A panel that includes the city controller, a state representative, educators and school reform activists will discuss a host of issues facing West Philly schools Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Calvary Center for Community and Culture (48th and Baltimore).

Sponsored by the reform organization Teacher Action Group, the issues that panelists will likely discuss include teacher layoffs, school closings, community involvement in the schools and the transition of local schools, including West Philadelphia High School, to “promise academies.”

The panelists include:

• Alan Butkovitz, City Controller
• State Representative James Roebuck, Democratic Chair of House Education Committee
• David Lapp, Staff Attorney, Education Law Center
• Dr. James H. “Torch” Lytle, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education professor and former District administrator
• Joshua Glenn, Youth Art and Self-Empowerment Project
• Arlene Kempin, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, general vice president

Among the most controversial is the possible closing of schools that are underperforming and below capacity, including a handful of schools in West Philadelphia. Currently 70,000 seats are empty in the district’s 300 buildings. District officials have said that it will close, consolidate and relocate schools to increase school efficiency.

The Notebook last week released a document leaked from the District that shows which schools would be likely candidates for closure. In West Philadelphia this includes Charles R. Drew Elementary School (3724 Warren St.), which, according to The Notebook, has “high repair costs, a poor academic score and is only a third full.”

West Philly High is getting new laptops today thanks to the hip hop cop.

Daily News Celebrities and Gossip columnist Jenice Armstrong has a great piece today on Charlie Mack Alston, who became well known as the security guard for West Philly natives Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, and his efforts to replace computers stolen last month from West Philadelphia High School. Two teens, one a student at the school, have pleaded guilty to the theft. Thirty computers, valued at about $1,000 each, were never recovered.

Alston’s plan began soon after he saw reports that the laptops had been stolen.

“It was just on my heart that I wanted to do something,” he told Armstrong.

So he called up his friend Will Smith and together they bought 30 new computers.

Alston will present the computers to the school today.

The sledding was awesome. The snowball fights were grand. But now it’s time to pay for those snow days. The School District of Philadelphia just announced that it will add two days to this year’s calendar to make up for classes missed during the winter.

The last day for students is now Tuesday, June 21 and the last day for teachers and staff is June 22.

Philadelphia schools were closed January 12th, 27th, 28th, and February 22nd because of snow.

The Curio Theatre Company after-school workshop series starts tomorrow. Registration for the after-school program and the Saturday workshops for youths 7-17 continues through March 5.

The first Saturday workshop was yesterday, but those interested can still register even if they have missed the first class. The Saturday workshop runs from 10 a.m. to noon until May 7. The after-school program is from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. through May 9. All of the workshops are held at Calvary Center for Culture and Community (4740 Baltimore Ave.). Each program concludes with a performance on the last day on the Curio stage.

Click here for more information on registration. The cost for each workshop is $195.

The West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools has sent word that the School District of Philadelphia will hold a Kindergarten Open House day on Tuesday, March 1.

The Coalition’s Amara Rockar provided the information below on participating schools. Parents interested in visiting a school should call and verify the times.

A. D. Harrington School
5300-34 Baltimore Ave
19143
(215) 471 – 2914
www.philasd.org/schools/harrington
Open House: CONFIRMED, 9:09-9:54

B. B. Comegys School
5100 Greenway Ave.
19143
(215) 727 – 2162
Open House: Not confirmed

Alexander Wilson School
1300 S. 46th St.
19143
(215) 823 – 8206
www.philasd.org/schools/alexanderwilson
Open House: CONFIRMED, 9 – Noon

Samuel B Huey School
5200 Pine St.
19143
(215) 471 – 2901
Open House: Not confirmed

Henry C. Lea School
4700 Locust St.
19139
(215) 471 – 2915
Open House: CONFIRMED

Penn Alexander School
4209 Spruce St.
19104
(215) 823 – 5465
www.philasd.org/schools/pennalexander
Open House: CONFIRMED

Alain Locke School
4550 Haverford Ave.
19139
(215) 823 – 8202
Open House: CONFIRMED, 9-10:30

Martha Washington Academics
766 N. 44th St.
19104
(215) 823 – 8203
www.philasd.org/schools/marthawashington
Open House: Occurring on 4/2 instead OF 3/1, Time TBA.

Click to enlarge.

School reform advocates from West Philly will no doubt be on hand for a rally today in front of the Philadelphia School District offices at 440 N. Broad St. to call on the district to open up the process of reform to students, parents, teachers and community members.

Teacher Action Group (TAG), an organization of reform-minded teachers, is organizing the rally, which is scheduled for 4 p.m.