21st Century Academics for a Colonial-Era Campus

Master Plan & Implementation

Philadelphia, PA

The William Penn Charter School, the oldest Quaker school in Pennsylvania, educates students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade with a mission rooted in the belief that there is “that of God in every person.” As a co-educational, college-preparatory day school, Penn Charter fosters academic excellence, character development, and a commitment to service.

To remain true to this mission while preparing students to lead in a rapidly changing world, school leadership launched a strategic plan that called for transforming both curriculum and campus. Penn Charter identified the need to reimagine its physical environment better to support wellness, academic growth, and community connection.

The first phase of the campus master plan focused on improving circulation, expanding facilities, and aligning the built environment with the school’s values. The plan relocated the baseball field to the northwest corner of the Strawbridge site along Schoolhouse Lane, making room for a new athletics and wellness center. It also included demolishing the aging Dooney Field House and constructing a new lower school designed to foster curiosity, creativity, and belonging from the earliest years.