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Philadelphia School District issues Extreme Heat Protocol for Sept. 5-7

September 1, 2023

The 2023-2024 school year begins Tuesday, Sept. 5. In anticipation of extreme heat conditions next week, with temperatures reaching mid-90’s, the School District of Philadelphia has issued an Extreme Heat Protocol for the public schools without air conditioning or inadequate cooling (see the list below).

These schools will follow the schedule below for Tuesday, Sept. 5 through Thursday, Sept. 7.

• Tuesday, Sept. 5 – Wednesday, Sept. 6: Students will attend schools in the morning and then be released on an early dismissal schedule.

• Thursday, Sept. 7: The District will continue to monitor heat conditions. Any decisions about Thursday or Friday will be announces by 12 p.m. on the day before.

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Speed cushions being installed near West Philly schools

July 21, 2023

Speed cushions near Lea School at 47th and Spruce.

Motorists will have to slow down when passing many local schools thanks to new traffic calming measures being installed around the city. In the past month, speed cushions have been installed near several West Philly schools and more are on the way. The work, which will continue throughout the summer, is being carried out by the Philadelphia Streets Department.

This work is part of the city’s efforts to make it easier for schools to have traffic calming measures installed as new legislation cutting the red tape was passed in the spring. Any city block can now request a traffic calming and safety study, but it takes around a year for this study to complete. The new legislation allows schools to bypass the study.

Around 50 School District of Philadelphia schools will get traffic calming measures by September, according to a report by CBS Philly.

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Philadelphia School District to reinstate masks for 10 days after winter break

December 16, 2022

In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses in school, reduce absenteeism and prioritize in-person learning after the winter break, the School District of Philadelphia will reinstate mandatory masking for students and employees for 10 days following the winter break – from January 3 through January 13, 2023.

This implementation is part of the District’s general COVID-19 protocol for the 2022-2023 school year that was shared in August.

District employees, students and families can pick up free at-home COVID-19 test kits at five school-based testing locations while supplies last. SDP testing locations will be closed on December 26 and January 2 in observance of the federal holidays.

Testing locations, the most updated COVID-19 data and more information can be found on the District’s COVID-19 Information Hub.

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Independent community school recruiting grades K-1 for Fall 2023

September 29, 2022

Open houses for a planned independent community school in West Philly begin this Saturday, Oct. 1.

Set to open in Fall 2023, the Roots and Branches School is recruiting kindergartners and first graders, according to experienced West Philly educator and the school’s director Rowan Machalow.

“Our vision is providing a broad and balanced elementary education to children from a range of cultural and financial backgrounds in the West Philadelphia community,” Machalow wrote in an email. “Our educational model supports educating the whole child through investigation and exploration in our academic curriculum and daily arts, music, and foreign languages, and movement.” Continue Reading

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School District announces new 21st Century industry programs in two West Philly high schools

September 16, 2022

Here’s some great news for two West Philly-based high schools and one high school located in Southwest Philadelphia. Overbrook, West Philadelphia, and Bartram High Schools have been designated by the School District of Philadelphia as locations for a new “21st Century Schools Model.” The new education model will provide these schools with blended instruction and hands-on experience that will prepare them for success in the following high-demand industries after graduation: Transportation & Logistics, Entertainment and Urban Development.

Overbrook High School will provide Entertainment Industry programs in Digital Design, Film & Television, Music Industry and Entertainment Management. Continue Reading

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Morton McMichael School gets new playground thanks to a decade-long effort

August 25, 2022

Students at the Morton McMichael School, a K-8 public school located on Fairmount Avenue in the Mantua neighborhood, will have a brand new playground when the 2022-2023 school year begins next week, as the result of a joint effort by the School, Drexel University, and the Mantua Civic Association.

The new 12,000-square foot recreation space officially opened yesterday. It was the culmination of more than a decade of planning, fundraising and execution.

“This playground is a splendid example of what we can accomplish by working together as a community,” Drexel President John Fry said at the opening ceremony. Continue Reading

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