The Julia Reynolds Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School is a
middle and
secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
located in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. It is a
magnet school
In the U.S. education system, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities (usually school boards) as school ...
, ranked 10th in the nation, located in the
Spring Garden neighborhood. Prior to 1958, the school building was used by the
Philadelphia High School for Girls
The Philadelphia High School for Girls, also known as Girls' High, is a public college preparatory magnet high school for girls in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As its name suggests, the school's enrollment is all female.
Established in 1848, it ...
and the building was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
under that name in 1986.
[B. Mintz, '' Pennsylvania Historic Resources Survey: Richardson L. Wright School'. ]Harrisburg
Harrisburg is the capital city of the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the List of c ...
: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) is the governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania responsible for the collection, conservation and interpretation of Pennsylvania's historic heritage. The commission cares for ...
, July 1986. Accessed 2010-09-30. To access this file type "public" as your ID and "public" as your password.
Rankings and awards
Masterman is ranked first in the
School District of Philadelphia
The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) is the school district that includes all school district-operated public schools in Philadelphia. Established in 1818, it is the 8th largest school district in the nation, by enrollment, serving over 200 ...
and in the state of
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
.
It is considered one of the best college-preparatory public schools in the country. The school has twice been named a
National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
. ''U.S. News & World Report'' ranked it as the top public school in Pennsylvania since 1996, and 10th in the nation in 2021. The acceptance rate for the middle school is approximately 7%. Acceptance for the high school is approximately 3%, making it one of the most difficult schools to get into in the country.
History
The Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School was established in September 1958 as an academic magnet school for elementary school students in grades 4, 5 and 6. A
junior high
A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...
school program was initiated in 1959, and a senior high school was added in 1976. In 1990 Masterman was re-organized as a
middle school
A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...
(grades 5-8) and a
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
(grades 9-12). Masterman is located in the former
Philadelphia High School for Girls
The Philadelphia High School for Girls, also known as Girls' High, is a public college preparatory magnet high school for girls in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As its name suggests, the school's enrollment is all female.
Established in 1848, it ...
building.
Students are admitted from all areas of
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
based on academic performance, and staff members are selected based on professional expertise. The high school is a preparatory school for select students of superior ability.
The school was named for Julia Reynolds Masterman, who was instrumental in establishing the Philadelphia Home and School Council and served as its first president. The Masterman family still participates in school events and contributes awards at commencement.
In 2006 the district considered establishing an annex for 5th and 6th grade students to increase the school's capacity. The proposed site was Stoddard-Fleischer Middle School.
In 2007, Masterman was a filming location for the 2008
M. Night Shyamalan film ''
The Happening'' starring
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), former stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, businessman, and former rapper. He has received multiple accolades, including a BAFTA Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, three ...
. The film shows interior shots of a science lab on the fourth floor, the auditorium, and the main corridor of the first floor hallway, along with various other shots of the school.
In 2010, President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
chose Masterman as the site of his second annual back-to-school speech, which was broadcast nationally. There, he spoke about how the core of America's future is represented by the students of this generation.
Jeannine Payne, who attended Masterman for middle school, was named principal in 2021.
Dress code
The current dress code states that students must wear clothing which is appropriate, acceptable and not offensive in any way. Jeans are allowed, but cannot be ripped in inappropriate places. Flip-flops, crop-tops, and tank tops are not allowed. References to alcohol, illegal drugs, profanities, or slurs of any sort are not permitted on any personal property.
Beginning in 2001 the School District of Philadelphia required all schools to enact
school uniforms
A school uniform is a uniform worn by students primarily for a school or otherwise an educational institution.They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries.
An example of a uniform would be requiring button-down shirt ...
or strict dress codes. To comply with the district-wide policy, the administration of Masterman banned shirts with logos and emblems.
Notable alumni
*
Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. His films include the musical-drama film '' Footloose'' (1984), the controversial historical conspiracy legal thriller '' JFK'' (1991), the legal drama '' A Few Good Men'' (1992), t ...
, actor and musician
*
Joel Fagliano
Joel Fagliano (born 1992) is an American puzzle creator. He is known for his work on the ''New York Times'' crossword puzzles, where he writes the paper's " Mini Crossword".
Early life and education
Fagliano grew up in the Mount Airy neighborho ...
, crossword puzzle maker
*
Ellen Forney
Ellen Forney (born March 8, 1968) is an American cartoonist, educator, and wellness coach. She is known for her autobiographic comics which include ''I was Seven in '75''; ''I Love Led Zepellin''; and ''Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo a ...
, author, graphic artist
*
Kenneth Frazier
Kenneth Carleton Frazier (born December 17, 1954) is an American business executive. He is executive chairman and former CEO of the pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. (known as MSD outside of North America). After joining Merck & Co. as general ...
, chairman and chief executive officer,
Merck & Co.
*
Andrea Gardner
Andrea Gardner (born December 23, 1979) is an American basketball player. She is 191 cm (6'3") tall and weighs 86 kg (190 lb).
Gardner, a center born in Washington, D.C., was drafted in the second round by the Utah Starzz as the 27 ...
, former
WNBA basketball player
*
Stephanie Gatschet
Stephanie Lucile Gatschet (born March 16, 1983 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an actress, who has appeared on the soap operas ''Guiding Light'' (as Tammy Winslow) and ''All My Children'' (as Madison North).
Early life and education
As a chi ...
, actress
*
Leila Josefowicz
Leila Bronia Josefowicz ( ; born October 20, 1977) is an American-Canadian classical violinist.
Biography
Josefowicz was born in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. When she was a young child her family moved to Los Angeles, California, where she sta ...
, concert violinist
*
Shana Knizhnik
Shana Knizhnik (born August 22, 1988) is an American lawyer and author from Philadelphia. She is best known for her ''New York Times'' bestselling book, ''Notorious R.B.G.: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg'', co-written with MSNBC reporte ...
, author and lawyer
*
Emtithal Mahmoud, poet
*
Angela Nissel
Angela R. Nissel (born December 5, 1978) is an American author and television writer best known for her first book ''The Broke Diaries: The Completely True and Hilarious Misadventures of a Good Girl Gone Broke''. She was a writer and executive ...
, writer
*
Leslie Odom Jr.
Leslie Lloyd Odom Jr. (; born August 6, 1981) is an American actor and singer. He made his acting debut on Broadway in 1998 and first gained recognition for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the musical ''Hamilton'', which earned him a Tony Award f ...
, actor and singer
*
Chynna Rogers
Chynna Marie Rogers (August 19, 1994 – April 8, 2020), known mononymously as Chynna, was an American rapper, disc jockey, and model who was signed by Ford Modeling Agency at the age of 14 and affiliated with the ASAP Mob.
Early life and ed ...
, rapper and model
*
Gregory Shahade, chess player and poker professional
*
Jennifer Shahade
Jennifer Shahade (born December 31, 1980) is an American chess player, poker player, commentator and writer. She is a two-time United States Women's Champion and has the FIDE title of Woman Grandmaster. Shahade is the author of the books ''Chess ...
, chess player
*
Eric Slick
Eric Slick (born May 15, 1987) is an American singer, songwriter and drummer. He is the drummer of Dr. Dog, performing on their albums ''Shame, Shame'' (2010), ''Be The Void'' (2012), ''B-Room'' (2013), ''The Psychedelic Swamp'' (2016) ''Abandone ...
, musician
*
Will Smith
Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his Will Smith filmography, acting career starring as Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), a ...
, musician and actor
— seventh grade
*
Raymond Teller, magician and writer
References
External links
Masterman School WebsiteMasterman Alumni AssociationMasterman Home and School Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Masterman School
Masterman School
The Julia Reynolds Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School is a middle and secondary school located in Philadelphia. It is a magnet school, ranked 10th in the nation, located in the Spring Garden neighborhood. Prior to 1958, the school bui ...
Masterman School
The Julia Reynolds Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School is a middle and secondary school located in Philadelphia. It is a magnet school, ranked 10th in the nation, located in the Spring Garden neighborhood. Prior to 1958, the school bui ...
Masterman School
The Julia Reynolds Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School is a middle and secondary school located in Philadelphia. It is a magnet school, ranked 10th in the nation, located in the Spring Garden neighborhood. Prior to 1958, the school bui ...
Masterman School
The Julia Reynolds Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School is a middle and secondary school located in Philadelphia. It is a magnet school, ranked 10th in the nation, located in the Spring Garden neighborhood. Prior to 1958, the school bui ...
School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Philadelphia
School District of Philadelphia
Public high schools in Pennsylvania
1958 establishments in Pennsylvania
Spring Garden, Philadelphia