At 8 a.m. today the bell will ring to open one of the most advanced high schools ever conceived. The School of the Future is the result of a unique collaboration between the School District of Philadelphia, Microsoft Corp. and the community of West Philadelphia that will deliver a new approach to curriculum and school design and the infusion of technology into the daily lives of educators and learners. The school is a state-of-the-art working example of this public-private partnership, featuring a progressive and research-based curriculum, integrated technology, and environmentally advanced architecture. What�s more, the entire project was completed within the strict confines of a standard urban public-school budget.

�What we have proven through this project is that the �School of the Future� is not too futuristic or out of reach,� said Paul Vallas, CEO of the School District of Philadelphia. �This is how schools of today can and should be designed and developed to adequately prepare students for life and work. I hope the school leaders who come and see what we�ve accomplished here in Philadelphia walk away saying, �We can do that, too, and we can start now.��