College-preparatory / CoeDuCational / boarDing anD Day / graDes 6 through 12
t h e p e r k i o m e n s c h o o l
PERK
t h e p e r k i o m e n s c h o o l page one
PERK
are you ready to explore talents you may not even know you possess,
meet challenges that seem beyond reach, and discover
possibilities you’ve never even
imagined?
make this place your own
t h e p e r k i o m e n s c h o o l page two
make this place your own
a perk education is about entering new worlds
of ideas, acquiring powerful skills, and most important, igniting a burning flame—
a passion for learningthat will lastfor life.
make this place your own
The body of a teacher is found face-down in the campus swimming pool beside her
kayak. An unfortunate accident has occurred—or a murder? Students in Perk’s Forensic
Science class need to find out.
For these students, learning takes some unexpected forms: analyzing blood spatter
patterns, matching bite marks, questioning suspects who may have had a grudge. Of
course, the crime and the evidence are all simulated, but the challenge is quite real: to
think like a forensic scientist and figure out how to solve a murder.
At Perk, we believe that to learn and grow requires a certain kind of risk, a willingness
to face new challenges. Take Mandarin Chinese, try-out for a sport you’ve never played
before—or hit the crime lab to find a killer. Of course, you will make a mistake or two.
Just be sure you learn from the experience.
As one of our upper school teachers put it, “I support my students in pushing beyond
their comfort zone and into new territory. Otherwise, how can they achieve their best?”
riskthe power of
t h e p e r k i o m e n s c h o o l page four / page 5
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beyond the expected perk students have the chance to take on many original and intriguing challenges—creating their
own works of historical fiction, managing mock political campaigns, even investigating simulated homicides in a class on
forensic science. in this hands-on course, students work together in the lab and at the crime scene, applying the science
they are learning to solve complex crimes.
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a personal education.One of Perk’s most striking strengths is its intimate scale. This is a campus where nearly every student, teacher, and staff
member knows nearly everyone else. At Perk, you will be understood and appreciated—in class and beyond, not just as a
student, but as a complete person. As you move through your personal journey here, you will be surrounded by mentors,
guides, and friends. You will be part of classes, dorms, teams, and a school community that all have the feeling of family.
a culture of creativity.It’s been said that life is about the people you meet and the things you create together. If you share this view, then you will
love Perk. Whether your interest is music, theater, or visual art, you can move from building skills to creating original work at
a high level. The opportunities are all here, from the Jazz Combo, to electives in filmmaking and digital design, to the chance
to work one-on-one with a teacher to develop an outstanding portfolio for art school.
t h e p e r k i o m e n s c h o o l page nine
this school is a big,hard working amazingly diverse open-hearted,open-minded family.
make this place your own
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discussion, debate, discovery perk’s small classes allow learning to become truly interactive. advanced placement
european history, one of more than 20 ap courses, is typical. class time focuses on discussion. the teacher leads the way, but
every voice and point of view is heard. it’s a powerful way to really understand history, and a great preparation for the kind
of intellectual challenge students will encounter in college.
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Perk offers its students a superb college preparatory education—from a middle school
experience that nurtures independent inquiry, to the latest instructional technology
applied in innovative ways. Why not learn about the characters in Canterbury Tales by
creating an interactive graphical blog (or “glog”) capturing their voices and views?
Perk teachers make learning both challenging and fascinating by going beyond the
basic facts and into the ideas behind them. Consider our AP European History class.
It covers the Year 1450 to the modern day—everything from the Thirty Years’ War to
tomorrow’s headlines on the European Union.
“But the historical events are just the starting point,” says the teacher. “We look at
original source materials—pictures, maps and letters—to see how people thought about
the history when it happened. We look for the connections between the events, and
connections with the world today. And when we get to a topic that’s particularly
interesting for my students, we slow down and delve deeply.”
Deeplydelving
a great campus.Perk’s 165-acre campus is a safe and beautiful place to call home. Historic structures like Kriebel Hall with its iconic cupola and
the 1913 Carnegie Library sit beside the Schumo Academic Center, a state-of-the art structure barely a decade old. Beyond the
rolling green hills of the Pennsylvania countryside and the small-town charm of Pennsburg, Philadelphia lies an hour away, New
York City two hours, and Washington, D.C. three hours.
a global community.It would be hard to imagine a better place to prepare for life in today’s internationally interconnected world than on this
global village of a campus. Since Perk welcomed its first international student in 1896, the school has drawn applicants from
around the world, with 20 countries now represented. A striking diversity of perspectives come together here, making every
conversation—whether in the classroom or dorm room—a mind-opening experience.
Perkiomen offers its student the support of an outstanding college counseling program.
The defining strength of this program is the truly exceptional degree of personal
attention the school’s counselors are able to provide to each student. As one of our
counselors says, “Our graduating classes total just 70 or 80 students, and we know and
work closely with every single one of them.”
The college counseling process begins early—as students start their upper school
careers. Later, as they prepare for the SAT or ACT, students can take advantage of
excellent on-site test preparation services. They also benefit from Naviance®,
a state-of-the-art software system that helps organize the college application process.
In addition, they can meet with representatives of 80 selective colleges and
universities that visit campus each year, thanks to the careful relationship-building
work of the Perkiomen college counseling staff.
The result of this process is an impressive list of college destinations—a list that reflects
a determined effort to help each graduate find a school that represents a true fit for his
or her unique strengths and aspirations.
of possibilityA World
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preparing for success perk students go on to achieve success at a range of excellent colleges and universities,
including some of the nation’s most selective. in our most recent graduating class, more than 60 percent of students gained
admission to their first-choice institution. of all the acceptances, 34 percent were to u.s. news & world report top 100
national universities, and 27 percent to schools ranked by barron’s as highly competitive or most competitive.
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middle school
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Identity and Philosophy In every way possible, the Middle School at Perk
seeks to provide students in grades six, seven, and
eight with an outstanding experience of learning and
growth and a strong preparation for the rigorous
college preparatory program that awaits them in
Upper School.
The Middle School has its own independent
identity within the larger Perk community, while
simultaneously very much being a part of the
community at large. Middle Schoolers make full
use of all the campus’s superb facilities and have
opportunities to form connections with upper
schoolers. These occur during all-school morning
meetings and through trips and special events, some
of which are open to the entire student body and
some of which are designed exclusively for
Middle Schoolers.
The Middle School serves both day and
boarding students.
Perk’s Middle School provides a warm, supportive,
and appropriately structured home to young
adolescents as they grow through years of great
change—socially, emotionally, physically, and
intellectually. These years are sometimes thought of
as stressful; on the contrary, we believe they can and
should be thoroughly enjoyed.
Academic Program The Middle School provides a balanced program in
English, history, math, science, fine and performing
arts, world languages, and physical education. In
addition to the content in each of these disciplines,
there is a strong focus across the curriculum on study
skills, organizational skills, and time management.
Students can take advantage of a number of
exceptional opportunities in the curriculum—to
complete not only algebra but also geometry by the
end of eighth grade; to take two full years of study in
Latin, Spanish, German, or Chinese (and then
continue any of these languages in Upper School);
and to pursue opportunities in the arts that are rare
at the middle school level, such as Explorations in
Acting, Drawing Technique and Composition, and
Middle School Instrumental Program.
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Faculty The Perk Middle School faculty are highly qualified,
deeply dedicated, and in tune with the special
energy Middle Schoolers bring to every endeavor.
With an average class size of just nine students,
teachers know each of their students well and have
a remarkable opportunity to differentiate classroom
instruction, meeting students’ individual needs.
Through a well developed advising program, faculty
guide students not only in their academic progress,
but also in dealing with any social or emotional
concerns.
Athletics All Perk Middle Schoolers participate in an
afterschool sport each season. This provides an
outstanding opportunity to develop skills and
prepare for Upper School athletics and also to spark
the habits of a fit and active lifestyle. Students’ level
of athletic ability is not important; our teams have
a place for every student and our coaches strive to
ensure that all have a fun and positive experience
and grow in skill. Sports for girls are field hockey,
basketball and lacrosse. Sports for boys are soccer,
basketball, and lacrosse.
Activities After school and on weekends, students stay busy
with a varied line-up of clubs and activities. They
can take part in the Orchestra, Choir, or the Strings
program and activities such as Math League or
Student Senate. Approximately half are active in
Reading Olympics, a popular competition in which
students read a list of preselected books and answer
related questions. Each year the Middle School
also sponsors several dances, festivities such as the
Halloween party or swim parties, movie trips, mall
trips, bowling trips, and ski trips. Weekend activities
are particularly of interest to boarding students. Of
course, day students are always welcome to come
join in, and most of the time they do.
Trips Each year Middle Schoolers take part in a multi-day
Signature Trip that combines fun and learning with
the chance to grow in independence and bond as
a group. In recent years, experiences have included
an excursion to Washington, D.C., with a focus on
American History; an Outward Bound urban
adventure in Philadelphia; and a back-packing trek
along a portion of the Appalachian Trail. These
memorable events are in addition to day outings to
science or art museums, historical sites, and the like.
upper school
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Program of Study Perk offers a rich college preparatory curriculum,
with courses spanning English, history, mathematics,
science, world languages (Spanish, Latin, German,
and Chinese), fine and performing arts, and health
and physical education.
In addition to the full range of standard courses in
these subjects, students may select from a variety of
interesting electives such as Astronomy, Ceramics and
Sculpture, Crime Fiction and the Detective, Ethics,
Environmental Topics, Forensic Science, Introduction
to Acting, Multicultural America, Philosophy, World
Religions, and others.
Technology The school is committed to integrating the latest and
best instructional technology into the curriculum in
meaningful ways. Across campus, all classrooms and
dorm rooms are wired, and all classrooms feature
computers and ACTIVBoards. Kindles and iPads
are available for student use in the Library, and
campus-wide, both Macs and PCs are widely available
and well supported. Students also have access to
specialized resources such as professional-grade
audio and video editing software through the Digital
Arts Lab. Class assignments often make innovative
use of Wikis, glogs (graphic blogs), student-produced
videos, and other new media. In addition, the library
offers access to excellent specialized research
databases.
Advanced Challenges Perk’s academic program provides ample challenge for
even the best of these students. Highlights include
the Senior Seminar, a small interactive class focusing
on independent research and culminating in a digital
senior thesis. In addition, seven honors courses
and more than 20 advanced placement courses are
offered. Perk students have a strong record of earning
high scores of 4 and 5 on the AP exams and many are
honored each year as AP Scholars. AP courses
currently offered include the following:
AP Art HistoryAP BiologyAP Calculus ABAP Calculus BCAP ChemistryAP Chinese Language and Culture AP Computer Science AAP Economics—MacroAP Economics—MicroAP English Language and CompositionAP English Literature and CompositionAP Environmental ScienceAP European HistoryAP Latin: VergilAP Music TheoryAP Physics BAP Physics C MechanicsAP Spanish LanguageAP StatisticsAP Studio Art Drawing Portfolio AP Studio Art 2D DesignAP United States HistoryAP United States Government and PoliticsAP World History
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Faculty The school’s faculty are an exceptionally talented and
dedicated group, continually exploring new ideas and
approaches. Seventy percent hold advanced degrees,
and all benefit from an extensive range of professional
development opportunities. These range from support
for master’s-level studies at the prestigious Bread Loaf
School of English to attendance at national conferences
on teaching methods and new technologies.
Teachers form close bonds with students not only in
class, but also as resident advisers in the dorms and as
coaches and advisers to clubs and organizations.
Personal Attention With a student-faculty ratio of 7:1 and an average
class size of just 12, the school offers an exceptionally
personal learning experience. Faculty provide
differentiated instruction, tailoring course content to
students’ individual needs, and are always available to
meet with students requiring extra help. Students find
ample opportunities to pursue specialized interests
through independent study.
Athletics All students take part in an after-school activity each
term, and this typically includes one or more seasons
of team sports. Along with the option to take part in
a fitness-focused boxing program, the sports listed
below are offered. In many sports, the school fields
junior varsity as well as varsity squads, helping ensure
the opportunity for all students to take part.
Athletic facilities include expansive practice and
playing fields, lighted tennis courts, and the
Hollenbach Athletic Center, home to our gyms, pool,
fitness center, locker rooms, training room, and
batting cage.
Boys Girls Badminton Swimming Badminton Baseball Tennis Basketball Basketball Track Cross Country Cross Country Field Hockey Football Lacrosse Golf Soccer Lacrosse Softball Powerlifting Swimming Soccer Tennis Track
Extracurricular Activities The school offers a varied line-up of clubs, community
service projects, and other extracurricular options.
Leadership opportunities include roles in Student
Senate, dorm proctorships, or special experiences
such as the chance to travel to a diversity summit with
representatives of other schools.
Weekend trips to malls, movies, ball games and shows
are frequent. These include weekly outings to the
regional shopping capital of King of Prussia and to
Walmart, a popular destination for all the essential
supplies of boarding school life. New York and
Philadelphia are easily within reach, and convenient
bus service is available.
Student ideas inspire many campus events, from a
mid-winter dodge ball tournament to a “Mr. Perkiomen”
mock beauty pageant, to a fun re-creation of the
The Hunger Games.
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as a perkstudent you have the chance to make your
own place hereand to make this place your own.
make this place your own
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perkiomen.org
200 seminary street / pennsburg, pennsylvania 18073 / 215.679.9511 t / 215.679.5202 f
perk is located in the borough of pennsburg, a safe and welcoming community nestled in the pennsylvania countryside
about an hour from philadelphia, two hours from new york city, and three hours from washington, d.c.