THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC HEARING MEETING AGENDA JUNE 6, 2024; 4:00 PM Call to Order - Reginald L. Streater, Esq. - President Roll Call Opening Remarks Written Testimony • Written Testimony Registered Speakers • Speaker: Topic: General Speakers List • Speaker: Topic: Student Speakers List Other Adjourned
Board of Education Meeting Date: 6/6/2024 ATTACHMENTS: Description Type Written Testimony Supporting Document
To the SDP Board of Education, We are Jewish parents in the SDP. We are teachers, rabbis, and community members who testified at the May 30 school board meeting. We spoke about the need for SDP to condemn the genocide of the Palestinian people, to support our teachers and students to teach and learn about Israel/Palestine, and to create space for uncomfortable but necessary conversations. On June 3, the self-proclaimed SDP-JFA delivered a letter to you that targets several of our fellow parents and teachers–many of whom are Black or Palestinian–who shared similar messages to ours at last Thursday’s meeting. SDP-JFA claims to speak for Jewish parents but failed to quote or acknowledge the many Jewish parents who support Philly Educators for Palestine. The SDP-JFA represents a minority of Jewish parents in the school district, as evidenced by the fact that more Jewish parents spoke in favor of Philly Educators for Palestine, in both written and in person
testimony, than SDP-JFA organized to speak or write against. And still several more were on the waitlist but did not have a chance to share testimony. We are conspicuously absent from SDP-JFA’s message to you because our inclusion would undermine their main claim: that “Zionist” and “Jewish” are synonymous. Zionism is a political ideology; Judaism is a religious and cultural identity. To suggest that all Jews support Israel’s genocidal policies towards the people of Gaza is itself antisemitic. SDP-JFA is attempting to confuse you, to respond to the principled messages and demands of Philly Educators for Palestine with manipulations and outright lies. The “J” in their name gives them no more right to speak for all Jews than the “SDP” in their name gives them the right to speak for the entire district. This group is absolutely not representative of our Jewish community. As was stated on May 30, their name misrepresents both the School District and Jewish families by claiming to
represent both in their entirety. If anything, this school board meeting and the SDP-JFA’s disingenuous response underscores the need for open conversation, and the need for you to support our most targeted teachers and students who are attempting to have these conversations. In closing, we ask that you stand up to SDP-JFA’s blatant racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism by agreeing to the responsible and righteous requests of Philly Educators for Palestine, which align with your commitment to the stated Goals and Guardrails of your institution. Sincerely, Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari, Parent of 2nd and 4th Graders at Penn Alexander School Rabbi Alissa Wise, Parent of 5th grader at Masterman Middle School Alisha Hagelin, SDP teacher at Northeast High School and parent to 2nd and 7th grade students at Greenberg School
Jethro Heiko, Parent of Northeast and Palumbo High students Hannah Mermelstein, Parent of 2nd grader at Henry Houston School Sonia Rosen, Parent of 6th grader at Science Leadership Academy at Beeber Adam Sanchez, SDP teacher at Abraham Lincoln High School Arielle Sternman, Parent of Kindergartner at Henry Houston School Ari Lev Fornari
ICS West met the requirements for a 5-year renewal and we expect them to follow a fair and just process. Dominique
Greetings, Please accept this correspondence as a concerned Community Member and Board Member regarding the BOE’s decision to disregard the CSO’s recommendation to renew ICSW for five years. You will find below points that I am asserting on behalf of this unfair decision that will undoubtedly affect the many students and families who chose to send their child(ren) to ICSW. The decision was made without any regard to the Charter School Performance Framework that establishes the standards for charter school accountability. Based on this framework, ICS West met the conditions to be renewed for five years and should be renewed accordingly. The process that the CSO and BOE engaged in during the meeting on May 30, 2024 violates Board Policy 400 and Board Policy 401. ICSW provided an accurate description of our school's mission and demonstrated appropriate alignment during the charter renewal process as evidenced by our perfect score on the Mission & Educational Program category.
ICS West has built capacity over the past few years and has operated with limited support from the Center City school. The main support provided in the past 2 years has been focused on facilities management. Last year, the school's foundation engaged an owners' rep to help in this role and to guide us through the last phase of site development. As the CSO participated in the renewal process and the BOE has failed to adhere to the recommendations, I see this as an undermining of the role and a compromise of the integrity of the process if the performance framework is disregarded completely. Lastly, it is my hope as a community member, parent and board member that you reassess and follow the CSO recommendation accordingly by upholding the five-year renewal. In Service to Youth and Families, Dyana Reid, MSW Director of Social Services Families Forward Philadelphia ICSW Founding Board Member, Vice President & Community Relations Chair
I attended last week''s Board of Education Action Meeting with my 10 year old son (a student at GAMP) to support elected officials and community members who were speaking about the importance of air filtration in our classrooms. We were also there in solidarity with the many educators, students, parents, and community members who held a peaceful rally outside the building and offered powerful testimony at the meeting about being silenced or discouraged from discussing the war in Gaza and the current genocide of the Palestinian people. It was foolish and disheartening that the staff at 440 chose to bar members of the public from entering the meeting before the room was at capacity, and fed into a narrative that the people attending the meeting behalf of a free Palestine were violent or disruptive. There was no threat of violence at last week''s meeting, and it would be helpful for the school board to acknowledge and state that unequivocally.
The only public interruptions to the meeting were on behalf of the members of the public who were denied entry in violation of Pennsylvania''s Sunshine Act. At the close of the meeting, Superintendent Watlington offered remarks addressing the many speakers who had asked for space and support in having hard conversations about the conflict in Gaza. Speaking as a licensed social studies educator, the Superintendent veered between saying that the District''s responsibility was to present a "just the facts as best we know them" take on history and to teach students to think critically instead of telling them what to think. Honestly, it was a bit difficult for me to follow this portion of his remarks, but he concluded by saying that the District has engaged the organization Facing History and Ourselves to offer additional support to educators in addressing current events. So I was a bit surprised when I searched the website of Facing History
and Ourselves for resources on the matter and found the following statement: "At the present moment, Facing History and Ourselves does not have resources to assist educators in discussing the Israel-Palestine conflict in the classroom" (https://www.facinghistory.org/en-gb/resource-library/discussing-israel-palestine-conflict-classroom). So now I''m asking that the District listen to the experience and expertise of its own employees in addressing this topic. You have excellent educators in so many schools who are dedicated to developing and sharing critical, nuanced, and antiracist curricula on Palestine, Israel, and many other topics. Topics that are "just so complicated" need to be taught, not avoided. My fifth grade son has not heard a single word about the war in Gaza in his social studies class all year. Engage social studies consultants if you really must, but please do not choose an organization who can only
recognize genocides in the rearview mirror and whose condemnation of what is happening to the Palestinian people will likely come years from now when the geopolitics of the situation have shifted and standing against these atrocities is both safe and meaningless. We need you to stand with your teachers who are condemning this act of genocide NOW. You do not need to be the State Department to take a principled position on a matter of fundamental human rights. Elizabeth Rothwell
My name is Elly Porter-Webb, and I am a parent with a child in the district at Houston Elementary. I am deeply concerned with the attempts to silence teachers who are speaking out against the genocide being committed by Israel and I am concerned about the district confusing anti-Zionism for Anti-Semitism. Our kids deserve to learn about Palestine, and to learn about current violence and injustices in the world because it is our children who are our future and who need to learn about reality in order to make a future world free of violence and injustice. In order to build that world, we also want to uplift the following demands of Educators for Palestine that I support. These demands, which can be read in the entirety here, are critical to the education and safety of District students and staff, as well as in line with the Districts supposed aim at achieving equity and a quality education for all students:
The District has a responsibility to unequivocally condemn the ongoing genocide waged on the Palestinian people. We call on the SDP to release a ceasefire resolution as other districts around the country have done including New Haven Unified and Santa Clara in California and Ann Arbor in Michigan. The District must protect our students’ rights, well-being, and confidentiality when they choose to speak about Palestine, Islamophobia, racism, or any other experiences they have related to their identities. The District should follow up promptly whenever concerns about discriminatory treatment or suppression of student speech at any school are raised, while ensuring that there is no retaliation against the students, families, or staff who speak out about this. In particular, we demand transparent updates regarding an investigation that has begun into the leaking of NEHS student’s personal information.
If the District receives any concerns regarding student safety, the leadership has a responsibility to follow up in a manner that is student-centered and specific to the child(ren)’s schools to address the harm, rather than censuring teachers based on vague allegations that may or may not be connected to students at their school. The District must take resolute actions to protect the confidentiality, freedom of speech, and professional reputation of its students and staff. The District must actively facilitate the honest, critical pursuit of history and diverse views thereof, including the history of Palestine. The District has a responsibility to provide robust professional development opportunities that highlight diverse perspectives and welcome dialogue. Thank you for your commitment to our students and teachers.
To: SDP Board of Education Date: June 6, 2024 Public Hearing Thank you for allowing me to express my concern over the 1-year renewal for ICS West. I am requesting that the BOE follow the framework that has been established, and uphold the CSO’s recommendation for a five-year renewal based on our performance within the past five years, and as presented in our ACE-R. At the May 30th meeting, BOE members expressed concern over our separation from the Center City school and our capacity. This separation was communicated to the CSO over a year ago and they have been aware of the reduced support received by Center City since our last renewal. ICS West has built capacity over the past few years and has operated with limited support from the Center City school. The main support provided in the past 2 years has been focused on facilities management. Last year, the school's foundation engaged an owners' rep to help in this role and to guide us through the last phase of site development.
Additionally, questions posed by the BOE during the meeting were related to our mission. This is inconsistent with the perfect score that we received on the “Mission and Educational Program” category in the Compliance section of the ACE-R report. Over 9 months ago as part of the renewal process, we submitted our application which detailed our mission. However, there were no questions until recently. We are happy to talk through the specifics of our mission with the BOE in the appropriate forum to allay any concerns. Based on the parameters and process established by the BOE and enforced by the Charter School Office, a departure from this severely undermines the credibility of the renewal process. The Charter School Performance Framework establishes the standards for charter school accountability. A key purpose of that framework has been to maintain consistent and uniform standards to inform charter leaders and stakeholders. Awarding ICS West a 1-year renewal is a
clear departure from the standards and process that the BOE has established and endorsed. We appreciate your consideration of the concerns expressed and request a 5-year renewal consistent with our performance over the past 5 years under your evaluation framework. Thank you. Gloria Shabazz Board President
To the Board of Education: Thank you for scheduling a public hearing to ensure that you hear from as many people as possible. I am a parent of a second grader at Houston Elementary School. My family is Jewish and anti-Zionist, and I want you to know that that is not mutually exclusive. In fact, it is my Jewish values that lead me to support for Palestinian liberation. I know that there is a newly formed organization that claims to speak for Jewish families. They do not. This Jewish family (and many others) stands with our Black, Muslim, Palestinian, and other students and faculty as they try to make sense of the horrific events unfolding in the world. I ask you to condemn Israel's genocide against the people of Gaza, to support teachers and students who speak up about Palestine, and to make space for uncomfortable but necessary conversations. Do not be distracted by lies about what we stand for or tricks of language. Thank you. Hannah Mermelstein
From: Horace Clouden June 4, 2024 Subject: What we want for our Black Boys and Girls/all the children To the Board of Education: Middle Schools transform to Junior High Schools Take 5 of your Swing Spaces and make Junior High Schools (their original design) stop ignoring the academic desserts located in the West, Southwest and North area of the city Change failing Middle School buildings (6th, 7th and 8th) make them Junior High Schools (7th, 8th and 9th) This is what we want for our black boy vs. Priority Area 3 of your Accelerate Philly. The status on each point (3.1 -3.18) is from none too hopeful results. 1. Limit the classroom size stand by your 1:15 ratio. Starting with Kindergarten. 2. For all students between the grades of 4th and 12th to be tested in third grade math (without a calculator) and English, language and arts. We just can’t wait and identify how our 4th grade and 8th grade students do on a national test (NAEP).We need in real time
how out Black Boys are doing now from 4th grade to 12th grade with just one in house test (an authentic assessment) 3. Between the grades of 7th, 8th and 9th to be place in a Junior High School Setting. Stop warehousing them in your identified K-8 setting. Take 5 of your Swing Spaces and create Junior High Schools (the community pilot program). a. Racially balance teaching staff and include Liberians. b. Supply access to all 13 middle grade sports, all 6 forms of the Arts, introduction to the CTE’s and life skill curriculum. c. After school programs introduce by the community they live in. Welcome the Black community to support Black Boys. d. Open up the remaining swimming pools own by the School District for recreation swim, swim lesson and aqua aerobics plus bring back swim teams as the 14th Middle School Sport (all students can benefit). e. To supply cook meals in these locations with full service kitchens, a K-8 student eats the same process food.
4. Create a new CTE Comprehensive High School in the Southwest area of the city in Bartram High School. Identify other schools in the South and West Philadelphia areas with CTE programs. Travel time to other Comprehensive High Schools is the barrier for those students and they don’t feel safe. 5. Restore Driver Education for our 12th grade boys (not to exclude other 12th grade students) economic opportunity. 6. Restore Lifeguard training, economic opportunity. 7. To investigate the hiring practices for black male teachers. For now establish a quota system. Stop the ills of the present: Bullying, dropout, sex trafficking and education system with misguided supports. Start introducing hope for the future: Change the landscape; help the Black Boys/children have hope in their vision for their future. Not like Priority 3 in “Accelerate Philly” we can identify right now changes that are needed; these things are more important (details upon request).
In case you forgot SPREE 2021-2022 “24 out of 52 High Schools had 0% in Performance” Spree 2022-2023 has the same results. Swing Spaces vs. Junior High Schools Types of Facilities Considered for Swing Space: Types of Facilities Considered for Junior High Schools: ● Vacant District buildings Vacant District buildings ● Underutilized District buildings Underutilized District buildings Take the time to rethink their purpose.
Junior High School Facility Profile 7th, 8th and 9th Grades Up grading your 20th Century Learning spaces to 21st Century Learning spaces Larger space for larger students Larger Auditorium, Gym and Lunchroom Full-Service Kitchen Working Showers (optional) Science Labs & Music Labs CTE (Shop) Classes – Life Skills (Home Economics and Hands on Skills) Librarians Testing ever child to find out grade level, place and help accordingly Access to the Arts all six forms Middle grade sports with the addition of Table Tennis, Swimming and Billiards (sports of inclusion) Reduce 125 Middle School locations down to 30 to 35 Junior High Schools (addresses Equality) Equal Opportunity for all 7th, 8th and 9th graders across the city in education Suggested location/better use of facilities See List Attached.
Most of these locations were Junior High Schools prior to the change K-8 and Middle School configurations (in those buildings are the types of rooms need to expand the physical and mental growth of the student). These buildings are needed to help get students back on grade level sooner. Along with the attendance record of the teaching staff, Junior High Schools are needed to be a means of checks and balances along with opportunities for students to achieve and help correct the problems with transitioning to the High Schools. With this change, the High Schools are in need of changing their image threw out the District. Change them all to Criteria Base High Schools. Develop more specialty schools Ex. Special Needs and ELL until the needs are met in the all-inclusive setting. Reason for changes: 1. Elementary schools were not designed for large children usage, just changing bathroom size whether from Middle school downsizing
to a Kindergarten-Middle or Kindergarten to Six grade to Kindergarten to Middle. 2. The Junior High School building was designed for larger children. The failure of the Junior High School was due to the school not indoctrinating a high level of make the school work. You must put the best of the best adult staff. Have the Teaching Staff Demographic match that of the Student Demographic. This could be the most important transitional time in the life of students. 3. In High Schools, 9th graders are mostly responsible for the disruptions in schools. With the current structure Kindergarten to 8th grade, the transitional development has been taken out of the school for those 8th graders. There should be a transitional year for 9th graders, using the 7th, 8th and 9th model, students would be better prepared for High School and improving school climate. 4. This would immediately impact your High Schools and help the students better find their fit.
5. Supply the community with better models across the District, the charter school student will return. 6. Better used of the Facilities / addresses your empty seats and overcrowding schools. 7. Creates a place for the New Administration to demonstrate its new direction. This is the best suggestion that would cover all the Board’s Goals and Guardrails, in less time
Guardrail 2: Enriching and Well-rounded School Experiences Athletics Athletic participation helps out students grow, learn and enjoy themselves while they use and develop their personal, physical and intellectual skills. Middle Grades Athletic League • Interscholastic athletics for students in the Middle Grades, 6th-8th grade, in schools of the School District of Philadelphia and participating Philadelphia charter schools, o Participants will enjoy the benefits of the physical fitness, teamwork and discipline that involvement in athletics can bring. • The MGC recognizes athletics as an extra-curricular activity and asserts that participation in athletics is a privilege, and not a right, for those student-athletes who participate. There are 13 different Middle School Sports: Middle Grades Sports Offered By The District: Fall Season Winter Season Spring Season Field Hockey Boys Basketball Baseball Football Girls Basketball Softball Golf (Co-Ed) Boys Lacrosse Soccer (Co-Ed) Girls Lacrosse
Girls Volleyball Track (Co-Ed) Boys Volleyball
Schools with 13 Middle School Sports School #Students Building Capacity/red indicates overcrowding Baldi 6-8 1593 1302/291 School with 10 Middle School Sports School #Students Building Capacity/red indicates overcrowding Harding 6-8 730 1197 MYA 179 1200 Northeast Community Prople Acad K-7 1859 Washington Groover 5-8 486 1197 School #Students Building Capacity/red indicates overcrowding Schools with 9 Middle School Sports Castor Gard. 6-8 1392 1190/202 Finletter, Thomas K-8 700 Schools with 8 Middle School Sports School #Students Building Capacity/red indicates overcrowding Decatur K-8 967 1120 Mayfair K-8 1837 NA Fell K-8 550 567
Hopkinson K-8 688 635/53 Spruance K-8 1358 1100/258 The above schools with the exception of one are located in the Northeast!!! Guardrail #4 Addressing Racist Practices (area racism) Here are the rest of the schools that are reference in the Athletics School District Web Page. Out of 91 12 Schools have 0 sports,16 Schools have 1 sports, 10 Schools have 2 sports, 12 Schools have 3 sports, 6 Schools have 4 sports, 13 Schools have 5 sports, 3 Schools have 6 sports, 2 Schools have 7 sports. The majority of these schools, Middle Years 7th and 8th are in a K to 8 grade setting Some of these schools are attached to athletic spaces not being use. The purpose of this report is to show the inequity of the Middle Grade Sport program offer by the School District. Once again some schools are offered everything. Can you understand the picture that is presented? “Every student will have a well-rounded education including arts, athletics, and other co-curricular opportunities, integrated
into the school experience” Scholl District of Philadelphia. Guardrail# 2” This has been removed from the 2022-2023 SPREE The Arts % of Students Participating in Visual / Performing Arts. (SPREE Report) We must take into account the attendance of the students Example: 100% of the students attending 90% of the time. Meeting target or not Meeting target The percentage of students who participated in a visual or performing arts courses. Students must be enrolled for at least 90% of the school year to count towards a school’s score.
Here are the six forms of the Arts and Athletics that the school District should be offering: 1. Academic Enrichment is the integration of the arts and creative learning across non-arts classes and activities to enliven instruction and increase student engagement. Design Thinking Creative & Playful Learning Multiple Intelligences 2. Dance education gives students the freedom and permission to question and explore life through movement. Students will demonstrate their abilities and understanding of dance through: • Creating, performing and producing dance. • Critical response, aesthetic response, meaning and interpretation in dance. • Demonstrate an understanding of cultural and historical contexts in dance. • Incorporate the four elements of dance: Space, Time, Effort and Force. • Demonstrate proficient technical competency in at least one genre of dance: Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Ballroom, Social, and World Cultural dance.
3. The Media Arts Program prepares students for a future in creative industries within the visual arts, performing arts, and entertainment. Media Arts is an evolving genre that encompasses the creation of art, music and design produced by digital media and arts technologies such as graphic design, film, web design, 3-D design and printing, photography, animation, digital music, recording and production. Students will gain an innovative, interdisciplinary education through technical problem-solving and learning interpersonal skills that have real world applications. Media Arts currently fall within three collaborating offices: • Office of The Arts & Academic Enrichment, where media and technology are integrated within arts programs and courses • Office of Career & Technical Education, (CTE) where programs are delivered around highly intensive and focused strands • Office of Information Technology, responsible for oversight of PSTV, Educational Technology, and Digital Literacy Curriculum
4. The Office of Music Education ensures students of all ages and abilities have the opportunity to explore and shape their musical interests and voices. Students begin with foundational experiences in elementary General Music, continue with Vocal and Instrumental music instruction and ensembles, and explore the digital music world of composition, recording, and production. 5. Theatre education encourages students to explore life through viewpoints outside of themselves. Theatre addresses skills which benefit children’s education and development in five general areas: • Physical development and kinesthetic skills. • Artistic development using drama and theater skills. • Mental development and thinking skills. • Personal development and intra-personal skills. • Social development and interpersonal skills. 6. The School District of Philadelphia offers visual arts education for students in kindergarten through high school. The
curriculum includes two dimensional and three-dimensional studio applications, art history and digital art media. We encourage students to learn through: Discovering and creating an understanding of human behavior • Thinking outside of “the box” • Problem solving • Realizing their potential • Learning through the close observation of works of art and world cultures through various forms • Involvement with art materials and experiences guided by the elements and principles of art High school students may pursue International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement course work in the visual arts.
This is what the community as a whole needs. The Accelerate Philly is moving to slow with few targets that would affect the majority of the student body. When you talk about the District being underfunded remember they are still meeting payroll. The problem is poor service from its 16,000 employees in the forms of poor management (no oversight) ,absenteeism (you can’t get back what you lost) and false narratives like useless old buildings.(which are worth millions of dollars in salaries and contracts). These statements can be backed up with data and written testimonies. It’s time to take the Goals and Guardrails to the next level and enforce them.
Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Without disruption the lower half
Implement Junior High Schools in your K-8, Middle or High School buildings. If you’re going to wait until January to start a High Impact Tutoring program or Pilot a year-round and extended day calendar you can start now by changing the landscape of 6 to 8 schools. This can impact up to 60 feeder schools allowing the other schools to better assist the students in the needs of tutoring also providing better usage of your facilities. The right here and now is to better manage your staff with better proficiency through your budgetary scheduling. North, South, West and Southwest are good places to start without disrupting the other sections. It doesn’t take an electrical upgrade to provide and can be achieved in any budget: 1. Move 7th and 8th graders from K-8 or Kindergarten- Middle School to establish Junior High Schools 2. To provide Middle Grade Sports to every 7th and 8th grader and add on individual development sports like: swimming,
bowling, table tennis and billiards (future economic opportunities). 3. To provide access to all six forms of the Arts which are hidden from most students . 4. To provide full service kitchens to every 7th and 8th grader, stop feeding them the same food from 1st to 8th grade. 5. To provide Life Skills: cooking, sewing and introduction to power tools and plumbing tools (pathway to CTE programs). 6. To open up all the pools in your possession to the students for an Aquatic curriculum and Life Guard training (pathway to economic opportunity). 7. To establish a solid gym and health curriculum. Help create a healthy body and mind (who in the District is responsible for this)? 8. To establish a Driver Education curriculum for 12th graders like other small surrounding school districts (pathway to economic opportunity). 9. To introduce all year travel in and outside the city. 10. The most underutilize room in all these buildings are the Auditoriums
o Help the District eliminate over and underutilizes buildings. Make the District more accountable through movement. Here are the listings of schools that are overcrowding in the School District
Guardrail 1: Every school will be safe, welcoming and healthy place Overcrowded Schools, Potential Fire Hazard and Education loss (2022-2023 SPREE)
K-8 Student Achievement/Performance School Name Student Pop. Bldg. Cap. Teacher Attd 2018-2019/2020-2021/2021-22/2023 ELA% Student w/IEP Math% Ann Frank K-5 1529 1004/525 87.3% 82% Covid 77.8 ? 62.2% 8.4% 54.5% Rhawnhurst K-5 672 650/22 88.9% 44% Covid 44.4% ? 39.3% 10.5% 34.6% Mayfair K-8 1837 NA/? 82.5% 34% Covid 22.2% ? 38.6% 8.3% 27.1% Southwark K-8 962 815/147 84.4% 19% Covid 22.2% ? 32.3% 11.5% 19.9% Olney K-8 775 537/238 83.3% 22% Covid 11.1% ? 28.1% 13.3% 8.8% Finletter K-8 700 676/24 91.1% 24% Covid 0.0% 0% 31.7% 20.8% 13.6% Spruance K-8 1358 1100/258 71.4% 19% Covid 12.5% ? 25.9% 15.8% 14.1% Hopkinson K-8 688 635/53 82.4% 9% Covid 0.0% 0% 26.8% 17.0% 12.5% Day K-8 425 358/67 85.2% 10% Covid 11.1% ? 29.7% 17.6% 8.3% Benj. Franklin K-8 689 696/6 65.9% 11% Covid 16.7% ? 24.7% 12.2% 8.3% Spring Garden K-8 276 258/18 88.2% 12% Covid 0.0% 0% 18.8% 14.2% 7.8% Farrell K-8 1207 1107/100 80.9% 31% Covid 11.1% ? 38.3% 13.8% 26.7%
Fell K-8 550 567/17 86.5% 47% Covid 44.4% ? 46.1% 14.6% 28.2%
Jackson K-8 526 517/9 97.1% 39% Covid 88.9% ? 62.2% 11.7% 48.3% Student Achievement/Performance School Name Student Pop. Bldg. Cap. Teacher Attd 2018-2019/2020-2021/2021-22/2023 ELA% Student w/IEP Math% Bridesburg K-8 627 338/289 80.5% 41% Covid 44.4% ? 43.8% 19.8% 25.5% Hancock Demonstration K-8 766 525/241 84.5% 47% Covid 44.4% ? 50.1% 28.4% 31.4% McCall K-8 659 596/63 87.5% 74% Covid 77.8% ? 79.0% 11.9% 71.9% Greenburg K-8 901 755/146 90.2% 80% Covid 77.8% ? 82.2% 14.0% 62.4% Sadie Alexander K-8 586 542/44 92.7% 85% Covid 100% 100% 85.4% 10.0% 77.1% Meredith K-8 528 477/51 90.3% 83% Covid 77.8% ? 85.3% 7.1% 75.8% Middle Schools Student Achievement/Performance School Name Student Pop. Bldg. Cap. Teacher Attd 2018-2019/2020-2021/2021-22/2023 ELA% Student w/IEP Math% Caster Gardens 6-8 1392 1190/202 78.5% 13% COVID 0.0% 0% 36.8% 14.1% 14.7% Feltonville Arts 6-8 602 519/83 75.6% 3% COVID 0.0% 0% 20.3% 18.7% 6.0% Baldi 6-8 1593 1302/291 84.8% 52% COVID 50.0% ? 57.1% 13.0% 36.2%
Masterman 5-8 735 806/386 51.7% 98% COVID 83.3% ? 94.0% 2.5% 81.9%
High Schools Student Achievement/Performance School Name Student Pop. Bldg. Cap. Performance Goal Performance CTE Performance 2018-2019/2020-2021/2022 TA Northeast 3452 3140/312 I.S 20.8% I.S. 2CTE 16% Covid 20.0 87.9% Kensington Health 478 337/141 0.0% 3.1% 26.5% 3CTE 1% Covid 0.0% 71.1% Student Achievement/Performance School Name Student Pop. Bldg. Cap. Performance Goal Performance CTE Performance 2018-2019/2020-2021/2022 TA George Washington 2074 1780/294 I.S. 10.4% 90.9% NL 8% Covid 12.5% 82.4% Lincoln 2363 1586/777 I.S. 6.0% 52.4% 6CTE 3% Covid 0% 84.4% Acad. At Polumbo 1181 1067/114 I.S. 55.7% I.S. No CTE 51% Covid 71.4% 94.7% Central 2370 1868/502 I.S. 69.4% I.S. No CTE 95% Covid 75.0% 94.6% Masterman 460+Mid 806/396 I.S. 45.8% I.S. No CTE 100% Covid 83.3% 86.4% Swenson 778 637/140 I.S. 9.4% 70.0% 10CTE 9% Covid 44.4% 93.1% Dobbins 913 900/13 0.0% 0.6% 39.1% 11CTE 0% Covid 0% 77.3%
In closing it doesn’t take five years for changes that can take place over the upcoming summer with your 12 month employees. You the Board has to have faith in the children that they deserve an equal opportunity to education. The key is movement and with 16,000 employees to service 115,000 students, the previous items I have listed above can be accomplish. Half the Board has heard these ideals before, what is needed is for the other half to read the material and start a conversation. The children don’t have the time for the District to put a spin on it and make it their own. Just do it and put these things into action. Respectfully, Horace Clouden
To the Board of Education and Superintendent Watlington: You don’t have to be a parent to understand that going to the bathroom is among children’s most basic and urgent needs: each of us knows that our own health and dignity depends on consistently being able to access a functioning, sanitary bathroom. District leaders have made important strides in recent years to modernize our aging school buildings, which have suffered from decades of deferred maintenance and unconstitutional underfunding. However, while families, staff, advocates, and officials continue to press for the full-scale resources we need and deserve, we also need an urgent and focused effort to ensure bathroom access for every child, now. We are asking for: A comprehensive assessment of bathroom access and issues, including surveying individual schools and adding this as a question on future annual surveys. This should also include reviewing
records of work orders to identify locations and patterns of bathroom repair needs and/or unsanitary conditions, and to assess the speed and effectiveness of response by the District and its contractors. Urgent prioritization of schools with repeat or persistent issues for more effective response or intervention, including plumbing modernization. Allocation of sufficient additional staffing to schools where decisions are made that bathrooms will be locked and access rationed if staff is not present, including offering expanded hours for NTA positions. Additional measures to fill the high proportion of vacant building maintenance positions and to increase retention, including reviewing and increasing compensation levels to ensure competitiveness. Adopt and implement recommendations from Lift Every Voice Philly for a “joy audit” and a “chief of joy” position dedicated to ending dehumanizing practices and ensuring our schools are welcoming places for young people.
Regular tracking of progress and critical metrics at Board meetings as part of Guardrail 1. Our wonderful school, Southwark, has seen recurring bathroom closures across multiple floors in recent months as well as repeated building maintenance staff vacancies; recent reporting about the Workshop School also highlighted unacceptable bathroom closures. But these issues are not limited to a single school or a few outliers. Young people across the District often raise both bathroom conditions and limited access as demoralizing and traumatizing. We hear of children who have accidents because they can’t make it to the bathroom due to closures across multiple floors. Adult visitors who encounter bathrooms in some of our most underresourced schools are horrified at the smell and open human waste. Reasons for inadequate, inaccessible, or unsanitary bathrooms can vary. But what is universal is the need for any issues involving adequate bathroom access to be prioritized and treated with acute
urgency, and for the District to have a truly solutions-oriented approach that is publicly tracked and monitored. It’s hard to think of a more critical “guardrail” than this. As challenging as the circumstances are in which our public schools have to operate, we are asking you to take this on with the serious focus and attention it deserves, and to develop a set of
approaches, policies, procedures, and plans that better ensure we are providing children with the dignity and sanitation that is their entitlement and our responsibility. Additionally, before the school year concludes, we ask that Superintendent Watlington, President Streater, and any Board members visit representative schools including Southwark (which, having been built in 1909, is among the District’s aged facilities) to see the bathrooms in use and better understand the impact of the status quo. Mary Falso, mom to a 2nd grader And Kindergartner Southwark School
ICS West met the requirements for a 5-year renewal and we expect the DE to follow a fair and just process.
Dear Superintendent Watlington and Members of the Board, My name is Shaw MacQueen, I am a teacher at Mitchell Elementary and a proud member of Racial Justice Organizing Committee and Philly Educators for Palestine. I am writing as I am unable to attend the Public Comment meeting being held on June 6th. First, your actions at the PUBLIC meeting on May 30th were deplorable - denying access to the public, violating the Sunshine Act. In addition, your School District Police put their hands on a member of PEFP, your media head clapped their hands in someone''s face, and your District police were going around taking pictures of the faces of various rally participants. We were told we were “unprofessional” and “threatening”. I’ve been to many protests outside of 440 over the years and none of them have been deemed unprofessional or threatening. And all of them were as peaceful as our protest on the 30th. Actually, this one was the only one I went to that had a kid''s craft table….
This needs to be investigated and addressed. I am reaching out, again, in regard to the issue of censorship of teachers and students, the FERPA violation that occurred at NEHS, and the severe lack of professional development opportunities for teachers to learn about and respectively process the history of Palestine and Israel. I have been reaching out occasionally since February, and spoke at the action meeting on May 30th, about all of these issues requesting someone reach out and I have yet to hear from anyone. There have been many instances (honestly one is too many) this year of teachers being bullied and targeted by building and 440 administrators and outside agitators due to their support of Palestine. Teachers, including myself, have been named on multiple occasions - falsely being accused of antisemitism and discrimination. The School District needs to make it clear to their administrators
and the public that this will not be tolerated. One of the strongest ways you can send this message is to name the genocide that is currently going on in Gaza and the occupied West Bank against Palestinians and call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Even more alarming than teachers being harassed and silenced is the FERPA violation that occurred at NEHS. The steps you are taking to address the teacher(s) clearly guilty of endangering these students are unclear. and violating their privacy What steps are going to be taken to ensure that these types of incidents don’t happen again - and when they do instead of the district turning a blind eye, can action be taken immediately? Also, I reached out about a very specific incident of Islamophobia and a blatant violation of District policy in which students were denied a safe, quiet, and private space for Dhuhr prayer at Baldi Middle School (some students were forced to pray out in
the hallway and were subsequently yelled at for being in the hall) and a request that the district investigates this issue, and ensure that this doesn’t occur at Baldi or any of our schools moving forward. Additionally, as I’ve brought up multiple times before, a PD was canceled by 440 that was being planned by Keziah Ridgeway and myself. This PD was going to be an opportunity for teachers, who opted to participate and to learn about the history of Palestine, and the history of the creation of Israel. This PD would have been an opportunity for teachers to contextualize the events of October 7th and the horrific violence that has continued since then. An opportunity to learn about how October 7th was not the start of this conflict. An opportunity to have a respectful and informed
discussion. All of this is what we should be striving for in our own classrooms. Not to tell people what to think, but to provide them with history and context and allow them to engage with this knowledge, engage with others, critically analyze the world around them, and come up with their own conclusions. But instead, this was shut down. We, the PEFP, are demanding that these spaces be provided. Not by outside consultants who may not have any Palestinian voices involved (Facing History), but by individuals in the district who not only can provide a Palestinian voice and perspective but can offer these professional developments productively (much like was implemented with District Wide PD days). I was always proud of teaching in a district that rhetorically centers racial equity and justice. That has a social studies curriculum that centers racial justice and challenges, understandings of power, and
looks at oppression. At the first district to mandate African American Studies. However, how the district is responding (or not responding for that matter) to the current genocide is very telling. How can our district claim to value racial equity and the well-being of all children if you are ignoring Palestine? Stop allowing your educators and students to be harassed, defamed, and silenced. I sincerely ask you to put your own comfort and safety on the line, like we and our students are doing, and stand up against the genocide. To do everything and anything that you can do from your position to ensure that this ends, to ensure that it won’t be repeated, to ensure that Palestinian students are seen and valued in our district. I would appreciate someone reaching out in response to these issues. Thank you. Shaw MacQueen
I am the mother of two little girls that attends ics west. Their school meets all 5 requirements to renew their school my daughters been involved with this school for 5 years now. They love their teachers, their staff, and also made a lot of new friends. My daughters always make straight A’s and B’s they are even in a few after school programs at this school. I enjoy this school because they always involve me in things and I can always reach someone when I truly need to this school is convient for me it’s right around the corner from my house I am able to get my daughters to school and get to work on time I am a single parent so if this school close down I will not be able to work and provide for my daughters. I do not like none of the neighbor schools they do not push the kids how I need them to it takes a village yes I teach my daughters at home also but their school helps me and we all on the same page they even helped with my ADHD child they keep her busy so
please be fair and renew ICS West school plans for next year we need this school and I will not be placing my daughters in neighborhood schools. Tynisha Gales
ICS West met the requirements for a 5-year renewal and we expect them to follow a fair Zetora Goodman
Board of Education Meeting Date: 6/6/2024 ATTACHMENTS: Description Type General Speakers List Supporting Document
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC HEARING SPEAKERS LIST JUNE 6, 2024 Registered Speakers 1. Lynda Rubin, Community Member Topic: Welcome to New School Board 2. Maurice Jenkins, Parent/Guardian Topic: Student Achievement 3. Donna Cooper, Children First Topic: School Funding 4. Evelyn Otero, Parent/Guardian Topic: Inclusion 5. Cindy Farlino, Community Member Topic: Our Schools and Free Speech in our Classrooms 6. James Felder, Parent/Guardian Topic: Quality Schools 7. Tanica Billey, Parent/Guardian Topic: Student Achievement 8. Keziah Ridgeway, District Staff Member Topic: Listening to Students 9. Dana Carter, Community Member Topic: Student Safety 10. Dr. Phillip Roundtree, Community Member Topic: Current State of Philly Schools 11. Horace Clouden, Community Member Topic: Everything 12. Nelly Jadan, Parent/Guardian Topic: Quality Schools 13. Matthew Mandel, District Staff Member Topic: Climate and Conditions 14. Laura Johnson, Community Member
Topic: Out-of-School Time 15. Deborah Grill, Community Member Topic: School Libraries and Librarians 16. Barbara Stripling, PARSL Topic: The Critical Need for School Libraries and Librarians 17. Rabia Oksuz, District Staff Member Topic: I want to Lay out Prayer Times Facts at Baldi Middle School. 18. Ariel Presley, Friends of Philly Aquatics Topic: Swimming Pools 19. Joseph Fratoni, Community Member Topic: Family Engagement 20. Lisa Haver, APPS Topic: Community Engagement 21. Rachel Whitley, Community Member Topic: After School Enrichment
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC HEARING SPEAKERS LIST JUNE 6, 2024 22. Hannah Gann, District Staff Member Topic: Uplifting Palestinian Voices 23. Prabhat Nigam, Community Member Topic: Sharing my Professional Experience and Encourage Students and Citizens to work and Stay Happy 24. Arun Kundnani, Parent/Guardian Topic: Protection for Students and Educators who Express Pro-Palestinian Views 25. Arielle Sternman, Parent/Guardian Topic: Respect & Humanity in the Classroom 26. Leah Clouden, Community Member Topic: Education 27. Tamar Sharabi, Community Member Topic: Free Speech 28. Tashi Grant, Parent/Guardian Topic: Abuse of Power and Privilege 29. Ashira Rawlerson, Community Member Topic: Philly Aquatics 30. Gloria Presley, Community Member Topic: Philly Aquatics 31. Barbara Dowdall, Community Member Topic: Transformation 32. Nick Palazzolo, District Staff Member Topic: Curriculum 33. Anna Kahn, Community Member Topic: Discrimination against
Students and Faculty 34. Gili Ronen, Parent/Guardian Topic: Praise and Concern about SDP 35. Mordechai Liebling, Community Member Topic: Free Speech/Protection of Students 36. Charles Hudgins, District Staff Member Topic: Safe Air 37. Cecelia Thompson, Parent/Guardian Topic: Special Education 38. Donna Fields, District Staff Member Topic: Student Support 39. Julie Kaeli, Parent/Guardian Topic: Parking Issues and Impact on School Community 40. Helena Pylvainen, Parent/Guardian Topic: Inclusion 41. Ben Vershbow, Parent/Guardian Topic: Free Speech in our Schools
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC HEARING SPEAKERS LIST JUNE 6, 2024 42. Stewart Thorndike, Parent/Guardian Topic: Protection for Students and Educators who Express Pro-Palestinian Views 43. Veronica Holman, Friends of Philly Aquatics Topic: Marcus Foster and Pickett pools 44. Kristin Luebbert, District Staff Member Topic: Supporting our Students 45. Jay Mancini, Charter School Staff Topic: Impediment of Free Speech and Duty 46. Hanan Kayed, Parent/Guardian Topic: Censorship 47. Anne Dorn, Parent/Guardian Topic: Magnet School Admissions System 48. Dana Twyman, Community Member Topic: ICS West Charter Renewal 49. Ashley Rosario, Community Member Topic: School Budgeting 50. Jan Chanin, Community Member Topic: Air Quality 51. Melissa Suarez, Parent/Guardian Topic: Charter Schools 52. Gloria Shabazz, ICS West Board of Trustees Topic: Charter Renewal 53. Jill Altshuler, Community Member Topic: Community Environment 54. Carrie Lawrence, Community Member
Topic: Community Environment
Board of Education Meeting Date: 6/6/2024 ATTACHMENTS: Description Type Student Speakers List Supporting Document
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC HEARING STUDENT SPEAKERS LIST JUNE 6, 2024 Registered Student Speakers 1. Yusef Rawlerson, Topic: Philly Aquatics 2. Ashira Rawlerson, Topic: Philly Aquatics