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Philadelphia Performing Arts Graduation

String Theory Schools

GROWING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CREATIVE LEADERS

As a nonprofit education design and management organization, we are committed to bringing the arts to the children of Philadelphia.

Our first school opened in the Fall of 2000 with the goal of offering students an arts immersive curriculum that would allow them to thrive academically and artistically. After a successful twelve years of growth, String Theory Schools was created to bring the mission of our original charter to more students and their families in Philadelphia. Today, String Theory Schools operates two charter schools that offer students a comprehensive educational program that emphasizes equally academic and artistic excellence. We are passionate about honoring each student as an individual and educating all students so that they reach their highest potentials.

Our mission

To Inspire. To Be Inspired.

Philadelphia Performing Arts: Top 10 Pennsylvania Charter Elementary School

Philadelphia Performing Arts has the largest charter in Philadelphia and is one of the only K-12 schools in the city. We are also the only school with an arts-integrated curriculum designed for elementary school children.

Apple Distinguished School

Philadelphia Performing Arts, Vine Street Campus, is recognized by Apple as an Apple Distinguished School. 

Dedicated to the Arts and Innovation

We believe in the profound positive impact that exposure to the arts has on a child's creativity, confidence, self-discipline, and greater understanding of the world. Starting in Kindergarten, our students have seven additional arts classes woven into their daily schedules each week. Once a student enters fifth grade they begin their own artistic and academic journey in our unique Majors Program.

Philadelphia Performing Arts: Recognized as a Top Public High School

Our high school is located at our Vine Street Campus, a state-of-the-art 265,000-square-foot facility. This building promotes project-based learning and interdisciplinary instruction with a motion capture studio, a 200-seat theater, two ballet studios, four science labs, four music studios, two fine arts studios, an engineering and robotics lab, a culinary test kitchen, a recording studio, and a student-run cafe. Our middle school is also housed at Vine Street Campus.

Authentic Learrning Experiences

From performing at professional venues to working at our student-run coffee shop, Café Vine, to internships with our Incubator Fellows, our students have access to a variety of exciting real world experiences.

Learn more: Incubator Fellowship

Student Stories

In the News

Therapy Dog Program Launches at String Theory Schools

String Theory Schools is proud to announce the launch of our new therapy dog program in partnership with AIR Dogs. This incredible new program is now happening at all three Philadelphia Performing Arts campuses and Arts and Sciences. Watch this news clip to learn more and see one of our newest pups in action.

Take a Tour of our NEW Music Garden!

Action News visited our brand new Music Garden at the East Campus today. You can watch the clip to take a tour of the garden and hear from our school community leaders who helped bring this garden to life!

The Annual Pumpkin Patch

A favorite of students and teachers alike, this year's pumpkin patch was another smash! Students had a great time picking out their pumpkins, going for mini tractor rides, and getting a visit from Pumpkin Man himself!

Kindergarten Red Carpet 2025

Welcome to Kindergarten! Our youngest students walked the red carpet on their first day of school today. Wishing our kindergartners and all of our new students a fantastic school year!

Student Life

College Decision Day

On College Decision Day, our PPA high school seniors proudly displayed their future alma maters by wearing college swag from the schools they have chosen to attend in the fall. The hallways and classrooms were filled with a vibrant array of colors and logos, as students wore shirts, hoodies, and hats representing their selected universities. The atmosphere was electric with excitement, as the soon-to-be graduates celebrated the culmination of their hard work and the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. 

The day serves as a powerful symbol of our students' dedication, perseverance, and readiness to embark on the next phase of their educational journey as they look forward to the opportunities that await them in their chosen colleges.

Community Event - Building Bridges: A Ukrainian Arts Performance

Building Bridges: A Ukrainian Arts Performance

Join us for an inspiring evening of cultural celebration as students from the International Awareness Project present a showcase of Ukrainian performing arts. Through music, dance, and artistic expression, our talented students will honor and spotlight the rich traditions of Ukrainian culture while building meaningful connections across our community.

This special performance offers a unique opportunity for families and community members to experience the beauty of Ukrainian heritage brought to life by our dedicated young artists.

Date: Friday, January 23rd
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: 1600 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA
Tickets: Purchase online at Vanco Events

Robotics Club Wins at SeaPerch Competition

The Arts and Sciences middle school robotics club won big at the SeaPerch competition this year! The students in this after-school club are passionate about engineering, and for the competition, they designed and built a robot that could move underwater. The robotics club did an exceptional job, taking home 1st Place in the Vehicle Performance category and 2nd Place overall in the competition! 

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