Spruce Hill / K-5

untitled-39We like to envision our Spruce Hill campus as a “college-preparatory elementary school.” Beginning with our youngest children, students are taught to love their lifelong pursuit of learning. Elementary students are creative, curious and inquisitive: we embrace their natural love for knowledge and help them understand learning in the context of a well-rounded Christian education. Our strong academic program is complemented by an innovative emphasis on the arts, and every subject is seen as an opportunity to explore how God works in our world. Small class sizes and nurturing teachers ensure each child is given the one-on-one attention they need to discover their academic potential.

Our elementary campus is located in the idyllic Spruce Hill neighborhood. This provides a safe, nurturing environment for our youngest students to flourish. We take advantage of many neighborhood opportunities, such as field trips to the Penn Police Department and treks to the beautiful Clark Park, just one block from campus.

The City School at Spruce Hill serves children age kindergarten through grade 5.

Faculty

Olivia Stallings

Olivia Stallings

1st Grade Teacher's Assistant

Email:
livi2016@gmail.com

Joined The City School family:
2023

    Degree(s):
  • B.A., Religion

Hello students, families, and friends! Before joining The City School I spent three years working in Early Childhood Education, and have found no other work to be more fulfilling. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Religion, and I am starting a Master’s degree in ECE this year. I am excited to be joining The City School family because it is so important to teach children that every area of life is meant to glorify God and be enjoyed with Him. In my free time I love to cook, spend time with family and friends, drink matcha, and watch movies.

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Kirby Gaddis

Kirby Gaddis

1st Grade Teacher

Email:
kgaddis@cityschool.org

Joined The City School family:
2022

I am so excited to join The City School for my 8th year as a teacher! I love working with the next generation in forms of leading children’s church, youth group, coaching, and more! I enjoy traveling, trying new things, reading, and watching sunsets in my free time. Most importantly, Mom is my favorite title! I love attending my son’s baseball games and cheering on the side! *Numbers 6:24-26*

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Jervonda Malachi-Banton

Jervonda Malachi-Banton

Kindergarten Lead Teacher

Email:
jmalachibanton@cityschool.org

Joined The City School family:
2022

I joined the TCS team because I believe in the mission of the school, and I know I am called to join in fulfilling that mission. I believe students learn best when they have a trusting relationship with the adults teaching them. Before coming on board at TCS I was employed with Delaware County’s Head Start program. I enjoy carpentry, crafting, and sports. I am married with four children and my favorite scripture is Jeremiah 29:11

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Ciara Goins

Ciara Goins

Assistant Teacher - 1st Grade Spruce Hill

Email:
cgoins@cityschool.org

Joined The City School family:
2022

I am a 31 year old Philadelphia native. I attended Syracuse University, where I studied Communications Design and minored in African American Studies. My service here at the City School is with the Spruce Hill Campus as the 1st Grade Teaching Assistant. Overall, I have 12+ years as a professional in childcare – working as a mentor, instructor, teaching assistant, and 1:1 behavioral health paraprofessional. I have worked with children of all ages and from various demographics in settings such as early childcare, general education, special needs, and community/recreational. Outside of my work in the classroom, I am a community artist. I love to see the worlds of the arts and health interact to bring mental and emotional wellness to children and adults alike. I look forward to growing and pouring into our community and being a light to my city.

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Judith Williams

Judith Williams

Office Assistant

Joined The City School family:
2022

    Degree(s):
  • Art Institute of Philadelphia

My name is Judith Williams. I worked as an Administrative Professional a number of years for the William Penn School District and Elwyn.

I am delighted to be the new office assistant for The City School Spruce Hill, Fairmont, and Poplar Campuses.

I am thankful to God that he has made a way for me in joining the City School Family.

I attended the Art Institute of Philadelphia for Graphic Design. I love and enjoy all things creativity. My most loved hobbies are drawing, painting and Photography and a host of other things that are too long to list. 🙂

I have 4 adult children and 2 grandchildren.

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Africa Jones

Africa Jones

Spruce Hill Principal

Email:
ajones@cityschool.org

Joined The City School family:
2015

    Degree(s):
  • B.S., St. Joseph's University
  • M.Ed., Eastern University
“I am so blessed to be a part of The City School. Getting to see the richness and diversity in the cultural fabric of the school and the students we serve provides a snapshot of ‘Thy kingdom come.’ “
Africa lives in Philadelphia with her husband, Dwight and 2 of their 4 children. She enjoys serving in many roles in her church, as well as hiking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

 

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Mildred Bazemore

Mildred Bazemore

Aftercare Director

    Degree(s):
  • C.B.S., Palmer Seminary

“I see my work at The City School as an extension of my ministry. I love children. I love working with them–I love doing arts and crafts, helping with homework, and watching students have fun on the playground. I am grateful that God put me in this position to watch our children grow and play a role in helping them become the people he is calling them to be.”

Mildred–Ms. B, as she’s known–is passionate about studying Scripture and has given most of her life to ministry. She is also a longtime block captain in her neighborhood and is concerned with preserving the peace and beauty of our city.

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Ashley Fornwalt

Ashley Fornwalt

Academic Support Coordinator

Email:
afornwalt@cityschool.org

Joined The City School family:
2010

    Degree(s):
  • B.S., Philadelphia Biblical University

“I am passionate about children and our work at The City School because it is what I believe God has called me to. Seeing the impact I can have on the development of the whole child—spiritually, physically, emotionally, academically—gives me goose bumps.  As I grow, I am always getting a clearer picture of how God views us and invests in our growth and development. I view my job as an extension of God’s love and care for each child.”

Ashley lives with her husband and one-year-old son. She enjoys camping, gardening, and “attempting craft projects.”

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Noel Terrell

Noel Terrell

Music Teacher

Email:
nterrell@cityschool.org

Joined The City School family:
2016

“Music is more than notes and harmony–it’s a way of unleashing your emotions. Music moves people. It brings us together. It glorifies God. My dream is to share the power of music with my students.”

Noel has served as a Musical Director and keyboardist for diverse musical acts like Pharrell Williams, Meek Mill, and Jill Scott. He also toured Europe with British hip-hop/r&b duo Floetry and currently performs with his contemporary Christian band, The Browne Boyz. Noel is happily married and has two sons, Roman and Lincoln.

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Rebekah Williams

Rebekah Williams

Spruce Hill Office Manager

Email:
rwilliams@cityschool.org

Joined The City School family:
2013

“I am truly blessed and thankful to God that he has placed me in such a wonderful place. I have the great privilege of working side by side with such loving and caring people. It is a blessing to know The City School students and their parents. Working here is incredibly satisfying, rich, and rewarding.”

Rebekah grew up in Dallas and Wichita, Texas. She loves creating beautiful weddings and other special events. Rebekah enjoys spending time with her family and looks forward to church service on Sundays.

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Academic Support

Every child should find joy in learning. One thing I love about The City School is that we open our doors to such a beautiful diversity of students. Our kids span the spectrums of race and ethnicity, economic background, faith traditions, and academic abilities. We have no desire to be an elite school open only to the extremely gifted. The City School is a place where students are challenged where they excel and given special care where they struggle. The end result of this approach to education is that students at all levels can learn together as peers, friends, and equals.

My job is to partner with students who are struggling to keep pace academically. I am here to help students, as well as their teachers, identify learning challenges and develop plans to overcome them.

Over the past two years I have been working with the administration and other educators to pilot an academic support program to identify the specific needs of our struggling learners. Through this process, we have begun to use more specific data collection methods—benchmarks and screenings—and student tracking systems in order to set academic goals that will help close the achievement gap for our struggling learners.

The City School uses the Wilson programs: Fundations, Just Words, and Wilson Reading System because we have seen struggling learners acquire the skills they need to be successful students.

I am hopeful about the future of our academic support program, and I am committed to helping each student find joy in their lifelong pursuit of learning.

Gratefully,

Ashley Fornwalt,
Academic Support Coordinator

Activities

Spruce-Hill-Activities

Extra-Curricular Activities

Starting in third grade, students at The City School at Spruce Hill can begin participating in extra-curricular activities. Students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades are welcome to join our Handbell/Chimes Choir which performs at special events throughout the academic year. 5th grade students are eligible to play on the middle school basketball and soccer teams.

Extended Day Program

Working parents can find assistance with child care in our early morning and late afternoon extended day program.

Hours

Morning: 7:30 am until school begins
Afternoon: After school until 6:00 pm

Registration

The Extended Day Program registration form can be downloaded here.

The cost is $4.00 per hour or portion of an hour.

Fitness For Life

Every Wednesday and Friday afternoon volunteers from the University of Pennsylvania’s Fitness For Life program visit our Spruce Hill campus to teach students about the importance of living an active lifestyle. Volunteers engage the students with lessons on healthy living and by playing sports to show how fun exercise can be. Fitness For Life works to promote a culture of healthy living among children, volunteering their time at The City School at Spruce Hill.

"I like that my teachers are funny and that they smile and laugh. They make learning easier because they always want to help me."

Jasin, Grade 3

Student Information

Spruce Hill Campus Summer Hours

  • Monday – Thursday, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
  • Fridays – Closed

More Information

  • View the School Calendar
  • View the Spotlight (School News and Updates)
  • The First Day of School is Tuesday, September 5, 2023
  • Questions? Spruce Hill Office Manager, Rebekah Williams – rwilliams@cityschool.org

Click to view the Spruce Hill Campus Summer Information Page

Click to view the Spruce Hill Campus Summer Information Page

Visit our the Summer Information Site for the Spruce Hill Campus for information regarding summer projects, medical forms, uniform information and more!

CLICK TO VISIT THE SUMMER INFORMATION SITE FOR SPRUCE HILL

Uniform Guide by TheCitySchool

 


Online Learning Resources 

We would love for you to take this time to explore learning that makes the most sense for your family. We have done the research to offer some of the best online resources that aligns with your child’s ongoing City School education. Click on the links, use what works and skip what doesn’t!

Reading/Writing (PK-12)
Khan Academy KidsPrek through 2nd
Khan AcademyWhat is Khan Academy? They offer exercises, quizzes, and tests so students can practice and master skills, as well as instructional videos to help students learn or review material.

      • ~ Khan Academy has a library of standards-aligned lessons covering kindergarten through early college math, grammar, science, history, AP® courses, SAT® preparation, and more.
      • ~ Students can practice skills with exercises, quizzes, and mastery challenges and get immediate feedback and support.
      • ~ Khan Academy is available in 40 languages. 
      • ~Students without laptops can access the Khan Academy website or use the Khan Academy app on smartphones.

 

Parent Resources

Daily Schedule with links

Resource Page
ReadWorksFREE reading content, curriculum, and tools to power teaching and learning from Kindergarten to 12th grade.
Teachers, parents, and students never have to pay to access ReadWorks digitally or otherwise. All adults, no matter who they are, may create a digital class and assign reading content and curriculum to students for free. We have always believed that students deserve barrier-free access to the highest-quality reading materials and instruction, and that belief has only grown stronger during this crisis.

Reading/Writing (K-5)
Reading Eggs – Students should already have a TCS login they can continue to use at home
Storyline – Read-a-loud books and stories

Math (K-12)
Khan AcademyWhat is Khan Academy? We offer exercises, quizzes, and tests so students can practice and master skills, as well as instructional videos to help students learn or review material.
IXL Math practice skills for K-12

Math (K-5)
Prodigy Prodigy is a leveled math program.  Students are tested, leveled, and then progress at their own pace.   Third through fifth grade students at Spruce Hill have been using this for the past two years (as part of computer class) and have logins that they should already be using at home.
Math Blaster The goal at Math Blaster is clear: “Your success depends on your ability to use your brain and logic skills.” With an exciting theme featuring aliens and outer space, Math Blaster lets your students become intergalactic heroes based on their math operation and critical thinking skills. Registration is required, but the game itself is free. Be sure to check out the Teacher Section to find Math Blaster for the Classroom.

Computers (6-12)
Typing ClubFree account has a ton of capability. Watch typing lessons, practice, and store progress. Premium account (paid) not necessary to get full benefit of these typing lessons.
Code.orgBeginning coding program (Grades 6-8 already have login)

Science (K-12)
National Geographic KidsGames, videos, science projects, etc…
NASA Explore NASA’s online activities, e-books, podcasts and other content. The universe is waiting.

Fun Learning
Kahoot  – Fun and super competitive trivia game that you can play in small or large groups. Choose from already created games or create your own games. Needs setup by an adult.
GoNoodleWebsite to get kids up and moving
The Learning StationEnergizing kinesthetic brain breaks to use in between learning times

 


Emotional, Spiritual, and Physical Well Being

From Jessica Scott, City School Student Care Director:

     Hello, I wanted to connect with you all to offer my support and care during this time. You’ll see my phone number listed below. Feel free to reach out via email, phone or text. You can reach out to ask questions, vent, voice frustrations, anything that would be helpful to take some of the burden off.
     This season can produce a lot of stress, anxiety and frustration. This is all normal, but we do not need to bear it alone. We are the body of Christ, we bear each other’s burdens.
     Trying to teach our children at home can produce a lot of stress. You are doing an excellent job; I firmly believe we are all doing the best we can with the skills and resources we have.
     Below is a list of resources for self care, how to talk to about COVID-19, how to deal with homework frustration, as well as practical resources of where to receive meals, support and assistance.

Praying for all of you, and truly hoping to hear from you,

Jessica Scott, MEd
Student Care Director
jscott@cityschool.org
(215) 693-6386, ext. 312

Talking to Kids about the Coronavirus https://www.pennlive.com/life/2020/03/coronavirus-how-parents-should-talk-to-children-about-covid-19-and-other-tips-to-help-kids.html

Dealing with Homework Frustrationhttps://www.wikihow.mom/Deal-with-Homework-Frustration-As-a-Parent

Parenting During Crisishttps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/202003/12-ways-effectively-parent-during-crisis-part-1

CDC Resources for Self Care, Managing Stress and Helping Children Cope:

https://emergency.cdc.gov/coping/selfcare.asp

https://www.cdc.gov/childrenindisasters/helping-children-cope.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html

Free Meal Options: https://www.phila.gov/2020-03-14-city-and-district-provide-meals-activity-space-during-school-closures

Counseling and Mental Health Resources:

https://www.opencounseling.com/pennsylvania/philadelphia

https://generocity.org/philly/2018/06/27/mental-health-guide-where-to-get-therapy-on-a-sliding-scale-in-philadelphia/

Open Rec Centers: https://www.phila.gov/2020-03-16-50-recreation-centers-and-six-older-adult-centers-to-remain-open/

 

Spruce Hill Campus
4115 Baltimore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-382-7839