Parents began lining up outside of the Penn Alexander School this morning, a full 24 hours ahead of registration for grades 1-8.

Ten people were in line as of about 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, some  sitting in lawn chairs and under tents. One parent even admitted scouting out the spot along the school fence on Locust Street between 42nd and 43rd streets from her car as early as 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. The registration line has become a late-August fixture since the School District of Philadelphia said last year that no spots were guaranteed in the school, but have remained secretive about how many spots were available in each grade.

School officials have also remained tight-lipped about how many spots are available in each grade, leaving parents new to the neighborhood or those returning from long-term absences for things like sabbaticals from university jobs hanging on rumors. That has prompted many parents to wait in overnight lines to register.

Registration at Penn Alexander and Henry C. Lea Elementary starts tomorrow morning. Registration at most other West Philly schools will begin Aug. 20. Click here for more information on registration.

The new school year hasn’t even started yet and already there is confusion. While the School District of Philadelphia has set the official date for new student registration as Aug. 20, at least two schools in West Philly are registering new students starting Monday, Aug. 13.

Henry C. Lea Elementary and Penn Alexander will accept new student registration beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday morning.

“They gave out the date late,” said an official at Penn Alexander referring to the District’s Aug. 20 date. “We’re sticking with our original plan for the 13th.”

Likewise, an official at Lea said, “the secretary will be here Monday morning registering students.”

No one answered the phone at  A.D. Harrington, Samuel B. Huey, Alain Locke, Samuel Powel and Alexander Wilson. New students who plan to attend those schools should call to double-check on registration dates (see the phone numbers below).

Last year, the line for registration at Penn Alexander began at 7:30 a.m. the previous day. Continue Reading

Public school students in West Philly need our help now more than ever. Budget cuts have led to closed school libraries and hits to literacy programs. Luckily, the West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC) is doing its best to keep elementary school kids reading – but they need volunteers.

WePAC, which opens and staffs closed elementary school libraries, is seeking volunteers for the upcoming school year to help students develop literacy skills. Volunteers will read stories to children and help them select and check out books. Most elementary schools in West Philadelphia no longer have open libraries, according to WePAC. The program keeps the libraries open at no cost to the school.

This fall, WePAC will be serving Anderson, Blankenburg, Cassidy, Cook-Wissahickon, Gompers, Heston, Lea, Leidy, Longstreth, McMichael, Powel and Rhoads elementary schools.

WePAC volunteers serve as literacy assistants in K-2 classrooms and help run after-school newspaper clubs in several schools. As these programs grow, many new volunteers are needed. The minimum time commitment is 2-3 hours each week.

Orientation sessions begin this week and continue through August. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit WePAC’s website at www.wepac.org or call (215) 990-6084.

If your child is entering Philadelphia School District Kindergarten this fall and needs some extra help getting ready for the first day of school, here’s a program that can help. Lucien E. Blackwell Regional Library (52nd & Sansom) is hosting Ready, Set, Kindergarten, an interactive program for parents and children, tomorrow, June 26, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Families will play educational games and will learn about important skills for Kindergarten. Families will also leave with fun, educational giveaways.

Ready, Set, Kindergarten is a new initiative started in partnership with The School District of Philadelphia, LEARN, The Free Library of Philadelphia and Please Touch Museum.

To register, please contact: Betsy Vassallo, 267-350-2863, learn@ccisnephila.com. See the flyer for more information.

Philadelphia schools are closing at 12 p.m. tomorrow due to heat and high humidity.

A School District of Philadelphia announcement reads:

“According to the National Weather Service, temperatures are expected to again soar to the upper 90’s tomorrow in Philadelphia.  The expected extreme weather coupled by the high humidity levels could create a situation in which heat illness is possible The District is taking this heat warning seriously by closing schools, which includes early childhood programs, at 12:00 p.m. tomorrow, Monday June 11, 2012. At the 12:00 p.m. dismissal time, routine transportation will occur for students.”

District-run after-school programs will also be closed. Visit www.philasd.org or call 215-400-INFO (4636) for any updates.

Community members are invited to support local public schools and participate in these upcoming events at Henry C. Lea, Penn Alexander and Samuel Powel schools.

• Lea Elementary recently received a $3,800 grant from Lowe’s to redesign the school’s interior, brighten up the hallways and make Lea a more welcoming place for students. As a part of this effort the school is teaming up with the Renewal Church to hold a paint day this Saturday, June 2. This is the second paint day (the first one was on May 19) and adult volunteers are still wanted to fill in the afternoon shift from noon to 2 p.m. To sign up, please add your name to one of the teams on the Google Doc here. If you have questions, email David Fox at defox@philasd.org. This is part of ongoing renovations at Lea.

• This Sunday, June 3, Penn Alexander School is holding the 2nd Annual Run for Arts and Sciences. There is a 5k run and a 1 mile fun walk beginning at 8:30 a.m. The course will loop through the University of Pennsylvania campus starting and finishing at Penn Alexander. The 5k run will be chip timed. All proceeds will support the Art and Science program at Penn Alexander. For more information, go here. Note: The online registration with a discounted price is closed, but you can download paper a Registration Form and bring it to the event. Also you can support this event by making a donation at the provided link.

• Alumni & Friends of Samuel Powel Elementary and Powel Home and School Association are hosting a silent auction and fundraising event on Saturday, June 9, from 6 – 10 p.m. This adults-only event will take place at Art on the Avenue, 3808 Lancaster Ave.

This is a very important fundraiser for Powel, as they are trying to raise a substantial sum to buy new Science Kits and other instructional materials for their students and to support additional music classes. This event is for current and future Powel families, friends, alumni and anyone who wants to come out to support Powel school and bid on some great items from local businesses. Go here to order tickets, become an event sponsor or benefactor and see all the great items you can bid on.