Grover Cleveland Elementary - Mastery Schools

About Our School

Grover Cleveland Elementary serves students from kindergarten through 8th grade in the Tioga neighborhood of North Philadelphia. Students at our school have the opportunity to advance to Simon Gratz High School after completing 8th grade, offering them a comprehensive K-12 experience within Mastery Schools. Explore the information below to discover how we ignite students’ enthusiasm for learning while supporting their holistic development in a safe and secure school environment. 

715

Students

K-8

Grades

We offer a rigorous academic curriculum that includes subjects such as math, science, reading, music, art, and more. Our dedicated and highly qualified teachers and staff ensure that all students receive a well-rounded education in a fun and joyful environment. To learn more about Mastery’s academic approach and the range of student supports available, please visit our Academic Program page.

Every Mastery school has a dedicated school culture team that is responsible for ensuring a positive and safe school community. Our schools observe common rituals, such as morning circles, community meetings, and school events that celebrate the school community and the joy of learning. We also ensure that school rules and values are consistently supported and enforced. Our teachers adopt standard school-wide classroom behavior systems, ensuring that students are held to consistently high expectations. We intentionally create a community that strikes a balance between structure and student independence, allowing schools to feel both orderly and joyful. To learn more about school culture, visit our Student Life page

 

We offer a before care and aftercare program through Baywaycares. The program runs Monday through Friday from 6:30 AM to arrival time and from dismissal to 6:00 PM. Childcare subsidies are accepted for the program. For more information, please contact [email protected].

We also offer enriching extracurricular and athletic programs to support student growth outside of the classroom. Offerings include: 

  • Boys and Girls Basketball
  • Book Club
  • Co-ed Cheerleading
  • Communications Club
  • Fitness Club
  • Co-ed Flag Football
  • Foreign Language Club
  • Girls Mentoring Club
  • Math Club
  • Co-ed Outdoor Track + Field

Mastery’s student uniform consists of a Mastery logo collared shirt, solid-colored pants, Mastery logo sweaters/sweatshirts, closed-toe, flat-soled shoes, and head coverings for religious purposes. Hoodies and t-shirts, regardless of logo, are not permitted. 

For information on purchasing uniforms, please contact the main office at 215-227-5042.

Being prepared for school each day is vital to student success. To ensure your student is ready from day one, please review the list of required school supplies.

How to Apply

Now accepting applications for school year 2026-2027

Grover Cleveland Elementary serves students in the Nicetown/Tioga area who reside within the school’s attendance zone, which is located in the 19140 zip code. Preference is given to students with siblings currently attending the school. Students living outside of the attendance zone are not eligible to enroll, even if they reside within the listed 19140 zip code. Please review the attendance zone map below to determine your student’s eligibility for enrollment, or use our school finder to identify the Mastery schools to which your child is eligible to attend.

  • Apply today: Interested families can apply online through the Apply Philly Charter website. Simply sign in or create an account and submit your application by January 20, 2026.
  • Have questions about our school or need help navigating the process? Please complete and submit this form, and a Mastery enrollment specialist will contact you to answer your questions and assist with your application.
  • Looking for a seat for the current school year (2025-2026)? You can still apply online today using Apply Philly Charter. Just click on the “Apply for Current Year” button to start your application once you’ve logged in.

Grover Cleveland Elementary in the news

Year two of literacy investment brings new libraries to four more Mastery schools

Year two of literacy investment brings new libraries to four more Mastery schools

Learn More

Our Principal

Max Tartar

Principal
Max Tartar is the proud principal of Grover Cleveland Elementary, where he fosters a learning environment rooted in curiosity, community, and growth. With a strong commitment to student achievement and development, Principal Tartar ensures that every child has the opportunity to succeed. He is equally dedicated to supporting teachers by promoting professional growth, sharing best practices, and cultivating an inclusive…
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Additional School Leadership

Erica Cruz, Assistant Principal of Instruction

Megan Mattocks, Assistant Principal of Operations

Anneliese Mayo, Assistant Principal of Instruction

Darrien Peoples, Assistant Principal of School Culture

Ashley Reynolds, Assistant Principal of Instruction

Scott Weischedel, Assistant Principal of Specialized Services

Latiise Wilkins, Lead Case Manager

Who to Contact

Attendance Zone