Thursday, April 8, 2021
Troubled by the repetitive involvement of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in schools, a Latinx immigrant rights organization has asked the School District of Philadelphia to lay out clear rules and guidelines for ICE involvement on school premises. The group has also asked the school district to better train its staff and teachers.
In February 2020, ICE officers detained a pregnant mother who had just dropped off her child at the Eliza B. Kirkbride Elementary School in Philadelphia. This incident raised panic in the minds of immigrants and refugee communities.
Juntos – Latinx Immigrant Organization
Juntos, a community-led Latinx immigrant organization in Philadelphia, launched its Sanctuary Schools Campaign at a news conference. The organizers called for more training for teachers and staff, clearer district guidelines, and renewed financial investment aimed at making schools a safer place for children immaterial of their immigr
“Providing summer programs for students is proven to play a huge role in narrowing academic achievement gaps and helping students achieve and maintain grade-level performance in reading and in math,” Superintendent William Hite said.
In addition, the school district will also provide breakfast and lunch, as well as transportation to schools, and students will receive a backpack with supplies on their first day. The health and safety protocols will be identical to the ones already in place.
At first, classes will be available in 24 schools across the city, but if enough students enroll, administrators are prepared to open up to 39 schools, said Malika Savoy-Brooks, the district’s Chief Academic Supports Officer.
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Tara Matise teaches her prekindergarten students virtually in her classroom prepared ahead of planned in-person learning at Nebinger Elementary School in Philadelphia, Friday, March 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
The School District of Philadelphia plans to offer universal summer school for all public school students in grades K-12 this year.
The district expects at least 14,000 students to enroll, based on internal data about student academic needs. Registration for the summer programs opened Thursday morning. Full-day classes will start on June 28 and run through mid-August, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Superintendent William Hite says it’s the most robust summer program offered by the district in recent memory.
Cavrich | Andrews & Price
PITTSBURGH – A state court judge has overruled preliminary objections from two Pennsylvania school districts, who contended they were only following state law when they denied a work opportunity to a substitute teacher when it was learned by the districts he had been arrested on one occasion 55 years ago.
Anthony Gaglierd of Pittsburgh initially filed suits in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on Dec. 16 versus Avonworth School District and Northgate School District of Pittsburgh, plus Deer Lakes School District of Cheswick.
“In January of 2020, Mr. Gaglierd applied for an available substitute teacher position in the Avonworth School District through the district’s placement agent, Education Staffing Solutions,” the suit stated.
Philadelphia Principals Union Holds Money Matters In Schools Virtual Town Hall
Teamsters Local 502/CASA, Elected Officials and Community Leaders Call on School District of Philadelphia to Provide Equitable Funding for Essential Full-Time Positions
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PHILADELPHIA, April 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ Teamsters Local 502/Commonwealth Association of School Administrators (CASA) members joined with political, community and labor leaders today for a virtual town hall for a discussion on the School District of Philadelphia s commitment to equity and the need for administrators to be part of the decision-making process when it comes to school spending and staffing.