Established in 1689 by William Penn, Penn Charter is a coed Friends school, pre-K to 12, on 47 acres
What words of wisdom do Penn Charter teachers have for the Class of 2026?
Video made by Regan Bailey '27.
06/01/2026
Did you know that Penn Charter has a Sailing Club? The team is five years old, but this year it became an official 40-hour activity that can be counted for credit. Members sail two-person boats (FJs and 420s) with a skipper and crew, race around buoy courses and hold regattas on Sundays in the spring. The boats are available at Corinthian Yacht Club in Essington—no personal boat is required for school sailing.
"I love it so much, and I look forward to it all the time," said sophomore Annie S., who has been sailing since 2020. "Being able to sail at school is amazing because most people have almost no sailing experience when they join, but I've gotten to teach them about this thing that is a big part of my life."
"I love that you're on the boat with just one other person, and you get to experience everything with them," said junior Olive D. "Also, I just really enjoy being out on the water—it's very calming and freeing."
The sport does require a financial commitment (club usage fees), which can be a barrier for some students, but the team is working on ways to make it more accessible by providing financial aid. "If anybody wants to get involved, just come down to the water and try it out," said Annie. "We love sailing and want to include as many people in it as possible."
For more info on the sailing team, DM them on Instagram:
As graduation draws near (one week away!), seniors reflect on their favorite memories at Penn Charter in this video created by Regan Bailey '27.
05/29/2026
In the hilarious heist-whodunit "The Con," a rare first-issue comic is up for grabs — and the chaos that follows is pure gold. A cast of PC middle schoolers had the audience roaring with laughter at their hijinks and antics. The play unfolds as a series of vignettes, each a self-contained story: a bat-tastic hero who can't stop clowning around with his nemesis in "The LARP Knight Rises," a Mario Kart menace who loses it in more ways than one in "A Plumber Cracks," a D&D newbie determined to let her inner gnome shine in "The Ballad of Lena Moonfallen," and much more. Congratulations to the talented cast for a putting on a great show! For more photos, go here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCV4BX
PC fourth graders gathered in Friendship Hall to learn about BelieveNBooks, an initiative dedicated to gathering and distributing books to children in need. Founded by Natasha Agarwal, a former student of teacher Debbie Hart at the Canterbury School in Florida, BelieveNBooks has donated over 250,000 books to 25,000 underserved children across 11 chapters nationwide.
Here in Pennsylvania, PC seventh grader Rishi Kapoor recently founded the Philly chapter. "Books open doors to imagination, confidence and opportunity," Rishi said. "Not every child has easy access to books, and now more than ever, physical books matter." After hearing from Natasha and Rishi, students got to work, sorting and cleaning donated books by the genres they've studied this year, preparing them for distribution.
05/27/2026
At the end of every year, our middle schoolers share their work with their families on grade-level capstone nights. Our sixth graders presented on their year-long, interdisciplinary project on food security, guiding guests through an interactive hunger simulation that brought the realities of food insecurity to life. Seventh graders shared their experiences partnering with local organizations and exploring the question: How do we cultivate justice in our community? Finally, eighth graders presented heartfelt personal narratives on identity, part of their study of memoir. We're so proud of all our students!
05/26/2026
Last week's Lower School Spring Concerts featured all students from grades PK-5, including the Penn Pals chorus and Fifth Grade Handbells. Song selections ranged from "We Will Rock You" by Queen played on recorder to "Count on Me" by Bruno Mars and "Beat It" by Michael Jackson played with rhythm sticks. What an amazing showcase of student talent! Thank you to all the faculty who worked so hard with the students to prepare for this show. For more photos, go here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCUUWS
05/22/2026
Congratulations to the Yellow team, winner of the 2026 Color Day! This year marks the 122nd year of Color Day - it's a tradition that dates back to 1892.
Thank you to all the people who made this joyful day possible, from the PCFA parent volunteers to the band, faculty and staff, and of course Penn Charter students across every division. You left it all on the field, and we're so proud of you!
For more photos of this action-packed day, go here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCUxTY
05/20/2026
Eri Mizukane spoke at Middle School assembly and led an onigiri workshop for middle schoolers, where she talked about the history and cultural significance of food and culture as well as her own experiences as an Asian American. Mizukane is a Philadelphia-based librarian, author, and illustrator originally from Hiroshima, Japan who creates vibrant, patchwork-style imagery using found papers, celebrating the beauty of everyday life through her art. She is currently working on an illustrated book titled A Little Book of Onigiri, which explores the cultural significance and history of rice balls in Japan and reflects on food as a form of self-expression and activism.
