Your gift to Shipley supports educational excellence, compassionate participation, and hope for the future. Shipley students thrive and are prepared for success by being immersed in a curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, fosters a love of learning, and develops leaders for a more hopeful future. Your annual gift to Shipley is an investment not only in our students, but also in our dedicated teachers. Explore the many ways your gift can make an impact at Shipley.

Your Gift Supports:

The Arts

Unrestricted annual gifts to Shipley directly support the professional faculty and staff, curriculum development, materials, and equipment required to maintain a high-quality arts program. Students at every level  complete general coursework and are encouraged to pursue many extracurricular activities in the visual, music, and theater arts. In the Lower School music program, fourth and fifth grade students gain exposure to different instruments, experiencing the joy and challenge of performing in an ensemble. Instruments are made available to every student at no cost, thanks in large part to the generous philanthropic support of the Shipley community.

List of 3 news stories.

  • Spotlight on the Lower School Music Ensemble Program

    Shipley’s Lower School music program offers a one-of-a-kind musical education to its young learners, culminating in an authentic music ensemble experience. In fourth grade, students can learn to play three different instruments. The long-term benefits and goals of the program are many, extending beyond the classroom and into the lives of students and their families.
  • Playing Up in Shipley's Music Ensembles

    Shipley's Lower School music program benefits musicians of all levels—whether a student is a true novice or a seasoned youth instrumentalist. In this video, fourth grader Maya talks about her experience playing with the Middle School string ensemble and the other ways that Shipley's music department has challenged and supported her in striving for excellence.
  • Making Sense of Emotions by Making Music

    Dr. Harley Givler asked his third grade students to imagine what a storybook's characters would sound like as a musical composition. The third graders performed the composition for their PreK Book Buddies, sharing lessons in emotions, tolerance, and being an upstander, as well as inspiring a love of music.

Tuition Assistance

Philanthropic gifts designated for tuition assistance provide much-needed support for individuals who otherwise would not be able to afford a Shipley education. The impact is long-lasting, both on the students who receive assistance, as well as on their peers who benefit from a socioeconomically diverse learning environment. Roughly 30% of Shipley's student body receive some form of tuition assistance annually from Shipley. Here are the stories of four alumni who benefitted from such support.

List of 3 news stories.

  • Aki Garrett ’00: A Gator’s Mentality

    Media executive and business builder Akinwole "Aki" Garrett '00 credits Shipley with providing a drive for excellence and the tools for achieving success, as well as an interest in serving the communities he's a part of. Luckily for Shipley, Aki gives back to the School in big ways, like serving as a member of the Board of Trustees and the Alumni Council.
  • Karen Krok '93: Giving Back, Giving Opportunity

    Karen Krok '93, a transplant hepatologist, gastroenterologist, Director of the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellowship, and Professor of Medicine at Penn State Health's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, benefited from the generosity of gifts made to Shipley when she attended the School with the help of tuition assistance. Now, she gives back to Shipley to give others the same opportunities she had.
  • Tom Stewart '05: Kickstarting a Career in the Great Outdoors

    Tom Stewart '05 was determined to launch a successful business after graduation from college. After a few failed attempts, he and his business partner found success with Sunski, which sells vintage-inspired sunglasses for people who love the outdoors.

Faculty Development & Curricular Innovation

Annual philanthropic contributions to Shipley provide much-needed funds in support of curricular innovation and professional development for teachers. This work exemplifies our commitment to educational excellence, is critical to developing a robust and evolving academic program, and gives teachers the opportunity to become reflective practitioners.

List of 3 news stories.

  • Adopting a Daily Harkness Practice in Upper School History

    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.
  • Introducing Interactive Notebooks in Middle School Math

    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.
  • Supporting Curricular Innovation in Lower School Social Studies

    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.
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.