Perkiomen School

{{Short description|Independent boarding school in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, US}} {{Use American English|date=September 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox school | name = Perkiomen School | image = The Perkiomen School aerial campus view.jpg | alt = Aerial view of Perkiomen School campus | caption = Aerial view of Perkiomen School in June 2016 | motto = {{langx|la|Solvitur vivendo}} | motto_translation = It is solved by living | address = 200 Seminary St | city = Pennsburg | county = Montgomery | state = Pennsylvania | zipcode = 18073-1815 | country = USA | coordinates = {{coord|40.39877|-75.50330|type:edu_globe:earth_region:US-PA|display=inline,title}} | former_name = Perkiomen Seminary (1875–1916) | type = Independent college-preparatory boarding school | religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian<ref name="nces_psch" /> | established = {{start date and age|1875}} | founder = Rev. Charles S. Wieand | ceeb = 393190 | us_nces_school_id = {{NCES Private School ID|01197752|school_name=Perkiomen School|access_date=October 18, 2022}} | head_of_school = Mark Devey | faculty = 40.8 {{FTE}}<ref name="nces_psch" /> | grades = 6–12, PG | gender = Coeducational | enrollment = 330<ref name="nces_psch" /> | enrollment_as_of = 2019–2020 | ratio = 8.1:1<ref name="nces_psch" /> | campus_size = {{convert|185|acre|ha}} | campus_type = Suburban<ref name="nces_psch" /> | colors = Purple and gold {{color box|Purple}}{{color box|Gold}} | nickname = Panthers | endowment = $9.2 million<ref name="irs">{{cite web |title=Form 990 |url=https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/231352667_202106_990_2022030219675257.pdf |website=Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax |publisher=Internal Revenue Service |access-date=October 19, 2022}}</ref> | annual_tuition = $70,250<ref name="tuition">{{cite web |title=Tuition & Fees |url=https://www.perkiomen.org/admissions/tuition-fees |website=Admissions |publisher=Perkiomen School |access-date=October 19, 2022}}</ref> | revenue = $21.7 million<ref name="irs" /> | affiliation = NAIS<ref name="nces_psch" /> | website = {{URL|https://www.perkiomen.org}} }}

'''Perkiomen School''' is an independent, co-educational, college preparatory boarding and day school in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1875 as '''Perkiomen Seminary''', the school enrolls students in grades 6 through 12 and offers a postgraduate program.<ref name="nces_psch" /><ref name="quickfacts">{{cite web |title=Quick Facts & FAQ |url=https://www.perkiomen.org/about-perk/quick-facts |website=Perkiomen School |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref>

== History ==

=== Founding and early years ===

In 1875, the Reverend Charles S. Wieand, a Schwenkfelder descendant, established a school he called Perkiomen Seminary in Pennsburg.<ref name="baker">{{cite book |last=Baker |first=William |title=Perkiomen: Here's to You |date=1975 |publisher=North Wales Press}}</ref><ref name="history">{{cite web |title=History |url=https://www.perkiomen.org/page.cfm?p=3972 |website=Perkiomen School |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref> For eight years, Wieand and his wife operated the school. During the Christmas recess of 1883, diphtheria struck the Wieand family, killing three of their four children within five days. Wieand was left severely weakened, and the school did not reopen after the holidays.<ref name="history" />

=== Schwenkfelder reopening ===

In 1892, members of the Schwenkfelder Church reopened the school on the original grounds, retaining the Perkiomen Seminary name. The Reverend Oscar S. Kriebel, pastor of the Palm Schwenkfelder Church, was appointed principal. The school opened on October 3, 1892, with a faculty of four and nineteen students.<ref name="history" /> Enrollment grew steadily; by 1902, it exceeded 300 students and the faculty numbered nearly thirty.<ref name="history" />

In 1913, Andrew Carnegie funded construction of a library on the campus, the only Carnegie library donated to a secondary school.<ref name="library">{{cite web |title=Libraries |url=https://www.perkiomen.org/academics/libraries |website=Perkiomen School |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref> The school was renamed from Perkiomen Seminary to Perkiomen School in 1916.<ref name="history" />

=== Modern era ===

On the night of April 17, 1994, a twelve-alarm fire gutted Kriebel Hall, the original 1875 building that housed administrative offices and classrooms. No students or faculty were injured.<ref name="fire">{{cite news |last=Staff |title=Perkiomen's Kriebel Hall Heavily Damaged in Blaze; No Students or Faculty Are Injured |url=https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1994-04-18-2981744-story.html |work=The Morning Call |date=April 18, 1994 |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref> The school rebuilt Kriebel Hall at a cost of $9.7 million, funded in part by a $3 million capital campaign, preserving the original facade while modernizing the interior with climate control and network wiring. Students and offices were temporarily housed in trailers during reconstruction.<ref name="history" />

In 2007, the school opened the Robert M. Schumo Academic Center, which includes science and computer laboratories, a conference room, and additional classrooms.<ref name="kessler">{{cite news |last=Kessler |first=Brandie |title=Perkiomen School unveils new facilities |url=https://www.pottsmerc.com/article/MP/20061224/NEWS01/312249992 |work=The Mercury |date=December 24, 2006 |access-date=January 12, 2016}}</ref> The Carnegie Library underwent extensive renovation in 2010, during which nearly 9,000 outdated volumes were removed to make way for new books and electronic resources.<ref name="library" /> In 2025, the school finished construction of the Helen and DeLight Breidegam Jr. Student Center, which includes Lloyd’s Cafe, Fritz Family Store, several breakout rooms for student use, and multiple new classrooms.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-03 |title=Perkiomen School News - Perkiomen School |url=https://www.perkiomen.org/about-perk/news/post/~board/homepage/post/student-center |access-date=2026-04-30 |website=www.perkiomen.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Academics ==

Perkiomen offers more than 25 Advanced Placement courses and 20 honors-level courses across its curriculum.<ref name="academics">{{cite web |title=Academics |url=https://www.perkiomen.org/academics |website=Perkiomen School |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref> Average class size is 14 students, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 8.1 to 1.<ref name="nces_psch" /><ref name="quickfacts" /> The school reports a 100 percent graduation rate and 99 percent college placement.<ref name="bsr">{{cite web |title=Perkiomen School Profile |url=https://www.boardingschoolreview.com/perkiomen-school-profile |website=Boarding School Review |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref>

The school operates three specialized institute programs in medicine, entrepreneurship, and artificial intelligence, which supplement the standard college-preparatory curriculum.<ref name="academics" />

== Athletics ==

The school fields more than 40 teams across 13 interscholastic sports at the middle school, junior varsity, varsity, and prep levels.<ref name="athletics">{{cite web |title=Athletic Department |url=https://athletics.perkiomen.org/athletic-department |website=Perkiomen Athletics |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref> Sports offered include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.<ref name="athletics" />

The {{convert|185|acre|ha|adj=on}} campus is in Pennsburg, a community in the Lehigh Valley and greater Philadelphia area.<ref name="visiting">{{cite web |title=Visiting Perkiomen |url=https://www.perkiomen.org/about-perk/visiting-perkiomen |website=Perkiomen School |access-date=October 19, 2022}}</ref> The school has six academic buildings, including Kriebel Hall and the Schumo Academic Center, and six dormitories with a dining hall, student center, health center, and faculty housing.<ref name="quickfacts" />

Athletic facilities include a center with a swimming pool, two gymnasiums, weight and wrestling rooms, eight tennis courts, multiple playing fields, and indoor and outdoor batting cages.<ref name="quickfacts" />

The Carnegie Library, built in 1913, is the only library Andrew Carnegie donated to a secondary school.<ref name="library" /> It also serves the surrounding community and holds a collection that was substantially updated during a 2010 renovation.<ref name="library" />

== Motto ==

The school's motto is ''Solvitur vivendo'', translated as "it is solved by living."<ref name="motto">{{cite web |title=Mission & Philosophies |url=https://www.perkiomen.org/about-perk/mission-vision-philosophies |website=Perkiomen School |access-date=October 19, 2022}}</ref>

== Notable alumni == * John Cecil Holm (1923), actor and playwright * Monte E. Ford (1977), technology executive, CIO of American Airlines * Ryan Dunn (2022), NBA player<ref>{{cite web |title=First-Round Draft Pick Ryan Dunn '22 heads to the Phoenix Suns |url=https://athletics.perkiomen.org/athletic-department/athletics-news-posts/~board/athletics-news/post/ryan-dunn-22-selected-by-phoenix-suns-in-nba-draft |website=Perkiomen Athletics |date=June 28, 2024 |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref> * Xaivian Lee (2022), basketball player for the Florida Gators<ref>{{cite web |title=Xaivian Lee College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/xaivian-lee-1.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref> * Thomas Haugh (2023), basketball player for the Florida Gators<ref>{{cite web |title=Thomas Haugh – Men's Basketball |url=https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/thomas-haugh/16875 |website=Florida Gators |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref> * Levi Stoudt, MLB Pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies Organization

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.perkiomen.org}} * [https://www.boardingschoolreview.com/perkiomen-school-profile Boarding School Review profile]

{{Education in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania}} {{Montgomery County, Pennsylvania School Districts}} {{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perkiomen School}} Category:1875 establishments in Pennsylvania Category:Boarding schools in Pennsylvania Category:Educational institutions established in 1875 Category:Preparatory schools in Pennsylvania Category:Private high schools in Pennsylvania Category:Private middle schools in Pennsylvania Category:Schools in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania