Photo via Drexel.edu
A new public middle school has opened in West Philly, in an area that definitely needs one. On Tuesday, Sept. 20, the School District of Philadelphia, Drexel University and Inquiry School will celebrate the opening of the new Science Leadership Academy Middle School (SLA-MS) at Drexel’s Dana and David Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships in the Powelton neighborhood.
Drexel University and Philadelphia School District officials, including Superintendent Dr. William R. Hite, will join SLA-MS students, staff and families at a ribbon-cutting ceremony, which will begin at 10:30 a.m.
Dornsife Center (3509 Spring Garden) is just a temporary location for the new school while plans are underway to build the school’s permanent home on the site of the now demolished former University City High School and Drew Elementary School near 38th and Filbert. Most of the fifth grade students who enrolled in SLA-MS came from nearby Samuel Powel Elementary, a highly rated K-4 school.
Drexel’s School of Education supports the middle school with help in planning and executing the curriculum, similar to the arrangement Penn has with the Penn Alexander School.
September 19th, 2016 at 7:42 am
I think this is a great opportunity for the children and families that attend Powel School. These young people are going to continue to receive an excellent education. I hope they allow children from the Mantua community to enroll and take advantage of this collaborative effort between the school district of Philadelphia and Drexel University. Interesting enough, Dornsife is in the Mantua community, so they are temporarily housed in the community that Powel has historically blocked students from enrolling. Moving forward and hoping to see great success with SLA-MS in West Philadelphia.
September 19th, 2016 at 9:46 pm
I hope we in Mantua will be able to take advantage of this new school. I attended Powell as a child due to my mother using an address on the other side of SpringGarden. Why can’t schools of this magnitude be developed in Mantua?
September 20th, 2016 at 5:16 pm
Mantua deserves a blessing not just another afterthought. 🙂