Students returned today to a brand new West Philadelphia High School, which many people hope will serve as a symbol of a new era.

Junior Sydney Dickerson told hundreds of students, alumni and dignitaries, who ranged from Mayor Michael Nutter and State Senator Vincent Hughes to the Philadelphia Eagles mascot “Swoop,” that she hopes the new school building at 49th and Chestnut will help break through stereotypes.

“For some it means a new experience, a new beginning,” she said of the school. “For others it means a chance to prove that they’re smart. For me the new West means a chance to fight the stereotype about us West kids. About how us West kids are stupid. About how we’re bad. Well, that’s not true and I’m standing here to tell people that that’s not true. This new school provides us with the ability to fight that stereotype.”

The student body as well as dozens of alumni, many of whom wore the school’s colors of orange and blue, applauded Dickerson.

Approximately 900 students attend the school. The 170,000-square-foot school has a three-story, state-of-the art design with computer labs, science classrooms, two gyms and an auditorium. It replaces the Gothic-style building that has stood along Walnut Street between 47th and 48th streets since it opened in 1912 and was one of the longest continually operated school facilities in the state.

The new building, along with the designation of West as a “promise academy,” meaning among other things that the school will have extended days and enrichment programs, is an effort to help improve a school with chronically low test scores.

“It’s a brand new day,” State Senator Vincent Hughes told students gathered in the school’s gymnasium, which sits along Market Street. “This is about your future. Don’t let anybody snatch that future from you. It’s yours. Take it.”

The school will benefit the community as well. Its gyms, libraries and auditorium will be open to the public and have separate entrances in an effort to make it a true neighborhood high school.

The school was designed with West’s “academies” in mind. These include special programs in urban leadership, creative and performing arts and business technology.

Nutter reminded students that a new building will only get them so far.

“Great buildings are wonderful, but education is more than a great building,” he said. “Great students are even better.”

No decision has been made about the fate of the old West Philadelphia High School building, which stands in an area that could see much development in coming years.
 

The school year has begun and many parents are looking for afterschool and weekend activities for their children. We have come across a couple of flyers – one is an afterschool art program (we gave them a ring and learned that it’s a new program run by artist Rachel Louis) and the other is a weekend music program by Intercultural Family Services, Inc. We’ll be adding more such information as it comes. If you know of more afterschool programs for kids in the area email us at: editor [at] westphillylocal.com or leave a comment.

West Philly’s newest bike shop, a branch of the Glenside-based Keswick Cycle, opened this weekend just in time for the return of students to the area. The shop occupies about half of the first floor in the building that formerly housed the Strikes Bowling Lounge at 4040 Locust St. Workers were still moving in bikes and other merchandise Saturday afternoon, but customers were invited in to have a look around.

Update (Sept. 4): The dog was spotted and later found by his owners at his old apartment!

This pooch (Theo) went missing last night (Sept. 2) near 46th and Woodland. He was last seen on Baltimore and 46th St. He is one year old and is a shih tzu/poodle/bischon frise.

He has a blue collar with only a rabies tag on it (the name tag broke off). He is shy and skiddish towards strangers (he ran away from a few people when they tried to catch him).

A cash reward is offered to anyone who finds him or leads his owner to find him. The owner’s name is Jessica and her contact number is 570-313-3847.

Registration is open for the fall session of All Around This World, the kids music program based on international songs, movement and drumming.

The program’s director, Jay Sand, is a well-known West Philly musician and music teacher. Three times a year – in the fall, winter and spring – he offers interactive weekly music classes “All Around This World” for infants to 8-year-olds and their families. Each class is dedicated to a particular region of the world and music from that region.

The fall session begins right after Labor Day, on September 7. The West Philly classes (classes are also offered in Fairmount Park and Center City) are going to explore West Asia and the Middle East. Classes take place near 44th and Pine on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings (check the full schedule here). There is also a special class for babies only at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Discounts, scholarships, free trial classes and sliding scale tuition plans are available.

For more information about the classes and to register go here or contact Jay Sand at: jay [at] allaroundthisworld.com, 215-913-2679.

Starting from tomorrow, Sept. 2, West Philly’s Curio Theatre Company begins a series of free performances of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies in the Clark Park bowl. The shows are scheduled for Sept. 2, 7, 8, & 9 (7 p.m. starting time) and are included in the 2011 Philly Fringe-Live Arts Festival program.

What’s cool about these shows is that along with Curio’s young professional actors playing the main characters, a group of children, the theatre’s school students, is included in the cast. The kids act as the younger boys, or “Littluns,” in the play.

One of the idea’s behind staging Lord of the Flies in the outdoor environment such as Clark Park was the use of natural light. So the show begins just before the sunset and as the events unfold the light will change from the descending sun shining upon the boys to darkness.

Sounds like it will be an event you don’t want to miss, so bring your lounge chairs, snacks and enjoy this classic story.