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SRC suspends Pa. school code on closings. 'Walk-on' resolution approved; vote on closings will be March 29
February
21

[Updated 1:30 a.m.] In an unexpected move, the School Reform Commission voted Thursday to approve a previously unannounced "walk-on" resolution to suspend a portion of the Pennsylvania Public School Code so that it can expedite its pending decision on the District's recommendation to close nine schools.

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District sets $6.5 million sale price for old West Philly High building

According to District documents, $6.5 million is the sale price for the 100-year-old, 250,000-square-foot building at 47th and Walnut Streets that used to house West Philadelphia High.

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School closings timeline a sticky issue

School Reform Commission chair Pedro Ramos told community members in South Philadelphia Thursday night that the District is working to make its final school closings decision “in as timely a way as possible.”

 

 

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100 years ago, new schools were built for growing city

This guest blog post comes from Ken Finkel, who compiled some historical photos of the construction of several District schools that are now facing closure. He blogs at The Philly History Blog, where this post was originally published. That site also has an extraordinary archive of more than 3,100 photos of Philadelphia schools.

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Stanton supporters say school is worth saving

There are only 234 students enrolled in the school, located at 17th and Christian. But Stanton boasts an active and engaged group of parents, teachers, staff and community members and is in the top 20 percent of district elementary schools academically.

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Few turn out to protest loss of far-flung school

Tuesday night, at a community meeting held at Bartram High School, district officials explained George W. Pepper Middle School was picked for potential closure principally because so few of its students live near the school.

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Schools bursting at the seams in the Northeast

If it finds funding, the school district would like to embark on a major building effort in the Northeast, including a pair of new high schools, a pair of new K-8 or middle schools and a replacement building for Austin Meehan Middle School.

 

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How the fate of the old West High may be hinged to far West Philly revival

Built in 1912 and taking up 250,000 square feet of space, the once proud symbol of Philadelphia’s robust growth and optimism may see a new day if residential developments that are underway west of the old school at 48th and Walnut, and major public investments just north take hold.

 

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Still full of life, 114-year-old Sheppard School faces its demise

Sheppard is one of nine schools slated for closure as part of the School District's facilities master plan. At a Tuesday community meeting, District officials will make their case for closing the ancient building and reassigning its students. Read More »

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District tries out new tone at W. Philly facilities meeting

Lea Elementary parents learned for the first time last night that the school would likely be receiving students from Charles Drew once it closes. The facilities plan released last month did not identify Lea as a receiver school.

 

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City Controller calls for action on vacant school buildings owned by the Philadelphia School District.

Recommendations for District and Licenses & Inspections range from demolishing all buildings that are structurally unsound to interior and exterior inspections in order to determine potential public hazards that need to be addressed immediately.

 

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This landing page is the place to keep up with the Philadelphia School District's facilities master planning process. The School District is compiling a comprehensive facilities master plan designed to "right-size" its physical plant. The goal is to maximize educational availability, quality, and equity, which will involve closing, consolidating, and selling schools. Decisions on how to manage this process call for wide community dialogue and close collaboration between the School District and city government. The The Philadelphia Public School Notebook is partnering with PlanPhilly to cover this process and inform and help foster that dialogue. This coverage is supported by a grant from the William Penn Foundation.

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