String Theory Schools

🎵 Alumni Performance Post 🤩

🎤 Philadelphia Performing Arts Vocal Major alum, Brandon Tomasello, will be performing with the Ocean City Pops on Sunday July 23rd in Ocean City, New Jersey. Brandon's forte has been singing big band music sine he was just 8 years old! This performance is a celebration of the Frank Sinatra legacy, and Brandon will be bringing the music of the Great American Songbook to life on the Music Pier stage.

🎟️ For event details and tickets visit: https://www.showpass.com/brandon-tomasellos-great-american-big-band/

Brandon F. Tomasello

☀️ Student Summer Spotlight 😎

Congratulations to Performing Arts students Lorenzo and Michael, team members of DVYAA 8U, for winning the Ripkin State Championship! Best of luck to this talent duo and the entire DVYAA 8U team as they advance to Nationals!

To support these young athletes, check out their team fundraiser here: https://www.facebook.com/DVYAASports

🇺🇸 Arts and Sciences Students Shine on Independence Mall! 🥁

Our talented students at A&S performed during Flag Day celebrations at Independence Mall last week! After impressing Ms. Patricia Coyne, an H.R. Edmunds Alum and member of Daughters of the American Revolution, at the Black History Month concert, students were invited to perform during the day's ceremonies.

Led by our amazing teachers Mr. Greg Greer (Percussion) and Mr. Christian Smith (Orchestra), our students delivered two stellar performances and had the opportunity to explore the historic sites. Mr. Greer reports they the students an incredible time and absolutely nailed it!

This experience highlights the power of activator culture in education. By connecting with the larger community and gaining real-world performance experience, our students are developing skills that go far beyond the classroom. These opportunities to showcase their talents and engage with history firsthand are invaluable for their growth. 🌎

Very proud of our A&S students and educators! 👏

📸 What a joyous morning capturing smiles at our Philadelphia Performing Arts Eighth Grade Move Up Celebration! 🎉

The ceremony at the Kimmel Center was beautiful. I feel so lucky to photograph families in moments like these, with proud parents and grandparents beaming at their new high schooler. The love and pride was palpable, and I can't wait to share more photos that myself and my summer intern, Bellasofia, captured during the ceremony and after.

To the eighth grade class of 2024 - congratulations on this special milestone! Your endless hours of hard work and dedication have paid off. As you embark on the exciting journey to high school, we know you will continue to shine and achieve great things. Your futures are so bright! 🌟

A huge shout out to the incredible teachers and staff at Philadelphia Performing Arts! 👏 Your hard work behind the scenes does not go unnoticed. Thank you for being such an integral part of their success!

🌟 Congratulations to our 8th grade class at Arts and Sciences on their graduation! 🌟

📸 To view the entire album of event photos, click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ppacs/albums/72177720317908838/

For our A&S 8th grade graduation, the auditorium was packed with proud families, friends, and teachers who came out in full force to support and cheer on their students. The beautiful event celebrated the achievements and milestones of our students in a ceremony filled with awards, speeches, and many hugs and cheers of congratulations. Our valedictorian and salutatorian delivered powerful and inspiring speeches filled with wisdom well beyond their years. ❤️

To our fantastic staff and faculty, thank you for your unwavering commitment to our students' growth and success. Your guidance and support have been instrumental in shaping these young minds. 📚

Class of 2024, you have made us all incredibly proud. As you step into this new chapter, remember that you are equipped with the skills and knowledge to make a difference. Believe in your abilities, stay curious, and keep striving for excellence. The future is yours to conquer! 🌍💫

Once again, congratulations to the 8th grade class! 🎉 We can't wait to see all the amazing things you'll accomplish in high school and beyond. 🎓💙

What an unforgettable day at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia! 🎉 Congratulations to the Senior Class of 2024 from Philadelphia Performing Arts. 🌟 So many beautiful photos from this event, and more to come in a later post! 📸 Congratulations to the students and families! 🎓

✈️ Today was Discovery Day for String Theory Aviation Academy, a groundbreaking career program created by String Theory Schools that offers high school students at Philadelphia Performing Arts a pathway to becoming an Airline Pilot by the age of 21, no bachelor's degree required! 🎓

Through this innovative program, high school students can:
- Fly solo by age 16 🛫
- Earn their Private Pilot License by 17 📜
- Achieve Certified Flight Instructor status by 18 👨‍✈️👩‍✈️
- Become an Airline Pilot by 21 🌎

The Aviation Academy, currently available to students at Philadelphia Performing Arts, aims to expand its reach to students throughout the city.

Featured in these photos from today's event are Philadelphia Performing Arts high school students Maegan Lawrence and Mark Shasanmi, who had the opportunity to sit in the pilot's seat and take to the skies.

String Theory Schools has partnered with Fly Aviation Legacy to bring these incredible flying opportunities to students, addressing the airline industry's drastic pilot shortage while providing students with a pathway to a successful career. 🤝

🎶 A Magical Night at the Kimmel Center!🎶

Philadelphia Performing Arts East and West's Spring Concert at the Kimmel Center was an unforgettable experience! The energy was electric as proud families and friends cheered on their loved ones. The excitement and joy on our students' faces were heartwarming. Congratulations to all the performers on a spectacular Spring Concert!

📸 To enjoy the entire collection of photos from the performance, please visit this link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ppacs/albums/72177720317615968/

🌟 Celebrating Our Amazing Students and Dedicated Faculty! 🌟

As we wrap up another incredible school year, we can't help but reflect on the awe-inspiring end-of-the-year student performances and events that showcased the talent and hard work of our students. These pictures are from our incredible classical ballet instructor, Natalia Charova, as she watches her ballet students perform onstage at the Miller Theater.

Our students continue to amaze us with their creativity and passion, and it's all thanks to the tireless efforts of our exceptional staff. 👏

Here's to another year of growth, learning, and unforgettable memories! 🎉

🌟 Calling all Philly educators: We’re hiring! 🌟

Join String Theory Schools and help shape the future of education. We're looking for passionate teachers, administrators, counselors, and support staff to join our innovative team at Philadelphia Performing Arts and Arts and Sciences.

Apply now and be part of a dynamic community where creativity and innovation thrive.

Visit our website for more info: https://StringTheorySchools.org/career/join-our-team

🖼️ PPA's East and West Campus Art Show is happening NOW! 🎨

Join us tonight for an exciting art exhibition titled "Be Our Guest". Here is a preview of just some of the fantastic student art made by our elementary school students at Performing Arts.

This is our activator culture in action!

Yesterday evening, Arts and Sciences hosted Philadelphia City Council's Community Town Hall on Budget. A&S Chief Academic Officer, Matthew Menschner, gave the opening remarks, followed by City Council President Kenyatta Johnson. During the question and answer portion of the event, A&S student council members got their chance to address the panel of city council members and get involved in the conversation surrounding the city's budget. A special thank you to Councilmember Lozada for selecting Arts and Sciences to provide the venue for the event!

🎓 It's College Decision Day for our high school seniors at the PPA, Vine Street Campus! 🎉

Students wore swag from their future colleges to represent the schools they have committed to for the fall. Shout out to seniors/ social media interns Loriann and Isabella for sharing some of these great photos! While we are truly going to miss this senior class, today was a celebration of their hard work and all the adventures yet to come! 🤩

Hola! Bonjour! Hallo! Nǐ hǎo! S̄wạs̄dī! Jambo! Bonjou! Ciao! Pryvit!

The month of April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month! String Theory Schools is proud to have schools that celebrate the diversity of our staff and students, and that are inclusive of all learners. Our EL Coordinator at PPA, Ms. Spiewak, has shared some wonderful resources about the unique experiences of bilingual and multilingual children and adults, and books that represent cultural diversity.

🧠 TED-Ed - "The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain" by Mia Nacamulli: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMmOLN5zBLY

⭐️ TEDx - "The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child's Bookshelf" by Grace Lin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wQ8wiV3FVo

📚 ¡Colorín Colorado! - Diverse Booklists and Related Resources: https://www.colorincolorado.org/books-authors/diverse-books-booklists-and-related-resources

😎 West Campus Vice Principal Ms. Viola and her students show off the solar eclipse glasses they will be wearing to view the event after early dismissal today.

👓 For tips on eye safety during today's solar eclipse, check out this helpful article from NASA: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/

Have fun and stay safe everyone!

☀️ Early dismissal for all of our students on Monday! 🌑

Families, please check ParentSquare for early dismissal times and additional details. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😎

👏 Our students are really on a roll!👏

Congratulations are in order for PPA, Vine Street Campus Contemporary Dance Majors Mizani Hanner-Jones and Jaycie Badey who received scholarships to attend multiple summer dance programs. Both dancers were awarded the scholarships at the Philadelphia Youth Dance Festival last weekend. Out of 80 students, Mizani and Jaycie received the most scholarships of any students at the Festival! 🤩

Along with eight other Contemporary Dance Majors, they beautifully & successfully performed senior student Zoe Christina Duncan’s choreography, “Lift Me Up", in a program featuring over 400 dancers from the Philadelphia area.

Kudos to the Contemporary Dance Majors who represented Performing Arts at the festival and to their fabulous teacher, Ms. Tracy Vohgt!

Students at PPA, East Campus, had a special story time this week! Sheriff Rochelle Bilal and the Philadelphia Sheriff's Office made a special visit to the East Campus where Sheriff Bilal read to Ms. Rudi's class. Students even had a visit from the Chief, the official mascot of the Sheriff's office. The visit ended with all of the students being sworn in as honorary deputies! Thank you, Sheriff Bilal, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to speak with and read to our students. Everyone had a wonderful time! Office of the Sheriff of Philadelphia

🤩 Check out this spectacular student work by the high school fine arts students at PPA, Vine Street Campus 🖼️ Keep swiping until the end for a photo of last week's surprise head of school ambassador, Charlotte!

Happy Monday Before Spring Break, everyone! Starting off this week with a great picture from Arts and Sciences. As a thank you to A&S teachers and staff, Principal/CEO Mrs. Taggart ordered a special lunch for everyone! Mrs. Taggart and her team of school administrators wore Mrs. Taggart's mothers' retro aprons as they said thank you and served food to their staff. What a team!

PPA, Vine Street, alum student Kwadir Scott returned to campus last week to speak to the Television and Broadcast Majors about the film industry. Kwadir now owns his own film production company,, and recently traveled to Rwanda where he directed and produced a short documentary about the Kigali Children's Center (NDAHEI). His documentary follows the story of Alex, a man who was abandoned by his family in the midst of the racial war between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes and left to fend for himself as a boy during Rwandan genocide.

It is so impactful when our students meet alumni who are working in fields that they aspire to be a part of. Thank you Kwadir for taking the time to meet with the majors!

It was a busy week celebrating Dr. Seuss at the PPA, East Campus! Students and teachers had a blast dressing up for Silly Sock Day, Wacky Wednesday, Crazy Hat Day, and PJ Day.

Special thank you to our families for all of your work behind the scenes preparing their children for these themed celebrations! This week always brings extra magic to our ELA and literacy lessons. 📚✨

Arts and Sciences and the Vine Street Campus welcomed a special guest this week! Anthony Hall, known as Grandpa Stork, is known internationally for his innovative, play-based education workshops. Here are some photos of our 3rd and 4th graders at A&S and Vine Street Middle School STEM Majors participating in his workshop, House of Flying Dragons: Pop-Up Play-based Learning and Innovation Lab. Thank you Grandpa Stork for sharing this wonderful (and really fun!) experience with our students.

Are you looking for a way to get involved and make a difference during Read Across America Week? Consider donating a book to the new Arts and Sciences school library! Small but wonderful, the new library at Arts and Sciences offers students a peaceful place to read and explore new books. If you are interested in donating a book (or two, or a boxful!) please contact Rebecca Golembeski at [email protected] for more information.

The library is also looking for Arts and Sciences parent volunteers to staff the library and help children check out and return borrowed books! For more information, and to get signed up to volunteer, please contact the principal/CEO Mrs. Taggart at [email protected]

In the words of author Mem Fox, "...When you put a book in a child’s hands, when you pass on your love of words and stories, you are doing something incredibly powerful."

📚 It's Read Across America Week! 📖 The PPA, West Campus, is celebrating today with a book exchange and silly socks. It's great to see students having fun and reading together!

We want to see you at our March 12th Job Fair! This is a fair exclusively for Philadelphia Learning Collaborative's schools built on student-centered principles.

Register Here: https://ow.ly/muB050QIOjr