Penn, Phila. plan new high school

Hoping to deepen its involvement in the West Philadelphia community, the University is in talks with the School District of Philadelphia to create a high school focused on international studies. The school, which would open to a pilot group of students in the fall of 2006, would extend the University's existing presence in K-8 schools to secondary education. While the project is still in the very early stages of development, according to Associate Dean for Educational Practice at the Graduate School for Education Nancy Streim, who is representing her school in discussions, the idea for a Penn-assisted high school is not brand-new. "It's always been part of our dream that Penn would build a high school, and the time now is right," Streim said. The University has an ongoing relationship with the Philadelphia School District through a number of grade schools for which Penn provides professional expertise and access to campus resources. The Penn-Alexander School is the only local school to which the University Board of Trustees has made an explicit financial commitment. It has yet to be determined whether Penn will help fund the high school or only contribute intangible resources. The high school will receive funding, however, from the Asia Society --ÿa nonprofit group dedicated to fostering understanding of Asia. The Asia Society received a $7.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to create a network of 10 high schools focused on international studies throughout the nation. Currently, the greatest hurdle to creating the school, according to Philadelphia School District Chief Development Officer Ellen Savitz, will be finding a location. "We're figuring out possible sites. Once that's determined, then we can really begin to move," Savitz said. Despite various challenges, Savitz noted the school district's enthusiasm about the project. "We're pushing it. We're trying very hard," she said. Educationally, the program has four main tenets that will bring the school's international studies theme into focus. Students will learn at least one foreign language, use technology to connect to other students worldwide, take a curriculum in which international studies are integrated into all subjects and engage in community service in order to "think globally and act locally," said Michael Levine, executive director for education at the Asia Society. "Knowledge of the world is no longer a luxury for diplomats and business leaders," Levine said. The Penn-assisted school would be the sixth of the Asia Society's 10 planned high schools, with existing programs in New York, Los Angeles and Charlotte, N.C., and two additional schools to open this fall in Staten Island, N.Y., and Los Angeles. While integral details like class size have yet to be determined, ideas should begin solidifying in the next couple of months, according to Streim. "Penn is very committed to helping the school district make the schools the best they can be, and this new venture would be a natural next step," Streim said.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.