Virtual Perkiomen

When the spread of COVID-19 and national and state guidelines made it apparent that Perkiomen would need to shift to a virtual platform this spring, a team of Administrators met to formulate possible options for pivoting to distance learning. By mid-March, we put the plan in place.

“Virtual Perkiomen” was seen as an opportunity to experience an educational shift while being responsive to our external priority of safety. Our goal was to deliver high-quality teaching and learning while following best practices for health and security.

Our faculty had to adapt what they did in the classroom for a digital platform without the usual time to prepare,” says Jonathan Moser ’97, Head of Upper School. “This required a tremendous amount of creativity and courage on the part of our teachers. Our students also rose up and met new challenges, acclimating to their courses in a different format. In the end, I believe we were successful in maintaining our community of learning through a global crisis. We truly lived a combination of our mission and motto, risking to be our best and solving through living. As an alumni and long time faculty member, I have never felt more affection for Perkiomen than I do right now.

In establishing norms and guiding principles for this plan, a few key features were established.

• Keep distance learning simple and intuitive to cause the least amount of disruption as possible for students and faculty.

• Maintain structural work expectations for students and faculty.

• Foster community and ensure Virtual Perkiomen is still “Perkiomen.”

A modified daily schedule was implemented on weekdays from 8 am to 1:20 pm EDT with academic support available by subject from 7:30 to 9:30 pm EDT Monday through Thursday. Virtual Morning Meeting resumed on Mondays, followed by daily Advisory group meetings throughout the rest of the week.

Via the Zoom platform, students and faculty could interact with each other from locations all over the world. The Student Life department organized cooking demonstrations, a pet show and tell, and other programs to keep the community connected outside of classes and Advisory.

Because of our global community, both synchronous and asynchronous classes were planned. Recordings could be accessed if a student could not attend the live class due to a difference in time zones. Faculty were accessible for Conference period and an Academic Support period at opposite times of the day so all students could access one-on-one assistance either in the morning or evening.

X-Periods were added weekly, as an opportunity to have a virtual experience outside of the typical subject work where students and faculty could interact with experts in their fields. We hosted professionals from the medical, research and manufacturing fields, an architect, and two musicians.

Challenge creates opportunity and I could not be prouder of the way students and faculty have creatively explored the opportunities,” says Director of Strategic Innovation Shaun T. Yorgey ’97, who organized the X-period presentations. “Many of the lessons we as a school and greater society have learned during this experience will fuel change into the future, and there will be tangible benefits mixed into the challenges.

When we launched our first official day of Virtual Perkiomen – 148 Zoom classes, Advisory sessions, and academic help sessions took place with students and faculty connecting from the United States, to Germany, Korea, Japan, China, Russia, Spain, and Australia – from on-campus apartments in Kriebel to living rooms and bedrooms around the world.

The Perkiomen experience - the personal connections with faculty and advisors, the learning that happens beyond the bell, and the recognition of each person’s talents and contributions – inspires students to be their best and to be courageous,” says Mark A. Devey, Head of School. “Distance learning did not inhibit that and even though we were not on campus together that essence of Perkiomen did not change. Our community continued to work, learn, and grow together, embodying our motto of Solvitur vivendo – it is solved through living. I was reminded that we are all teachers and learners, supporting each other’s well-being, through everyday tasks and in defining moments.

Musician Trevor Gordon Hall joined Perkiomen as an X-period presenter. In addition to performing, Hall answered questions from the community, discussed innovation, described his creative process, and reminded students to keep the wonder alive.