Posted on 13 January 2011 by Mike Lyons
The crisis in public education is perhaps the biggest challenge facing our city. You only have to go as far as our own neighborhoods to see the disparity among schools. To address these concerns, teachers, parents and students from some area schools are coming together tonight for a local screening of “A Community Concern,” a documentary about organizing for better urban public education, at the Enterprise Center CDC (4548 Market St.) in studio c. The film begins at 6:30 p.m. and doors open at 6.
From the organizers:
“A Community Concern is a new documentary about people who refuse to accept the system’s failures, and are working for change.Their spirit, passion and commitment shows that when organizers, parents, youth and educators work together, they are successful. It brings together stories of people who face different challenges, but share similar goals.”
The event co-Sponsored by The Enterprise Center, Philadelphia Student Union, Parents in Action Council, Teacher Action Group & The Notebook.
Posted on 05 December 2010 by Mike Lyons
A New York-based religious leader penned an opinion piece in today’s Inquirer that outlines what many of us here already know – some creative problem-solving needs to be done to help public schools in West Philadelphia.
Howie Beigelman, deputy director of public policy at the Orthodox Union, and a handful of other religious leaders toured West Philadelphia High School, West Catholic High School and Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School – a public school, parochial school and charter school respectively – in early October. Students First organized the tour. Beigelman highlighted the differences between the three schools, notably that the atmosphere was “less hopeful” at West Philadelphia High, where he observed that teachers often locked their doors during class.
He continues:
The three schools may be within walking distance of one another and serve families from the same community, but they might as well be worlds apart. As we know, West Catholic must charge tuition and Boys’ Latin has a limited enrollment, about one-half the size of West Philadelphia High. So despite living in a community with multiple school options, most students have access only to West Philadelphia.
This comes as no surprise to most of us. Nor do his possible solutions, but they are worth repeating. Beigelman sees some hope in the possible expansion of earned income tax credits and opportunity scholarships. It might also help, he notes, to expand the number of charter schools and increasing aid to all children. The opportunity scholarships aimed at low-income students that he is talking about are addressed in Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1405, introduced by State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams and others over the summer.
The bill is currently in the Senate’s Education Committee.
Posted on 15 November 2010 by WPL
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Construction of the new playground at Alexander Wilson Elementary School (1300 South 46th), a project that has been years in the making, began today.
A member of the construction crew that was beginning to assemble the playground equipment said that phase would be done by Friday, “if all goes well.” Another crew will then lay down a rubber ground surface.
The playground has been near the top of the Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) wish list for many years and became a reality after a $50,000 grant from the Hamels Foundation, the charitable organization run by Phillies Pitcher Cole Hamels and his wife Heidi. The grant was the Foundation’s largest made to a Philadelphia public school this year. Mary Goldman of the SHCA’s Youth and Education Committee was instrumental in arranging the funding for the playground. Community members from the school and a variety of organizations have been raising funds for the playground for about 20 years.
The 183-square-foot facility will provide 21 activities and will be able to accommodate about 70 children at a time.
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