A panel that includes the city controller, a state representative, educators and school reform activists will discuss a host of issues facing West Philly schools Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Calvary Center for Community and Culture (48th and Baltimore).

Sponsored by the reform organization Teacher Action Group, the issues that panelists will likely discuss include teacher layoffs, school closings, community involvement in the schools and the transition of local schools, including West Philadelphia High School, to “promise academies.”

The panelists include:

• Alan Butkovitz, City Controller
• State Representative James Roebuck, Democratic Chair of House Education Committee
• David Lapp, Staff Attorney, Education Law Center
• Dr. James H. “Torch” Lytle, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education professor and former District administrator
• Joshua Glenn, Youth Art and Self-Empowerment Project
• Arlene Kempin, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, general vice president

Among the most controversial is the possible closing of schools that are underperforming and below capacity, including a handful of schools in West Philadelphia. Currently 70,000 seats are empty in the district’s 300 buildings. District officials have said that it will close, consolidate and relocate schools to increase school efficiency.

The Notebook last week released a document leaked from the District that shows which schools would be likely candidates for closure. In West Philadelphia this includes Charles R. Drew Elementary School (3724 Warren St.), which, according to The Notebook, has “high repair costs, a poor academic score and is only a third full.”

We were honored to be featured along with Milk and Honey Market‘s Annie Baum-Stein earlier this week on Madame Fromage, a top-shelf Philly cheese blog.

The good Madame is featuring blue cheese all this month and when asked where one might find a nice hunk of blue we first thought of Milk and Honey at 45th and Baltimore. As Madame Fromage mentions in the post, we sometimes like to pair blue cheese (and a variety of pickled things and black bread) with some icy cold vodka.

You might see Madame Fromage, who also goes by Tenaya, on any given day or night at any number of local cheese venues. She also writes a regular cheese column for Grid.

I am writing because I have been searching for my cat. Unfortunately during me moving out of my house @ 52nd and spruce st. in West Philly on February 28th. He found a hole in the wall and managed to escape behind the washer and dryer.

I have attached 4 photos of my cat and I do have Links vet records. He was neutered but did not get micro chipped. He was wearing a black flea collar at the time of his escape. He is light orange with darker orange stripes in random places. He is over 2 years old at this time. If this sounds like any cat you may have found, could you please let me know.

I appreciate any and all help!

Email:

comm-nqvmx-2272310315 – at – craigslist.org

Purdy is back home.

An older calico cat “Purdy” has gone missing from 48th & Warrington. If you see her please call Jennica at 215-850-9012 or email jennicachik – at – gmail.com

Come on Craig LaBan. We love the restaurant critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer and all, but he lists the best coffee places in the region and just one is in West Philly? Only Lovers and Madmen made the cut. Great coffee shop, but what about the others over here? Green Line? Earth Cup? Milk and Honey? Satellite Cafe? Or how about Manakeesh? Gold Standard? Cafe Clave? I’m sure we’re forgetting others.

Dude, there is life past 40th Street.

The classic Japanese film Sansho – The Bailiff will screen at the International House (3701 Chestnut St.) tonight as part of the Cherry Blossom Festival. All proceeds will be donated to the Philadelphia- Japan Disaster Relief Fund.

Here is a description of the 1954 film from the International House website:

“When an idealistic governor disobeys the reigning feudal lord, he is cast into exile, his wife and children left to fend for themselves and eventually wrenched apart by vicious slave traders. Under Kenji Mizoguchi’s dazzling direction, this classic Japanese story became one of cinema’s greatest masterpieces: a monumental, empathetic expression of human resilience in the face of evil.”

Tickets are $8 for general admission, $6 for students/seniors and $5 for Internationalist members.

All of the funds raised in the Philadelphia-Japan Disaster Relief Fund will go directly to the Japanese Red Cross Society in Japan.