VAUX HS: A BIG PICTURE SCHOOL

Vaux HS: A Big Picture School is a Title I public secondary school that is part of the Philadelphia City SD school district, located in Philadelphia, PA with about 118 students. A Title I school provides supplemental financial assistance to school districts for children from low-income families. Its purpose is to provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education. With about 2 teachers, Vaux HS: A Big Picture School has a student/teacher ratio of about 59:1. The national average for public schools is about 15:1. A lower student/teacher ratio is a key factor that determines how much a teacher can devote his/her time to each individual student thus improving, or reducing (in the event of a higher student/teacher ratio) the attention each student is given for their educational needs.

Vaux Big Picture High School, located in the Sharswood neighborhood of North Philadelphia, operates on a unique educational model that emphasizes personalized, student-centered learning. Unlike traditional high schools, Vaux integrates real-world experiences directly into the curriculum through its signature "internship program." Students spend significant time working alongside mentors in professional settings, allowing them to gain practical skills, explore career interests, and build professional networks before they even graduate. The school focuses heavily on "advisories," where small groups of students stay with the same teacher for all four years, fostering a tight-knit community and ensuring that every student receives individualized academic and emotional support.

The school is part of the Big Picture Learning network, a national organization that promotes the philosophy that student interest should drive education. Because of this, the school environment is less about standardized testing and more about project-based learning and the development of "habits of mind," such as organization, persistence, and critical thinking. By partnering with the local community and the Philadelphia Housing Authority, Vaux aims to serve as a hub for neighborhood revitalization while providing a high-quality, flexible pathway to college and career success for its students.

For more information, contact Vaux HS: A Big Picture School at (215) 400-4000 or visit the school personally to speak with a faculty or administrative member about any specific questions you may have.