The Philadelphia High School for Girls, deep in its traditions and spirit, has been extending their legacy with Dr. Parthenia A. Moore as its principal.

Moore, who graduated from Girls’ High in 1971, has come full circle. She has gone from being the student to sitting in the big chair and ensuring a foundation that aided fellow alumni such as R&B singers Jill Scott, the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC and powerhouse attorney Gloria Allred.

Moore has been the principal of Girls’ High for more than a year now, but never dreamed of returning as the school’s leader.

“I never thought I’d be here at Girls’ High. I’ve been a principal before. I’ve been an assistant principal. I’ve even been an assistant superintendent or a regional superintendent here in the district,” Moore said.

“But the opportunity, when given to me by the superintendent to come to Girls’ High, to me was the highest honor I felt that had been bestowed upon me as an educator in my professional life.”

One item on Moore’s agenda has been to raise the bar of excellence even higher at the college preparatory school.

“We set high expectations for them about what it is that they should be doing academically, behaviorally and socially,” she said.

“We let them know what it will take for them to get to the ninth grade at Girls’ High through the twelfth grade and then beyond.”

Moore talked about what each Girls’ High student meant to her.

“It’s my love for the school, the history that I have with the school, having been a graduate, that keeps me pushing and making sure everything is in place,” Moore said.

“I call each one of the girls my daughters. They all belong to me. So, I have almost 1,100 children that are mine. I didn’t give birth to them, but I feel like I’m birthing them every day and helping them to be nurtured and do the things that need to be done.”

The personnel at Girls High have been just as determined to do their parts.

“It has been wonderful. I think several things happen to anyone who comes in the building. One, you fall in love with the school and the girls,” Antoinette L. Chapman, assistant principal, said.

“And then you quickly learn about the dedication of the teachers to the students and it’s always pleasurable working with young people, particularly young people who have matured to the point of focus.”

Dale Matthes, the school’s other assistant principal, shared her thoughts as well.

“We’re looking for the smartest, but we’re also looking for the nicest too,” she said.

“Technology is wonderful, but technology gets old. What you learn today may be obsolete in two years. So what’s really crucial is, can you problem-solve? Can you be resilient? Can you make it through anything? Can you be self-reliant? Do you believe in yourself?”

Joseph Marchetti is the department chair of humanities, has taught at Girls’ High since 2003.

“I love being here. I think we have brightest, most talented girls here in the city. Every day is an adventure,” he said.

Marchetti spoke about how art has enhanced the education of the girls.

“Art is probably the most important thing that you can have in a student’s life. It’s experiential, visual, cognitive and at the same time, it’s therapeutic. It’s introspective and extroverted,” he said.

“You have to look within yourself and also look around yourself. And I think the other thing it teaches is empathy, because you have to understand what the person you’re sitting next to is going through.”

Marchetti also had words of praise for Moore’s leadership.

“Dr. Moore is an excellent principal. It’s nice to have a graduate. She’s an alumna and I think that’s a very important thing,” he said.

“When you’re 16 and 17 and you’re not quite sure what you want to do in life, it’s nice to have faculty that graduated from Girls’ High because they become role models, and I think for students, she is a role model of what you can become.”

Stuart Surrey, who teaches advanced biology, shared the sentiment.

“She’s very supportive, very interested in making things better for the school and outing in more programs,” he said.

Surrey was just as complimentary about his experience thus far at Girls’.

“The girls are all very motivated. They’re college-bound. It’s a wonderful place to work. In spite of what you might hear about the School District of Philadelphia, I enjoy working at Girls’ High,” he said.

Moore said her desire was to continue making the school on the hill not only one of the premiere schools in the city, but nationwide, despite any challenges that may arise.

“When I first started teaching years ago, we talked about (how) we can’t change what’s happened outside or the environment from which our students come, but we change what goes on inside so that those things that need to occur academically, socially, behaviorally. We build upon that and make better what happens in our building,” Moore said.

“So, with all that was going on outside and there’s always something politically or within communities that’s happening, we still have to maintain what needs to happen here in our schools, and we’ve done a really good job of at maintaining that culture and climate of Girls’ High that precedes us by 163-plus years.”