Shipley’s annual Swamp Night is on January 24! Bring your family for food and fun with the entire Shipley community. Wear your favorite Shipley gear and join the Shipley Swamp to cheer on our basketball teams! Check out the schedule below for more details.
3:30 pm - JV Girls Basketball vs Cardinal O'Hara High School
3:30 pm - Varsity Boys Squash vs. Episcopal Academy
3:30 pm -Varsity Girls Squash vs. Episcopal Academy
4:00 - 7:00 pm - Dinner in Piltch Commons
5:00 pm - JV Boys Basketball vs Scholar Athletes Leadership Academy 5:00 pm - Arts/Crafts/Activities for Lower School Students in Piltch Commons
5:00 pm - Middle School Activity in Riely Theatre
6:00 pm - Movie for Lower School Students in Doc Morinelli Theatre
6:30 pm - Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Life Center Academy
8:00 pm - Varsity Boys Basketball vs Science Leadership Academy
Consistency is the key to making an impact, so as a loyal donor I want to make sure that my impact is a part of the fabric of Shipley’s continuous growth. When you loyally donate every year, you can see the progressive impact you have on programming, educational access, and a host of other initiatives our donations support.
Lee Osterman & Elissa Topol
We want other children and families to receive all the educational benefits and rewards our children did in a caring and supportive environment. Our experience was truly a family adventure. No matter how times change and the years pass since the Shipley sisters started the School, the core values fostering excellence in education and responsibility for contributing to the world have not only changed, but strengthened.
Caleb Balderston ’06
I’m committing myself to developing young leaders through secondary education, and find it important to support the institutions that instilled this in me.
DeDe Chirgwin Brown
I was Director of External Relations for 23 years at Shipley, and I was able to get to know so many parents, alumni, faculty and staff. In addition, my daughter was a student at Shipley for 14 years, graduating in 2008, the year that I “graduated” from the School. I was motivated to give back as a parent for her academic education and her love of sports, both of which were so important to her in her college career as well as her future.
Megan & Matt Genkin, P’30 P’33
We give to Shipley because after six years here, we have seen firsthand the amazing benefits of a Shipley education. Seeing how both of our children have grown academically, socially, and emotionally makes giving back an easy decision! Shipley encourages students to see the world beyond their own and realize that that world shares both similarities and differences. The focus on empathy in the curriculum is so important.
Peter Raymond ’05
My 13 years at Shipley shaped me into the person I am today. I’m grateful to Shipley for a fantastic education, opportunities for exploration, meaningful relationships, and fond memories. Shipley prepared me well for life after high school. I appreciate all that Shipley has given me and am proud to support the School.
Katy Sherrerd ’75
Shipley’s commitment to a culture that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion is an excellent example of how the school can help to shape a better world. An inclusive culture (with role models and a supportive community) provides a safe place for all students to learn the skills they will need to make a difference in the future.
Chris & Wendy Smith, P’28 P’30
We prioritize giving back to and volunteering at Shipley because we feel strongly about living the School’s mission and see the clear benefits a Shipley education has provided our children. Shipley’s approach to positive education, focus on critical thinking, and strong sense of community creates a place where all students can succeed.
Sophie Hart ’77
It was a great privilege for me to experience 13 wonderful years as a Shipley student. Shipley provided an unparalleled educational opportunity from Beechwood and Middle House to Upper School. But it also provided invaluable lifelong friendships that I deeply cherish, not only with my fellow students, but also with their parents, grandparents, siblings, and spouses, and with many of the talented and caring members of the faculty. This institution, this experience, these people, and all of the associated memories gave me a unique preparation for life’s journey. That is my motivation for making an annual gift. Fortiter in re, leniter in modo.
Tim Lightman, P’28
Shipley supports the development of critical thinking skills, promotes the importance of compassionate participation in the world, and nurtures individual and collective wellbeing, all skills that children will need as they become adults in an increasingly complex and global environment. Being part of the community as both a parent and colleague inspires me to give. I know that giving back helps not just my daughter but all the students.
Read about how Shipley changed life for Sissy ffolliott ’70 and why she supports the Centennial Society—ensuring future generations receive the same transformative education and encouragement she experienced over 55 years ago.
Upper School history teachers Zackaria Gaines and Chris Simpson traveled to attend the Exeter Humanities Institute. The five-day workshop bought together teachers from across the country to support their growth in the discussion-based pedagogy known as Harkness teaching. We asked Mr. Gaines about what impact the Institute has had on his teaching and students.
Middle School Math Teachers Sarah Stehman and Lauren Luchetti attended the Beyond the Math Curriculum conference. One of the tools that the math teachers learned about and brought back to Shipley was the interactive math notebook. We asked Mrs. Stehman about the conference and how interactive notebooks have made an impact in her classes.
In the summer of 2022, fourth grade teachers Nikki Wiseman and Christian Wareikis received professional development funding from Shipley (along with teachers in first and fifth grades) to evaluate and re-design their social studies curriculum. We asked Mrs. Wiseman about the work and the impact it has had in her class.
“Shipley was life-changing for me. It opened up my world," says alumnus Hakiem Coles ’07. His belief in the power of education to positively impact the lives of other black students inspired him to join Shipley's Black Alumni Association and establish a named endowed fund, the Black Alumni Association Fund, to support the curricular and cultural needs of Shipley’s Black students and teachers.
Rik Morris ’80 is a strong example of the Shipley spirit and the School’s commitment to supporting everyone in the community. “I don’t believe in giving back,” says the 2020 Alumni Service Award recipient. “I believe in giving forward.” Following his retirement as a Trustee a few years ago, Morris is serving as inaugural co-chair of the newly formed Shipley LGBTQ+ Alumni Association,
I’m an introvert, and he’s an extrovert,” says Emily Chapin Vollkommer ’05, of herself and her brother Colin Chapin ’08. At Shipley, they both thrived. “We could be our own people,” Colin says. Read more about the Chapins and why they give back to Shipley.
Andy Shepherd has been teaching at Shipley for 17 years, and for 17 years, he’s been giving back to the School. As the recipient of financial aid to attend private school, he says he gives to Shipley “to create opportunities for kids out there like me, who want a better opportunity.” Learn more about Andy Shepherd and why he gives back to Shipley.
The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.