Philadelphia Performing Arts: A String Theory Charter School is a tuition free, K-12 Public Charter School located in Philadelphia, and is open to all city residents. Founded in 2000, Performing Arts offers students a comprehensive arts and science curriculum that is central to the mission and culture of the school.
The children that enter our school each day are given opportunities to learn and discover that extend well beyond the walls of the classroom. From our enriching, arts-infused curriculum, to the inclusive culture of our school community and dedicated staff, we believe every student must be nurtured as an individual. Our education program allows students to develop academically, artistically, and socially in a safe environment so that they are prepared for success upon graduation.
To Educate each student according to age and development so that learning and growth are united.
To Integrate the developing mind and body of the student with academics and the performing arts and
sciences.
To Ensure each student’s excellence in core and academic skills.
To Awaken and preserve the spirit of our students through the visual and digital arts, vocal arts,
instrumental music, creative writing, classical ballet, foreign language, innovations in the field of
science, all intertwined with technology, and;
To Nourish this spirit and curiosity so that students continue to flourish long after the end of formal
training.
We believe that creation is the imagination at work. Our model is designed to train students to perform in life. We are committed to cultivating an educational environment where students are interested, engaged, innovative, and productive.
The Arts and Sciences are vital components to our students' education. We promote students to hone the ability to create and to be creative, to inspire and to be inspired. We offer life experiences, academics, and the arts, forming a well-rounded educational approach.
Our vision is to provide the opportunity for students to explore their interests in the arts, language, science, and technology that will prepare them for postsecondary studies or for a faster entry into related occupations through a proven model of excellence. The balance between artistic development and academic preparation is at the heart of our philosophy.
We believe every student has specific intelligences that must be nurtured. Providing students with equal opportunity for learning and discovery and development of their innate potentials, though String Theory Schools' unique and rigorous curriculum blending academic and artistic excellence, we enable our students to become the next generation of creative leaders.
In order to accomplish our mission, String Theory Schools offer a comprehensive educational program that emphasizes equally academic and artistic excellence. Utilizing the arts as a catalyst, String Theory Schools harness the most innovative teaching and learning techniques, to serve as a model for education and to prepare students for success.
Philadelphia Performing Arts: A String Theory Charter School was founded in September 2000. When the doors first opened at our original location at 2600 S. Broad Street (currently known as the West Campus), Performing Arts was the only elementary performing arts school in the city of Philadelphia.
After twelve, wonderful years of growth, the original location could no longer house the number of students applying to the school each year. In 2012 we opened the East Campus at 2407 S. Broad Street for our kindergarten through first grade classes. The building was renovated to add arts studio spaces such as a ballet studio and vocal and instrumental music classrooms and even has an indoor swimming pool. The East Campus is next door to the Philadelphia Free Library's Fumo Family Branch, making it the perfect location for our youngest students!
Pictured Above: Performing Arts Opening in 2000 at 2600 S. Broad Street. Founder Angela Corosanite stands with students as Mayor John Street addresses the crowd before the ribbon cutting.
In 2013, Performing Arts acquired a center city landmark building at 1600 Vine Street. The goal was to expand the model to include high school students, and is the result of a shared vision with the School District of Philadelphia to create an innovative school for the ARTS and SCIENCES. In September 2013 we welcomed our inaugural 9th grade class. The newly renovated, technologically advanced, 280,000 sq. ft. facility includes a variety of learning spaces, such as a theatre, a motion capture studio, and several studios for the orchestral, choral, and dance majors. Our integration of technology into all aspects of our curriculum has earned us recognition by Apple as an Apple Distinguished School. Vine Street Campus provides a unique educational environment wherein all students can focus on the arts and sciences as major subjects while fulfilling the mandates of a college-bound curriculum. In 2014, grades sixth through eighth moved from the West Campus to the Vine Street Campus. Finally in 2017, we celebrated our first class of high school graduates who earned more than $12 million in college scholarships!
As a community that strives for excellence in the academics and arts, Philadelphia Performing Arts is committed to the continued development of a school climate that stresses tolerance, understanding, and acceptance. Reflecting on our own collective knowledge and research on the best instructional practices, the school supports a culture that is cooperative, interactive, rigorous in standards and responsive to the diverse needs of learners.
Philadelphia Performing Arts provides the framework and support to encourage innovation, stimulate the imagination, and expand the creative horizons for future generations of the youth of Philadelphia.
