7 minute read
OURS TO SHAPE UPDATE
Our Yard to shape.
BY JONATHAN KATZENBACH AND JEFFREY MORDAN
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As a leader in play-based education, we know that active outdoor play, especially unstructured play, supports independence, self-regulation, and allows children to explore their world and make decisions.
When we were planning for the new yard, we spent time watching students and how they used the space, and we also envisioned new ways to foster imaginative play. Viridian Landscape Studio, the landscape architects, spoke to teachers about what some of their priorities were for the space. At the end of this research, we landed on a design that allows our students to run, balance, climb, relax, and connect. We wanted to elevate the experience in The Yard for our older students, but maintain some of the model of play that the children experience at The Schwartz-Siegel Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC). For example, we purposely chose to have a loose parts garden rather than a typical playground space.
Additionally, we’ve selected SMP Architects to help us design the planned Lombard Building renovations. SMP has extensive experience working with other educational institutions including a complete re-design of Fagin Hall, home of Penn Nursing, Germantown Friends School Science Center, and Westtown School Science Center, among others. The Lombard renovations will be in three phases, with the first phase focused on enhancing our community spaces which includes the Lombard Yard and the Multi-Purpose Room. As we come out of a time where gathering and community had to take a back seat to health and safety, we realized how important connections and community spaces are to our mission. Therefore, we are prioritizing the creation of spaces that allow us to collaborate, innovate, and grow strong together.
“We chose SMP because of their deep experience working with schools and a demonstrated ability to design spaces that align with the mission and ethos of a school. Their work is focused on helping people better interact with each other and with their surroundings. With place-based learning central to our pedagogy, we are excited about the ways in which these new learning spaces will transform teaching and learning.”
LISA SUN, HEAD OF SCHOOL
The Treehouse The Yard looking into The Commons
The Workshop The Commons
THE WELCOME
The Welcome includes the main entrance to the building and a place where students can read and write or teachers can gather to collaborate on curricular planning.
THE TREEHOUSE
The Treehouse structure is built using natural materials that allows our students to climb and explore, just like they do when they visit our outdoor sites. Rather than having a prescribed way of playing with a swing or slide, the students can create their own ideas about how materials can be used in various ways.
THE ARCADE
Four Square is a TPS favorite activity and one that we knew we needed to create space for. The design includes two courts to play and also a space for others to watch and wait for their turn. This space also encourages children to use and move different parts of their bodies. The adjacent steps can serve as an amphitheater for outdoor musicals or theater performances.
THE WORKSHOP
We are incorporating loose parts into the design of The Workshop section to allow students to develop their own ideas, imagination, and goals for play. We chose the bulk of those loose parts to be natural materials to encourage a completely different type of play and challenge children to stretch themselves imaginatively.
THE COMMONS
The new multi-purpose room has an open design that allows for doors to open for continuous movement between The Yard and previously named Multi-Purpose Room. We expect this will have a large benefit to our After School Programming, allowing for more cross-grade collaboration and free form play.
TEACHING KITCHEN
An important part of TPS’ history and traditions includes cooking. Cooking builds connections across grades, involves chemistry, careful measuring, and following directions to achieve a desired result. These real-world experiences help our students to learn to be independent, work collaboratively, and learn how to create something from start to finish. We are excited to have a centrally located Teaching Kitchen within the building so that we can cook, learn, and grow together.
While all of these designs are a part of the Ours to Shape Strategic Plan, they cannot come to life without the support from our TPS Community to help advance the school’s mission. We are currently fundraising for Phase 1 of our Lombard renovations and hope to break ground in the very near future. If you are interested in helping us reach our goal, please contact our Advancement Office, advancement@tpschool.org or 215-545-5323.
Planning for our future.
Lynne Berman, Co-Founder of The Philadelphia School and Husband Peter, Leave $1 Million Bequest to Advance TPS’ Strategic Plan
Devoted to an urban life after growing up in the suburbs, Lynne Berman (who passed away in September 2021) and her Lynne Berman who passed away in September 2021, and her husband Peter, (deceased 2016) referred to The Philadelphia School as their “fourth child.” They were so committed to the success of TPS that they have made a legacy gift that will help to transform the school for future generations. The gift to TPS is unrestricted, which means that Lynne wanted the school to decide how to best allocate the funds to advance our mission. long-time friend Caroline (Cal) Simon wanted to find a way to keep families of school-age children in the city. As Lynne’s oldest children, John and Liz and Cal’s oldest child, Tony reached school age in the early 1970s, Lynne and Cal sought a place where their children and others could learn about the history, culture, and natural beauty of Philadelphia as well as the traditional subjects taught in elementary and middle schools. “When Lynne and I first spoke about her vision of how she would like to give back to TPS, I was truly humbled,” said Lisa Sun, Head of School. “Lynne’s love and commitment to TPS was truly exceptional. She understood the incredible impact that an unrestricted gift would have in ensuring TPS’ future.” Both were interested in the possibilities of alternative, nonsectarian educational settings for both elementary and high school students. After many meetings with like minded parents and educators, the idea of founding an innovative, academically challenging school whose diverse student body would use the city’s cultural and educational resources as well Devoted to an urban life after growing up in the suburbs, Lynne as nearby outdoor facilities, as extensions of the classroom, and her long-time friend Caroline (Cal) Simon wanted to find a was born. In 1972, they opened the doors to 14 students way to keep families of school-age children in the city. As (including John, Liz and Tony) in kindergarten and first grade, Lynne’s oldest children, John and Liz and Cal’s oldest child, two teachers, and a head of school in a rented space at Rodeph Tony reached school age in the early 1970s, Lynne and Cal Shalom Congregation on North Broad Street. sought a place where their children and others could learn about the history, culture, and natural beauty of Philadelphia as well as the traditional subjects taught in elementary and middle schools. Lynne and her husband Peter (deceased 2016) referred to The Philadelphia School as their “fourth child” and were so committed to the success of TPS that they have made a legacy gift that will help to transform the school for future generations. The gift to TPS is unrestricted, which means that Lynne wanted the school to decide how to best allocate the funds to advance our mission.
“When Lynne and I first spoke about her vision of how she would like to give back to TPS, I was truly humbled,” said Lisa Sun, Head of School. “Lynne’s love and commitment to TPS was truly exceptional. She understood the incredible impact that an unrestricted gift would have in ensuring TPS’ future.”
Lynne and Peter, and their three children John ‘80, Liz ‘81, and Michael ‘84 have remained active at TPS throughout the school’s fifty year history. All served on the TPS board at one time or another, helping to nurture this very special school with their leadership and their love. Lynne herself continued to serve as an Honorary Trustee after her board tenure ended. We are lucky to have two of Lynne’s grandchildren also attend TPS, Charlotte (‘21) and Edward (‘24).
The family is thrilled to be able to help continue to advance the school. “We are so grateful that mom had the idea to create TPS,” said son, Michael. “We are proud to keep her legacy alive and are excited to see some of the transformative projects take shape through the Ours to Shape strategic plan.”
LYNNE BERMAN
for our future.
