Focus on Small Schools
Spring 2004 Vol. 11 No. 3
Principal Edward Monastra greets a student outside Olney High School, one of the city’s large high schools that are slated for replacement or renovation. A proposal would break up Olney into several new, small schools.
See Also
Capital plan community outreachSmall schools backers push to be heard on capital plan
by Beandrea Davis
Two student groups and their allies are among those who see the District's $1.5 billion Capital Improvement Program as a landmark opportunity to transform Philadelphia's high schools.
The capital plan calls for building 20 new schools and renovating dozens more over the next five years, addressing a real need in a District where 71 percent of school buildings are more than 50 years old.
Comments ()
Download Edition
More in this edition
District pursues creation of new, smaller high schools
by Paul Socolar
Responding to growing evidence that large, urban high schools often are not as good learning environments as smaller schools, the School District is expanding its roster of high schools and thereby aiming to reduce student enrollment at large high schools.
Creg Williams, the District's deputy chief academic officer in charge of high schools, said the District is implementing a "small schools" strategy not only to decrease the numbers of students in large high schools but also to provide "a whole lot more programmatic options for young people."
Comments ()
Photo Essay: Student group impressed by visit to small schools in New York
by Beandra Davis
Looking for ideas on how to turn their large, low-performing high schools into small schools, Kensington and Olney High School students from the education organizing group Youth United for Change (YUC) set out to find successful examples of small schools around the country.
Last March, their search led them to the Julia Richman Education Complex, a building in New York City that is home to six small, autonomous schools ranging in size from 130 to 400 students.
Comments ()
Table of Contents
Theme articles
- Small schools backers push to be heard on capital plan by Beandrea Davis
- The biggest and smallest: student enrollments in Philadelphia
- Chart: Most Philadelphia students attend schools of 750 students or more
- Graph: Changing enrollments have had an impact on school size
- Photo Essay: Student group impressed by visit to small schools in New York by Beandra Davis
- District pursues creation of new, smaller high schools by Paul Socolar
- Two student groups formulate vision of small schools
- In Oakland, community groups won small schools policy by Sukey Blanc
- Analysis: Looking at all the costs, small schools make sense
- Still aiming for smaller high school feel, District shifts efforts by Beandrea Davis
- Why some schools choose to stay small by Benjamin Herold and Beandrea Davis
- Small schools resources
- Gates Foundation: big funder of small schools, but not yet in Philly by Eva Travers
Other news & features
- Coalition highlights staffing disparities by Paul Socolar
- Peirce community steps up anti-violence initiatives by Amy Rhodes
In our opinion
- Extreme makeover?
From our readers
- Failing our children
- Senior volunteers could provide guided reading help
- Teachers and special needs
Eye on special education
- Small schools hold promise for students with disabilities by Pat Halle
Activism around the city
- Forum scheduled on high school reforms
- Group celebrates policy restricting soda sales
Neighborhood Notebook
- In Northwest, two groups that bring community assets to schools by Amy Rhodes
School snapshot
- Webster Elementary School
News in brief
- Principals encouraged to say 'gay' and 'lesbian'
- New eighth grade tutors to support math, literacy
Guest opinions
- Small schools: a foundation for improving Philadelphia high schools by Fran Sugarman
En español
- Distrito busca crear escuelas superiores más pequeñas por Paul Socolar
- La comunidad Peirce afianza sus iniciativas en contra de la violencia por Amy Rhodes
- Un vistazo a cuatro pequeñas escuelas chárter en Filadelfia por Benjamin Herold y Beandrea Davis
- Datos de las escuelas chárter
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
Philly Ed Feed
Urban School NewsStories from other cities
Login / Register
