On Saturday, March 19, parents and caregivers of preschool-age children are invited to meet representatives of about a dozen local early childhood education programs and learn more about available preschool and daycare options in the area. All at the same time and place! The West Philly Early Childhood Info Day is organized by a recently formed West Philly Early Childhood Consortium, and the following centers will participate in tomorrow’s event:

• Children’s Community School (1212 South 47th)
• The Little Green School House (219 South Melville)
• Little Learners (4630 Woodland)
• Dreamscape
• Past Your Bedtime Child Care (4946 Parkside, 2009 North 63rd)
• Little Pearls (1247 North 52nd)
• TIES Tots (4431 Walnut)
• Saint Mary’s Nursery School (3916 Locust Walk)
• Parent Infant Center (4205 Spruce)
• West Philadelphia Cooperative School (4625 Baltimore)

At this free event you can learn about local programs, ask questions one-on-one, and get info on choosing the right program for you. Also, feel free to bring your kids to this event – it will include a children’s book sale and free activities for your little ones.  Continue Reading

The West Philly chapter of ACTION United is holding a public meeting on Thursday, March 10, to discuss improvements to schools and city services in the Cobbs Creek section.

“We need to come together to fight for the services and institutions our neighborhood needs,” Chinara Bilaal, an ACTION United member, said in a statement. “From streets and schoolyards to vacant lots and homes, we’re getting ignored. We need to make our voices heard as a group.”

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Sayre Morris Recreation Center (5835 Spruce Street). Light refreshments will be served.

Members of ACTION United in West Philadelphia organized last week’s rally calling for improvement of safety on and around the property of West Philly’s Andrew Hamilton Elementary School located at 57th and Spruce Streets.

Thursday’s meeting will be the first public meeting of this new group.

For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.

The Penn Alexander School’s first and only principal, Sheila Sydnor, will retire at the end of this school year, and The School District of Philadelphia has announced a search for a new principal to lead the school starting from the 2016-2017 school year.

                     Penn Alexander School

Sydnor has served as Penn Alexander School Principal since it opened in 2001. A veteran district teacher and administrator, she was selected from a pool of 60 candidates. Under her leadership the University of Pennsylvania-assisted neighborhood school has earned a reputation for educational excellence. The school was named as the best K-8 school in the district in the 2014-2015 School Progress Report.

On Wednesday, March 9, community members are invited to join in the conversation regarding the search for a new principal. A meeting with the search committee, which is chaired by Sean Conley, assistant superintendent for Neighborhood Network Two of the School District of Philadelphia, and Dr. Pam Grossman, dean of the Penn Graduate School of Education, will take place from 7 – 8 p.m. in Penn Alexander’s cafeteria.

The committee is holding a series of outreach meetings with key stakeholders. These meetings are an opportunity for community members to learn about the search process and voice their ideas.

When: Wednesday, March 9, 7-8 p.m.
Where: Penn Alexander School Cafeteria; Enter on 43rd street (between Locust and Spruce)

City Council is hosting a series of community town halls throughout Philadelphia starting this week to identify the priorities of struggling schools.

The first one will be held tonight (Monday, March 7) in West Philadelphia, at Sayre High School (5800 Walnut St.), beginning at 5:30 p.m. Parents, educators, and other concerned community members are invited to join Councilwomen Helen Gym and Jannie Blackwell to weigh in on what students need.

Years of budget cuts have left most public schools without basic, essential services. The number of teacher vacancies has grown and there is also serious shortage of core staff, including nurses and counselors, which is leaving students without critical support. About 95 percent of Philadelphia’s 149 elementary schools lack a functioning library.

These meetings are meant to highlight the community priorities for spending and needs in their schools. A report will be published after the town halls to demand how the District needs to prioritize spending in District schools.  Continue Reading

UPDATE (3/2/2016): A report about Wednesday’s rally can be found here.

West Philadelphia activists, parents and students will hold a rally on Wednesday morning to call for improvements to safety in and around the property of Andrew Hamilton Elementary School.

According to a report by ACTION United’s West Philadelphia chapter, neighbors in the vicinity of the school, located at 57th and Spruce Streets, have complained about litter, trespassers and drug activity in the schoolyard during nights and weekends. They are calling for more street lights and a lot light to be installed around the property, for a more consistent security presence and for better fencing to be constructed along the Frazier Street side of the property.

“Hamilton and the other public schools are important, valued institutions in our community,” says Chinara Bilaal, an ACTION United member. “School district and city officials need to ensure they are safe places for children to learn and play.”  Continue Reading

Click on the images below to view breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus to be served in Philadelphia public schools in March 2016. Click here if your school uses the Satellite menu.

March 2016 K-8 breakfast, lunch and dinner menu

March 2016 9-12 breakfast, lunch and dinner menu