by Sonia Giebel
The School District of Philadelphia presented Susan Lee, an 11th-grade math teacher at the Academy of Palumbo, with the Teacher of the Year award on Wednesday night. Lee, in her fourth year at Palumbo, beat out 12 other nominees from around the District and will receive $2,500.
"I owe everything to my students and my colleagues,” Lee said. She also stressed the support she’s received from her principal, Dr. Adrienne Wallace-Chew, whom she describes as her “No. 1 fan from day one.”
by Sonia Giebel
Days after the School Reform Commission approved its “doomsday” budget, about 150 people conducted a noisy protest Wednesday outside District headquarters against two of the budget's consequences: the removal of noontime aides from lunchrooms and less fresh food for students.
The UNITE HERE rally brought together the aides -- also called student safety staff -- who monitor trouble-prone hallways and lunchrooms, with students, teachers, cafeteria workers, and others. They chanted slogans like “break bread, not schools” and banged pots and pans.
“What parent wants their kid eating on a dirty table ... or coming home with a busted nose?” said Migdalia Lopez, a noontime aide at Bodine High School. The cafeteria will not be a safe environment, she said.
“It’s not about the play. It’s about what happens to you when you write the play.”
Thelma Reese, then a teacher and educational psychologist, said she eventually had this “aha moment” about the inspiration of her friend Adele Magner that students — no matter how young, how poor, how jaded, how troubled, how bored — could transform their lives by writing plays.
Magner’s vision blossomed, with the help of Reese and others, when she founded Philadelphia Young Playwrights, which celebrated its 25th anniversary Tuesday night. Throughout its existence, the program has reached about 40,000 students, not to mention their teachers, teaching artists, and parents.

Why I'll be there June 11, standing up for Philly's schools. Notebook
New taxes to help schools bring protesters before Council. NewsWorks
Solomon Jones takes Bok students on a media tour. NewsWorks
"It's just a big fog of blank," says GHS alumni president on school closing reactions. NewsWorks
The forecast for Nutter's school aid plan: June gloom looms. Philly.com
Looking back at the '73 teachers' strike. Daily News
Doomsday budget is morally unacceptable. It must become politically impossible. CityPaper
Penn could step up and fill a void left by budget cuts. Daily Pennsylvanian
West Philadelphia Partnership is looking to expand its out-of-school program. CBS Philly
Community members to rally Thursday for Philadelphia school funding. Our City Our Schools
Financial woes continue to take toll on Pennsylvania school districts. Patriot-News
News summary from Keystone State Education Coalition
by Katey McGrath
The Philadelphia Public School Notebook is a catalyst for change, an advocate for equity and excellence, and an information source and forum for the supporters of public schools in Philadelphia. As a member of the Notebook’s board of directors and a parent of students in Philadelphia’s public schools, I am proud to be a part of the Notebook’s work. I invite you to show your support for the Notebook by coming out to the Turning the Page for Change annual celebration on June 11.
Diverse group of Pa. schools joins Philly in call for more state money. Notebook/NewsWorks
See also: Nutter, Butkovitz push Pa. for more school funding. Inquirer
In school funding, legislators should add more than a mere drop in the bucket. Daily News
“Doomsday budget” is likely to hurt some students more than others. AxisPhilly
President of Community College of Philadelphia is leaving. Inquirer
See also: CCP's president is out two years before contract ends. Daily News
Roxborough High's principal Stephen Brandt will step down in July. Notebook/NewsWorks
Charter reform bills approved by House Education committee. Patriot-News
Pennsylvania is buzzing with public education activism. Yinzercation
School leaders say Oakland's community school movement will continue. Notebook/EdSource
Sen. Harkin unveils new bill to revise No Child Left Behind. NY Times
News summary from Keystone State Education Coalition
by Holly Otterbein for NewsWorks
A group of unlikely allies descended upon Harrisburg on Tuesday to lobby for additional school funding.
Pennsylvania charter school leaders, as well as local officials from Republican-controlled counties, joined Philadelphia in the call for more state aid for basic education.
"This isn't a Republican or Democrat issue," said Ronald Williams, a GOP member of the Pottstown school board in Montgomery County. "This is an issue that has to do with the future of our children."
by Aaron Moselle for NewsWorks
Stephen Brandt, Roxborough High School's beloved, award-winning principal, is stepping down after more than four years on the job.
The Roxborough High alum is leaving to lead Bensalem High School in Bucks County. His tenure at Roxborough began in March 2009.
"It was a very difficult decision and it's still a bittersweet moment in my life," Brandt told NewsWorks on Tuesday morning.
This story is part of a multi-city partnership reporting on issues surrounding expanded learning time.
by Michelle Maitre for EdSource
When Tony Smith became Oakland, Calif., schools superintendent four years ago, he vaulted the struggling district into the national spotlight with his vision of creating a “community school district” that would vastly expand the role of schools in the lives of their students and the community as a whole.
Instead of just focusing on what goes on in the classroom, Smith argued, the schools should focus on serving the “whole child” by partnering with community organizations to offer a range of enrichment, health, social and other services for children and their families.
by Tom MacDonald for NewsWorks
One state senator is optimistic that the Philadelphia schools will not have to open this fall with just the bare essentials. A lot will depend on whether new dollars flow from Harrisburg.
State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams says he's not sure how the money will be found for Philadelphia schools, but he knows other districts are also in need of funding from Harrisburg.

District's textbook inventory system is an expensive disaster. AxisPhilly
Can Vaux and Reynolds be saved by gentrification? AxisPhilly
Blackwell and activists call to replace the School Reform Commission with elected school board. Inquirer
See also: Lawmakers debate returning control of schools to local board. CBS Philly
Amid flagging finances, cutbacks loom at Girard College. Inquirer
See also: Girard College will temporarily close grades 9 - 12. Daily News
Teacher-quality study lacks quality. Daily News
Teacher followed in his mentor's footsteps. Daily News
What happens if you have to learn at ground zero of the storm? Inquirer
Hamels Foundation donates $50K to three Philadelphia schools. Fox Philly
Class of '62 grad says GHS teachers opened 'a new world' for him. NewsWorks
Noontime aides, who help keep schools safe, face elimination. Notebook
Student to Corbett: Invest in our future, not in locking us up. Philadelphia Student Union
Community schools bring services under one roof. Notebook
News summary from Keystone State Education Coalition
One of the more stressful jobs I've had over my two decades of teaching middle school was running a lunch room with upwards of 300 rambunctious adolescents. They were determined to make the most of the one time during the school day that they were out of the classroom.
It was a challenge to keep peace and good order. I had to make sure students got their food, could visit the bathroom, and didn’t escape into the halls or the uninhabited regions of our old building. I depended on a group of noontime aides (who now call themselves student safety staff) to help police the perimeters, identify problems, and mediate conflicts.
Former charter assistant principal has his licenses suspended for cheating. Notebook
Girard College poised to end boarding and high school to become a K-8 day school. Inquirer
See also: Under financial stress, Girard proposes grade and housing changes. Daily News
On education, Nutter "doesn't get it." Daily News
In Philly schools drama, many boo the wrong "villains." NewsWorks
This isn't school, it's a warehouse to store children for seven hours. Daily News
Protesters fight to save Philly schools from 'doomsday' budget. Notebook
See also: Hundreds protest school budget cuts. AxisPhilly
School District’s “doomsday budget” will turn Philly into Detroit redux. Philly Mag
Don't let students' summer be idle. Inquirer
Philadelphia pays tribute to the Roots with a massive mural. Rolling Stone
Stack's bill package cracking down on deadbeats will help the city help itself. Inquirer
State Rep. Kinsey recalls good times as bitter end nears for GHS. NewsWorks
News summary from Keystone State Education Coalition
Another Philadelphia administrator has been disciplined for his role in Pennsylvania's widespread cheating scandal on state standardized tests.
Thomas Conway, a former assistant principal at Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter High School, has had his credentials suspended, according to the State Department of Education's website. Cited as the grounds for discipline: "Allegations that Educator violated the integrity and security of the statewide assessment by failing to follow proper procedures related to the handling and storage of secure documents, and by reviewing the assessment for purposes of creating an answer key."
Teacher, artist, and Notebook cartoonist Eric Joselyn will be honored by the Philadelphia Folklore Project for his artistic contributions to social justice at a "Birthday Bash" event to be held at the Painted Bride Art Center Saturday night.
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