New Foundations Charter School

Our Mission and Vision 

The mission of the New Foundations Charter School is to provide students with the academic, social, and emotional foundations and skills necessary to become high-achieving, socially competent stewards of their communities. The teachers and staff of New Foundations Charter School will ensure a commitment to lifelong learning and achievement of all of our students by creating an atmosphere of caring that pervades every aspect of school life and promotes responsibility for all members of our school community.

With the transition to new CEO leadership in 2018, the school embarked on a strategic planning process to craft a vision for its future. That Vision for Impact is that by June 2025, New Foundations provides daily opportunities for all students to engage in rigorous academic preparation, integrated and well-rounded character development, and inclusive and expansive specials and extracurricular activities that prepare them for individualized post-secondary success.  

Our Students 

As an open enrollment public charter school, we seek to prepare each student for the college, career and service opportunity of their choice. New Foundations Charter School currently educates 1,500 students across a K-8 & High School campus in Northeast Philadelphia. 

New Foundations has a highly diverse and representative student/family population: 57% White, 22% Black, 13% Latino, 5% Asian and 3% Mixed Races & Other; 40% Free Lunch, 30% Reduced-Price Lunch, 30% Paid Lunch. The political and ideological diversity of our student and family body is representative of the United States as a whole. 

Our Buildings 

The K-8 and High School buildings are located within walking distance of each other in the Holmesburg neighborhood of Philadelphia. Both buildings include recent renovations and are well-maintained to provide a positive learning environment for students and staff.  

Building highlights include bright and spacious classrooms, technology-enabled classrooms, science labs, gymnasiums with full size basketball courts, cafeterias and learning commons. The buildings are near major roadways with on-site parking for staff and within walking distance from the SEPTA Regional Rail Suburban station with trains to Center City. 

Our Community 

New Foundations opened in 2000 and has had a strong, positive presence in its Northeast neighborhood of Philadelphia throughout the past 20 years. New Foundations is highly-regarded on various academic performance measures compared with other Philadelphia charter and district schools and we have an admissions wait-list of over 7,000 students.