If you’re a Recyclebank member (you accrue points through that sticker on recycling receptacle) and you have some extra points you don’t need, why not consider donating them to a local school? Two West Philly schools have been selected to participate in Recyclebank’s 2014-2015 Green Schools Program, which supports schoolchildren and educators’ efforts on making their schools and schoolyards greener. Recyclebank will turn the donated points into cash to fund the projects.

Henry C. Lea Elementary (47th and Locust) is seeking support for their Rain Gardens project. “Lea students will be involved in the maintenance of the rain gardens and become active environmental stewards,” reads Lea’s message on the Recyclebank website. “The rain gardens will be used as focal point for environmental instruction at the school with regards to the water cycle and systems.” The rain gardens project is a part of the Greening Lea project. To read more about the project and to donate your points, go here. The school will receive $2,500 from Recyclebank if the goal is reached.

Belmont Charter School (40th and Brown) students have a chance to learn about growing plants and trees through its “Belmont Sprouts” program. The school is raising funds to build six raised beds, buy a fruit tree and several rain barrels. The funds from the Recyclebank program will help “complete the construction of our Belmont Sprouts garden and to host a special Mother’s Day Spring Planting event,” according to the project description. To read more about the project and to donate your points, go here. Belmont Charter will also receive $2,500 from Recyclebank for their project if the goal is reached.

The School District of Philadelphia began considering applications for new charter schools this week. Two schools in particular have been the topic of discussion among some in the neighborhoods recently.

The district received over a dozen applications from charter schools interested in opening new schools in West Philly.

One of the proposed new charters is the Philadelphia Music and Dance Charter School, which has applied to open a school at the old West Philadelphia High School (48th and Walnut), has drawn attention from nearby community organizations. In the application, officials from the proposed school note that they spoke with many in the community, including community associations, about the school.  Continue Reading

We continue publishing breakfast and lunch menus served at schools in the School District of Philadelphia. Schools will be closed from Dec. 24 through Jan. 2 for the holidays, so here’s the menu for Monday, Dec. 22 and Tuesday, Dec. 23. If your school uses a Satellite menu, click here.

BREAKFAST (K-12)

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

Monday

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

Tuesday

Choose 1: Mini French Toast or Cinnamon Granola Round
Choose 1: Raisins or Fresh Fruit
Variety of Milk  Continue Reading

Old West Philly High School building at 48th and Walnut. (Archived photo)

Among the proposed new charter school applications that will come under public scrutiny this week is the “Philadelphia Music and Dance Charter School,” a K-12 school that could be housed in the old West Philadelphia High School building at 48th and Walnut.

The siting of the school at the old West Philly High building would require the building’s likely developer, which is in the process of purchasing it to convert to lofts, to lease a sizable chunk of the building – as much as 90,000 square feet –  to the school. The school expects up to 900 students when it hits full capacity in a few years.

The developer, New York-based Strong Place Partners, has apparently agreed to do that, according to the school’s application submitted in November. The public hearing for Philadelphia Music and Dance Charter School’s application is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. on Thursday.  Continue Reading

Some open resistance to standardized testing has bubbled up around the city over the past couple years, with instances of parents and students opting out of the annual Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests. The issue will go before the City Council’s Education Committee today from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The PSSAs are given to students in grades 3-8 to measure yearly progress. Opponents, who also include teachers, have argued that elementary and middle school curricula have focused too heavily on preparing students for the exams.

The public is invited to today’s meeting, which was scheduled to hear testimony on a resolution authorizing the committee to “conduct hearings concerning the time and financial cost of standardized testing administered to Philadelphia public school students as well as the effects of testing on teaching and learning.”

The meeting is in the City Council Chambers Room 400. Be sure to bring your photo ID if you plan to attend.

The School District of Philadelphia has received 40 applications for new charter schools in the city, including for “Girls’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School,” two high schools in the 19104 zip code and several others around West Philly.

Released Monday afternoon, the list of applicants includes many organizations, including KIPP Philadelphia Schools and Mastery, that already operate schools in the district. The list includes the proposed school’s name, “the applicant team” or entity, the building zip code, grade configuration and projected total enrollment.

The applications will next go through a vetting process that includes a public hearing on each proposed school.

Independence Charter School is proposing two sites in West Philly, a high school in the 19104 zip code, which includes much of the area around Penn and Drexel, and a K-8 in 19142, which covers an area west of 60th Street and south of Kingsessing and includes the Elmwood Park neighborhood. West Philly Local reported last week that Independence was interested in a school in West Philly in 19139 or 19143. It turns out it could open two, but in neither of those zip codes. Both of these are proposed to start in the 2016-2017 school year.  Continue Reading