- Campus Experience
- Health & Wellness
The safety and well-being of our students, faculty and community is our highest priority, and it is with that mindset that Perkiomen School has adapted after-school activities for 2020-2021 to allow our students to safely pursue their interests while reaping the social and emotional benefits of interacting with their classmates.
“We believe students are best served when they can select a sport, art form, or activity they are passionate about, with an opportunity for daily skill development and camaraderie among teammates or fellow cast members,” says Head of School Mark A. Devey. “These experiences help shape identity during the teenage years and foster leadership, commitment, and adaptability, skills that are required now, more than ever, and that will be crucial for these students in the future.”
For athletics, the benefits of physical activity are great – for both the mind and body. The creativity expressed within the arts is beneficial for emotional and mental health and develops adaptive thinking. Both athletics and arts help develop confidence, problem-solving skills, and collaboration, while alleviating stress.
“As an Independent School, we are driven by our own philosophy, values, and approach to teaching,” says Devey. “For Perkiomen, that teaching endures beyond the classroom and includes performance and creativity, as well as exercise, physical activity, and sports.”
Middle and High School Athletics for 2020-2021
Perkiomen School will continue to have an athletics program in 2020-2021 and will begin the fall by planning and holding practices, abiding by the CDC guidelines for youth sports, although there will be no league play through the fall athletic season.
“If there is an opportunity to hold competitions,” says Director of Athletics Ken Baker, “either within our own student population or with a neighboring school who is adhering to the same health and safety guidelines as Perkiomen – we may explore those options.”
By halting league competition in order to slow the spread of COVID-19, some teams now have an opportunity to be creative with how they compete. For example, the Keystone State Football League will not hold in-person competition among schools, but the league is exploring and organizing weekly virtual competitions and a culminating virtual combine event. The league will also explore options for a 5-player flag football competition in the early Spring of 2021. Coaches have begun discussions in earnest to design the virtual competitions. More information will be available once those designs have been proposed and approved by the league.
In the meantime, this fall, practice is happening on campus for the Panthers.
Arts Programs for 2020-2021
Arts programs have been similarly adapted. Perkiomen will choose theatrical productions that maximize the ability to continue mitigation practices put in place during the academic day including social distancing and exploring costuming that can incorporate masks. All productions will be filmed and released via Zoom watch parties to maximize the audience.
“We anticipate taking advantage of various venues on campus, not just the theater, to film our productions,” says Associate Head of School Carol Dougherty. “With a beautiful, open campus, we have a unique opportunity to be creative and explore new ways to define the stage.”
The music program will shift for the year to maintain health and safety guidelines. Percussion ensembles and hand bells will be offered during the academic day. All vocal and instrumental instruction will be one-on-one or remote to minimize potential risks, with numerous performance opportunities that will be filmed and released via watch parties.
For 2020-2021, after-school activities will also continue for online students, either as an individual, in the case of one-on-one music instruction or in a solo sport like cross country, or through group activities that are easily performed remotely, like tabletop role playing games or e-Gaming.
“There are many options for students to pursue for the 2020-2021 school year,” says Devey, “with built-in flexibility and safety measures. We are ready, resilient, and confident that Perkiomen is presenting a valuable solution for both on-campus and online learning. We can’t wait to get back to school.”
What does "back to school" look like at Perkiomen for Fall 2020?