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Innovation

Activator of the Month

The image shows four people, two adults and two children, standing in front of a bulletin board with various decorations and papers attached to it.
Meet School of Science and Technology Chair and Life Sciences and Biotechnology Teacher, Dr. Sheri Hanna!

Dr. Sheri Hanna is September's Activator! Dr. Hanna is the High School Chair of the School of Science and Technology and the Life Sciences and Biotechnology teacher at Performing Arts, Vine Street Campus. She has been a part of the Philadelphia Performing Arts family since the Vine Street Campus opened its doors in the fall of 2012. Now in her eleventh year with Performing Arts, Dr. Hanna continues to utilize her experience as a professional scientist to create engaging lessons that show students the endless possibilities for scientific learning and discovery in the world of STEM.

READ THE ARTICLE HERE! about Meet School of Science and Technology Chair and Life Sciences and Biotechnology Teacher, Dr. Sheri Hanna!

Top of the Class

Centennial Celebration

Arts and Sciences

On September 30th, Arts and Sciences celebrated the 100 year anniversary of their historic school building. To commemorate this momentous milestone, Arts and Sciences hosted a Centennial Celebration and invited the entire community to celebrate! This included alumni from the original school that inhabited the building, H.R Edmunds. Edmunds alumni traveled from near and far to attend the event, and one alum even flew in from Texas! It was surreal to watch alumni from classes that graduated in the 1970's tour the building with Arts and Sciences alumni who graduated just last year. Everyone was excited to see the new building renovations, reconnect, and share stories about their time in elementary school. In addition to alumni, current students, families, and staff were in attendance with local community members and neighbors. Over 400 people showed up to celebrate together! 

The morning started off with an alumni brunch where Edmunds and Arts and Sciences alumni gathered together to share a meal and their favorite memories from their school days. After the brunch, the celebration officially opened to the public. CEO and Principal, Mrs. Taggart, gave a welcome address to the crowd to kick off the days festivities. During her speech Mrs. Taggart shared that her 94 year old great aunt was a student at H.R. Edmunds many years ago! Her welcome address was followed by several speeches by local community leaders and alumni, presentations of staff awards, and a tree dedication to late Arts and Sciences board member, Ramona Griffiths. Student performances by Arts and Sciences dance and orchestra majors entertained the crowd, and enjoyed vendor tables, free food, drinks, and event T shirts, bounce houses and games, raffle prizes, and tours of the building. The DJ kept people dancing until the conclusion of the event that afternoon.

The multiple generations of event attendees left with a true feeling of connection to the community. The success of this event shows the value Arts and Sciences in the neighborhood at large, and how the school is a pillar of education and social unity. A great event to start the 2023-2024 school year!

A middle-aged man with a beard and glasses, wearing a white chef's uniform, stands in front of a patterned background.
Welcome to Master Pizzaiolo, Augusto Folliero!

The Vine Street Campus is thrilled to introduce the lead instructor and program director of their new Pizza Program, Mr. Augusto Folliero. Mr. Folliero is a master pizzaiolo, which means he specializes in crafting true, Italian-style pizza and has undergone extensive culinary training to achieve this status. Continue reading to learn more about his fascinating background and career. Welcome Mr. Folliero!

  • September STS Newsleter
  • String Theory Spotlight
Read More about Mr. Folliero about Welcome to Master Pizzaiolo, Augusto Folliero!

Kindergarten Red Carpet Events

PPA, East Campus & Arts and sCIENCES

The first day of Kindergarten is always an exciting day at our schools! To make this day extra special, our schools (literally!) roll out the red carpet to welcome our youngest students and their families. 

 

The image shows a group of people gathered outdoors, with a red carpet leading to a stage or platform. There are colorful balloons and decorations in the background, suggesting a celebratory event or gathering.
A red carpet leads through a crowd of people, with buildings and trees visible in the background.
A group of young children in red uniforms standing in front of a colorful balloon arch, with adults and other people visible in the background.
The image shows a person wearing a black shirt and patterned pants standing next to a young child holding balloons in a festive outdoor setting with other people in the background.
A group of young children in red uniforms, carrying backpacks, are gathered in an outdoor setting with balloons and other people in the background.
A group of people, including adults and children, are gathered in an outdoor setting with red and white balloons and a red carpet leading to a stage or platform.
A red carpet leads to a group of people dressed in colorful costumes, with balloons and other decorations in the background, suggesting a festive or celebratory event.
A large crowd of people, many wearing red clothing, walking on a red carpet lined with balloons and decorations, against a backdrop of trees and buildings.
A large group of children in red shirts walking on a red carpet, surrounded by a crowd of people and decorated with red and white balloons in the background.
A crowd of people, some wearing colorful costumes and holding balloons, stand on a red carpet in front of a large inflatable structure.
The image shows a classroom setting with a teacher and students engaged in various activities. The teacher, a woman wearing a polka dot dress, is standing in the background, while the students, including a young boy, are seated at desks and working on projects.
A young boy in a blue shirt and gray pants stands in front of a brick wall, holding a backpack and looking at the camera.
A young girl in a school uniform stands in front of a large yellow school bus prop, with the words %22SCHOOL BUS%22 prominently displayed on the front.
A young girl in a school uniform, carrying a pink backpack, stands in front of a brick wall.
A young girl in a school uniform is standing on a red carpet, smiling and interacting with an adult woman standing nearby.
A young girl in a navy blue polo shirt and backpack stands in front of a brick wall, appearing to be heading to school.
A group of people, including several children, are standing on a red carpet in front of a brick building, with some holding balloons and others holding papers.
Three young students, two boys and one girl, are standing together in a classroom setting with various educational materials and displays visible in the background.
A group of young students, dressed in matching uniforms, stand together in a classroom setting with various educational posters and displays visible in the background.
A group of young students, dressed in matching uniforms, stand together in a colorful and well-equipped classroom setting.

Check out 6abc's coverage of the Performing Arts kindergarteners
arriving on their first day of school!

Behind the Scenes: Ballet Edition

PPA, Vine street Campus

Ever wonder what it takes to get costumes ready for a production that has over 100 ballet students? (..some of whom have multiple costumes...) Ballet Department Director at the Vine Street Campus, Ms. Natalia Charova, pulls back the curtain in this fun video!

 

Puerto Rican Day Parade

ARTS AND SCIENCES

The rain did not put a damper on the Arts and Sciences dancers who performed in this years Puerto Rican Parade! Students danced together in front of the Art Museum in celebration of Puerto Rican heritage and traditions. Their smiles truly lit up the parade route! Great work dancers!

A group of people wearing red shirts with a logo stand together in front of a brick building, holding a blue sign.
A group of young people, some wearing colorful shirts and jackets, are standing and conversing in an outdoor setting with a brick building and greenery in the background.
The image shows a group of people, some wearing colorful jackets, standing on a city sidewalk in front of a brick building and modern high-rise structures.
A group of people holding colorful flags and umbrellas, standing in the rain in front of a cityscape with tall buildings in the background.
A group of people wearing colorful rain ponchos and holding umbrellas are gathered in a park-like setting, with a red emergency vehicle visible in the background.

In the News

Performing Arts Athlete, Ava Matteo, Featured in the South Philly Review!

PPA, Vine Street Campus

Soccer player and student athlete, Ava Matteo, and her role as a mentor are featured in an article in the South Philly Review! Congratulations to Ava on the fantastic write-up!

Read the article about Ava Matteo here

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