

Barbara Stanley, Secretary

Stephen Giorgio

Jack F. Adler, Jr.

Frank Gould*

Tristan Jones, Treasurer

John Jackson

Robert Altman

Derek Jokelson

Adam Douberly, Vice President

Eric Jones

Lynne M. Berman*

Ellen Speiser Katz*

Mike Kerlin

Peter H. Berman*

Leonard M. Klehr

Girna Mendez-Adkins

Hope A. Comisky

Philip B. Korb

Dan Mozes, ‘00

Sandra Dean (Principal Emerita)

Richard Laden*

Chip Finney, Vice President Melanie Pontz, Vice President Anita Andrews Jenny Bogoni Mayva Donnon Julia Frayman Alisa Field

James Nam Carrie Siegel JJ Shirley Sean Vereen

Daniel Diadul Christopher S. Donner* Paul Dry Marianne Ruby Emmett Alan Fishman Philip E. Franks

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Dale Penneys Levy Jean F. Mason III Gina Marie N. Moore Jennifer Rice Harry M. Roth Caroline M. Simon *deceased

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We are deeply grateful to our Board of Trustees for their leadership, expertise, and steadfast commitment. Their guidance helps us fulfill our mission today while preparing for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.

FACILITIES COMMITTEE

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Supports the care of the school’s physical plant and growth initiatives.

Assists in the preparation of the annual operating budget and oversight of the school’s investments and audits.

Mayva Donnon, Chair Doug Edwards

Julia Frayman

Sean Kaplan

Paul Gabriel

Melanie Pontz

Stephen Giorgio

Tristan Jones, Treasurer, Chair Matt Canno

Chip Finney

Mollie Henderson

Julia Frayman

Dan Mozes

Stephen Giorgio

Barbara Stanley

Adam Douberly

ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE

GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

Supports initiatives that assist the school in meeting its fund-raising goals and that improve communication between the school and its constituencies and the broader community.

Designs and implements the rules governing the Board of Trustees and nomination of trustees and officers.

Mike Kerlin, Co-Chair JJ Shirley, Co-Chair Michael Albenberg Torren Blair Matt Conner

Adkins

Barbara Stanley, Secretary, Chair

Kristen Hofmann

James Nam

Anita Andrews

Tristan Jones

Melanie Pontz

Zachary Klehr

Carrie Siegel

David Krupnick

Barbara Stanley

Mike Fiebach

Jenny Bogoni

John Jackson

Alisa Field

Eric Jones

Stephen Giorgio

Dan Mozes

Girna Mendez-

DIVERSIT Y COMMITTEE Supports efforts to build and maintain a diverse and inclusive community.

Girna MendezAdkins, Chair Jenny Bogoni

Mayva Donnon

John Jackson

Alisa Field

Gidget Murray

Chip Finney

JJ Shirley

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Lifelong Learning Starts Here.

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TPSA Leadership PRESIDENT

Carrie Siegel TREASURER

Sun Park VICE PRESIDENT OF SCHOOL SUPPORT

Julia Frayman VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMITTEES

Crystal Casazza

ADMISSIONS AMBASSADORS

EVENTS

PARENT EDUCATION

Theresa Ackerman, Becca Chazin & Matt Connor

Crystal Casazza & Kara Howland

Gayle Chesley & Tammi Inscho

ALLERGY SUPPORT GROUP

EATS

PHOTO BOOK

Jordan Chazin

David Auguste

BIRTHDAY TABLE

FAMILY DIVERSIT Y

Lauren Harel & Ellie Marrazzo

Carrie Siegel

Monique Curry-Mims

BOOK FAIR

FALL FESTIVAL

Lindsey Albenberg, Krista Conner, Marni Fogelson & Eun Koh

Andrew Eisenberg

COMMUNIT Y OUTREACH

GREEN & HEALTHY

Jen Goldberg, Brenna Herpman & Sun Park

PICTURE DAY

Holly Murphy THANKSGIVING FEAST

Seth Richards TPS SWAG

Chris Casazza

Kristen Hofmann & Kate Scully

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Welcoming Back our Preschool 3 Program When TPS opened its doors for the 2025–2026 school year, we welcomed our newest and youngest learners, the Preschool 3s.

These curious three-year-olds have filled the Early Childhood Education Center with laughter, discovery, and wonder.

The campus now hums with the energy of three grades, all experiencing progressive education during their most formative years.

While this addition feels new to much of our community the Preschool 3s program is actually a joyful return. TPS first offered a 3s class from 2000–2007, originally developed by former Head of School, Sandy Dean, in collaboration with longtime teacher, Maureen Glauccum. Maureen, who continues to support our early childhood and admissions teams, worked with Alyssa Rickels in 2024 to help reintroduce the program, now located on the second floor of the Garage. Rachel Daulerio was selected as lead teacher and partnered with Maureen to design a curriculum rooted in child-centered, emergent learning. They were joined by Isa Mojares, formerly our building substitute, and Kyra Stetler in the spring and summer of 2025.

From the beginning, the team was intentional about creating strong throughlines to the rest of TPS. The 3s program invites children to explore their world through play, inquiry, and collaboration. “They’re naturally curious and just want to take everything in,” says Isa. “At this age, when the goal is for them to maintain that curiosity and develop a love for learning, it’s wonderful to get to support them in that journey.” This first Preschool 3s class—and likely the next few—includes only current students’ siblings and children of faculty and staff, allowing the program to grow within our close-knit community before opening more broadly.

Now, a few months into the school year, the Preschool 3s have found their rhythm. When asked about some of her favorite moments so far, Rachel said, “I have loved watching our students start to open up and find their voice in our new space: speaking up when they didn’t get a turn, asking friends to join their play, and sharing their ideas. It’s been so fun to watch the kids settle in and get comfortable.”

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They’ve explored identity and family, welcomed community visitors, visited Alyssa’s office in the ‘big kids’ building, and played alongside kindergarteners, many of whom are older siblings. “There’s this magical sense of co-ownership in the garden,” Isa adds. “Even those who aren’t related have become friends, joining each other in play.” Rachel has seen this collaboration go beyond the garden and into the classroom, “My own two kids come into the class each day and help for a few minutes. Josie has been known to change Cooper’s shoes for her, and Madeline is big enough to really help out with the kids, like helping some of our slowerto-warm kids visit the gerbils and feed them.”

Looking ahead, the team will continue to focus on identity, growth mindset, and the outdoors, which will remain central to the students’ learning as they progress through TPS. We are so excited to watch these young learners grow, explore, and make their mark on our community.

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Sounds of our City

2025-2026 All-School Theme

During the first Encuentro (Spanish word for “meeting”) of the year, the eighth grade class helped reveal the all-school theme for the 2025-2026 school year, Sounds of our City! A long-time TPS tradition, the all-school theme is a unit of collective study that all grades participate in both in their classrooms and in cross-grade collaborations such as Family Circles. Throughout the year, students will approach of their lessons through Lynne Berman who passed awaymany in September 2021, and her the lens of the theme. husband Peter, (deceased 2016) referred to The Philadelphia School as their “fourth child.” They were so committed to the The eighth grade class led the Encuentro and started with a success of TPS that they have made a legacy gift that will help skit. Eighth grade students were positioned around the four to transform the school for future generations. The gift to TPS corners of the gym. As the students leading the skit went from is unrestricted, which means that Lynne wanted the school to corner to corner, they listened to different sounds of the city decide how to best allocate the funds to advance our mission. such as traffic noises, birdsong, Eagles chants (Go Birds!), and the sounds of and people in the park.

“When Lynne I first spoke about her vision of how she would like to give back to TPS, I was truly humbled,” said Lisa Following the skit, each grade from kindergarten through 7th Sun, Head of School. “Lynne’s love and commitment to TPS was asked to guess a letter. If they guessed one of the letters was truly exceptional. She understood the incredible impact in the theme, it was revealed by the eighth graders. After a few that an unrestricted gift would have in ensuring TPS’ future.” rounds of guessing, the theme was revealed to much excitement and cheering (some of our favorite Devoted to an urban life after growing up in thesounds)! suburbs, Lynne

In Family Circles, we introduced a music box activity for each group to explore together. Students have enjoyed sound scavenger hunts, playlists of music by local artists, playing collaboratively with rhythm sticks, and creating their own instruments among many others. Seeing students from kindergarten all the way up to eighth grade playing with and learning about different sounds has been a joy to experience and be a part of.

We want to give a big thanks to Miriam White, Eighth Grade Capstone Advisor, and Elizabeth Zack, Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher, for all of their work in facilitating theme brainstorming and ideas for activities throughout the year. We look forward to inviting guests, experts, and members of the community to TPS to help us celebrate and learn with each other through the all-school theme.

and her long-time friend Caroline (Cal) Simon wanted to find a With the theme revealed, we kicked off a year of appreciating way to keep families of school-age children in the city. As our city, all of the sounds it holds, and how they shape our Lynne’s oldest children, John and Liz and Cal’s oldest child, lives and ourselves. Sounds of our City presents so many Tony reached school age in the early 1970s, Lynne and Cal options for activities, guest speakers, trips, and programming. sought a place where their children and others could learn We can listen to and learn about music from Philadelphia, about the history, culture, and natural beauty of Philadelphia famous speeches, language, nature sounds, careers in sound as well as the traditional subjects taught in elementary and such as audio engineering, audiology, sound designers, and so middle schools. much more.

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OUR PAST THEMES 24-25

Inciting Joy

11-12

Building and Structure

99-00

Time

23-24

What’s Your Story?

10-11

Community

98-99

The Forest

22-23

From Roots to Branches

09-10

Rhythm and Rhyme

97-98

1972

21-22

Community Strong

08-09

The Games We Play

96-97

Child Times

20-21

Innovation/Flexibility/ Resilience

07-08

Earth Day, Every Day

95-96

The Underground

06-07

Tolerance

Empathy

“Talking” Walls: Physical and Metaphoric

94-95

19-20

93-94

18-19

H2O

05-06

The Wind in the Willows

17-18

Myths and Fables

Benjamin Franklin: One Person Can Make a Difference

92-93

Circa 1492

91-92

Mathematics Fair

90-91

Inventions

89-90

City Hall

88-89

The Forest

87-88

The Constitution

86-87

Fantasy

85-86

Ethnic Philadelphia

16-17 From Surviving to Thriving in the City, Country, and Classroom

04-05

Empathy: Walking in Each Other’s Shoes

03-04

Poetry: Painting With Words

Cosmos

02-03

Building Philadelphia

13-14

Mad Science

01-02

The Odyssey

12-13

Fairy Tales: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

00-01

Olympics 2000 and Australia

15-16

Mysteries

14-15

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Ours to Shape Update

Sounds of Your Impact As the Ours to Shape campaign nears its close, we’re celebrating the renovation of our music rooms as our newest milestone. Over the summer, the lower level was brightened, reconfigured for better flow, and enhanced with advanced soundproofing to create a welcoming, purposeful space where students can immerse themselves in music and creativity.

By the end of this fiscal year, our goal is to bring the campaign total to a remarkable $20 million, a testament to the generosity of the TPS community. In this final phase, we’re dedicating our efforts to our music program with $300,000 left to raise. These vital funds will expand access to lessons, instruments, and equipment, ensuring every child can experience the joy of music. The Ours to Shape campaign has inspired students, teachers, and families alike, and with your support, we can make this vision a reality.

Our newly installed 3D mural represents each family of instruments that our students learn about in music class.

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Chris Gignac leads kindergarten students in song and percussion in one of our newly updated music rooms.

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For five years, The Philadelphia School has carried forward a bold vision for the future through the Ours to Shape campaign.

Together, we’ve reimagined our learning environments, from the transformation of the Lombard Yard and the Commons to the creation of our state-of-the-art STEAM Collaboratory.

New administrative offices have been added to a newly constructed corridor, allowing for more collaborative work between the Finance, HR, and Advancement teams.

Aaron Picht shows 3rd graders a traditional dance in our brighter, more engaging space.

The lower level now flows directly from the stairs to the STEAM Collaboratory, easing transitions and navigation for students.

The newly designed stairwell that accesses the lower level offers open space and more natural light, providing an inviting atmosphere.

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2025 ALUMNI AWARD WINNER

From TPS to CNN: Jake Tapper’s Journey The TPS Alumni Award was created in 2024 to honor alumni who embody TPS’ mission and values. Whether through leadership, service, philanthropy, or contributions to TPS, the award recognizes the many achievements and notable impact alumni have made since graduation. This year, we are delighted to present the award to Jake Tapper.

Jake is currently an anchor and the chief Washington correspondent at CNN, where he has worked since 2013. At CNN, he has moderated presidential debates, conducted interviews with top newsmakers on politics and policy, and, as host of The Lead, brings stories that aren’t found on front pages—buried leads—to the forefront. He has been celebrated for standing up in a nonpartisan way for truth and decency during a period where the U.S. political world has seen shortages of both. Jake joined CNN from ABC News, where he most recently served as senior White House correspondent and also covered a wide range of stories from Afghanistan, Iraq, and New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He is also the author of eight books, including novels and non-fiction. His reporting has also been published in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and The Weekly Standard, among others.

Jake Tapper in the studio at CNN

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Before his storied career in journalism, Jake was one of TPS’ earliest students, attending from 1974-1980 (kindergarten through sixth grade) including early on, when we were on the third and fourth floors of Rodeph Shalom. His career embodies values we hold dear as a progressive educational institution— in particular, a focus on civic engagement and social justice.

High-quality, truthful journalism—the kind Jake has dedicated his career to—is essential to a healthy democracy and provides a critical platform for civic participation. He has used his platform to promote justice for all, best encapsulated in his 2022 cover story for The Atlantic “This is Not Justice: A Philadelphia teenager and the empty promise of the Sixth Amendment,” which advocated for the release of a Philadelphia teenager wrongfully convicted of homicide and subsequently helped lead to his release from prison. By informing the public and holding leaders to account, Jake is helping all of us fulfill our civic potential.

We are thrilled to invite Jake back to TPS in February to present him with the TPS Alumni Award and participate in a fireside chat with Alyssa Rickels, TPS Head of School, and other members of the TPS community.

In anticipation of his visit, we spoke with Jake about his memories of TPS and the influence the school had on who he is today.

Jake (middle row, 4th from left) with his TPS classmates

THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL

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WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MEMORIES FROM YOUR TIME AT TPS THAT STAND OUT MOST VIVIDLY? I was at TPS when it was at Rodeph Shalom, I have so many fond memories of my time there. There are still teachers who stand out to me today: Janet Kalkstein, John Robinson, and Chris Duncan. I remember going to Sycamore Farm every week and having all of our lessons outside. We played the recorder, we took “movement” as well as gym class. At the time TPS was a real 1970s experiment in education. It was a really lovely and special time, many of us were Center City Philadelphia kids.

When school got out we would run around Center City. Go to Zounds arcades. Run around Rittenhouse Square. Go to candy stores. Collect MAD magazines. It was a really magical time and I remember loving it.

HOW DID TPS SHAPE YOUR CURIOSIT Y, CREATIVIT Y, OR APPROACH TO STORYTELLING IN WAYS THAT INFLUENCED YOUR CAREER? I don’t know that it encouraged me to go into journalism per se, but it did encourage creativity and independent thinking.

So maybe that’s encouraged more of my side projects, my books and my illustrations. I remember doing so many creative projects—a play based on Peanuts when I was little, and another based on Saturday Night Live in fifth or sixth grade. We used to have independent study time. I was already interested in politics, satire, and comedy, and that was very encouraged by my teachers. When Jimmy Carter came to do a whistle-stop during the ‘76 presidential race we went to go see him.

TPS Students visit CNN studios in NYC, 2017

AS YOU REFLECT ON YOUR CAREER, WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? In general, I’m most proud of my advocacy and coverage of veterans and other important issues like homelessness. I like to think our show is not an ideological show. We are a place where Democrats or Republicans can share their views. More specifically, there is a piece I wrote for The Atlantic in 2022 that is very important to me. My dad was a pediatrician in Philly, and he had a patient named C.J. Rice who was convicted of a crime with a gun. My dad came to believe it would have been impossible for C.J. to commit the crime he was convicted of, because he could barely walk at that time due to a previous injury he sustained and was treated by my dad for. My dad, after years of trying to get C.J. out of prison through lawyers, finally let me write a story about it. The piece encouraged the district attorney in Philadelphia to take a closer look at the case, and—encouraged by a lawyer my dad hired—D.A. Krasner eventually overturned his conviction. C.J. is now out of prison as a result.

WHAT DOES RECEIVING THIS AWARD MEAN TO YOU? It’s always nice to be honored. I’m really hoping that this sparks an opportunity to reconnect with some of my classmates and have a mini reunion. TPS is such a special place, and I’m really lucky that I got to go.

WHAT WOULD YOU SHARE WITH ANY TPS STUDENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERING A CAREER IN JOURNALISM TODAY? Jake (front row, right) learning recorder

I love it. I love journalism. I love having a front seat for history.

I would encourage you to join the school newspaper in high school and learn how it’s done. It can be challenging, but if you like history as well as current events there is no better career.

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ALUMNI MAKE THEIR MARK IN SOUND

Echoes of TPS Our all-school theme this year, Sounds of Our City, has students exploring anything and everything related to sound in Philadelphia.

From historical speeches, to birdsong, to joyful music—there is no shortage of sounds to explore.

While we are paying special attention to sound this year, we have always nurtured a deep love of learning and sense of curiosity in all of our students. Sound is a key part of our learning every year through music classes, lessons, musical theater performances, outdoor days, mini courses and intensives. These learning opportunities have propelled many of our students to careers in sound-related fields. In this feature, we catch up with TPS graduates who work as professional musicians, songwriters, speech therapists, sound effects artists, and audio engineers.

Matthew Baron CEO of Wholesale Nuts and Dried Fruit and Wholesale Mushrooms

Rachel Segal Executive Director, The Primavera Fund

Previously assisted Foley artists and sound engineers on

‘92

major Hollywood productions

‘90

Violinist

and live event production at Rock Lititz.

Ted Fletman Molly Fischman

Audio Assistant, The Mann Center for the Performing Arts

Speech Language Pathologist ‘03

‘05

Oliver Feighan Devi Majeske

Recording Artist, Songwriter, Producer

Sitarist, Vocalist, Songwriter

ASEP Teacher ‘07

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‘05

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CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE WORK YOU DO RELATED TO SOUND? “I’ve worked on sound in several ways — as a Foley artist and sound engineer on films like Bad Boys 2 and Pirates of the Caribbean. I’ve also worked with Rock Lititz, which is a production campus in Lititz, PA that produces stages and rigs for some of the largest touring shows. A lot of my work is logistics-focused: scheduling, making sure everything is ready on time, and helping a creative vision come to life. I even invented a jacket with built-in speakers for dogs called The Woofer… I’m a man of many interests!”

“I’m a speech-language pathologist, which many people assume just means helping children with fluency or speech sounds, but the field is so much broader than that. It includes language development, voice therapy, feeding and swallowing, and even helping people use alternative communication devices (AAC).

My work focuses on supporting children in their ability to communicate. I’ve worked with kids from birth through age 21 in both early intervention programs and the Philadelphia School District.”

MATTHEW

MOLLY

Rachel Segal with two of her students from The Primavera Fund.

“My whole creative journey has revolved around music— performing, writing, recording. I can’t go a day without listening to music, whether it’s in my headphones, in the car, or out of my computer speakers. It’s the soundtrack to life and it keeps me going. Music gives me a creative outlet. I started recording music in the TPS basement in middle school, where the robotics space is currently. It started by being inspired to write poetry with my friend, DeQuincy Coleman-McRae who is also in the TPS class of 2007. We noticed how the iambic pentameter in Shakespeare’s sonnets reminded us of rap we were listening to at the time, so our poems eventually turned into songs.

Marco Velis, our Spanish teacher at the time, had a band with his brothers in Chile prior to working at TPS. He used that experience to teach us how to record music after school.

It gave me an outlet that felt very easy and natural to me.

It felt different than sports or other forms of art for me.

Recording music was a healthy way to express myself before I even realized how important that was. DeQuincy, our classmate Chanaiah Maxwell, and I formed a group called OCD. And later, DeQuincy and I formed a duo called Moosh & Twist. We recorded and performed together for about a decade.”

“First and foremost I am a professional musician—a violinist.

I’ve worked all over the world. Today I play with a few different groups: a Philadelphia group called the Fairmount String Quartet, as well as the Inscape Chamber Orchestra and PostClassical Ensemble in DC. The PostClassical Ensemble is currently one of the resident groups that play at the Kennedy Center. Beyond performing, I run the Primavera Fund, an access and mentoring program for young musicians in Philadelphia from financially-challenged backgrounds. We provide instruments, tuition assistance for lessons and summer camps, and guidance, along with a “musical life skills” course. This year we are focused on career paths in music to show the variety of jobs people can have in music. I also enjoy arranging music— typically pop songs or tributes for my quintet, which performs only original arrangements. We just did an Ozzy Osbourne tribute after he passed. One of my recent favorites is a mashup I did of Pachelbel’s Canon and Green Day’s Basketcase, it goes together perfectly!”

OLIVER

“These days, I’m a full-time musician. I work between two worlds in music: Indian classical, where I play sitar and sing Hindustani vocal music, and indie rock, where I write songs and release music with my band, Air Devi. I’m currently working on new music that fuses these two worlds. I haven’t decided yet whether I’ll release it under the Air Devi name or try something new.”

“I’m currently the audio assistant at The Mann Center.

The head of audio is an old friend of mine. He and I manage all the in-house sound we have at the venue and we interface with the various tours and crews that come through the venue to set up their sound rigs. I make sure they have what they need in regards to labor because we are a union venue. It’s a lot of understanding where different speakers need to go, understanding safety since we are rigging thousands of pounds of speakers above peoples’ heads. I also do the mixing and audio engineering for our in-house productions. I’m also a member of the local 8 IATSE union, which stands for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Because my job at The Mann is seasonal, April-early fall, I take additional jobs through IATSE at different venues throughout the city like the convention center, Wells Fargo Arena, BB&T in Camden, The Fillmore and The Met.”

DEVI

TED

RACHEL

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HOW DID YOUR TIME AT TPS INFLUENCE YOUR PASSION FOR MUSIC AND SOUND?

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO TPS STUDENTS PURSUING A CAREER IN SOUND?

“Because it was such a project-based learning environment, we all learned how to be unafraid of trying new things.

What’s the worst that could happen? You’d fail and try again.

This fearlessness is so important as a musician and performer.

I also loved the plays and musicals—those were so much fun.

I remember Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was a highlight. I have always loved playing for musicals as a professional, and I think my time at TPS started me down that path.”

“Don’t limit yourself! There are so many different roles you can take to work in sound. And not any one of them is less important than the other—they all need to be done in order to make a great show or movie or experience. You might find out you’re not the best musician, but you’re awesome at managing logistics, both things are needed to put on a great concert experience.”

RACHEL

“I have vivid memories of outdoor days at Shelly Ridge and playing at Schuylkill River Park, sitting quietly to observe and record the sounds around us. That practice of deep listening really stuck with me. Virginia Friedman taught a birding mini course that I was so into as a kid. We dissected owl pellets and went on walks looking for and listening to different bird sounds.

That course got me interested in science and I still love birds today! Overall, TPS nurtured curiosity and awareness, both skills that led me down the path I am on today.”

MATTHEW

“Protect your hearing! If you love sound—whether it’s music, speech, or other noises—wear earplugs at concerts and keep your headphones at a reasonable volume. Once you lose those inner ear hair cells, you don’t get them back! You want to be able to hear the richness of sound for as long as possible, especially if you plan to work with sound.”

MOLLY

MOLLY

“TPS was such a great environment for creativity because of its progressive approach to learning. The music program was especially strong. I loved being part of the String Ensemble— not only because it got us out of silent sustained reading—but because it was so cool to make music with my peers. I loved working with Aaron, my violin teacher, who led the ensemble.

He had such a wonderful influence on my musical development.

He was incredibly encouraging when I wanted to explore music beyond Western classical traditions and start writing my own songs. He even taught me notation and music theory so I could write down some of my earliest compositions. I didn’t know then that I wanted to be a musician, but I really appreciated having the freedom to explore music in that way at TPS.” DEVI

“TPS was a place of encouragement and pushed me creatively.

It’s always been this place where people encourage everybody to be as authentically themselves as possible. When I was writing poetry, my language arts teacher, Sheila Pai, submitted some of my poems to local poetry contests before I even thought of pursuing it seriously. That support made me unafraid to share my work. TPS also taught me production basics. I remember taking a mini course with Marco where we used one of the early versions of Garage Band on iBooks to learn how to record and mix music. The school felt like a playground for experimentation. I didn’t have music at home growing up, so having access to instruments and mentors at TPS was incredibly formative. It allowed me to explore ideas, find what I was good at, and gave me confidence that this creative path was possible.”

Oliver Feighan on stage in LA.

“Dive deeply into your passion. Don’t worry too much about the career aspect—focus on the craft, whatever that is. Whether it’s violin, producing, or writing music, just explore what excites you.

For me, music was the thing I loved most, so I pursued it fully.

If you feel a pull toward something, dive in head first and see where it takes you.”

OLIVER

“Ask questions! Ask lots of questions and be curious. Working in the music industry requires working with a ton of different people. It’s very helpful to come from a place of curiosity rather than assuming you know something.”

TED

OLIVER

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CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PATH FROM TPS TO YOUR CURRENT ROLE? “After TPS, I discovered a love for advertising and media when I was 17, working on a TV show called Freaktown, which aired on public access in Philadelphia, and later became Squirt TV on MTV. That experience opened me up to working on the marketing and advertising of products. Focusing on commercials and specializing in the way that sound, visuals, and storytelling can capture people’s attention and drive people towards the products they will love. From there, I moved into music and sound for films and commercials. Developing a skill in planning and logistics support soundtrack production, sound engineering, and Foley work. I’ve worked with directors and artists — including Ridley Scott — and learned that behind every creative project is a team making it happen, often with spreadsheets, schedules, and careful planning.”

MATTHEW

“After TPS, I went to CAPA for high school, then earned a bachelor’s in music performance from the University of Michigan and a master’s from Yale School of Music. After that, I got a job with the Colorado Symphony in Denver and spent 12 years there. I also had my own teaching studio in Denver. It was during this time that I had the opportunity to play for and teach students from less affluent backgrounds. Many had such deep passion for music and derived so much joy from it, but didn’t have the resources to pursue it. This is what inspired me to return to Philly in 2014 and start the Primavera Fund. ensuring talented young musicians have the resources to succeed. ’m happy to share that now at 10 years in we’re seeing 100% college acceptance for our graduates and are really strong job placement among alumni.”

RACHEL

“I went to Central High School, where I had a little punk band and started songwriting. Then I went to the University of Pennsylvania, where I studied psychology. I didn’t major in music, but I played in a few bands there and met the musicians who would become my bandmates in Air Devi. During my senior year at Penn, I took a sitar class. Shortly after graduating I spent several months in India studying sitar and have continued learning ever since. After college, I worked for a pottery artist named Roberto Lungo while continuing to play in the underground music scene in Philly. We got to perform at some great venues, including WXPN, Ortlieb’s, Kyber Pass, and one of my favorites—West Philly PorchFest. Two and a half years ago, I moved to New York, and as of about a year ago, I’ve been able to work full-time as a musician. I’ve received fellowships from the Asian American Arts Alliance in New York City and the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA) in Philadelphia to support my work. I’m also very excited to be starting a recording residency called Forgotten Futures at Figure 8 Studios in Prospect Heights.”

DEVI

“I went to Friends Select for high school and played electric bass for a while there, but I quickly learned I would not be good enough to do that as a career. I decided to start emailing every venue in the city asking for an internship. It didn’t occur to me at the time that they would think I’m crazy for asking because I was only 15. But one person, Barb Adams, who was the sound engineer at a venue called The Grape Street in Manayunk gave me a shot. I worked there as an unpaid intern for almost a year and then started taking paid sound engineer gigs at the age of 16. My mom would drop me off at like 6 or so and then I would either take a cab home or get a ride from my boss around midnight after the gig was over. There was such a great local rock and roll scene at that time, we would host five or six bands a night. It was a very TPS experience in many ways— experiential learning to its fullest extent. I then went to Drexel for a couple years for their music technology in business program. At the beginning of my junior year I was offered a tour job and decided to pursue that instead of finishing my degree.

Touring turned out to be my high education in audio. I toured from the ages of 20 until about 33 and learned so much about sound by doing and figuring stuff out as I went along. After all of that touring, I decided to settle down in one place and got my current job at The Mann.”

TED

Ted Fletman manning the sound board for Clutch.

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HOW DO YOU STAY CONNECTED TO TPS VALUES? “I try to live the sense of community and giving back that TPS encouraged. I love feeding people who are less fortunate — whether it’s kids, homeless individuals, or anyone in need.

It’s part of what has driven me to work in food today. I remember the Thanksgiving feast we would cook at school and that we would make extra food to donate to less fortunate people.

That spirit of generosity and involvement is something my parents and the TPS community modeled for me, and it continues to guide how I engage with the world.”

“TPS gives you a good start in the music industry because it requires you to work with a lot of different kinds of people with thoughts and beliefs that might challenge your own. TPS taught me how to engage with a diversity of viewpoints, and it comes from a place of teaching kids to love learning. As an adult, I still love learning new things, I love having my ideas challenged. I am constantly opening myself up to new opportunities. TPS really encouraged this kind of open-mindedness and exploration.”

TED

MATTHEW

“I didn’t conceptualize it this way as a kid, but I think TPS had a deep impact on my personal ethics. The way that TPS invested in a socioeconomically diverse student body and treated everyone the same. It really shaped how I think about the importance of fairness and equity. I also think the small class size and individual attention I received at TPS informs my work with the Primavera Fund. It was such a wonderful thing to have teachers that really knew me, and I try to mirror that in my work today. Right now we work with 15 students and absolutely get to know them and their families on an individual level. That kind of personal attention is something I really valued at TPS and carry with me.”

RACHEL

“TPS placed a lot of value on service. Whether through service projects on MLK day, participating in book buddies with our family groups, or opportunities to help out younger kids; TPS taught me the importance of helping people. Being a SLP feels like a natural extension of this. TPS also taught me to think critically and reflect on my work. I’m always analyzing whether my approach is effective and how I can continue to grow in my practice. And, TPS really taught us how to write. Being able to communicate and write effectively has served me well at my job and in every aspect of life!”

MOLLY

“TPS taught me how to be a good human and the importance of community. I remember learning the Golden Rule from Barbara Stanley and Maureen Glaccum in Primary C. It struck a chord with me. I really learned how to have empathy from an early age.

The community aspect of TPS is so special. It wasn’t until I left and went out into the world that I realized not everyone gets to be part of such a supporting and encouraging community growing up. I’m still close with so many of my TPS friends to this day. Now as a TPS staff member, I see that none of this is by accident. Teachers make such an effort to teach kids how to work together, and have the opportunities to practice it. It’s all by design.”

Devi Majeske in her music room at home.

“So much of TPS’s approach is inherently creative, and I feel very connected to that focus in my work today. It’s sometimes hard to separate what comes from TPS’s influence and what’s simply my own nature. TPS’s holistic approach has been foundational to how I approach music. I try to bring my whole self to my work—creative, intellectual, emotional, and connected to the world around me. At TPS, we were all treated as whole human beings, and that perspective still shapes how I live and create.”

DEVI

OLIVER

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WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE SOUNDS OF PHILADELPHIA? “The El train. The sound of it coming and going. The ‘ding ding’ you hear when the doors open close. It’s the sound of coming home, or going away—the sound of adventure.”

MATTHEW

“I absolutely have a favorite sound of Philadelphia, and it is the Elmo Drumline. Everytime I hear them coming I think “YES!”.

It’s a distinctly Philadelphia sound, just like the Mummers string band and motorcyclists on south street. The Elmo Drumline rises to the top for me because it embodies what I love most about this city—people doing weird stuff. Why is Elmo leading them? It makes no sense.”

RACHEL

“As a West Philly parent, I’d have to say the sounds of the trolley going by and the Mr. Softee truck. The Mr. Softee song brings me back to my childhood every time, and my kids get so excited when they hear these.”

MOLLY

“I like going on long walks and being able to hear movement and momentum of life happening all around.”

OLIVER

“One of my favorite sounds, odd as it may be, are EMS and police sirens, because I’ve lived in the city my whole life. When I go somewhere where it doesn’t exist I always notice it. It’s a noise that I have heard almost every day of my life so it sounds like home. One of my other favorite sounds is when I’m at The Mann on a quiet work day when there is no show happening.

I sit in the silence. I notice the trees, and the wind. You’re not interrupted by anything—you’re able to find this quiet serenity, right in the middle of the city.”

TED

“I love hearing the ambient cheers from the bars when the Phillies are winning. I couldn’t care less about sports, but I love that it brings people joy and makes us all feel like we’re part of something together.”

DEVI

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Lifetime Giving THE FOUNDERS SOCIET Y Honors those who have chosen to make a positive impact on TPS’s future through thoughtfully planned bequests or other estate gifts.

Lynne* and Peter* Berman Robert* & Priscilla* Foley Caroline Simon

LIFETIME GIVING CIRCLE We honor those donors who have made our mission possible for the last 50 years by contributing over $100,000 in lifetime gifts to the school.

Jeffrey L. Abrams and Margaret Barry

Igor and Julia Frayman

James Nam and Sun Park

Marta and Robert Adelson

Robert* & Pricilla* Foley

Peter Kenney and Dorothy Novick

Steven and Robin Altschuler

Michael Forman and Jennifer Rice

Osage Scholarship, LLC

Peter and Francesca Ammon

Anna Forrester and Mitchell Young

Roy and Rosalind Neff

Lynne* and Peter* Berman

Roberta Gausas and Allen Model

Jared and Melanie Pontz

Michael and Mona Berman

Susan Green

Kate and Michael Riccardi

Ira and Stacey Brind

Irwin and Linda Gross

Alyssa and Michael Rickels

Comcast Corporation

Lisa Heller and Harry Roth

Schafer Family Philanthropic Fund

Matthew and Gabrielle Canno

Tristan and Alexis Jones

Ellen Schwartz and Jeremy Siegel

David and Nancy Colman

Michael and Meeta Kerlin

Daniel and Rebecca Shapiro

Jacob K. Cooper and Natalie Aronson Cooper

Deborah and Zachary Klehr

Andrew and Carrie Siegel

Leonard and Susan Klehr

Suzanne Simons

Eugene and Deborah Lefevre

Barbara and John Stanley

Stephen Leitzell and Helaine Leitzell*

Stephen Starr

Mark Liddy

UHS of Pennsylvania, Inc

Jeffrey and Elinor Marrazzo

Alex and Hilary Verbuch

Alan and Jill Miller

Ken and Jami Young

Sandra and Michael Dean Jeffrey and Mayva Donnon Adam and Stacy Douberly Paul and Cecie Dry Alisa Field and Alan Sandals Holly and Greg Flanagan

Gina M. Moore

Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy. If an error has occurred, please accept our sincere apology and contact advancement@tpschool.org so we can adjust our records and publish the correction. *Deceased

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Honor Roll With gratitude, we recognize our Leadership Circle Donors. Through their generous gifts through the TPS Fund, EITC/OSTC, Sponsorship and the Ours to Shape Comprehensive Campaign, this group of donors provides invaluable leadership within our community. The following reflects gifts made to The Philadelphia School between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.

1972 PACESETTERS CIRCLE $50,000+

TIGER TRAILBLAZERS CIRCLE $10,000-24,999

FAMILY GROUP LEADERS CIRCLE $5,000-9,999

Marta and Robert Adelson

Bene Archbold-Hart & Brian Hart

Gal Ben-Josef and Vivek Kulkarni

First Trust Bank

Ira and Stacey Brind

Jeffrey and Kristen Block

Jeffrey and Mayva Donnon

David and Nancy Colman

Branzburg Family Foundation

Robert* & Priscella* Foley

JJ Shirley and Raphael Cunniff

Eli and Erica Branzburg

Igor and Julia Frayman

Doug Edwards and Ashley FeuerEdwards

Joseph Branzburg and Maia Grauer Liurner

Robert Ferrante & Jennifer Goldberg

Max Branzburg and Sacha Finn

Alisa Field and Alan Sandals

Morton and Wendy Branzburg

Michael Fields and Frances Middleton

Peter Breslauer and Yi-An Ko

Michael Forman and Jennifer Rice

Christopher and Crystal Casazza

Goldman Sachs

Edward Chan and Keo Chea

Iddo and Lauren Harel

Russell Composto and Karen Winey

Lisa Heller and Harry Roth

Matthew and Krista Conner

Rick and Ruth Horowitz

Jacob Cooper and Natalie Aronson Cooper

Deborah and Zachary Klehr Leonard and Susan Klehr Eugene and Deborah Lefevre James Nam and Sun Park Jared and Melanie Pontz Alyssa and Michael Rickels Ellen Schwartz and Jeremy Siegel Andrew and Carrie Siegel Stephen Starr Ken and Jami Young

Robin Ireland and Stephen Kastenberg Jessica Kasten and Nicholas Kerr

CIT Y, COUNTRY, CLASSROOM CIRCLE $25,000-49,999 Michael and Mona Berman Matthew and Gabrielle Canno Comcast Corporation Adam and Stacy Douberly Benjamin Honig & Dana Ovadia Tristan and Alexis Jones Michael and Meeta Kerlin Jeffrey and Elinor Marrazzo

Ann Rosewater and Robert Kronley Franc and Katie Marmero Zachary F. Meisel and Courtney Schreiber

Sandra and Michael Dean Anna Donnelly and Jason Rothman Maria and Kevin Dugan Elliott-Lewis Corporation Michael and Haley Fiebach

Daniel and Julie Mozes

Laura Gessman and Joshua Lehrer

David and Helen Pudlin

Greco Orthodontics

Daniel and Rebecca Shapiro

Judd P. Greenberg and Michelle Henning Greenberg

Barbara and John Stanley Andrew and Megan Townsend David and Karen Townsend Wallach Family Fund

John Jackson and Deborah Thomas Peter Kenney and Dorothy Novick Allison Kirshner Oz and Sahar Oz Leo Korein and Ann Ritter

Christopher and Leah McTiernan

Jeff and Jan Leitch

Roy and Rosalind Neff

Merck Company Foundation

Alex and Hilary Verbuch

James Mitchell (cont. next page)

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Mahbod Mohazzebi and Merriam Seyedain

Paul and Cecie Dry

Karl and Linda Rickels

Christine Edmonds and Michael Hsu

Adrian L. Sam and Marisa Sam

EisnerAmper LLP

Jane Scaccetti

Gary Emmett and Marianne Ruby Emmett

Lynne Schmitt

Julia Pudlin and David Wishnick Scott and Lauren Ravitz

Edu-tech Academic Solutions

Rebecca and David Selvin

Howard and Phyllis Fischer

Susquehanna International Group, LLP

Zachary and Alexandra Frankel

The Kessler Fund

Harvey and Sandy Freeman

United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey

Philip and Fritzi Franks

Alexander and Julie Nemeth Jason Pawlowsky and Jill Neuman

Waste Management Wolfe Scott Associates Michael Zimmer and Maureen MirroZimmer

PROGRESSIVE PARTNERS CIRCLE $1,000-4,999 Nicholas Abend and Gayle Chesley Lauren Adams and Justin Pearlman Aegis Property Group Jane Ahn and Carl Park Michael and Lindsey Albenberg David Anderson and Phoebe Prioleau Anita and Erwin Andrews Theo and Kristin Aronson Julie Berson and Ben Trayes Nicole Black and Romuald Wawszczyk Barbara Bloomfield and Richard Heiberger Shanley and Patrick Campbell Carolyn Cannuscio and Daniel Rader Isaac Chalal and Leslie Rosenberg Jodi Chen and Nick Evageliou Kai Chen and Mu Yang Cigna Robert and Rose Cohen Maryann Connolly and Lyle Ungar Hayden Coy Michael Davidson and Christy Reardon Henry and Kathy Donner Dry Family Foundation 34

Fulton Bank Walker Gilmore and Jane Shore Anthony and Linda Giorgio Gary and Nancy Gordon Rebecca Grubman and Lee Jacobs GSL Public Strategies Group

Shana and Eli Segal Emily and Ryan Soloby The Fischer Family Donor Advised Fund The Glenmede Trust Company The Hollenstein Ross Family Foundation The Nam Park Family Charitable Fund The Sloman Foundation TreeRing Corporation Barb and Rod Wendt Chuck and Barbara Widger Underground Swag Elizabeth and Richard Zack

Michael and Nava Harel Harris Technology Services Stephen and Susan Huntington Derek and Jill Jokelson Perry Kahn and Lisa Leven-Kahn David and Danielle Kellner Mary Ann Kerlin Samuel Klehr David and Davida Krupnick

SUPPORTERS UP TO $999 Everett and Valerie Abitbol Scott and Theresa Ackerman Rachel Adams-Kaplan and Sean Kaplan Carlin Adelson Leah Adelson and Avi Rafalson

Alan and Joyce Leven

Girna Mendez-Adkins and Timothy Adkins

Bruce and Diane Luckman

Jonathan Adler

Kelvin Luk and Vivian Man

Adobe Foundation

Meghan Madeira

Karen and Hal Albenberg

Lynn Marks and Clifford Pearlman

Ross and Jessica Alexander

Zachary Marks and Argya Sadan

Daniel and Rebecca Alig

Jennifer and Adrian Martini

Robert Alig

Mathnasium of Center City

Mariette Buchman and David Altenhofen

Gina Moore

Emily Altman

New York Life Insurance Company

Robert and Patricia Altman

Northeast Financial Group

Bruce Ambler

Brian and Andrea Ohta

America’s Charities

Lekan and Catherine Oyejide

American Online Giving Foundation, Inc.

PA Partners for Education, LLC

Peter and Francesca Ammon

Mitesh Patel and Payal Shah

Santosh Anagol and Shing-Yi Wang

William and Jennifer Peranteau

Courtney Apple and William Glaab

Dr. Maya Pindyck and Tyler Sargent

Don Argott and Sheena Joyce

THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL

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Anne and Dennis Arouca

Albert Breuers

Kathleen Degnan and Stephen Klein

George Arthur and Rachel Moore

Bright Funds

Nicholas Dekker

Angeline Arumainayagam and Justin Chu

Jermaine and Tanisha Brockington

Beth Dellipriscoli

Reuben Asia and Lauren Deasy

Andrew and Elizabeth Brown

Dex + Co.

Bonnie Asher and Tom Klee

Tricia Bruning

Amanda DiNofia and Robert McDonough

Francis Atemo and Laura Schutter

Andrew and Elizabeth Bruner

Sophie and Benjamin Doar

Catherine Auriemma and Austin Kilaru

William Bruner

Shari Donahue

Calvin and Anastasia Austin

Diane and Martin Butler

Melissa Donner

Mitchell Bach

Peter and Frances Buttenheim

Linda Donnon

Oliver Backes and Rae Fishman

Brian Capell and Melinda Jen

Richard Dormoi and Catalina Rios

Mary L. Bartlett and Roy Backes

Melissa Carroll

John Dougherty

Herbert Baker and Rachel Gross

Kimberly Carter

Julia Dranoff

Rachel Baker and Natalie Johnson

Carolyn Caton and Noelle Foizen

Mandira Banerjee and Aswin Punathambekar

Garrett and Priscilla Cavanaugh

Mathilda Edmunds and Stephen Groundwater

Elissa and Craig Barbieri Maureen Barden and David Othmer Kate Barrett and Christopher D’Amore Scott and Andi Barsky Sean and Emily Barwin Victoria Bastian and Damon Bendesky Kathy Becker Jenna Beras and Robert O’Brien Richard Berger and Michelle Farber Reggie and Renee Berry Larry Besnoff and Mary Gavigan Torren Blair Andy Block Ilene Block and Harris Rabinovich Michael Block-Rabinovich and Sarah Block Marisa L. Block Catherine Bogart-Rome and Stuart Rome Jamie Bogert Jenny and Luca Bogoni Donna Bostock Sophia Bottaro Laura Bottaro and Phil Galier Jeffrey Braff and Hope Comisky Martin and Bonnie Brandstadter Jennifer Breslow and Kia Dalili Laura Brennan

Becca Chazin John Chase and Jane Rath Jordan and Rebecca Chazin Jenny Chen and Brian Jordan Kara Chisholm Helene Clawges and William Morlok Susanna Coates and Michael Egnal Phyllis Cochran Eric Cohen and Debbie Zak Cohen Michele Cohen and Joaquin Pena Christopher L. Cole and Jaclyn Marcel Carolyn Coleburn and Harry Philbrick Michael and Ellen Coleman Brendan and Annmarie Collins Lynn Collins Cynthia Compere-Philippe Emma Cottone Tina S. Cowan Claudette and Miles Coverdale Mary Ann Crawford and Brett Skolnick Megan Cribbs and Emily Hurwitz Howard and Judy Crystal Amy Curran

Educational Directions, Inc. Andrew Eisenberg and Rebecca Goldschmidt Samah Elhajibrahim and Bassil Kublaoui JJ El-Far and Dan B. I. Hirschhorn Colin and Jennifer Ellis Caroline and Peter Ernst Michael Fabius and Laurie Morrison Ray Fabius and Sara Matthews Matthew Feldman Taylor Fernley Debra Fickler and Steve Russell Bob and Betsy Fiebach Eli Fieldston Nathan Fieldston Kara Finck and Mark Humowiecki James Fish John and Nancy Fischer Maria Fischer and Marco Velis Rebecca Fischer and Hal Leshner Charles Finney and Stacey Trooskin Thomas Flanagan Deborah Fleisher Brittany Flippen

Brian Daly Mark Dato and Marc Dickstein Rachel and Hugh Daulerio Sofia David Maron Deering and Sandra Mayson

TPSCHOOL.ORG

Marni Fogelson and Joseph Teel Emily Foote and David Williams Sara Forgione and Terry Maguire David Foster

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Michael and Molly Frank

Simon and Jill Herriott

Jason Kourkounis and Therese Madden

Max Frantz

Austin and Stefanie Hinkle

Agata Kowalski and Adam Meisel

Robert Fratoni and Stephanie Yeager

Cynthia Hodges

Mickey Kronley

Eli Freedman and Laurel Klein

Ann and Henry Hofmann

Bethany Kruc and Kevin McClellan

Jennifer and Mark Freeman

Jeff and Kristen Hofmann

Jacintha Kruc

Andi and Howard Friedberg

Lisa and David Hoke

Jenny S. Laden

John Frisbee and Jill Garland

Pam Holland

Beth and William Landman

Alison Fritz and Daniel Pohlig

Kim Horne

Katherine Latta

Nick Frontino and Kara Howland

Gregory Hudson and Hanna Zafar

John Lauro

Paul and Megan Gabriel

Kevin and Toccara Humbert

Althier and Mitch Lazar

Diane Gallagher

Samuel Huntington

Peter Leckman and Catherine Price

Bob Gallop

Independence Blue Cross

Jennifer Lee and Brian Rider

Francesca and Noah Gans-Pfister

David and Tammi Inscho

Mark Leitch

David Gary and Ann Ricksecker

Deborah and Lorenzo Jackson

Blaine Leis

Charles Garrett and Christina Matthias

Lauren Jacobs

Carol Lerner

Max Gebauer and Victoria Seymour

Richard Jacobsen and Kate Oxx

Ryan J. Levan and Greisana Muhaj

Diane and Michael George

Madhurika Jeremiah and George Pesiridis

Marc and Caitlin Leven

Jennifer and Anthony Giampetro Tim Gibbons and Jayne Lisbeth Allison and Adam Gilberg Nanci and Ken Gilberg Alli Gilmour and Michael Pellen Stephen and Erin Giorgio Jennifer Goldberg Dennis and Stephany Goloveyko

Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Sheri Rider Jobe and Dawda Jobe Quavin Johnson Eric and Catherine Jones Christopher Jones and Emily Weiss M’Liss Jones

Adele and Josh Gorrilla

Ilene M. Kalter-Lieberman and Jared B. Lieberman

Leonard and Adele Greenberg

Kevin Kaminski and Alexis Pew

Elise Greenberg

Lynn Karoly and Timothy Safford

Campbell and Ann Grey

Susan Katsekas

Devalina Guha-Roy and Jeff Wiesner

Jonathan Katz

Karen and James Gulla

Lynn Kaufman

January Haines

Eunkyung Kauh and Mark Schutta

Thomas and Patricia Hare

Agnes Kelley

Susan Harkness Regli and William Regli

Lauren Kibbe

Miriam and Jeffrey Harlan

Kenny Kim and Hilary Sedgwick

Virginia Harr and Brian Radic

Emma Kimenhour

Michael Harris and April Thompson

Dawn Knipmeyer and Jane White

Sam and Sean Hartman

Eun Koh and Daniel Lee

Mollie and Amos Henderson

Ryan Kollar

Witold and Marcia Henisz

Philip Korb and Sandra Wolf

Tihamer and Mary Herczeg

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THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL

Sally and Richard Levie Helen Levin and Daniel Stevenson Abigail Levner Richard and Dale Levy Micah and Jane Levy Carol and Rafael Lissack Michael Lissack Frances Llewellyn Tucker and Alexander Tucker Emma Luckman Robert Ludwig and Joan Ryder Daniel and Elizabeth Lutes Katie and Megan MacTurk Lezlie Madden and Matthew Raalf Barrie and Karen Maguire David and Haley Maguire Francis Maloba Jaime and Eric Maltese Michele Mangan and Peter Murphy Joshua Mann and Gerri Trooskin Noora Marcus and Mohammed Nawas Brian and Jaclyn Marsh Jerry and Laura Marshall John Marston and Anita Milman

GO ANYWHERE

Sonika Mathur and Marc Pedersen

Barrett Noone

Kelley and Andrew Seravalli

Stacy Martin

North Eastern Flooring

Cal Simon

Dylan and Molly Maxwell

Patrick and Marie O’Connor

Suzanne Simons

Rebecca Mazar and Ryan McCormick

Stephen O’Hanlon and Laura Lee Swan

Adina and Brian Shapiro

Elizabeth McCannell

Shea O’Neill and Cara Smith

Delia Solomons and Adam Shapiro

Bernadette McCleary

Lauryn Obozian and Benjamin Torsney

Betsy and Richard Sheerr

Robert and Patricia McCory

Thomas and Kate Parry

Liza Sherretta

Brian McKenna and Kate Scully

Bhavik Patel and Ketki Soin

Eric and Michelle Shiffrin

Patrick and Michele McKenna

Michael and Janine Pawlowsky

Hali Sklar

Ted and Ann McKenzie

Paypal

Matthew Sklar

David McNeil and Lateesha Thompson

Steve and Joanne Peck

Andrew and Erin Smith

Mark and Karen Methlie

Kevin Peckham and Margaret Sledge

Keisha Smith

Kris and Melodee Mendoza

Robert Peiffer and Selekha Ramos

Paul Smith

Meredith Methlie and Seth Reichgott

Ronald and Jayne Perilstein

Chris Stearns and Jared Susco

Katie Miller and Ethan Tannen

Eldra and Franklin Perry

Allison E. Steele

Pia Mohsen and Masnur Rasul

Aaron and Elina Picht

James and Nancy Steele

Isabella Mojares

Amy Phillips

Stephen and Yena Steidle

Gillian E. Moldowan and William Risch

Emma K. Powers

Sarah Steinberg and Oleg Sokolov

Dr. Preston and Catherine Moore

Madhukar and Mamta Prasad

Cait Stewart

Dana Moore

Matthew and Vanessa Prendergast

Stasia and Tor Sumpaopol

John Moore

Joseph Prim

Rick Swedloff

Heather and Mehron Moqtaderi

Gabriel A. Procaccino

Susan Thauer

Reza and Susan Moqtaderi

Stephen Raab and Marguerite Weese

The Blackbaud Giving Fund

Bill and Andrea Morlok

Kaitlyn Renna

Jeffrey and Stephanie Mordan

Andrew Rickels

The Peter and Nancy Thauer Family Charitable Foundation

Elizabeth Morrison

Caroline Rickels

Brandon Morton and Amber Nelson

Claudia Rickels

Kelly Mulhall

Karl Rickels*

Victoria Mulhern

Peter Rickels

Ralph and Rose Mundy

Samuel and Rachel Roberts

Rebecca and Charles Muntean

Becca and Aidan Robinson

Jay and Cheryl Murphy

Giovana and Joshua Robinson

Jeff and Holly Murphy

Liza Rodriguez and Darren Spielman

Matthew and Gidget Murray

Molly E. Swartz and Daniel Rosenthal

Dr. Shay Selden and Alyssa Mutryn

Nancy and Peter Rossi

Rushabh Nathan and Nidhi Joseph

Kyle Rouse

Phil and Katie Neff

Leah Sandals

Elise and Mike Negrey

Frances Sargent

Charles Nichols

David Schiffrin and Courtney Stursberg

Madelynn and Amy Nieves-Renz

David and Sachiyo Searles

Lori Noll and Nicholas Panasevich

James and Emily Seltzer

Michael and Keren Toledano Stanley and Estelle Trooskin Martin Turner and Alexandra Zaleta Sean Vereen Amy and Tom Vorenberg Hanne Weedon Chelsea Weis Passmore Susan Weiss Maureen Welsh and Jeff Zeelander Rachel Welsh Charles and Maureen Wilson

TPSCHOOL.ORG

Erica and Kevin Zimmer Noel Yee

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IN KIND

Michael Fields and Frances Middleton

Kelly Mulhall

6 ABC WPVI-TV

Becca Fischer and Hal Leshner

Mural Arts Philadelphia

Everett and Valerie Abitbol

Igor and Julia Frayman

Matthew and Gidget Murray

Rachel Adams-Kaplan and Sean Kaplan

Nick Frontino and Kara Howland

Musical Theatre Philly

Michael and Lindsay Albenberg

Laura and Phil Galier

Hanh Nguyen and Khoi Truong

Ants Pants Cafe

Edward Garcia and Jeannie Wong

Northeast Financial Group, Inc.

Courtney Apple and William Glaab

Garrison Printing Company

Opera Philadelphia

Arden Theatre Company

Max Gebauer and Victoria Seymour

Oyster House

Art of the Smile

Diane and Michael George

Bhavik Patel and Ketki Soin

Bonnie Asher and Tom Klee

Chris and Mark Gignac

Arlene Peters and Rod Werner

Oliver Backes and Rae Fishman

Marvin Greenbaum

Phield House

BagelUp

Iddo and Lauren Harel

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Shyamkrishna Balganesh and Irene Lu

Sam and Sean Hartman

Philadelphia Theater Company

Ballers

Her Supper Club

Philly Pretzel Factory

Bruce Benjamin and Hilary Jay

Josh Herren

Maya Pindyck and Tyler Sargent

Bennett Compost, Inc.

Pam Holland

Jared and Melanie Pontz

Reggie and Renee Berry

Benjamin Honig and Dana Ovadia

Zach Pontz

Birdwatch

Dave and Lorie Howland

Prep Academy Tutors

Jennifer Breslow and Kia Dalili

Hudson Table

Julia Pudlin and David Wishnick

Bridget Foy’s

Illata Restaurant

REC Philly

Edwin and Sophie Borenstein

Immortal Vision Studio

Lora Reehling

Diane and Martin Butler

InLiquid Gallery

Reising Wellness Coaching

Christopher and Crystal Casazza

Job and Jessica Itzkowitz

Alyssa and Michael Rickels

Amanda Casper and John Orr

Richard Jacobsen and Kate Oxx

Rival Bros.

Chateau Rouge

J’aime French Cafe

Becca and Aiden Robinson

Jenny Chen and Brian Jordan

John’s Water Ice

Root & Rise Strategies

Andy and Kaitlin Cino

Tristan and Alexis Jones

Root Quarterly Magazine

Cobblestone Kids

Jessica Kasten and Nicholas Kerr

Second District Brewing

Code Ninjas

Kelsey McKinney, Writer

Andrew and Carrie Siegel

Emma Cottone

Michael and Meeta Kerlin

Cal Simon

Raphael Cunniff and JJ Shirley

Dawn Knipmeyer and Jane White

Rachel and Hugh Daulerio

Bethany Kruc and Kevin McClellan, Jr.

Small Oven Pastry Shop & Porco’s Porchetteria

Sofia David

Jacintha Kruc

Lynne Dorman and Robert Reisley

David and Davida Krupnick

Dviniti Skin Care

Tony and Carol Laden

East River Pilates

Michael Lissack

Edible Philly Magazine

Emma Luckman

Elevate Health & Performance

Mainfactor Inc.

Equilibrium Dance Academy, LLC

Joshua Mann and Gerri Trooskin

Nic Esposito

Mathnasium of Center City

Michael Fabius and Laurie Morrison

Isabella Mojares

Alisa Field and Alan Sandals

Jeffrey and Stephanie Mordan Bill and Andrea Morlok

SOLMAR Pilates + Holistic Wellness South Square Market Spread Bagelry Stephen Starr Strava Fine Art Portraits Eric and Regan Stephens Style & Edit Tor and Stasia Sumpaopol Taco Heart Ann and Ian Taylor The Barnes Foundation The Fabric Workshop and Museum

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THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL

GO ANYWHERE

The Glenmede Trust Company

Artem Ustayev

IN MEMORY OF

The Organized Home Co.

Alex and Hilary Verbuch

Lynne Berman*

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Jeff Werner

Robert T. Foley*

The Random Tea Room

Woven Treasures

Clifford Pearlman*

The Shoshana

Wunderkind Boutique

Andrew and Megan Townsend

Yards Brewing Company

Two Locals Brewing Co.

Elizabeth and Richard Zack

ORGANIZATIONS Adobe

Fulton Bank

The Blackbaud Giving Fund

Aegis Property Group

Goldman Sachs

The Fischer Family Donor Advised Fund

America’s Charities

Greco Orthodontics

The Glenmede Trust Company

American Online Giving Foundation, Inc.

GSL Public Strategies Group

The Hollenstein Ross Family Foundation

BLOCS

Harris Technology Services

The Kessler Fund

Branzburg Family Foundation

Independence Blue Cross

The Nam Park Family Foundation

Bright Funds

Integrity Funding Advisors (IFA)

Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Fund

Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

The Peter and Nancy Thauer Family Charitable Foundation

Cigna Comcast Corporation Dex+Co Dry Family Foundation Edu-Tech Academic Solutions Educational Directions, Inc EisnerAmper Advisory Group LLC Elliot-Lewis Corporation Fidelity Charitable Firstrust Bank Friends General Conference

The Sloman Foundation

Lamney & Giorgio

TPS Learn Here Go Anywhere

Mathnasium of Center City

TPS Scholarship 3 LLC

Merck Company Foundation

TreeRing Corporation

New York Life Insurance Company

Underground Swag

Northeast Financial Group, Inc.

United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey

Osage Scholarship, LLC PA Partners for Education, LLC

University of Pennsylvania Vanguard Charitable

PayPal Rassler Financial LLC Susquehanna International Group, LLP

Wallach Family Fund Waste Management Wolfe Scott Associates

IN HONOR OF Marta Adleson

Lisa Hoke

Kaitlyn Renna

Robert Adelson

Richard Jacobsen

Alyssa Rickels

Andrew Bruner

Zachary Klehr

Caroline Rickels

Maisie Chan

Bernadette McCleary

Claudia Rickels

Adam Douberly

Courtney Miller

Karl Rickels

Mary Beth Fedirko

Daniel Mozes

Cal Simon

Brittany Flippen

Madelynn Nieves-Renz

Megan Townsend

Maureen Glaccum

Charles Philbrick

Chelsea Weis Passmore

TPSCHOOL.ORG

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EITC Donors Bene Archbold-Hart and Brian Hart

Michael Fields and Frances Middleton

James Mitchell

Marta and Robert Adelson

Firstrust Bank

Daniel and Julie Mozes

Michael and Mone Berman

Igor and Julia Frayman

James Nam and Sun Park

Jeffrey and Kristen Block

Fulton Bank

Roy and Rosalind Neff

Peter Breslauer and Yi-An Ko

Gal Ben-Josef and Vivek Kulkarni

Alexander and Julie Nemeth

Ira and Stacey Brind

Laura Gessman and Joshua Lehrer

Jill Neuman and Jason Pawlowsky

Matthew and Gabrielle Canno

Judd Greenberg and Michelle Henning Greenberg

PA Partners for Education

Christopher and Crystal Casazza Edward Chan and Keo Chea Kai Chen and Mu Yang David and Nancy Colman Comcast Jacob Cooper and Natalie Aronson Cooper

Iddo and Lauren Harel Lisa Heller and Harry Roth Benjamin Honig and Dana Ovadia Robin Ireland and Stephen Kastenberg John Jackson and Deborah Thomas Tristan and Alexis Jones

Raphael Cunniff and JJ Shirley

Michael and Meeta Kerlin

Anna Donnelly and Jason Rothman

Nicholas Kerr and Jessica Kasten

Jeffrey and Mayva Donnon

Allison Kirshner Oz and Sahar Oz

Adam and Stacy Douberly

Lenny and Susan Klehr

Maria and Kevin Dugan

Robert Kronley and Ann Rosewater

Doug Edwards and Ashley FeuerEdwards

David and Davida Krupnick

Elliot-Lewis Corporation Robert Ferrante and Jennifer Goldberg Michael and Haley Fiebach

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Eugene and Deborah Lefevre Franc and Katie Marmero Christopher and Leah McTiernan Zachary Meisel and Courtney Schreiber

THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL

Jared and Melanie Pontz David and Helen Pudlin Julia Pudlin and David Wishnick Rassler Financial LLC Scott and Lauren Ravitz Alyssa and Michael Rickels Adrian and Marisa Sam Jane Scaccetti Ellen Schwartz and Jeremy Siegel Rebecca and David Selvin Andrew and Carrie Siegel Barabara and John Stanley Andrew and Megan Townsend Alex and Hilary Verbuch Waste Management

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Alumni Donors Carlin Adelson ‘01

Samuel Huntington ‘98

Gabriel Procaccino ‘02

Jonathan Adler ‘83

Lee Jacobs ‘00

Scott Ravitz ‘93

Emily Altman ‘92

Lauren Jacobs ‘02

Karl Rickels ‘13

Oliver Backes ‘04

Rachel Katz ‘20

Claudia Rickels ‘18

Michael Berman ‘84

Samuel Klehr ‘04

Caroline Rickels ‘18

Marisa Block ‘02

Zachary Klehr ‘92

Peter Rickels ‘16

Michael Block-Rabinovich ‘95

Leo Korein ‘93

Leah Sandals ‘99

Sophia Bottaro ‘02

Tony Laden ‘81

David Schiffrin ‘98

Jacob Cooper ‘99

Jenny Laden ‘84

Liza Sherretta ‘08

Telise Davis-Carter ‘20

Katherine Latta ‘98

Andrew Siegel ‘94

Ben Doar ‘98

Ryan Levan ‘02

Abraham Silber ‘00

Sophie Doar ‘99

Michael Lissack ‘91

Cara Smith ‘03

Michael Fiebach ‘99

Emma Luckman ‘11

Darren Spielman ‘86

Becca Fischer ‘00

John Marston ‘93

Molly Swartz ‘98

Zachary Frankel ‘02

Gillian Moldowan ‘94

Anna Taylor ‘04

Laura Galier ‘02

Bill Morlok ‘97

Greg Thall ‘94

Walker Gilmore ‘87

Dan Mozes ‘00

Sarah Waddington ‘20

Judd Greenberg ‘86

Justin Pearlman ‘84

Rachel Welsh ‘07

Mollie Henderson ‘97

Emma Powers ‘01

TPSCHOOL.ORG

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WHY I GIVE

The Edwards Family Ashley Feuer-Edwards and Doug Edwards are passionate advocates for The Philadelphia School and parents to two current students, Harper (‘28) and Noah (‘31). Actively involved in our 50th Anniversary planning, and helping TPS become a leader in sustainability, Ashley and Doug have made TPS a core of their philanthropy. We chatted with them to learn how community is at the forefront of why they give back.

TPS HAS BENEFITED FROM YOUR GENEROSIT Y IN SO MANY WAYS — FROM EITC TO SPONSORSHIPS AND CAPITAL GIFTS. WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO GIVE SO BROADLY? Honestly, it starts with how much our kids genuinely enjoy going to school each day. They come home curious, confident, and excited to talk about what they’re learning. That doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a reflection of how thoughtful and dedicated their teachers are. Every teacher they’ve had has really known them — their personalities, their strengths, and the ways they learn best. You can tell they love TPS and what they do.

We also love that TPS doesn’t just teach our kids “stuff.”

They’re learning how to think critically about issues, how to advocate for themselves and issues they care about, and how to dive deep into a topic over time — not just skim the surface.

It’s an education that builds curiosity and confidence, not just knowledge.

That’s what inspires us to give. When you see your children thriving in an environment like that, and you know how much care goes into making it possible, you want to help sustain it.

For us, giving back to TPS in a variety of ways - whether it’s through EITC, or sponsorships, or a solar project — is a natural extension of wanting to see this community thrive.

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IS THERE A PARTICULAR MOMENT OR EXPERIENCE THAT DEEPENED YOUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING TPS? Some of our favorite moments at TPS have been the times we’ve gotten to gather with other families — at school events, social gatherings outside of school, or just chatting at pickup. The community feels very real and down to earth. People care about one another and about the world around them. It is great to be part of a community that feels thoughtful and grounded and you know shares your values.

That sense of connection is part of what made it so meaningful when we had the opportunity, through Ashley’s company AFE Strategies, to help plan the school’s 50th anniversary year.

While it was professional work, it also felt very personal.

Sponsoring events and watching it bring people together through events like the Fall Festival and MLK Day of Service gave us an even deeper appreciation for this community. It reminded us how much care and passion go into making TPS such a special place.

THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL

GO ANYWHERE

HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR GIVING AS AN EXPRESSION OF YOUR VALUES OR VISION FOR EDUCATION? From the start, what drew us to TPS was its strong sense of purpose. It’s a community built around shared values, not just academics. We wanted a place where our kids would be known, encouraged to ask questions, and taught to see learning as something connected to their community and the wider world.

TPS really lives that out every day.

Giving to TPS is our way of helping to sustain a place that reflects those same values. It’s a place where kids learn to think critically, stay curious, and approach the world with empathy and compassion. Those are the qualities we try to nurture at home too, and it means a lot to know that our support helps ensure more families can experience an environment that shapes engaged, caring, and thoughtful young people.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO SEE YOUR CONTRIBUTION LITERALLY POWERING THE SCHOOL? It’s very rewarding to know that our contribution is making a real difference, both now and for the future. Doug’s solar panel project for the ECEC felt like a very fitting way to give back something that supports the school’s sustainability while giving students a real-world example of renewable energy in action.

There’s also something really special about driving past the ECEC and knowing that the same sunlight that helps make the garden the magical space we all love is also now powering the classrooms where students start their TPS journey and supporting a greener and more sustainable future for our kids.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Ashley and Doug for their continued generosity and commitment to The Philadelphia School.

It feels like a very full-circle moment that mirrors what we love most about TPS’s approach to learning — always helping our children to see the interconnection of the world around them.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE CONSIDERING PARTICIPATING IN EITC FOR THE FIRST TIME? Do it! It’s one of the most impactful and accessible ways to give.

The EITC program lets you direct your tax dollars toward something meaningful — offering an affordable TPS education to more students and families. We all benefit from being part of a diverse community with families of varied backgrounds and experiences. Part of modeling values like equity and inclusivity is ensuring that affordability isn’t a barrier keeping people out.

The EITC process is so straightforward and easy — and truly benefits all of us as a community. It’s hard to think of a reason not to participate if you are able.

TPSCHOOL.ORG

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Ways to Give The Philadelphia School is deeply grateful to be supported by our community’s generosity. From time and talent to philanthropic gifts, these contributions make a lasting difference for all of our students.

01

Make an Immediate Impact

CASH, CHECK AND ONLINE GIVING The simplest way to support TPS. Consider a recurring gift for a more budget-friendly option.

GIFTS OF SECURITIES AND BONDS Gift an appreciated investment held for more than one year as a tax deduction and avoid capital gains taxes.

DOUBLE THE IMPACT WITH A MATCHING GIFT Many companies offer matching gifts.

Check out our website to see if your company qualifies.

02

DONOR ADVISED FUNDS (DAF) DAFs are charitable savings accounts that provide tax benefits while giving you the flexibility to decide how much and how often you’d like to contribute.

EVENT SPONSORSHIP AND IN-KIND DONATIONS Support our Fall Festival and/or EATS fundraisers. You can also consider donating in-kind products or services to support these events or other areas of need.

VOLUNTEER YOUR SKILLS Volunteer with TPSA, The Board of Trustees, or be an Alumni Class Representative.

PA TAX GIVING PROGRAM Pennsylvania businesses and individuals can support tuition assistance at TPS through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs.

Donors may receive a tax credit up to 93% of their gift.

Create a Lasting Legacy

There are many ways to make a lasting impact at TPS—some incurring no immediate cost, and some that pay income during your (or your designated beneficiary’s) lifetime.

GIFT FROM YOUR RETIREMENT ACCOUNT Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) are the savviest way for individuals age 70½ or older to use their IRAs to maximize their charitable impact.

LIFE INSURANCE BENEFICIARY Give a policy you no longer need by making TPS the owner or beneficiary an insurance plan.

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JOIN OUR FOUNDERS SOCIET Y Make a lasting impact by leaving a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate. Other options include making contingent or residual bequests.

ENDOWMENT Donations help us meet the school’s long-term strategic goals and ensure the long-term financial stability of the school.

THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL

OURS TO SHAPE CAMPAIGN Supports capital improvement projects currently focusing on a five phase Lombard Building renovation.

PAVE THE WAY Purchase a brick with custom engraving to be included in the design of the new Yard.

GO ANYWHERE

Giving Stories “ Greco Orthodontics has sponsored TPS for many years and has been fortunate to treat students and their families for over four decades. We will continue to support this very prestigious and nurturing institution for years to come. We remain committed to the excellence that TPS exemplifies.”

FALL FESTIVAL AND EATS SPONSOR

“ The EITC program lets us turn our tax dollars into opportunities — opportunities for students to thrive and for our community to grow. Supporting TPS through EITC is a meaningful way to make a difference.”

CURRENT EITC DONOR

“ Our giving is rooted in our love for Philadelphia and the incredible institutions that make this city thrive. The Philadelphia School, the Museum of Art, and CHOP will always hold a special place in our hearts and in our philanthropy.”

TPS ALUMNI FAMILY

“ TPS is more than a workplace, it’s a community that nurtures growth for both students and teachers. I give because I want to help sustain the kind of learning environment that inspired me to become an educator.”

CURRENT TPS FACULT Y MEMBER

TPSCHOOL.ORG

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2501 Lombard Street Philadelphia, PA 19146

SAVE THE DATE

EATS Annual Fundraiser DATE

May 8th, 2026 LOCATION

The Philadelphia School A e-invitation will follow in the spring time.

If you’d like a mailed invitation, please contact advancement@tpschool.org