Campus News

Kim Jones, author and parent of a sixth-grader and I Former, visited The Haverford School’s sixth grade for a reading and discussion of her book, The Girl from Vietnam.

Seven seniors at The Haverford School presented science research projects at the 11th annual Research Symposium. The students, who are part of the Advanced Research Laboratory Cooperative elective at Haverford, completed their research at the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and other laboratories over the course of six-to-eight weeks in the summer of 2018. The topics of their college-level research included analyzing gene expression data, the possibility of conditioning the brain against severe injuries, the efficacy of a gene therapy used to treat Familial Hypercholesterolemia, and more.

Footlighters Theater presents “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” starring Middle School theater teacher Jennifer Hallman. The show runs Jan. 18-Feb. 9.

During Xcursion Days in Middle School, students and faculty team up to explore a range of topics, skills, and interests both on-campus and off. Xcursion Days were held in December and offered 17 different courses

Cheryl Joloza’s fifth-grade science class is entering the National Geographic 2018-19 GeoChallenge. This year’s theme is “Tackling Plastic!.” Teams of students are creating maps, developing models, and producing videos as part of their investigation into the issue of plastic in our world’s waterways. The students will submit their ideas to National Geographic by Jan. 15; the organization will then invite select teams to participate in a regional competition on March 29.

ESPN News Services

The Oakland Raiders have hired NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock as their general manager, the team announced Monday. Read the ESPN.com story about Mike Mayock '76 >

Boys at The Haverford School performed a variety of service projects throughout the month of December. The service projects support many area organizations, including local military members serving overseas, Life Centers of Delaware County, Project HOME, Toys for Tots, the Palm Senior Center, and Eldernet. The winter service projects are part of Haverford’s Service Learning Program, and led by students of all ages. 

By Amy Joyce, The Washington Post
Photo credit: Calla Kessler  

"Boys have been raised in a culture that puts them into a very distinct box, based on stereotypes that have persisted for hundreds of years, says Michael Reichert, a psychologist at the all-boys Haverford School in Philadelphia. “The boys are not the problem,” he says. “It’s the model.” Read the Washington Post story >

Dr. Reichert is Haverford's spring 2019 Best for Boys Speaker Series presenter. Learn more >

The Haverford School hosted its second annual poetry slam, sponsored by the Black Student Union, on Thursday, Dec. 6 in Ball Auditorium. 

In Mothering Addiction, Hatcher tells a heart-wrenching story of her turbulent journey as the mother of a child who desperately struggled with a heroin addiction. She reveals cracks in her marriage, effects on a silently suffering sibling, and challenges with her own mental health, exposing the hidden costs of family trauma. Through a discussion of her son's self-destruction and her quest to find her own truth, Hatcher will tackle important questions for parents.

By Bruce Adams, PAPrepLive.com

The junior finished fourth at the PAISAA State Wrestling Tournament last winter, qualifying for Nationals, and is off to a 4-1 start this season, including a second-place finish at 285 pounds at the Pope John Paul Invitational and a hard-earned victory against Glen Mills in the Fords’ home opener.  A three-sport athlete (football, wrestling, track), Adubofour  is co-president of the school’s Black Student Union and co-president of Haverford School’s Service Board; played Kiil in Enemy of the People in the school’s fall play; sings tenor/baritone in the Glee Club; and is a member of the student diversity leadership team. He would like to become a neurosurgeon. Read the story >

Form I Spanish students made their own piñatas out of balloons, strips of newspaper, and glue. Boys learned about the history, importance, and use of piñatas.

Haverford students are sending some holiday cheer to soldiers serving in Afghanistan. First-graders wrote letters expressing thanks and wishes for a safe return home. Director of Service Learning Jini Loos coordinated the letter writing in conjunction with the first grade teachers. 

By Jessica Press, Philadelphia Magazine

The all-boys private Haverford School is taking our patriarchy- smashing era seriously by addressing the need for students to be equal partners with and advocates for girls through its upper-school human relationships elective. Read the story >

Middle School Spanish teacher Kerry Kettering-Goens, along with Gabmara Alvarez-Spychalski, who teaches Spanish at The Baldwin School, presented at the 31st annual National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference (PoCC) in November.

In Conceptual Physics, students were introduced to Ozobots in coordination with "Hour of Code" events. Ozobots are programmable robots with text block-based and color-based codes. Students focused on the color code structure, understanding that placement of code is just as critical as in any other language. They used the color codes to program the Ozobots to successfully navigate a map.

The Haverford School’s Robotics Team joined materials science professionals from around the world at the Materials Research Society (MRS) Fall Meeting in Boston, Mass., Nov. 25-30. Upper School engineering teacher Dr. Holly Golecki joined the team of nine students at the event, where the boys showcased their work in soft robotics, made valuable networking connections, and learned about the materials science industry. Two Haverford alumni, Jon Paras ’14 and Ed King ’18 also attended the conference. 

By Matt Barbosa, Carly Hayden & Jonah Hennes, PhillySportsDigest.com

Once a year, the communities of Episcopal Academy, Agnes Irwin School and Haverford School come together to enjoy a weekend of friendly Inter-Ac League competition as well as fellowship between alumni, faculty, staff, students, families and friends of the respective communities. Read the PhillySportsDigest.com story, with video >

Temple senior Shizz Alston Jr. reflects on playing in the Big 5, his time at the Haverford School & offers advice to high school students aspiring to play at the next level. Read the PhillySportsDigest.com article and watch the video interview with Shizz Alston Jr. '15 >

Six Haverford School robotics teams competed at the VEX Robotics Competition on Dec. 1 at Great Valley High School in Malvern. Team 169A earned the title of Skills Champion and received the Design Award. Team 169A and 169X were named Tournament Champions, and along with Tournament Finalist 169Y will advance to the state tournament in March.

The Haverford School Parents’ Association held the annual Party and Auction on Nov. 3. The event, which had the theme ‘Let’s Hear it for the Boys,’ raised more than $200,000. All funds raised support important initiatives at the School, including service learning programs, the performing arts, athletics, facility improvements, academic programs, faculty support, and scholarships for students.

As part of their study of music, eighth-grade boys write original lyrics and compose a song. Several groups are selected to perform for the Middle School students and faculty in the 250-seat Ball Auditorium. Every group must include a singer and guitar player but can incorporate other instruments that the students practice as part of various ensembles.

Digital First Media

Students from Episcopal Academy, The Haverford School and Agnes Irwin School worked together to pack 1,000 sandwich and snack bags for the hungry Sunday, Nov. 4. Read the Main Line Media News story >

New York Times contributor Jennifer Finney Boylan '76 asks whether fellow Haverford School graduate John Hickenlooper '70, Governor of Colorado can run for president as a centrist. Read the Opinion piece >

Eight student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to play D1 sports, including baseball, lacrosse, golf, and basketball.

Ring in the season at one of The Haverford School's upcoming winter performances. Our choral and instrumental groups have performed around the world. New this year: Lower, Middle, and Upper School singers and musicians will perform in the same concert.

Dr. Howard Stevenson is the Constance E. Clayton Professor of Urban Education and Director of the Racial Empowerment Collaborative at the University of Pennsylvania. On Nov. 12, he visited The Haverford School to educate faculty and staff on racial literacy during the School's in-service day, and for a group session with the School's Faculty Inclusion Committee. That evening, Haverford hosted a racial literacy parent education event in collaboration with The Agnes Irwin School.

Upper School science teacher Jamison Maley, who has taught at The Haverford School since 2005, earned a Stanford University Teacher Tribute following a nomination by Nico Tellez '18.

Since 1889, The Haverford School and The Episcopal Academy have engaged in sportsmanship, tradition, and competition as part of the second-oldest athletic rivalry in the Inter-Academic League: Haverford/EA Day. On Nov. 9 and 10, the two teams faced each other, this year on Haverford’s campus.

On Monday, Nov. 12, The Haverford School will partner with The Agnes Irwin School to present Exploring Racial Literacy: An Evening with Dr. Howard Stevenson. The event will be held at 7 p.m. in The Haverford School's Ball Auditorium, located in Wilson Hall.

The School's annual can drive kicked off on Nov. 5 with a special presentation. The Upper School can drive runs from Nov. 5-19, while the Lower School can drive runs from Nov. 6-20.

Upper School multimedia teacher Zoë Blatt and Director of Informational and Instructional Technology Andrea Drinkwine are co-teaching a new Upper School class: Visual Communication in a Digital World.

The time-honored sports competition between The Haverford School and The Episcopal Academy comes once again to Haverford's campus on Friday, Nov. 9 and Saturday, Nov. 10. The Fords are seeking to reclaim the coveted "split sweater" after losing it in 2017, when EA bested Haverford in cross-country, golf, and football.

Fourth- and fifth-grade students study chimes as part of Haverford’s music curriculum, and had their first practice with a new set of five-octave handbells from Schulmerich Bells, LLC, the world’s largest manufacturer of musical handbells. 

Jackson Simon '15 is one of four Yale University economics majors to receive the 2018 Tobin Scholar Prize for outstanding performance in economic core theory courses. The award is named in honor of former Yale professor and Nobel Laureate James Tobin. Simon will also be inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the oldest academic honor society in the country, in December. Read the Yale University story featuring Jackson Simon ’15 >

Pictured: Jackson Simon ’15 with Tobin Scholars Prize founders David Swensen and Stephen Freidheim.

In a special assembly at The Haverford School on Oct. 25, author and teacher J.A. White spoke to middle schoolers about his writing career and particular interest in scary stories. 

On Oct. 25, The Haverford School welcomed Dr. Michael Baime, one of the country's foremost experts on mindfulness and the science that supports it, as its Best for Boys Speaker Series presenter.

Students in Portfolio I Honors, co-taught by Mr. Raeder and Mr. Ressler, are embarking on a three-week project that introduces new artistic techniques and processes.

Haverford School student Intel Chen (VI Former) and alumni Mark Gregory ’18, Michael Schlarbaum ’18, and Sam Turner ’18 were recently recognized with Merit Certificates in Columbia Scholastic Press Association's 35th Gold Circle Awards program.

The Haverford School honored leadership donors at its Maroon & Gold Society party on Oct. 10 in The Haverford School’s Durham Community Room.

Twenty Haverford School seniors, representing 20 percent of the Class of 2019, have been recognized for their achievement by the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. Nine students – Nik Chakraborty, Intel Chen, Michael Fairorth, Jared Hoefner, Aram LaVan, Logan McAllister, Neetish Sharma, William Vauclain, and Griffin Wada – were named Semifinalists and will have the opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $31 million. Nationwide, there are 16,000 National Merit Semifinalists representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors.

By Donald Hunt, Philadelphia Tribune

Temple senior basketball standouts Ernest Aflakpui and Shizz Alston Jr. will take on some extra responsibility this season. Aflakpui and Alston were recently named captains of the Owls’ basketball team by head coach Fran Dunphy. Read the Philadelphia Tribune story about Shawn Alston '15 >

Join The Haverford School for an evening of scenes and songs, Oct. 19 and 20, at 7 p.m. in Centennial Hall. This year's Middle School Cabaret is titled "When I Grow Up" and highlights the good, the bad, the ugly, and the hilarity of adolescence.  

The science whizzes of the Haverford School's Soft Robotics Team knew that following up the sweet taste of 2017's first-place victory for designing soft robots made from gummy-bear-like candy wouldn't be an easy second course. But it turns out winning still fits them like a glove – literally. Read the Philadelphia Inquirer article >

The Index and Pegasus, two student publications at The Haverford School, have earned national acclaim for their writing and photography. One of The Index's 2017-18 editors is now a guest columnist for the Yale Daily News.

On Oct. 1, the Upper School inducted new members of the Honor Council and the Character Mentorship Program. Headmaster John Nagl spoke to Upper School students about the values of respect, honesty, and courage, and noted that the decisions students make today will determine the kind of men they become in the future.

At the Sept. 27 Mural Arts Month Kick-Off Press Preview, senior Garrett Johnson spoke with reporters about how art can impact and transform communities. The event included Executive Director of Mural Arts Philadelphia Jane Golden, Mayor of City of Philadelphia Jim Kenney, PECO President and CEO Michael Innocenzo, Barnes Foundation Curator of Public Programs Kathleen Greene, mural artists Brad Carney and Eurhi Jones, DJ and collaborator King Britt, and students from The Haverford School and Mastery Charter School - Shoemaker Campus.

Upper School English and history teacher W.D. Ehrhart will present his poetry and writings on Friday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. at Wor-Wic Community College, while Lower School art teacher Antonio Fink will exhibit his paintings, prints, tiles, and photographs Oct. 15-Nov. 2 at "The Barn" in Berwyn.

By Edwin Malet, County Lines Magazine

Technology. It cuts both ways. It can offer information, safety and community. Or it can be dangerous, especially for school-age kids. Fifty years ago, we asked, “Is our child old enough to drive?” Now our question: “Is she old enough to have a smartphone?”

Strangers, privacy, theft, bullying …. The list of on-line perils is lengthy.

As adults, we know how to avoid problems. Our kids, however, are inexperienced and exposed. Meanwhile, our schools struggle to find the right balance of protecting security, openness and youthful curiosity, acting as our partners in this process. Read the County Lines Magazine story, in which Haverford's Director of Technology, Andrea Drinkwine, is quoted >