Independence Charter School is considering opening a school in West Philadelphia.

Officials from the school, which currently has one location at 1600 Lombard, are trying to gauge interest in the school from the local community, a key part of a new charter school application. If approved, the school would likely be located in the 19139 or 19143 zip codes, according to the letter, which was posted on neighborhood e-mail lists.

The 19139 zip code covers an area west of 45th Street to Cobbs Creek and north of Spruce Street to Westminster. 19143 runs south from Spruce to the river and west from 45th Street to roughly 60th Street.

New charter school applications are due at the School Reform Commission by Saturday. Public hearings on the applications are expected by next month. The SRC then has up to 75 days to approve or reject a charter application.

The district currently has 86 charter schools that enroll some 67,000 students. This is the first time since 2007 that the SRC has considered new applications for charter schools, thanks to a provision in the $2-per-pack cigarette tax. There could be as many as 50 applications, according to reports.

Penn Alexander School (Photo West Philly Local).

In other school news, the School District of Philadelphia has published the procedures for the year’s kindergarten lottery at Penn Alexander School for the 2015-2016 school year. Applications will be accepted between Jan. 20 and Feb. 27. The lottery will be conducted and letters will be sent to parents during the week of March 9.

Here are some guidelines:

• Two proofs of residency within the Penn Alexander catchment are required.

• Head Start and Early Intervention applications are also due within the same time frame.

• From the District’s website: “Parents are strongly encouraged to participate in the School Selection Process beginning October 17, 2014 and ending 5:00 PM on December 12, 2014. The School Selection online application can be reached by going to schoolselect.philasd.org.”

• Admission decision will only be communicated in writing. No phone calls.

More information and application materials can be found on the Office of Student Enrollment and Placement website.

– Mike Lyons

We continue publishing breakfast and lunch menus served at schools in the School District of Philadelphia. Here’s the menu for Monday, Nov. 10 through Friday, Nov. 14. If your school uses a Satellite menu, click here. Note: Schools will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day.

Come back every Sunday evening for the coming week’s menu.

BREAKFAST (K-12)

A variety of three cereals will be offered daily and served with a yogurt parfait or a bake-crafter bar.

Monday

Chicken Sausage, Egg & Cheese on English Muffin
Chewy Bar
Choose 1: Apple Juice or Fresh Pear
Variety of Milk

Wednesday

Sausage, Egg & Cheese on Bagel
Appleways Bar
Choose 1: Orange Juice or Fresh Banana
Variety of Milk Continue Reading

Public schools in the School District of Philadelphia were closed on Monday and Tuesday, so we’re publishing breakfast and lunch menu for the rest of the week – from Wednesday, Nov. 5 through Friday, Nov. 7. If your school uses a Satellite menu, click here.

BREAKFAST (K-12)

A variety of 3 cereals will be offered daily and served with a yogurt parfait or a mini loaf.

Wednesday

Choose 1: Pancake (3) w/ Sausage Link (1) & Syrup or Homestyle Breads
Choose 1: Grape Juice or Fresh Banana
Variety of Milk

Thursday

Choose 1: Sausage, Egg & Cheese on Biscuit or String Cheese & Nutri Grain Bar
Choose 1: Pear Cup or Fresh Red Grapes
Variety of Milk  Continue Reading

We continue publishing breakfast and lunch menus served at schools in the School District of Philadelphia. Here’s the menu for Monday, Oct 27 through Friday, Oct 31. If your school uses a Satellite menu, click here. Come back every Sunday evening for the coming week’s menu.

BREAKFAST (K-12)

A variety of three cereals will be offered daily and served with a yogurt parfait or a bake-crafter bar.

Monday

Chicken Sausage, Egg & Cheese on English Muffin
Chewy Bar
Choose 1: Apple Juice or Fresh Pear
Variety of Milk

Tuesday

Breakfast Burrito
Cinni Mini Swirls
Choose 1: Peach Cup or Fresh Apple
Variety of Milk  Continue Reading

We continue publishing breakfast and lunch menus served at schools in the School District of Philadelphia. Here’s the menu for Monday, Oct 20 through Friday, Oct 24. If your school uses a Satellite menu, click here. Come back every Sunday evening for the coming week’s menu.

BREAKFAST (K-12)

A variety of three cereals will be offered daily and served with a yogurt parfait or a bake-crafter bar.

Monday

Mini Pancakes
Bake Crafter Cereal Bar & Yogurt
Choose 1: Pineapple Juice or Fresh Pear
Variety of Milk

Tuesday

Steak, Egg & Cheese on a Bagel
Benefit Bar
Choose 1: Mixed Fruit Cup or Fresh Orange
Variety of Milk Continue Reading

Violinist Zebadiah plays with The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and now attends Central High School.

This weekend, the annual Philadelphia Film Festival kicks off and we learned that students attending a local parochial school will be featured in one of the festival premieres.

Ilene Miller of Play On, Philly!, a tuition-free after school music program that has been operating for a few years at the St. Francis de Sales School near 47th and Springfield, sent us some more details about the film and the West Philly kids featured in it:

“Play On, Philly! (POP), the innovative tuition-free after school music program in communities with little access to music education, was founded in 2011 at St. Francis de Sales School. The program, as well as two students, will be featured in the premiere of Crescendo! The Power of Music, at the Philadelphia Film Festival on October 20 and 25 (see a trailer here).

Filmmakers Jamie Bernstein (daughter of famed conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein) and Elizabeth Kling have been following Play On, Philly! at St. Francis de Sales since day one for their documentary about kids participating in two youth orchestra programs – POP and the Harmony Program in Harlem.

Raven started POP in 4th grade and now plays with Musicopia String Orchestra and Philadelphia Sinfonia. She wants to be a professional violinist.

You will be truly moved at the experiences of students Raven and Zebadiah – their struggles, heartbreak and joy – as they discover themselves through the mysterious power of music in the Play On, Philly! program.

Raven is a violin natural with a rambunctious spirit. Quiet, quirky Zebadiah overcomes his shyness and gains confidence through the viola.

Zebadiah is now in 11h grade at Central High School. He returns to St. Francis every week to mentor younger students as a POP Ambassador… Raven, now in 9th grade at String Theory Charter School, studies with a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra, plays in Philadelphia Sinfonia and Musicopia String Orchestra, and wants to be a professional violinist.”

Crescendo! The Power of Music will be shown on October 20 at 3:00 p.m. at The Ritz Bourse Theater and again on October 25 at 3:15 p.m. at The Prince Music Theater (including a performance by POP students and a discussion with Jamie Bernstein).

For tickets visit www.filmadelphia.org/tickets or call 267-607-3385.

(Photos by Steven Krull/Play On, Philly!)