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Finding Aid

Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School Records UPB 504

Access to collections is granted in accordance with the Protocols for the University Archives and Records Center.

Summary Information

Prepared by
DiAnna Hemsath, updated by Joseph-James Ahern
Preparation date
June 2005, September 2014
Date [inclusive]
1998-2012
Extent
3.25 Cubic feet

PROVENANCE

The records have been transferred to the University Archives by the Alexander School between 2002 and 2014 (Accession Numbers: 2002:107, 2002:118, 2006:043, 2006:086, 2008:040, 2011:036, 2014:032).

ARRANGEMENT

The records for the Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School are organized into seven series: Closing Exercises, Communications, Construction / Technology, Media, Photographs, Video Tapes, and Year Books. The series are arranged alphabetically, with the exception of Year Books which are arranged chronologically.

AGENCY HISTORY

The Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School, is informally known as The Penn Alexander School. The school’s namesake, Dr. Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander (1898-1989) earned four degrees from Penn and has the distinction of being both the first African American in the nation to earn a Ph.D. in Economics (1921) and the first African American woman to be admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar (1927), among other achievements.

Initial planning for the school began in June 1998 and it opened its doors in September 2001 in the buildings of the former Philadelphia Divinity School in the 4200 block of Spruce Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Designed to serve over 600 West Philadelphia students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 8, the school provides students with research-based instruction and holds them to high academic standards. The School is unusual in that it is managed by a Governing Board, the members of which are drawn from the School District of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and the University of Pennsylvania.

In addition to its involvement with the governing board, Penn assists this public school in a number of ways. First, Penn contributes $1,000 per student. This contribution enhances the student’s learning experience by keeping their class sizes small. Second, the Penn Graduate School of Education faculty advises the school on curriculum and conducts research to help improve student learning. Third, students receive resources from Penn-affiliated partners such as the University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and the University Archives and Records Center.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School Records document the establishment and construction of the school, as well as year books. The collection does not contain any administrative or student records.

Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)
Graduate School of Education.
Sadie T. M. Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School.

Inventory

 

Closing Exercises 

Box

Folder

Invitation 2005 

3

11

Program 2005 

3

12

Program 2007 

3

18

Program 2015 

4

1

 

Communications 1998-2000 

Box

Folder

Communications Planning 

1

2

Almanac Piece 2000 May 16 

1

1

Community Association Meetings 

1

3

Community Forum 

1

4

Community Issues 

1

5

Construction Plans / Financing 

1

6

Correspondence – Miscellaneous 

1

7

Design Architects Finalists 1999 April 

1

8

External Communications Posting 

1

9

Informal Coffees 1999 December – 2000 January 

1

10

Mayor Street Town Meeting in West Philadelphia (Lea) 

1

11

Media Planning / Talking Points 

1

12

New School Presentations 

1

13

New School Summary 

1

14

Planning Commission / IDD Change 

1

15

Presentations, transparencies 

1

16

Public School e-mails 

1

25

Strickland Report 1998 November 20 

1

26

UG/G Dean Meeting (Pre-K – 8 school presentation) 2000 February 17 

1

27

University City Community Council 

1

28

University Council Committee on Community Relations Presentation 2000 February 17 

1

29

Website 

1

30

Press Clippings 

 

 

Folder #1 

1

17

Folder #2 

1

18

Folder #3 

1

19

Folder #4 

1

20

Folder #5 

1

21

Folder #6 

1

22

Folder #7 

1

23

Folder #8 

1

24

 

Construction / Technology 1998-2002 

Box

Folder

Committee Chairs Correspondence – Miscellaneous 

2

1

Committee Chairs Meetings 

2

2

Committee Status Reports 

2

3

Community Programming 

2

4

Community School 

2

5

Construction Decision Team, Temp Space at 42nd and Locust #1 

2

6

Construction Decision Team, Temp Space at 42nd and Locust #2 

2

7

Coordinating Committee 

2

8

Design and Construction updates 

2

9

Dog park 

2

10

Education Committee 

2

11

Education Committee Retreat 3/13/99 

2

12

Educational Programming Committee Minutes #1 

2

13

Educational Programming Committee Minutes #2 

2

14

Floor Plans #1 

2

15

Floor Plans #2 

2

16

Floor Plans Redesigns 

2

17

Groundbreaking 2001 March 1 

2

18

GSE Overseers 

2

19

GSE Student Participation 

2

20

GSE Student Project re: Pre-K-8 School 

2

21

Miscellaneous Material 

2

22

Penn Faculty and Staff for Neighborhood Issues (PFSNI) 

2

23

Perelman School 

2

24

Phase II 

2

25

Planning Documents – General 

2

26

Playground 

2

27

Press Material #1 

2

28

Press Material #2 

2

29

Press Material #3 

2

30

Project description 

2

31

Questions to ask or Community Program Committee 

3

1

Ribbon Cutting and Naming Ceremony October 7, 2002 

 

 

Favors 

3

2

Invitations 

3

3

Media 

3

4

Program 

3

5

RSVP 

3

6

VIP Lunch 

3

7

Site Committee 

3

8

Site Facility Committee 

3

9

Space and Building Planning 

3

10

 

Media 

Box

Folder

PAS News Volume 4, No. 1 2006 December 

3

15

Philadelphia Tribune Article 2007 April 24 

4

6

School Naming Process 2002 

4

76

University City Review Article 2002 August 28 

4

8

 

Photographs 

Box

Folder

Architectural Renderings Slides n.d. 

4

1

Construction Photographs (1) 2001-2002 

4

2

Construction Photographs (2) 2001-2002 

4

3

Construction Photographs (3) 2001-2002 

4

4

Construction Photographs (4) 2001-2002 

4

5

Groundbreaking 2001 March 1 

3

16

Ribbon Cutting and Naming Ceremony 2002 October 7 

3

17

Building Exterior Photographs CD 2010 

4

3

 

Video Tapes 

Box

Folder

Local News Coverage of School Opening 

3

18

Presentation #1 – Atkins Olshim (2 tapes) 1999 April 26 

3

19

Presentation #2 – Agoes / Lovera(2 tapes) 1999 April 26 

3

20

Presentation #3 (2 tapes) 1999 April 26 

3

21

Presentation #4 (2 tapes) 1999 April 26 

3

22

Presentation #5 (2 tapes) 1999 April 26 

3

23

Presentation #6 – Kelly / Miaello (2 tapes) 1999 April 26 

3

24

 

Year Books 

Box

Folder

 2005 (2) 

3

25

 2006 

3

26

2007 2007 

3

27

 2008 (2) 

3

28

 2011 (2) 

3

29

 2013 (2) 

3

30

 2015 

4

2

 2016 

4

5