Alumni Feature and Notes

A second generation.

WHAT DREW YOU TO TPS AS YOU WERE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE TO EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN?

“It was my hope for my children that they would have a learning experience rich with hands-on learning opportunities and inquiry-based exploration.” ANNA REICHLIN TAYLOR ‘04

“I want my sons to experience at TPS what I experienced there: a loving, creative environment that makes learning fun, and friendships that will last a lifetime.”

MIKE FIEBACH ‘99

“My husband and I knew we wanted to educate our children in a school that takes cues from the children to guide their learning. Our older child loves taking deep dives into different topics, and we wanted a school that would not only allow him to do that but actively encourage him to pursue those interests throughout his time there.” CARA SMITH ‘03 “We were looking for an educational environment where Henry (and his younger brother Max, soon enough) would be able to shape his own education from an early stage. I’m not sure I recognized it then, but I think students are given a lot of agency in their education at a young age – that’s something I am not sure I recognized at the time, but it helped make me a lifelong learner, self-motivated student and independent person.” DANIEL MOZES ‘00

“We were confident that Billy (who is much smarter than his TPS alumnus father) would do well academically wherever he went. When we thought about what we hoped for in Billy’s formative years it was that he would be kind, develop analytical thinking, and be excited to learn.”

BILL MORLOK ‘00 Daniel and H. Mozes

generation.

We are fortunate to have among our alumni sixteen who have chosen to send their children to The Philadelphia School. We asked these folks to reflect on what drew them to TPS as they were making decisions about where to educate their offspring and what was special about their experience here as well as that of their children.

The Morlok family “So many! Magic spots at Shelly Ridge, middle school teachers and my advisor whom I really felt a connection with; biking in the Wissahickon during mini-courses.” ANDY SIEGEL ‘94

“The 8th grade class used to offer hot dog sales for lunch every Friday. We would get the groceries ourselves at the supermarket, cook the food, and handle the accounting. This was a great way to teach responsibility and offer a limited glimpse into running a business.”

WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS THE SAME AND WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT TPS THEN AND NOW? FAVORITE MEMORY FROM YOUR TPS EXPERIENCE?

“I feel an important part of TPS that has stayed the same is the school’s commitment to a social justice education. Additionally, I appreciate that TPS has maintained the vertical stacking structure for certain grades, amplifying opportunities for students to have the learner/leader experience. One major difference is that students no longer go to Shelly Ridge and instead visit various locations for their outdoor days!” ANNA REICHLIN TAYLOR ‘04

“When I was a student, TPS was a little pre-k student and now it’s a mature institution. The kids love school and they learn to love learning. But, now there are a lot more systems and structure behind the scenes that keeps the kids feeling like it’s a free-wheeling experience they can direct any way they want.” MICHAEL BERMAN ‘84 JUDD GREENBERG ‘86

“The rock project in science class in middle school! I can still tell the difference between mica schist and pyrite!” MIKE FIEBACH ‘99

Mike and L. Fiebach