Philadelphia-Montgomery Christian Academy

Philadelphia-Montgomery Christian Academy, commonly known as Phil-Mont Christian Academy is a Private school serving grades K-12. Founded in 1943 through the efforts of Cornelius Van Til and many others, Phil-Mont continues to provide Christian education based on spiritual integrity, a Reformed tradition, and a pursuit of excellence in academics, fine arts, and athletics.^[2]

Mission

Phil-Mont's Mission is to provide an excellent academic education from a consistent Christian world-and-life view for the children in Christian families.^[3]

Academics

Phil-Mont pursues excellence in academics like many other college-preparatory schools and does so from a consistent Christian world-and-life view for the children of Christian families.^[4]

Athletics

The Athletic Program at Phil-Mont provides an important context for training children to be disciples and ambassadors of Christ. Students are given the opportunity to put into practice the principles taught within their homes, school and local churches. Athletics offers another means to bring glory to God (I Cor. 10:31), preeminence to Christ (Col. 1:18), and dependence upon the Holy Spirit (Gal.5:16).

Over half of the student body participates on a team each year and several of the school's alumni return to serve their alma matter as coaches. Starting back in the 1960s, Phil-Mont was a member of the Keystone Scholastic Athletic Conference. This was a close- knit league made up of smaller sized private schools within the surrounding counties. During their tenure within the KSAC , Phil-Mont won championships in boys soccer, cross country, basketball, baseball and tennis. Girls championships were achieved in field hockey, tennis, basketball and softball.

In 2007, Phil-Mont became a member of the PIAA District One and joined the Bicentennial Athletic League. This new league, comprising both private and public schools, provides strong local competition along with the opportunity for teams as well as individuals to advance into District, Regional and State Championships.

League and District Championships Since 2007

Soccer (B) '07 -'08, '08 -'09, '09 -'10, '10 -'11

X-Country (B) '07 -'08, '08 -'09

Basketball (B) '10 -'11, '13 -'14, '15 -'16

Basketball (G) '13 -'14, '14 -'15, '15 -'16

Fine Arts

Art

Art class at Phil-Mont begins at the Kindergarten level and goes all the way through 12th grade, including the opportunity to take Advanced Placement Art. Classes cover a wide variety of genres and styles of art, working through art history in the lower grades and improving with the elements of design in high school.^[5]

Drama

Phil-Mont hosts 4 stage performances a year, including a Fall Musical*, Winter Play**, Night of One Acts** and a Spring Fine Arts Festival*.

*Middle and High School combined

**High School only

Music

Music is taught at Phil-Mont at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.

*Core Instruments: Clarinet, Flute, French Horn, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Percussion

**Other Instruments:Baritone Horn, Tuba, Saxophone

History

In 1939, Dr. Cornelius Van Til gave a series of lectures at Calvary Pres. in Willow Grove, regarding the responsibility of Christian parents to train their children apart from the state schools. He was instrumental in leading a small group of families to start the Christian School Society of Willow Grove.

In September 1943, the first classes of the Willow Grove Christian Day School began with 1 teacher and 17 students in three elementary classes. The school met in the basement of Calvary Presbyterian Church in Willow Grove. The school grew to K – 8 by 1955.

In 1956 the Philadelphia-Montgomery Christian High School began with 3 teachers and 34 ninth and tenth graders. The students met at the First Reformed Church of Germantown until the newly acquired Wyncote Elementary building was fixed up in preparation for grades 9-12.

In 1964–65, the elementary and high schools merged, becoming Philadelphia-Montgomery Christian Academy. In 1969 a new school facility, to house grades K–12, was built on a 20-acre site in nearby Dresher. In 1979 the former Hillcrest Junior High School was purchased to house the middle and high schools (6–12). In 2006–07, the elementary, middle and high schools merged on the Hillcrest campus.

Press

In 2012, Philadelphia Magazine included Phil-Mont Christian Academy in their list, "Guide to (45) Great Private Schools" which ranks "the region’s best performers."^[6]

In 2017, nich.com ranked Phil-Mont #6 (out of 113) of Pennsylvania's most diverse private high schools,^[7] ranked Phil-Mont #14 (out of 55) of Pennsylvania's best Christian high schools,^[8] and ranked Phil-Mont #46 (out of 158) of Pennsylvania's best private high schools ^[9]

Notable alumni

• Phoenix Best - Actor, Tony Award-winning Broadway Revival The Color Purple.
• Christian Smith - American Sociologist, and the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Notre Dame.^[10]
• Lawrence E. Lockman - Representative (R) for District 137 in Maine's House of Representatives.^[11][12]
• Charles R. Gerow - Prominent American strategic communications professional, and CEO of Quantum Communications, a Harrisburg-based public relations and public affairs firm.^[13]

Notes

References

External links

• Official Website