Building Community
The active engagement of Penn Charter parents enhances the experience of every family. From scheduled get-acquainted conferences with advisors to student performances to social opportunities, the fabric of our community becomes tightly woven.
Back-to-School Night
Held in the early weeks of the school year, Back-to-School Night is an opportunity for parents to meet their child's teachers, divisional administrators, and other parents. Families hear from teachers about how the school day progresses, about curriculum, and about the myriad opportunities for students to engage in extracurricular activities. Parents also hear from ambassadors from the Penn Charter Parent Community about opportunities to connect to the life of Penn Charter, including social gatherings for parents.
Get-Acquainted Conferences
These parent-teacher conferences happen early in September and establish the relationship between parents and the student's advisor. These conferences are for families in ninth and eleventh grades, when students are assigned a new advisor. Parents can talk about social and academic goals for Upper School and advisors hear about the student through the lens of the parent. At a get-acquainted conference, parents and advisors can talk about communication strategies, about hopes for the school years ahead, and the home-school bond is strengthened.
Student Concerts and Plays
In Upper School, many students play in the bands, choruses, a cappella groups, small ensembles, and participate in the fall play and spring play and musical. Families, friends and teachers pack the Ball Theater in the Kurtz Center for the Performing Arts to hear the bands and choruses perform. The spring musical — an all-school production every three years— is an eye-popping event that is so high-quality it attracts even local community members.
A still from Les Miserables performed at Penn Charter.
The Parent Community and Social Opportunities for Parents
The PC Parent Community helps to make the Penn Charter experience engaging and meaningful for parents and families. The group creates opportunities for parents to engage with the life of the school in ways that suit PC parents' individual schedules and interests. Parent socials are come-as-you-are pop-ins, like the Drop-and-Stops on the first days of school or scheduled evening social events. Parents can volunteer to run an event, attend a parent-to-parent workshop on flower arranging or auto mechanics, or stop in to drop off a plate of cookies for a bake sale. Whatever your interest, talent or time, there's a place for you at Penn Charter. Learn more about the Parent Community
Parent Meeting for Worship
The Parent Community organizes a morning Meeting for Worship in the Meeting Room in Upper School, usually on the first Thursday of each month. Parents are welcome to gather in silence in the manner of Friends (Quakers) for half an hour of worship or reflection, interrupted only if someone is moved to speak. These gatherings offer the opportunity to experience Quaker Meeting, but also to connect with other parents both in Meeting and before or after.
The Parent Community organizes Introduction to Quakerism, a workshop led by the national body Friends Council on Education, to offer education and insight into Meeting for Worship, Quaker practice and values, and Quaker education. Dates of this workshop are announced in Parent Post, PC's weekly e-newsletter sent on Friday mornings.
Upper School Family Visiting Day
Penn Charter welcomes Upper School parents, grandparents and friends to campus for a morning in the winter. Guests experience a day in the life of their Upper School student. This event strengthens the home-to-school connection, and can be helpful in establishing new jumping-off points for conversations and questions more focused than, "How was your day?"