Here’s a heads up for parents looking for school registration information for next year at two neighborhood schools.

The registration lottery period for the Penn Alexander School (43rd & Locust) begins next Tuesday, Jan. 21, and runs through Friday, Feb. 28, according to the School District of Philadelphia. The registration is open to students who live within the school’s catchment area. Proof of residence will be required for registration. Applications can be submitted at the school between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. The lottery will be conducted on March 5 and parents will be notified by letter during the week of March 10.

Kindergarten enrollment at the Henry C. Lea School (47th & Locust) also begins on Jan. 21. The Lea School will host an open house on Thursday, Jan. 16 from 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. The open house will start in the school’s auditorium (the entrance is through the small playground on Locust Street). If you are interested in Lea but don’t live in the catchment the deadline for the voluntary transfer process is this Friday, Jan. 17. Get more information here.

A hawk grabs some sun high above the sidewalk near 45th and Spruce. (Photo by Mike Lyons/West Philly Local.)

The woman convicted in the vicious abuse of a 3-year-old boy who died in 2011 was sentenced to 28-and-a-half to 57 years in prison yesterday.

Jaquinn Brewton (Photo from Faces of Angels Blog).

Nadera Watson, 25, lived with 3-year-old Jaquinn Brewton in an apartment at 49th and Chestnut. Paramedics were called to the apartment in June 2011 and found Brewton, who was developmentally delayed and was Watson’s godson, unconscious. Watson told police that he had fallen down a flight of stairs, but the investigation that followed revealed a pattern of methodical abuse involving boiling liquid, a blowtorch and periodic beatings. Jaquinn’s mother left the toddler in Watson’s care when she moved into a homeless shelter with her five other children.

The case was so horrific that it shook up long-time social workers and prompted an investigation into the Department of Human Services’ handling of the case. The Department of Public Welfare report on Jaquinn’s death is here. According to the report, Human Services “missed several monthly visits” to the child. The report alleges that timely visits “could have uncovered the abuse that was occurring in the home.”

Watson was convicted of third-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and child endangerment charges. Watson’s boyfriend, Marcus King, pleaded guilty to third degree murder in August and was sentenced to 10-20 years in prison.

The family of the 7-year-old West Philly boy who drowned this summer in a municipal pool is suing the City of Philadelphia and Families Forward Philadelphia, the agency in charge of the boy during a field trip to the pool.

Ja’Briel O’Connor died two days after he was pulled from the swimming pool at the Cobbs Creek Recreation Center (210 S. 63rd St.) on July 18. Lifeguards performed CPR on the boy and he was taken to Children’s Hospital. Ja’Briel lived with his family at a shelter for homeless families near the corner of Walnut and Melville streets run by Families Forward.

Four lifeguards were reportedly on duty at the pool when the drowning occurred, according to reports. Some 25 children were part of the summer camp group at the pool. Supervisors included four camp counselors and four lifeguards, according to reports.

The attorney for Ja’Briel’s family, Andrew Stern, told NBC Philadelphia that the boy’s death was a result of “clear inexcusable negligence.” The lawsuit, which was filed yesterday, also states that the family has attempted to settle the matter out of court, but to no avail. The suit also claims that the counselors were told before the trip to the school that Ja’briel could not swim.

Soon after his death, several neighbors rallied around Ja’Briel’s mother, Aisha Watson, and contributed money to offset funeral expenses and other costs.

Here’s another chance to save some money on your property tax bill – if you have owed and lived in your home since July 2003.

Homeowners have until Jan. 15 to apply for the Longtime Owners Occupancy Program, which is in place to help offset tax increases brought on by neighborhood development (some are calling it “gentrification relief”). If approved, the tax relief is good for 10 years.

Taken from city brochure on the LOOP program.

This offer is different from the Homestead Exemption offered earlier this year and you should apply whether you received that or not.

• You must own and have lived in this property as your primary residence since at least July 1, 2003.
• Your home is either a single family or a multi-unit property with no more than three residential units and one commercial unit.

• Your property has not received a tax abatement.

• The real estate Taxes on your property must be paid in full or you must be up-to-date on a payment plan (or have an application for a payment agreement pending).

• There is an income limit based on household size (see graphic).

Here is a brochure with more details about the LOOP program. The application is available here. The city says that applicants will be notified in March. Call 215-686-9200 with questions.

You see them all the time especially in late November and December – those UPS, FedEx and U.S. Postal Service trucks driving up and down neighborhood streets delivering would-be holiday gifts. Potential thieves see them too. The University City District has issued a reminder that porch thefts, particularly of packages, increase this time of year.

Here are some tips that might help make sure you get your deliveries this year (please feel free to add your own tips in the comments):

• Encourage neighbors to look out for your deliveries and vice versa and bring them inside.
• Have your package delivered to your workplace (if you have an understanding boss).
• Track deliveries and sign up for text message confirmation of delivery.
• Request signature confirmation of delivery. Delivery folks will try again at a later time if you’re not home.
• Provide delivery instructions requesting the package be stowed somewhere out of sight.
• Some online retailers, such as Amazon, offer delivery to secured “lockers” scattered around the city where you can lick the package up at your convenience. The two we could find in West Philly are both at 7-Elevens. One is at 3440 Market Street and the other at 3401 Lancaster Avenue.

Of course, our favorite option of all:

Shop Local!