HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy will host its 5th Annual Community Day on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its campus located at 4400 Baltimore Avenue. The annual event brings together students, families, staff, alumni, and neighbors to celebrate World Cerebral Palsy Day, mark HMS’s 144th anniversary, and honor the students who drive the school’s mission forward.

This year’s Community Day carries special significance as HMS unveils its Vision for Impact—the centerpiece of a new six-year strategic plan. The roadmap focuses on strengthening the school’s core programs, expanding services, deepening community connections, and creating new possibilities for students and their families.

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The West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC) is expanding its School Library Program from 14 to 16 West Philadelphia elementary schools for the 2026–27 school year, widening access to open, functional libraries and literacy resources for local students.

WePAC relies on a volunteer-powered model to reopen and staff elementary school libraries across the area. Volunteers organize library operations, host weekly storytimes, and help students choose books that match their interests and reading levels. During the 2025–26 fiscal year, WePAC operated 14 school libraries, serving 3,388 students weekly, hosting 3,010 library sessions, and circulating 38,609 books with the help of 8,568 volunteer hours.

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Students and teachers from the HMS School gather for the ribbon cutting of the new “little library” at 45th and Chester, near their school. (Photo by West Philly Local)

This morning, HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy students and staff gathered outside the school playground gate at 45th and Chester for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion and reopening of the Little Free Library, a student-driven community care initiative designed to promote literacy and neighborhood connection.

The project began when students in Classroom G44, led by teacher Paige Halligan, noticed that the neighborhood’s Little Free Library outside HMS needed attention. Coinciding with a classroom unit on “community care,” the students identified the library’s restoration as an opportunity to engage in meaningful, hands-on service to their community.

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The Philadelphia Regional Institute of STEM Educators (PRISE) is hosting the annual STEM Educator Conference in West Philadelphia – on Saint Joseph’s University’s University City Campus (formerly USciences) – this Saturday, Oct. 26. The conference, entitled “Inventing and Affecting the Future through STEM: Working together to create the world we want,” will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and educators, high-school students, college students, and anyone interested in STEM education are welcome to attend.

The Keynote Speaker at this year’s conference is Gere Johnson, Women In Natural Sciences (WINS) alumna, graduate of the School District of Philadelphia and now a Conservation Planner with CT Resource Conservation & Development.

A student panel, The Future of STEM: A Student’s Perspective, will be facilitated by Dominique Thomas, a Philadelphia native and Manager of Social Justice Programs at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. She works with WINS, which she is also a proud 2012 Alumna.

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Here’s some great news for Alain Locke Elementary School students and the surrounding community. Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national nonprofit that helps connect communities to the benefits and joys of the outdoors, has announced the groundbreaking for the revitalization of Alain Locke’s schoolyard into a dynamic community space. A barren, cracked asphalt lot will be transformed into a green oasis for the entire neighborhood to enjoy!

Located at 4550 Haverford Avenue, Alain Locke School has long been a cornerstone of the community. With a goal to foster learning and community engagement, TPL has partnered with the City of Philadelphia, the School District of Philadelphia, Drexel University and the Philadelphia Water Department to reimagine the schoolyard as a multifunctional space that will serve as a catalyst for social, recreational, and educational activities.

The transformation of the schoolyard will include the installation of new play equipment, green infrastructure elements, and outdoor classrooms. These enhancements will not only provide students with a safe and engaging environment for learning and play but also create opportunities for residents of all ages to come together, connect with nature, and lead active lifestyles.

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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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