Portrait of a Penn Charter Learner

Beginning in August 2021, a committee of Penn Charter faculty and staff representing all divisions engaged in a year-long process to develop the Portrait of a Penn Charter Learner. Formerly named the Portrait of a Penn Charter Graduate, the Portrait was first created during the 1999-2000 school year. The new Portrait is an evolution from the original, reflecting how much has changed in our school and in education over the last two decades. The new Portrait is the “connective tissue” between Penn Charter’s mission and philosophy and the content of our curriculum and pedagogy. 
 
Along with the committee’s work, the new Portrait was informed by feedback from students, faculty, and staff and in partnership with Leadership+Design, a consulting firm with extensive experience collaborating with schools in this capacity. The Portrait was approved by school leadership in spring 2022; faculty and staff have begun incorporating its four core domains into their current work and future planning.

The Portrait of a Penn Charter Learner provides a shared language and vision across the many spheres of our school and honors the range of student identities and experiences. The Portrait allows us to clearly and consistently articulate our mission of educating students to live lives that make a difference and serves as a guidepost for reflection instead of a prescriptive checklist. The Portrait intentionally and purposefully speaks to a student’s experience both within and beyond the classroom and blazes a path to new and exciting programming and initiatives, including through the development of learning experiences that are more project-based, place-based, and experiential. 
 
In step with the new Portrait, we are working to move “beyond Advanced Placement (AP)” to create our own advanced courses that center on our students; allow for greater depth of exploration; and offer more opportunities for interdisciplinary and interdivisional work. Centering Quakerism, public purpose, health and wellness, and diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, we continue to create educational experiences that are mission-aligned and reflect the current realities and future needs of our community and the broader world.