From the Director’s Chair September 2008
Posted by usnl in : From the Director's Chair, September 2008“Let us then try what Love will do.”
William Penn, 1644 – 1718
Quakers have a long and storied relationship with the theme of peace. In fact, the Religious Society of Friends was born out of a time of civil war and religious strife in England in the 1640s and 1650s. Many of us are familiar with Quaker Founder George Fox’s declaration of 1660, made to King Charles II of England, to refute the charges that Friends were involved with a plot to overthrow the King. In it Fox said, "We utterly deny all outward wars and strife, and fighting with outward weapons, for any end, or under any pretense whatsoever; this is our testimony to the whole world…The Spirit of Christ, by which we are guided, is not changeable, so as once to command us from a thing as evil, and again to move us onto it; and we certainly know, and testify to the world that the Spirit of Christ, which leads us into all truth, will never move us to fight and war against any man with outward weapons, neither for the Kingdom of Christ nor for the Kingdoms of this world…Therefore, we cannot learn war any more." And, with this declaration, the Quaker peace testimony was born from the belief in the divine spark in everyone and the New Testament teachings of Jesus to love one’s enemies.
Students at Penn Charter have learned about the peace testimony and understand the long history of Quakers protesting wars, opposing government and economic policies that support armed conflicts and refusing to bear arms
The Peaceable Kingdom (c. 1834) by Edward Hicks
in the military if drafted. Our students understand that Quakers seek to resolve conflicts peacefully, and they can point to many quotes about and symbols of peace. The greater challenge comes in thinking about peace as more than the absence of war.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of justice.” I think kids understand the idea of peace, but the concept of justice is much more complex to teach. Justice involves a sense of integrity and fair dealing in all that we engage in socially, economically and politically. Adding to the complexity of studying peace and justice are the various levels about which we need to think: individually, as a resident of Philadelphia or of the United States, or as a citizen of the world. This is where I start to get overwhelmed about how to think about the peace testimony with our children!
What helps me to get centered again is reflecting on what a testimony really is. Quakers believe that testimonies are a way to “bear witness”; testimonies are not a creed or set of behaviors. This means that Quakers are called to be a witness to peace in their everyday lives as they build relationships within their family, at work, and within the larger community. While most of us are not members of the Religious Society of Friends, I think this is something to keep in mind as we think about peace and teach our children to be peacemakers. We can all learn to move beyond fear in the face of conflict and to think creatively about alternatives. We can see conflict as an opportunity for growth and clarity, and we can role model this for our children. For me, thinking and talking about peacemaking on a personal level makes this theme so much more real. I encourage you to read, “21 Tips on Personal Peacemaking” by Lynn Fitz-Hugh in the Director’s Links section of this newsletter. This article from Friends Journal really has helped me to think about the theme of peace in a significant way.
Peace… the notion seems remarkably simple sitting here on the front porch of my tiny cabin in the mountains looking at a cerulean blue sky with cotton-ball clouds floating by. But, it seems to me that achieving true peace is extremely complex and may be somewhat elusive given the complexities of the world today. Having said that, I also truly believe that each of us can make a difference. I look forward to unpacking the concept of peace with you and with our children.
Beth Glascott
Director of Upper School
In the Classroom September 2008
Posted by usnl in : In the Classroom, September 2008Teaching Twain
In July, Time magazine published its annual “Making of America” issue, and this year’s celebrated American is Mark Twain. The publication could not have been timelier: this fall Mark Twain’s famous novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is re-entering the 11th grade American literature curriculum. As a department, we committed ourselves to teaching a 19th century text, and Twain’s novel is rich in content, metaphor and style as it brings to life the great political and moral dilemmas facing the nation in the middle of the 19th century. Twain’s novel is also controversial: in 2007 it was still one of the top five most challenged books in America because of its racial content, according to the American Library Association. While teaching this text will be rewarding, it will also present us with challenges, including, in particular, how to address the text’s racial elements in the classroom.
The decision to bring Huck Finn back into the curriculum was not taken lightly. The novel has been taught at PC before, but not to everyone. Four years ago, the English department talked about bringing it into the curriculum, but we did not feel it would fit in well with the other 11th grade texts we were teaching. Since that time, the curriculum has been reviewed and revised, and the novel now fits more appropriately within the scope and sequence of the 11th grade curriculum. The level of dialogue in the community around race has also risen since that time. Our students are more ready to embrace the idea of power that surrounds race and are able to see how it once existed and where it is today. We believe that the community is ready to understand the novel within the context of the time as well as the satire surrounding it. Huck Finn will challenge us to push our conversations about race and class – two important topics that have been the focus of much of the school’s thinking and learning around diversity.
To help us prepare for the challenges of teaching Huck Finn, teachers attended a summer workshop at Penn Charter in early June with Crystal Lucky, professor of African American literature at Villanova University. In the late 1990s, Lucky was a consultant to the Cherry Hill school district as teachers, parents and administrators debated whether or not to remove Huck Finn from the required reading curriculum. As part of her work, Lucky helped the school teachers develop a detailed curriculum that framed the novel in both a historical and literary context and provided multiple resources for teaching and discussing the text. In our workshop we learned more about the controversy surrounding the text, explored different resources and approaches for teaching the text well, and talked about how to effectively address the topic of race (in particular, Twain’s use of the word nigger). Moving forward, teachers will have regular dialogue with one another and ongoing communication with Lucky as we teach the novel. We will reflect often with our students about what is, or is not, working for them in the classroom. As always, we will meet our students where they are, and then work to move them forward.
Despite the challenges of this novel, teaching Huck Finn will also be greatly rewarding. Beginning the year with Huck Finn creates the opportunity for genuine and rewarding class cohesion for the remainder of the year. Our commitment to teaching the troubles of this text reflects what our commitment to diversity looks like in the classroom. Most importantly, Twain’s novel gives us the lens through which to explore the essential question, what does it mean to be an American now? Huck Finn embodies the turmoil of a nation in flux as Twain questions the values of America. At a time when America once again finds itself negotiating those same challenges, teaching Huck Finn enables us to explore that question in a meaningful and substantial way with our students. To teach Huck Finn is to explore the challenges and complexities of living in a pluralistic society, what divides us and what unites us. As the managing editor of Time, Richard Stengel, suggests, “Twain is still in fine form, bold and clear and penetrating.” I could not agree more. I encourage you to ask your child about his or her study of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in English this fall, to read along with us, and to be in touch at any time if you would like to further the conversation.
Catherine Ezzo
Interim Chair, English Department
(Contributions from Jesse Dougherty and Cheryl Irving)
Inspired by the TI-Nspire
The rule of four in mathematics teaching suggests that mathematics be approached in algebraic, graphical, numerical and verbal ways. For much of the past, mathematics teaching and learning focused largely on the algebraic methods. With the introduction of the graphing calculator, more time and focus was spent on interpretation of graphs. A later feature of graphing calculators introduced tables of data. With these tables of data, teachers and students had a means of efficiently using numerical methods. Now, for the first time in handheld technology, there is a device that allows students and teachers to use the rule of four.
The TI-Nspire (Computer Algebra System) is a device which is document based, and which dynamically links different representations of mathematics. This dynamic linkage means that a change in a function rule immediately changes the graph of the function. Students may grab the graph of a function and drag it around on the screen. As they drag the function, the equation of the function will change. (See diagrams below)
On a geometry page, grabbing and moving a figure around will allow students to capture data about the movements onto a spreadsheet. The data will automatically be entered and students can then investigate the data. (See diagrams below)
The ability to display various representations in a linked environment will enhance student learning of mathematics.
The document-based nature of the device allows students to save work. This ability to save work means students will not have to re-enter commands and data. The device has 20MB of memory compared with the current 2.5 MB on the TI-89 Titanium or 480K on the TI-84 Plus. This additional memory means much more work can be saved. Applications can be pre-written for students so they may work at their own pace in discovering concepts.
Penn Charter will implement this device over a two-year period. In 2008-2009, students in Algebra I, Algebra 2, and Pre-Calculus classes will be using the TI-Nspire (CAS) device. The following academic year, all Upper School mathematics classes will be using this device. This summer Tony Farrell, Bob Gordon, Dan Hajjar, Brian Mc Closkey, and Bob Napp attended workshops on this new technology. It is an exciting time to be teaching and learning mathematics at Penn Charter.
Anthony Farrell
Upper School Mathematics
Online Alcohol Education
This fall, Penn Charter has added additional alcohol prevention to its curriculum for the 2008-2009 academic year. All freshmen will be asked to complete the program as part of the 9th grade Health & Physical Education curriculum. The program, AlcoholEdu for High School, is an online course designed specifically for the high school students. The course is an interactive, Web-based experience focused on providing students with the tools they need to make safe and healthy decisions about alcohol. According to a 2004 report by the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, alcohol is the number one drug of choice among American teens – used more than any other illicit drugs.
AlcoholEdu for High School takes a non-opinionated approach, integrating proven prevention techniques into a science-based curriculum. The program uses a variety of media to engage students, including audio, interactive exercises and knowledge tests. The program also includes three confidential surveys that provide success measures for the school, as well as aggregate data about the student body to help enhance further prevention efforts.
Penn Charter also implements a comprehensive, age-appropriate alcohol educational program throughout its pre-K-12 health curriculum: Freedom from Chemical Dependency, a prevention/education organization, provides a week-long program for Middle School students and parents; and each year in the Upper School, alcohol-based informational presentations and speakers are part of the yearly assembly program.
Adults in the PC community are invited to try the AlcoholEdu program by contacting me at dfoley@penncharter.com.
Debbie Foley
School nurse, health teacher
Boosting Brain Power for Success
“Practice is the best of all instructors.”
Publilius Syrus
As the school year starts anew, parents partner with school personnel to help children grow and thrive. It is important for parents to know what the expectations are and what the current research says about best practices for optimal learning. Here is what to expect in Upper School and what you need to know to support your student.
In the first trimester of ninth grade, all students participate in a weekly Effective Learning Skills course to learn traditional study skills and computer skills to practice throughout their time in Upper School. Many concepts are introduced and reviewed, including two very important ones: information about the brain and learning, and the importance of good executive function skills.
At a the annual International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Conference in Philadelphia last year, Peter Wiley, a psychologist at CHOP, remarked that executive functions, or “getting your act together,” have become more important and challenging in schools for many reasons. Students today have more homework, more long-term projects to manage, more scheduled activities and more competing temptations and distractions, especially with video games and social networking on the Internet. Wiley believes that parents and teachers must accept that they have to function as the child’s frontal lobe (Organizer) much longer than they may wish; they can withdraw their support as the student learns to manage, usually much later than we think.
Time management and organization are key, and the following are ways you can assist your student. Help set a consistent time and place for students to study each day at home. If needed, help them create a homework plan. Understand their class schedule and encourage them to plan ahead. Begin with a to-do list for the evening identifying what is realistic and must be done for the next day. We advise students to print the class syllabus at the beginning of the week and clip it in their planners. At the same time, students should consistently write assignments in their planners, with arrows to due dates or test dates. Once a week, remind students to clean out their backpacks and reorganize papers.
Students are usually very interested in learning about the brain and how it works, particularly their own brain. In recent years, there has been astounding research, including imaging, regarding the brain and learning. Some of the basic principles students learn and discuss are listed here:
- Each brain is unique
- Learning engages the entire physiology
- Search for meaning is innate
- Remembering comes through patterning, practicing and exercising
- Emotions are critical
- The brain needs focused attention and rest (sleep)
- Questioning is important for “active processing”
- Learning is enhanced by challenge; inhibited by stress
Learning consultant Terry Matlin encourages slowing down the brain to accomplish tasks, admittedly a difficult skill to practice. Students should begin studying as early as possible, creating a doable checklist that incorporates small breaks, focuses on what is most important and winds down before bed with quiet reading, etc. The more routines a student can build into habits, the more automatic the tasks will be.
Learning about the brain and how it works equips students with an understanding of their own unique learning abilities. Students learn the basic principles of learning styles, multiple intelligences, executive functions and much more. Each student writes a personal learning profile and preferences paper that sets goals and designs strategies to help define how to maximize strengths and practice study skills. Have students share their finished profiles with you. This way, we all can learn how each student is smart in their own unique way. At the same time, parents and faculty alike can support the diverse needs of our learners, realizing that all of us vary in readiness, abilities, interests and skills. Through our combined efforts, we can be assured that our students will have the tools to successfully boost their brain power.
For more information about the brain and learning, please visit the following websites:
www.allkindsofminds.net
www.brainrules.net
www.funderstanding.com
Dana Toedtman
Learning Specialist
News You Can Use September 2008
Posted by usnl in : News You Can Use, September 2008Please Help Us Welcome…
Ed Foley is in a new position as Associate Director of Boys Athletics, joining Tori Small in her new position as Associate Director of Girls Athletics. A graduate of Penn Charter, Ed has a BS from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and comes to us from a career in business. Ed has been a coach for both boys and girls sports with the St. Philip Neri CYO and for 11 years, the head coach for the Philadelphia Little Quakers.
Michelle Friedman, who served as a long-term substitute last school year, will return to teach 9th and 11th grade English. She has a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania and an MA and PhD from Bryn Mawr College. Michelle has also taught at Temple University, Haverford College and Lehigh University.
Mary Bear Shannon will teach Upper School social studies for this year while Sarah Sharp is interim Social Studies chair. Mary has a background in public history; she worked at The Constitution Works and at the Pennsylvania Humanities Council before turning her attention to secondary education. Mary has a BA from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, a masters in history from Temple University and a secondary education certificate in social studies from Widener University.
Antonio Williams is the new Mathematics chair. Previously, Antonio was the math department chair at Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn and served in the same position at the Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison, N.J. Antonio holds a bachelor of science from the University of Maryland in aerospace engineering and an MBA in finance from Columbia Business School. Anthony Farrell will continue teaching Upper School math and will be the boys varsity cross country coach.
Other Notable Changes
Kevin Berkoff joins the Penn Charter faculty full time. In addition to his background in aquatics, Kevin holds degrees in environmental science and outdoor education. He will teach outdoor education in the Upper School in addition to various aquatics courses. Kevin will also be teaching Middle School science.
Paul Butler has been named Director of Athletics & Athletic Planning. In this new position, Paul will focus on the development of overarching departmental policies, the recruitment and supervision of coaches, the recruitment of student-athletes, and athletic development projects. The day-to-day management of girls and boys athletics will be managed by Tori Small and Ed Foley.
Catherine Ezzo will be the interim English department chair for the 2008-09 academic year, during which time a full search will take place. Jesse Dougherty, former English department chair, is the new director of the Upper School at Friends Select School.
Debbie Foley is being assisted in the health office by three part-time nurses. Carol Simpson, a staff nurse in the Oncology/ Hematology Clinic in Children’s Hospital, is working two days a week at Penn Charter. Carol has a BS in nursing from the University of Scranton. Mary Elizabeth Mangan is also working two (or more) days a week at Penn Charter. She has most recently worked as a substitute staff nurse in the Upper Merion School District, and has a registered nurse diploma and a BS in nursing from St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Bethlehem. Stephanie Sidlow OPC ’96 will work on Mondays. Stephanie has a BS in nursing from Georgetown University and a master’s in nursing and health care administration from the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently a part-time faculty and clinical instructor at Villanova University’s School of Nursing.
Ruth McGee will be moving from Middle School to Upper School visual arts. A ceramicist by training, Ruth will teach ceramics and wheel courses, Digital Art, and she will join the teaching team in Foundation Arts.
Michael Roche will teach half-time in the Upper School while continuing to teach in Middle School. In addition to the theater courses he already teaches, Michael will be teaching filmmaking and animation courses in the Visual Arts department this year.
Sarah Sharp will serve as interim department chair of the social studies department for the 2008-09 school year, during which time a full search will take place. Lee Payton will provide coordination and leadership for a revision of the 10th grade social studies curriculum during the coming school year. Jason Yaffe, former Social Studies department chair, returned to Greenhill School in Addison, Texas, to teach social studies.
Tori Small, Associate Athletic Director for Girls, will be on maternity leave in the fall from her 9th grade teaching responsibilities. Kevin Berkoff and Pam Shannon will share Tori’s class in the pool while Debbie Foley will teach the health classes. Dana Toedtman will serve as the faculty advisor to Tori’s 9th grade advisees. Tori will be in school part-time in her role as girls AD and will return to teaching in trimester 2.
Elizabeth Pago-Taylor, one of our Middle School foreign language teachers, will teach a section of Spanish I in the Upper School.
Improving Communication Around Academic Work
So that students can better manage and plan their academic work, we would like to remind you of two important resources available to students online. First, teachers post on the web or on WebClass course syllabi for all classes that they teach. Syllabi could be weekly, biweekly or for one unit and will contain information about assignments and what is being taught in class. Next, our PC Google calendar system allows students to view the online major assessment calendar for the Upper School. While major assessments for class are listed on class syllabi, this read-only version of the assessment calendar will, we hope, help students plan and manage academic time more efficiently.
Changing Student Leadership Roles
One of the highlights in my first year as dean of students at Penn Charter was working with the Student Council and class officers. Part of our work included taking a closer look at these student leadership structures and how they operate, interact and serve the student body and the broader community. Through a series of discussions we came to consensus around several changes to both the class officer and Student Council structures in the hopes of making them more efficient, effective and responsive.
In an effort to create more equal representation in the Student Council, we decided to elect five representatives from each of the 9th, 10th, and 11th grades. Commensurate with their overall leadership position in the Upper School, the senior class will elect six representatives to the council. These elections take place in the spring of the previous school year. The rising 9th graders select three of their representative in the spring of their eighth grade year, and then select the other two representative in the fall of their 9th grade year. We made this last change in order to accommodate the influx of new students in the 9th grade year. While these two slots are not set aside only for new students, we wanted to give them a voice in their student leadership representatives.
Due to the limited scope of their roles, we eliminated the vice president, secretary and treasurer positions from the class officer structure, leaving one president to lead each of the sophomore, junior and senior classes. In keeping with previous years, there is no class president elected for the 9th grade. The class president is a public voice of the class and the point person for all social events and fundraisers for the class. The Student Council representatives will support the class president in these social event and fundraising efforts, and the class president will be a regular participant in Student Council meetings and deliberations. Our hope is that this new structure will create a leaner and more efficient student organization.
One of the major duties of Student Council members and class presidents is to facilitate lines of communication among students, faculty and administration. In our discussions last year, an enduring topic was how to expand and maintain these communication channels. We feel that in order to serve the Upper School, we need to be more accessible and responsive. While anyone is welcome to attend Student Council meetings, we also feel we need to inform the broader community of the topics we are discussing and the projects we are undertaking. In response to these observations and concerns, we are creating an “advisory council” for the 2008-09 school year. Each paired advisory group will elect one student (who is not the class president or already serving on Student Council) to serve on this advisory council. At least once each trimester, the advisory council will meet with the Student Council and the class presidents to bring questions or concerns from their respective advisory groups. Members of the advisory council will also be charged with reporting back to their advisory groups on the current topics and projects of the Student Council and class presidents. This will be a trial year for the advisory council. If we feel that it meets our goals of increased communication and responsiveness, we will consider making it a permanent part of our formal student leadership structure.
I am excited about the changes we have made to the Student Council and to the class officer structure, and I look forward to seeing how these changes will impact the role of student leaders in the Upper School. In the end, our success will be based on how well we serve the student body and the Upper School community as a whole. If you are unfamiliar with the overall structure of student leadership in the Upper School, I encourage you to look at pages 71-72 of the Handbook for Students and Parents. I should add that these pages in the Handbook only address one spoke of a larger student leadership wheel, which also includes near limitless official and unofficial opportunities and positions in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in various clubs and organizations.
Travis Larrabee
Dean of Students
Attendance
A fundamental responsibility of any school is to provide for the safety and security of its students. Accurate attendance is a crucial component of our ability to successfully meet this responsibility. Parents (not students) are expected to call the school by 9:00 a.m. on any day that their child is absent. Parents should call the nurse’s office at ext. 142 for medical absences. Parents should report all other absences to Bridgette Bonner-Fennal in the Upper School office at ext. 264. Also, any student who arrives or leaves campus outside of the normal school opening and closing times must sign out with Ms. Bonner-Fennal at her desk across the hall from the main Upper School office. With the exception of those upperclassmen with off-campus privileges, these mid-day arrivals and dismissals must be accompanied by a note or a phone call from a parent. No student is allowed to leave campus without written or verbal confirmation from a parent. Any tardies or absences not accompanied by this confirmation will be deemed unexcused. We urge you to review our comprehensive attendance policies, which appear on pages 13-18 of the Handbook for Students and Parents. We thank you for your cooperation on this important matter.
Please Buy Wrapping Paper!
Why buy wrapping paper you might ask? The profits from the 2007 – 08 sale provided financial aid for more than one third of the participants on last year’s school trips. Clearly this financial support enabled many students to participate in trips that they would have been unable to afford otherwise.
The trips offered each year in the Upper School are viewed as extensions of our curriculum. This year the students in the Upper School are being presented with four travel opportunities. Over spring break, Joe Fitzmartin will be taking a select choir group to sing and tour in Spain. The group will visit Madrid, Segovia, Salamanca and Toledo. Led by longtime coaches Don Mittica and Rick Mellor, the girls softball and the boys baseball teams will enjoy spring training in Florida. After school closes, the foreign language department will sponsor a trip to the French-speaking island of Guadeloupe in the southern Caribbean. Students will participate in service learning and a homestay while being immersed in the French language. French teacher Michelle Emery will lead the trip.
While we do our best to make these trips as affordable as possible, the profit from the wrapping paper subsidizes financial aid for student participants on all trips. As in previous years, limited financial aid will be available. If you have questions about the details of any of the trips, please contact the trip leader. For questions about financial aid, call Beth Glascott by Oct. 31, 2008.
Technology News
Student USB Drives: Increasingly, students need to work on large computer files on multiple computers to complete assignments. Transferring files between computers using network tools works well for smaller files but not for larger files like digital art and presentations which include pictures, movies and/or music. To help with this, all students in grades 6-12th will receive a one-gigabyte keychain-sized USB drive at the beginning of the 2008-09 school year.
New E-mail System: Recognizing that the Penn Charter WebMail system was running out of both speed and capacity, we identified a new e-mail system in the 2007-08 school year called Google Apps. Along with solving speed and capacity issues, this new system will position the school for success in the future as new means of electronic communication come into educational use. New e-mail accounts have one hundred times more space than the old WebMail e-mail accounts and offer advanced features to support school work.
Please contact me with any questions about these two new technology initiatives.
Michael Moulton
Director of Technology
Student ID Cards
The 2008–09 Upper School student ID cards are printed with the school pictures that were taken on orientation and registration day. Returning students should retain last year’s card. While the school year and photo are changed, the barcode does not change.
Here are some tips if you think you child might lose or damage his or her ID card. When you receive the new 2008–09 ID card, do not discard the 2007–08 card because the old card will still work in the dining hall. ID cards may be photocopied so that you have a back up with the bar code. We will also have copies of all 2008–09 ID cards in the Upper School office so students may obtain a temporary card from Rose Mary Cavalcante.
If your son or daughter loses or damages his or her 2008–09 ID card over the course of the year, a replacement may be obtained by notifying John Burkhart at jburkhart@penncharter.com and requesting that a replacement card be ordered. The cost is $5.00, and the replacement card will arrive in about four weeks.
Penn Charter’s Electronic Parent Mailbag
In an effort to communicate more effectively with parents and to continue our stewardship efforts, we have decided to do away with the biweekly parent mailings and move to an electronic version of these communications. You will continue to receive the important information about Community meetings and activities, class trips or special school events, however, this information will be sent to you every other week via e-mail.
Rebecca Luzi in our Marketing Communications department is coordinating this new e-mailbag with the Community leadership. If you have any questions, please contact Community Co-Chair Laura Bryan at lbryan-pba@comcast.net.
College Counseling September 2008
Posted by usnl in : College Counseling, September 2008Greetings from the College Counseling Office!
We hope that your summer was relaxing and you are now ready for a busy fall trimester. Members of the College Counseling Office spent the summer visiting campuses in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington D.C., attending professional conferences, and writing letters of recommendation. The summer was also an opportunity to analyze our efforts and determine areas for improvement. With this in mind, we have begun to explore the possibility of submitting transcripts, letters of recommendation, and supporting forms to colleges electronically. There are many reasons and incentives to move away from paper application materials: filing forms electronically allows college admissions offices to instantly upload documents into an applicant’s file; it reduces the volume of snail mail that an admissions office has to collate by hand; it is environmentally friendly; it is secure; it saves PC money by reducing postage; and it’s fast (application materials can go from Penn Charter to an admissions office within minutes rather than days). We look forward to continued investigation in this area and ultimately sharing the benefits with our students and families.
If you have picked up a newspaper or magazine over the past 12 months, you no doubt read that the world of college admissions has undergone much change (college admissions is now front page, above the fold news). It seems that not a week will go by without receiving an article that was clipped by a well intentioned colleague, relative or PC family (usually with a Post-it note on top stating “Dan, Can you believe how crazy things have gotten? Enjoy!”) that describes the increased competition surrounding college admissions. To make matters worse, headlines like “Colleges Receive Record Number of Applications” or “Top Students with Perfect Scores Get Rejected” typically introduce the article du jour. Even though I have been in this industry for 19 years, I’ll admit that I find these headlines intimidating. Despite this competitive climate, my colleagues and I continue to be encouraged with the results for Penn Charter students. Last year, nearly 120 colleges sent an admissions representative to PC to “recruit” our students; 60 percent of the 626 applications submitted for the Class of 2008 resulted in acceptances; and, even more impressive, is the fact that 94 percent of the Class of 2008 reported that they would be attending one of their top-choice colleges. We consider these strong statistics to be evidence that PC families are giving this important process the time and thought that it deserves while also welcoming support, advice and honest feedback from our office. If you are curious about where our students have enrolled, matriculation lists (along with a lot of other helpful information) can be viewed on the College Counseling portion of the school’s website.
http://www.penncharter.com/Content/academics/us/collegecounseling.asp
Seniors: Whether your summer plans involved work, athletic tournaments, educational programs, travel or community service, I hope your activities were fulfilling. Of course, I also hope you have been staying on schedule with your college search and visiting campuses, collecting applications, and thinking about (better yet – writing) your college essay(s). (Note: A “Summer Check List for the College Process” can be viewed on your Family Connection accounts.) As was explained to you last spring, the College Counseling Office will expect your list of colleges to be fine-tuned by September and finalized by November. Senior Seminar, which meets weekly throughout the fall trimester, will help you stay on track and meet various deadlines. Planning a college visit? Please remember that you have a total of five days of excused absences for visiting colleges. If you are visiting a college, you must complete a student absence form and bring in a parent note regarding the missed days of school before the visit for the absence can be excused.
Juniors and Sophomores: All juniors and sophomores are required to take the PSAT on Saturday, October 18, 2008. The test will be given at Penn Charter in the Richard B. Fisher Middle School. Students should report to the Balderston Commons by 7:45 a.m. Students are pre-registered for the test and the cost will be billed to their school account. The test begins promptly at 8:00 a.m. and should be over by 11:00 a.m. The test and answer sheets will be returned to students in early December along with an explanation of the results.
Juniors: Juniors who do extremely well on the PSAT, and score in the top 4 percent nationally, will receive recognition in the spring and enter the scholarship programs of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Sophomores: Even though Penn Charter requires you to take the PSAT, please keep in mind that colleges never see the results. Because the test is designed for the junior year, there will be some math on the test that you have not yet covered. As a result, do not worry if your score is not as high as you were hoping it would be. Please remember that this is practice and it should be viewed as a learning experience that will prepare you for next year when the test does count as a qualifier for National Merit recognition. Having said this, it is still important to do your best since the PSAT results are used by some of Penn Charter’s academic departments, along with grades, for course placement.
Freshmen: The College Counseling office is pleased to announce its annual Coffee with the College Counselors program for the parents of 9th graders. The program will take place during the week of Jan. 26, 2009 (8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.) in the Overseers Room. These informal coffee hours will introduce the parents of the Class of 2012 to the college counseling team, give an overview of the Penn Charter college counseling philosophy, reduce anxiety (we hope), while also providing an opportunity for your questions to be answered about this very important process. More information will be mailed to 9th grade parents in January.
Important Dates:
Thursday, Oct. 2 (7:00 p.m.) – Seniors and Parents College Night This event will be a wonderful opportunity for students and parents to learn first-hand how admissions offices evaluate applications (the role of the transcript, how standardized testing is considered, the importance of your essay, etc.). We will be led through a mock admissions selection committee by experienced admissions officers and we will review and decision real, but anonymous, applications. The program will take place in the Meeting Room.
Saturday, Oct. 4 – National SAT Reasoning Test & SAT Subject Test Test Date The registration deadline for this test is Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008. Students should register online at www.collegeboard.com.
Saturday, Oct. 18 (8:00 a.m.) – National PSAT Test Date All sophomores and juniors should report to the Balderston Commons in the Richard B. Fisher Middle School building at 7:45 a.m.
Saturday, Oct. 25 – National ACT Test Date The registration deadline for this test is Friday, Sept. 19, 2008. Students should register on line at www.act.org.
Thursday, Nov. 20 (7:00 p.m.) - Members of the College Counseling Office, in cooperation with the Athletic Department, are hosting a workshop focusing on student-athletes and the college recruiting process. More information will be mailed to 9th and 11th grade families in November.
Welcome back!
Daniel F. Evans, Director of College Counseling
Erin P. Hughes, Assistant Director of College Counseling
Diona Nicolucci, Coordinator of College Counseling
Quaker Principles & Practice September 2008
Posted by usnl in : Quaker Principles & Practice, September 2008 This summer, for the third time, we offered a course entitled Religious Pluralism in America; Exploring the Religious Landscape of the Philadelphia Area. It was once again an enriching experience as we read about, studied and visited a variety of religious traditions and communities in the Philadelphia area. However, this summer, as I looked into the recent wave of literature by academics and activists on the topic of religious pluralism, I noticed two things. One was a sense of affirmation that these topics and experiences are increasingly important for our next generation of citizens. The second was the realization that my resources are now getting dated!
We read “A New Religious America: How a “Christian Country” Has Become the World’s Most Religiously Diverse Nation” published in 1997 but with a newly discovered importance after 9-11. This book by Harvard scholar Diana Eck has become a bit of a classic on the topic of religious pluralism in America. She argues in this book that the religious make-up of the United States has become increasingly diverse after the immigration act of 1965. She began to notice this diversity in her own classroom as a professor of comparative religion. She claims that the traditions she discussed were no longer on the other side of the globe but where often the faith traditions of the students in front of her! To map and explore this diversity she began a research program entitled “The Pluralism Project” (www.pluralism.org) which still is a valuable resource for comparative studies in the United States today. While this remains a great work, I will share just two more recent texts that have also contributed to and furthered this discussion.
The second author and activist who is making significant 
contributions on the topic of religion in America (and visited Penn Charter to speak this past February) is Eboo Patel. He is co-director of The Inter-Faith Youth Core (www.ifyc.org) and author of “Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation .” This book provides a first-person narrative of the struggle with religion, identity and being different in America. Patel argues, “…that the 21st century will be shaped by the question of the faith line.” Patel is well versed in the scholarship of comparative studies – he has a PhD in the sociology of religion from Oxford - but his argument is that, if religious identity and diversity is to have a future in America and abroad, we need to initiate different conversations about faith and difference, particularly among young people. He works with teens and travels widely advocating community service and engagement as well as discussions about the role of religion in our personal and public lives.
The final author and text that has received a fair amount of attention (and an appearance on the Daily Show!) is Stephen Prothero, author of “Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know and Doesn’t.” While picking up on the thrust of the previous authors, Prothero has also surveyed a number of Americans (both young and adult) about the basic tenets of world religions - and found that we are largely ignorant. While most Americans are rather accepting and tolerant, we are not always sure what we are tolerant about. Having the ability to learn some of the basic teachings, practices and world views of different faith traditions (including our own) is a necessary step to being aware and conversant in our global political climate.
The Religious Studies Department here at Penn Charter will begin a departmental self-review and self-evaluation this year. Having had a chance to talk with our students this summer, and aware of the claims and arguments in the texts and voices above, I look forward to an enriching and an important conversation in the months to come.
Tom Rickards
Chair, Religious Studies Department
Community News September 2008
Posted by usnl in : Community News, September 2008 It is the beginning of another school year and the Penn Charter Community welcomes all new and returning families to the Upper School. For those of you who are new to Penn Charter, the Community is Penn Charter’s parent organization. The Community works with the faculty and administration to enhance our children’s experiences at the school and to provide a social network for the parents. There are many ways to become involved with the Community and your participation is always greatly appreciated.
On the Penn Charter website home page, there is a link for “Parents” which will lead you to the Community website. As your child progresses through the Upper School, you will find this site to be a valuable resource. Not only does it list Community events, you will find important student activities listed there as well.
The first Community meeting is scheduled for 8:15 a.m. at the Timmons House on Sept. 11, 2008. All parents are invited to the Community meetings. Please attend to learn about upcoming events and to socialize with other parents. You will find that these meetings provide a wealth of information and are a terrific way to stay updated on school developments both with the kids and the faculty and administration. At this first meeting, there will be sign up sheets available for the various committees that run events during the year. Even if you can only donate an hour or two of time, your help is needed and appreciated. One of the best ways to meet other parents is to work with them at a school event. Our goal this year is to be more inclusive and to make sure all families feel welcome in the Penn Charter Community.
The wrapping paper sale is a major annual fundraiser run by the Community. The proceeds of the sale are used to defray the costs of student trips. When the sale begins on Sept. 12, be sure to place an order. Even after the sale ends, you can continue to order wrapping paper and other gifts online and the school will receive credit.
Back-to-School Night will take place on Sept. 11th. Once again, there will be sign up sheets available for Community events. If you would like to volunteer but you miss the sign up sheets, feel free to contact your class parents. Their contact information is on the Community site and in the school directory. Your class parents are also organizing socials for the parents. The 9th grade social is scheduled for Sept. 19 and the 11th grade for Sept. 27. These are always fun events so be sure to mark your calendars and reserve the dates. There is also an All-School Picnic scheduled for Sept. 27. You will receive more information about these events in upcoming weeks.
The Community website will be updated frequently. If at any time you see an event that appeals to your interests, just contact us or your class parents to volunteer your help. Through our combined efforts, we make Penn Charter a better place for our children and for ourselves.
We wish you a healthy and enjoyable academic year!
Cathie Driscoll and Jill Schuman
Upper School Community Co-Chairs
Save the Date September 2008
Posted by usnl in : Save the Date, September 2008September
2 - Orientation and Registration Day for all Upper School students
3 - Student Council and Community Council Leadership Training,
8:30am-3pm (GL)
4 - Upper School classes begin
11 - 9th grade Parent-Mentor Dinner, 6pm (DH)
- Back-To-School Night, 7:30pm (MR)
19 - Back-To-School Dance, 7:30-10pm (OG)
- 9th grade Parents Social (TH)
26 - 11th grade Parents Social (TH)
27 - Alumni Society/Athletic Department Visiting Day, 10am
- All-School Picnic, noon
October
2 - Open Meeting for Worship, all welcome, 8:15-9:15am (MR)
- Seniors and Parents College Night, 7-9pm
10 - Louis Savino Day of Service
17 - Senior Class Parent Kickoff Dinner, 6pm (HR)
22 & 23 - 9th grade Retreat
24 - 10th grade Parents Social (TH)
November
6 - Open Meeting for Worship, all welcome, 3:30-4pm (MR)
7 - PC/GA Pep Rally, 2pm (AB)
8 - 122nd PC/GA Day (at GA)
- Upper School PC/GA Dance, 7:30-10pm (OG)
12 - Upper School Parents Forum, 8:15-9:15am (OR)
13 - Fall Sports Athletic Banquet, 6pm (FH)
20 - College recruitment workshop for 10th and 11th grade
student athletes, 7pm (GL)
21 - Upper School play, 7:30pm (MR)
- Opening reception for student art exhibition
22 - Upper School play, 2:30pm (MR)
December
4 - Open Meeting for Worship, all welcome, 8:15-9:15am (MR)
11 - Upper School Band & Choral Concert, 7:30pm (MR)
12 - 9th grade Parent-Mentor conferences, 8-11:45am (OG)