A selection of photos from the Masterman Pride celebration on Friday, June 5.

With the year-end half days eliminated, we have had to figure out a time for the high school picnic:

We hope to have it on June 11 in the afternoon.

We need at least 30 volunteer chaperones to sign up by May 20 to make this possible.

Thank you for your help!

Please sign up here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdLiSWha6usFXfIIIROzPdEEewST0FLlJNTil62RMzNlrq_Uw/viewform?usp=publish-editor

A group of the 6th graders won the Art of Math Challenge at the Barnes on May 3! For the competition, students in grades 1–12 take on the Art of Math Challenge in teams of three or more. Each submission consists of a 3D model of one of three selected artworks from the Barnes collection and a written statement

The original work  our students replicated (Unidentified Artist, Canal and Houses) can be found here.

Students Mira Benaforado, Corinne Gazda, Hannah McClung, Cecily Miller, and Ruthie Sarnoski made Masterman proud through their hard work, creativity, and applied math applications...taking home the prize for Grades 5-6. The contest included school groups from around the tri-state area. Good work Team Masterman! 

Their write-up on the piece is below:

Mathematics and creativity played a significant role in bringing the painting to life. The box we found was originally larger than the required size so we cut the sides down. The final box dimensions were 11 1⁄2 by 12 1⁄3 by 11 inches.When we uploaded the painting to the document, it became 15.5 cm by 11 cm. After measuring some of the items in the painting, we decided that multiplying the measurements by 3 for each object would be the best scale. We then assigned jobs in the group for maximum efficiency, though we all assisted each other. All teammates took notes on the dimensions of pieces throughout the constructing of the model. The first thing we did after that was sketching out where in the box everything would go so we can understand the placement of the objects, and what dimensions they needed to be. Next, we went through many material options, before settling on the most cost and energy efficient materials. Then, we started building. To make the trees, our team cut twigs to the correct size, which we determined by multiplying the original height of about 2⁄3 inches by 3. For the buildings, we scaled them to be a range from 2 to 11 inches in height. We painted the background and canal, and started assembling. When we hot glued all the pieces to the box, we had our final product: Canal and Houses model. After lots of hard work and collaboration, we were finished. This took a lot of team work and art supplies, but it was an amazing experience.

WINNERS: Best Creative Math Strategy for Unidentified artist. Canal and House

• Grades 2-4: Penn Wynne Elementary School — Creative Bears, Grade 4
• Grades 5-6: Julia R Masterman — 6th Grade Art of Math Masterman, Grade 6
• Grades 7-11 Strath Haven Middle School — Team Oranges 2.0, Grade 8

We would also like to send congrats to our 7th and 8th grade teams, who also completed amazing projects! 

LASS OF 2027 SENIOR PORTRAITS ARE HERE!

Please see the schedule attached here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yqE9UIgjLeWoTLjjKQ_rrbu3j41CRbG6z0iImUJydLU/edit?usp=sharing
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What to wear:
PLEASE mark down when you should be coming to school dressed to impress for your senior portraits. This is your time slot and it cannot be changed.  ALSO NOTE: on Friday - please come with nice clothes as well so we can do your GROUP photos and a class photo on the patio. 

What should you wear?

Students who wear masculine-presenting formal attire:
A button-down shirt (preferably white or light blue), necktie or bow tie, and dress pants (black or navy blue). Suit jackets (in black or blue) are highly encouraged!

Students who wear feminine-presenting or inclusive formal attire:
A formal dress, a tailored pantsuit, or an elegant blouse and skirt or pants in blue, white, or black.

Students who wear gender-neutral or non-binary formal attire:
A well-fitted button-down shirt or blouse (white, blue, or black) with dress pants, a tailored pantsuit, a jumpsuit, or a combination that makes you feel confident and comfortable in these colors.

SOME TIPS:

• The Tailored Suit: A crisp white button-down shirt, a navy or black suit, and an optional tie in blue or black.
• The Formal Jumpsuit or Pantsuit: A sleek black or navy blue jumpsuit or pantsuit paired with a white top or contrasting blue accessories.
• The Classic Dress: A formal dress in black or navy blue, or a classy white graduation-style dress.

UPDATE with pricing:
To ensure we are actively supporting the school's legacy of excellence, we are proud to introduce our new community initiatives for the Class of 2027:
The TAC Images Grant: For every 15 Legacy Collections purchased by Masterman families, our studio will quietly donate one Full Digital Archive Grant (a $545 value) to the school. These grants may be distributed completely anonymously by the administration or guidance counselors to families experiencing financial hardship or facing economic barriers.
​Our goal is to ensure that while we deliver a world-class, premium portrait experience for Masterman families, we also build a framework where no student is left out of preserving this incredible academic milestone.

This Sunday, the streets of Philadelphia were filled with energy, and our school will be right in the heart of it! We are incredibly proud to announce that a massive group of our students and staff mentors from Students Run Philly Style took on the 10-mile Broad Street Run.

These dedicated runners have spent months training—braving the early mornings and staying after school—to prepare for this iconic Philly tradition. Join us in cheering on this incredible list of athletes:

Students:

Students had a local author, Alyssa Reynoso-Morris, share her inspirational story to Spanish  classes. At the end of her presentation she donated all her books to the school library!

​On behalf of the Language Department  we want to show our gratitude to the HSA  for sponsoring this great opportunity for students.

THANK YOU to all the bidders, donors, sponsors, volunteers, student performers, and party-goers who contributed to making our annual spring auction and party our most successful fundraiser in years.
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We are amazed and grateful to share that, thanks to our community’s generosity and energy, the HSA took in over $55,000 in the course of this year’s event. 

These funds will go directly into our school to support the range of HSA efforts, including extracurriculars, the library, the musical, security, building upgrades, teacher incidentals, classroom books,  science lab materials, cultural events, student dances and socials, school-family connections, field trips, special programs and projects, and MORE.

• Missed the event or didn’t end up with the winning bid? A short list of great auction items flew under the radar among the 200+ items on offer, and so we have created a short Last Chance Auction with super-low starting bids to help these items find a good home. Check it out and place your max bid before Friday at 8 pm. 
• You can also still support the fundraiser by donating directly. An array of themes and donation sizes are visible on the Last Chance Auction page as well.

The funds our community provides make it possible for Masterman's amazing staff to go the extra mile and provide the enrichment—academic, cultural, social-emotional, and practical—that all students deserve. (View this short video created by current Masterman senior Joe Faranda highlighting just a few of the many ways our school serves students and the HSA serves our school.)

The biggest shout outs go to Craft Hall, the fantastic venue that made it all possible (and profitable), and to Rebecca Malcolm, the HSA board's fundraising chair and auction committee leader, who made it all happen.

We are all so fortunate to be part of the Masterman community, and to benefit from our shared dedication to excellence in public schools!

Here are a few shots of the scene at Craft Hall, and check out the photo booth gallery as well!

Masterman Merch
​In-Person Pop-Up Sale
Friday, April 17
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
1st Floor Hallway

Can't make the sale? Visit our online store:
https://www.mastermanhsa.org/merch.html

March 2026

Dear Parents and Guardians of Masterman 8th Graders,

My name is Ms. Santana, and I recently began my role as this year’s 8th grade sponsor. While every activity below the line is optional and separate from one another, eighth grade dues are a required cost for all students.

In order to cover the costs of graduation expenses, class t-shirts, and yearbooks, we are asking for $65 per child due Wednesday, April 29th, in the form of cash, check, or via School Cash Online (preferred). However, if your family is experiencing any challenges related to participation, please reach out to me or your child’s counselor directly.

We are committed to supporting all students and can work with you confidentially to explore options, including payment plans, to ensure every student can participate.

Thursday, June 11th:
Graduation Ceremony at The Community College of Philadelphia
10a-11:30a
4 tickets per student
This year’s ceremony will be held at CCP’s Athletic Center, located a 3 minute walk from the school. They have a parking garage accessible by 17th and 18th St. for a daily rate of $7. Please refrain from parking in the staff lot behind Masterman. Thank you.

Friday, May 8th:
8th Grade Dance
6p-8p
Est. cost of $10 (due date tbd)
Optional
The 8th grade’s annual evening dance is slated to be held on the roof, weather permitting. We will need chaperones to monitor between floors as well as bathrooms. Please reach out to me at [email protected] or fill out the Google Form (linked below) if you’re willing and available to help!

Tuesday, May 26th:
8th Grade Field Trip
Est. time of 10a-3p
Est. cost of $50 per student (May 4th due date); No additional cost for chaperones
Optional
This trip’s location is still in the final stages of the approval process, so I will provide additional details once all of the paperwork goes through. I think kids and adults alike will really love it! Stay tuned and please reach out if you can join us!

Wednesday, June 3rd:
Neshaminy Trip
9a-2p
$65 per student and $40 per chaperone due April 17th
Optional
At the start of February, your child should have received a permission slip for Neshaminy. However, if they need a copy for this trip or any others, they can access it via their 8th Grade Google Classroom page.

Thank you,
Ms. Jaymarie Santana ([email protected])

SCHOOL CASH ONLINE QR CODE AND LINK:
Please scan the QR code on the left to access School Cash Online and pay for any and all field trips, as well as 8th grade dues. You can also access online
payments via philasd.schoolcashonline.com

8TH GRADE CHAPERONE INTEREST FORM 2025-2026:
Please scan the QR code to the right or email me at [email protected] if you
are willing and able to chaperone our trips!
https://forms.gle/JfkeeYfwuuAyFcSA9

CLEARANCE INFORMATION:
*Please visit https://www.philasd.org/face/#volunteer for more information on how to obtain clearances.
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