Experience
Being a Moonstone kid is an unforgettable experience. Adult alumni wax poetic about their days at Moonstone and share the ways Moonstone has shaped their lives –
“Moonstone is where I first learned of Rudyard Kiplings “Aesops Fables” and made the monsters, of “Where the Wild Things Are” come to life. My imagination was given voice and movement here. I still listen to that voice. It’s alive and well inside of me. I am eternally grateful for the lessons I have learned at Moonstone and from Sandy. It has truly made me who I am today”
– James Lane
alumnus, former music teacher, and Broadway performer
“As an adult professional artist, I can trace my life-long passion for artistic inquiry and love of experiential learning to my formative years at that school. Some of the richest memories of my life are from my time as a student there, and when I returned as an adult teacher, I was able to employ those same techniques that I had been taught to help cultivate a new generation of brilliant minds. In fact, I have used pedagogical techniques that I received as a child student at Moonstone when teaching college-age and adult students in my professional life.
One of the most crucial things about education at Moonstone is that the young students are truly valued for the expansive capacity of their brains and their individual intelligences, rather than being condescended to or treated as anything less than brilliant. The Moonstone method of education is truly unique and offers a level of dynamic learning found nowhere else that I have seen.”
– James Marshall-Lively
alumnus, former teacher, professional artist
Our families cherish the time they are with us and, although it is bittersweet when their last child graduates, they know they are “Always a Moonstoner.”
“The hard work and love you pour into the kids is so deeply appreciated. We will stay a part of the community and continue to support the school however we can. I could gush and gush, but in the end the message will be the same – WE LOVED EVERY MINUTE AT MOONSTONE!”
– Laura Rhame
Moonstone alumni parent
?Moonstone’s Rainbow Connection?
A Day In The Life
Click or touch a room to take a tour and get the full moonstone experience
Exposure & Field Trips
Moonstone has been a part of our South Philadelphia neighborhood for nearly thirty-five years. Our children play in the local parks and playgrounds, take walking trips through the neighborhood, visit local businesses, and partner with neighborhood schools to provide enrichment and internship opportunities for older students. We are known around the neighborhood for looking particularly cute in our bright orange park shirts.
Every day at Moonstone is special, but some days are even more special!
- Each week, founder Sandy Robin performs an interactive puppet show based upon traditional and ethnic tales. The performances are dramatic, playful, improvisational and demonstrate for our children the power of imagination.
- We host several First Friday exhibits each year where children’s art is displayed – mimicking the feel of the citywide First Friday celebration. Occasionally our First Friday will include performances or special presentations by guest artists. The entire Moonstone community – current and alumni families – is invited and offers a way for families to stay connected to the school and each other.
- We like to put a twist on traditional holiday celebrations, turning them into uniquely Moonstone events. Each Halloween, teachers and children create and perform a “dark tale” for our families with elaborate costuming and stage sets, followed by a community parade. Each Lunar New Year, our children and teachers build a dragon to parade around the neighborhood. We invite special guests – musicians, chefs, etc… to share their expertise and their Lunar New Year traditions. We also celebrate “Love Day”, “Luck Day”, and “Thanksgiving Feast.” with special art activities, lunches, and performances.
We organize more than 20 field trips each year to a variety of arts and culture institutions. Yearly field trips include Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia Magic Gardens, Arden Theater, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, The Expressive Hand pottery studio, Morris Arboretum, Mill Creek Farm, and National Museum of American Jewish History.
Finally, many of the parents and friends of Moonstone are arts and culture professionals who graciously share their time and expertise with our children and staff. Some of those who have volunteered their time and talents in the past include a Philadelphia Orchestra musician presentation of Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf,” the Chinese orchestra family for Lunar New Year, a Bikram Yoga instructor and dancer duo who lead our children in weekly yoga and movement, a glassblower’s studio demonstration, a Mummers presentation, Philadelphia Beekeepers’ Guild demonstration, a Persian santur musician performance for Persian New Year, and a violin recital.
