Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney will be a featured speaker at an upcoming Spruce Hill Community Association’s annual meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at the Penn Alexander School Cafeteria (43rd and Locust). The mayor will address the future of the former Provident Mutual Life Insurance Building at 4601 Market (pictured).

The site was chosen by former mayor Michael Nutter administration for the new police headquarters and has been undergoing renovations since 2014. But, the Kenney administration canceled the plans to relocate the Police Headquarters to the site in the spring of 2017. In August, the city began seeking a new developer for the site.  Continue Reading

The Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) Board of Directors invites the community to our Annual Meeting.

This year we will have two keynote speakers!!!

First, Philadelphia Mayor James Kenney will address the future of the Provident Mutual Life Insurance Building at 4601 Market (the former Police Department redevelopment site).

And second, Drexel University’s Sr. Vice Provost for University Community Partnerships, Lucy Kerman, will discuss and answer questions about Drexel’s education initiatives in West Philadelphia, including Drexel’s plans for a new public school in University City and the Promised Neighborhood Grant, through which Drexel is working with 7 local schools, including West Philly High.

There will also be updates on SHCA’s activities over the last year, and election of officers and board members. All five officers and 10 board members will be chosen, with bios of all the candidates available at the meeting.

The meeting will take place at the Penn Alexander School Cafeteria (43rd St, between Locust & Spruce).

All are welcome!

Two local schools, Penn Alexander School and Independence Charter School West, are holding drives this week to help those in need after the recent devastating hurricanes, “Harvey,” “Irma,” and “Maria.”

Independence Charter School West, located at 5600 Chester Ave., is collecting first-aid items for the areas affected by the hurricanes. The following donations are being accepted through Friday, Sept. 29: bandages, anti-bacterial ointment, flash lights, batteries, soap, antiseptic and alcohol wipes; or any other item you believe will be of use for those affected by the recent natural disasters.

Donations can also be dropped off at Independence Charter School in Center City (1600 Lombard St.).  Continue Reading

In the current political climate and the rise of the alt-right movement, Islamophobia is growing more widespread. A number of public education efforts have surfaced, but there’s one particular effort that aims to nip Islamophobia in the bud while children are still in school. Meet Melanie Bartlett, a parent who heads the education committee at the West Philly Coalition Against Islamophobia (Facebook page). Bartlett is spearheading the “Kids Books That Fight Islamophobia” campaign, which has one simple mission: to get more books featuring Muslim kids into elementary school class libraries. Currently, the campaign is seeking out funding through their GoFundMe page and has already raised over $3,600 of its $5,000 goal.

Bartlett was driven by creating a better world for her daughter, who is being raised Muslim.  Continue Reading

Kindergarten pre-registration for the 2017-2018 school year begins on Tuesday, Feb. 28 and will go on until May 31. Schools will be holding kindergarten open houses on Tuesday, March 7. See more details below on kindergarten open houses at West Philadelphia schools, including school address and contact information. More open houses will be held May 8-12, 2017 (please contact your neighborhood school for the exact date and time). Reminder: Your child must be 5 years old on or before September 1 to attend kindergarten in the 2017-2018 school year.

For more information on kindergarten registration, visit the School District of Philadelphia website. Enrollment information for Penn Alexander School, which will again hold kindergarten lottery (lottery registration deadline is March 17, 2017), can be found here.

Anderson
Principal: Laurena Tolson
1034 S. 60th St. 19143
(215) 400 – 7890
9:00 AM – 11:30 AM  Continue Reading

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.