As the new school year approaches, parents and community members concerned about the cap on new students in the lower grades of the Penn Alexander School (4209 Spruce St.) have started an online petition asking that all school-age children living in the school’s catchment area be admitted.
The petition follows a letter sent by the Spruce Hill Community Association to University of Pennsylvania officials last month asking the university, which manages the school in cooperation with the School District of Philadelphia, to address the cap. Options recommended for investigation include erecting temporary classrooms and moving students from the middle school grades, where classes are sometimes under-enrolled, to a different building.
The group circulating the petition, Advocates for Great Elementary Education Everywhere (AGREE) West Philly, asks Penn President Amy Gutmann, School District of Philadelphia Superintendent Arlene Ackerman and Penn Alexander Principal Sheila Sydnor to “work collaboratively, and in a timely manner, with concerned community members to find a viable solution to PAS’s overcrowding problem.”
School officials have said that the K-8 school, which since its opening has pledged to maintain a lower-than-required student-teacher ratio, is overflowing with students in the lower grades. New Penn Alexander students begin to register on Monday (August 15), which will be the first indication of how many will be affected by the cap.
August 10th, 2011 at 9:48 am
What actions are the good members of AGREE taking to “Support community collaborations working toward educational excellence at other West Philadelphia public schools” as per their stated goals?
August 10th, 2011 at 10:04 am
There were 32 kids in a 1st grade class at PAS this year. That is too many kids. The school is just not made to accommodate that many students. There are other schools in the neighborhood that are under-enrolled, why doesn’t this group take some time to advocate for them?
August 10th, 2011 at 10:37 am
@Charles & Annie,
Thanks for your interest. AGREE has a working group that is trying to work with folks like the West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools which is focusing on Lea school. I’m sure they would welcome your participation and enthusiasm at their next meeting.
August 11th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Seems to me the only options that do not involve lotteries are: trailers, smaller catchment, or a switch to K-6. Choose one and move on.
August 11th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Am I seriously being asked to sign a petition in favor of more privileges for overprivileged youth? Please direct me to a petition for more privileges for underprivileged youth, or one petition for less privileges for overprivileged youth. I would gladly sign those.
September 2nd, 2011 at 8:21 am
Good for you, Adam Rice. The idea that the group has named itself “Advocates for Great Elementary Education” is absurd — great if you already have more privilege than ninety percent of the kids in this school district. If they were really advocating for great elementary education, they would jump at the opportunity to support the surrounding schools.