Academic Support
Perkiomen works to ensure that every student will succeed. A variety of academic support departments are in place to aid all students, including those below.
- Conference
- The Writing Center
- College Counseling
- The Learning Center
- English as a Second Language
- Presentation Station
Conference
Students can meet with their teachers about class and homework either during the school day, after class during conference period, or alternate times. Conference period runs from 2:30 – 3:10 p.m. every day. Teachers are also available in the residence halls and around campus during study hall and, depending on the duty rotation, on the weekends. If more structured help is needed, a student should reach out to the Heads of the Middle and Upper School.
The Writing Center
The Writing Center is a place that serves the academic community across the curriculum, and focuses on helping students, faculty, and members of the Perkiomen community at large develop and improve language and self-expression. Not only does the Writing Center offer refuge for students struggling with the writing process, but the physical space is also the central location for the creation and celebration of creative writing. Students and faculty alike utilize the Writing Center to develop and share their individual work, such as poetry, stories, personal essays, and lyrics. Keeping the spirit of creativity and community in mind, the introduction of a writing center at Perkiomen School will promote school-wide events focused on writing, including but not limited to poetry slams, guest speakers/authors, and symposiums about writing directed toward both students and faculty.
An essential part of both the concept and daily success of the Writing Center of The Perkiomen School are the Student Writing Fellows (SWF), who have been selected through an application process. These select students not only have demonstrated a solid understanding of the writing process, but are overall strong communicators. These student-editors will be leaders who are able to support their peers with patience and understanding, while leading by example.
Tara Smith
Director of Writing Center
At Perkiomen School since 2013
College Counseling
Perkiomen has a three-member college counseling office, which helps students navigate the college application and search process. The defining strength of this program is the truly exceptional degree of personal attention the school’s counselors are able to provide to each student.
David Antoniewicz
Director of College Counseling
At Perkiomen School since 2016
Erin Davidson-Kellogg
Associate Director of College Counseling
Director of Testing
At Perkiomen School since 2007
Keegan Ash
Assistant Director of College Counseling
At Perkiomen School since 2010
The Learning Center
The Learning Center is run by Tara McFalls and provides services for students with learning differences. The Learning Center is a major academic subject that meets four times a week for a full class period and class size is limited to four or five students. Each student's class is designed to improve weak areas through coping skills and remediation.
Tara McFalls
Director of The Learning Center
At Perkiomen School since 2017
Melissa Gaiser
At Perkiomen School since 2009
Paige Longstreth
At Perkiomen School since 1991
English as a Second Language
The ESL program is run by Sandi Hackett and provides services for intermediate and advanced English Language Learners. The intermediate to advanced English language learner receives specially designed instruction in sheltered content courses in English, history and science. The overall focus of the ESL department is to help international students successfully integrate into mainstream academic classes.
Sandi Hackett
Director of English as a Second Language
At Perkiomen School since 2017