This box at the University Dollar Store (Spruce Street between 47th and 48th) is lonely. Stop by and help fill it up during the Henry Lea School supply drive.
With the school year approaching (public schools open on Sept. 6) and the school budgets shrinking, The West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools is organizing a school supply drive for the Henry C. Lea School (4700 Locust St.).
Community members can drop of new, unopened supplies – everything from pencils and glue to notebooks and backpacks – to the University Dollar Store on Spruce Street between 47th and 48th and the St. Mary’s Church at 3916 Locust Walk (push the buzzer at the red door). There are boxes waiting at both locations.
Community members (and they mean everybody) are invited to the Henry C. Lea School (47th and Locust) on Saturday for its first ever Community Fun Day, which will include music, dancing, vendors and a bunch of family stuff.
The day kicks off at 10 a.m. Now this day is not all about fun and games (though it mostly is). The school is looking for some volunteers to help paint. The painting is part of an ongoing project to transform the inside aesthetic of Lea. To help out write: leacommunity [at] gmail.com or call Yvette at 917-602-7998.
Oh, and did we mention that there will be a bounce house?
Proceeds from the community day will also help offset the costs of a new playground.
The Lea School will also unveil their new t-shirts during the fun day, which principal Dr. Lisa Bell-Chiles has approved as a school uniform option for students. The t-shirts will be available in child and adult sizes and sport the phrase “We are Fami-LEA,” a play off the famous Sister Sledge tune (just try getting that song out of your head now).
Author Jacqueline Edelberg, the parent who helped turn her kids’ failing Chicago elementary school around, spoke to parents, teachers and community members earlier this month at the Henry C. Lea School (4700 Locust). Video of her 30-minute talk, which includes the story of how she and other parents changed their school and advice on improving schools in general, is below.
Edelberg co-wroteHow to Walk to School: Blueprint for a Neighborhood School Renaissance, which has become sort of a how-to guide to improve urban neighborhood schools. The West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools invited Edelberg to Lea, where the group of about 200 parents and community members is focusing much of its efforts. Lea has gained much attention in recent days as a possible alternative to Penn Alexander School, which plans to cap enrollment in some grades this fall.
Edelberg’s strategy, which she talks about in detail in the video, included opening the school up to the community and parents. Experts from the neighborhood taught workshops in her school and parents were always present in the classrooms.
Performers run through their last rehearsal before the Y.T.A.P. program’s first performance tonight at The Rotunda at 7 p.m.
When a dozen or so 4th through 6th graders from Henry C. Lea School (4700 Locust St.) take the stage tonight at The Rotunda for their performance of “Let’s Learn Each Other!” they will complete what Beth Nixon hopes will be the first of many semesters of collaborative youth involvement in the West Philly arts scene.
The students have worked with poets, musicians and puppeteers, including Nixon, to tell their story through performance. That collaboration has been difficult this semester, the pilot run of Y.T.A.P., but Nixon hopes the program can adjust and grow to become a unique after-school program that will allow kids to design and stage their own performances.
The program is still looking for funding and in-kind donations – from art supplies to snacks. It’s also looking for kids interested in spending a couple of days a week after school at The Rotunda working with an amazing group of artists.
Tonight’s show at The Rotunda begins at 7 p.m. and is free.
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