Stories tagged: parent organizing
PCAPS talks new strategy as it regroups
Submitted by thenotebook on Thu, 04/18/2013 - 14:12 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Charlotte Pope
Now that the School Reform Commission has voted to close 23 schools, the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools -- a major voice in the school-closings debate -- is regrouping and laying out its next steps.
About 200 people came together Wednesday evening during the group’s general assembly to hear about a new three-part campaign focusing on school funding, community schools, and charter school accountability.
Sylvia Simms will replace Cary on SRC
Submitted by Dale Mezzacappa on Mon, 01/28/2013 - 15:33 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
Mayor Nutter has named parent activist Sylvia Simms to replace Lorene Cary on the School Reform Commission.
Simms, who was a District bus attendant for 15 years, said she was "honored," "excited," and "surprised" by the appointment.
In a statement, Nutter said that Simms "will bring an incredibly important and unique perspective to educational advocacy" to the SRC.
At school-closings forum, young students worry about safety
Submitted by thenotebook on Wed, 01/23/2013 - 13:25 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Charlotte Pope
The biggest fear for the young students who came out to the school-closings meeting at Overbrook High School on Tuesday night was clear: Would their safety be at risk?
In a room of about 300 people, some of the youngest voices in the school-closings debate took the floor at the West Philadelphia school to relay their concerns about the hazards of traveling across unknown neighborhoods, bullying, and increased conflicts among students.
"I want my school to stay open, where I feel safe," said Judea Williams, a 3rd grader at Gompers Elementary, one of the schools slated for closure. "I don’t want to have to watch my back all of the time. If I move to Beeber, I will have to be in school with a bunch of 8th and 7th graders, and I don’t want to be around them because they might have fights. The little children that are tiny might get hurt.”
Ethics complaint questions legitimacy of BCG reform plan, school closures
Submitted by thenotebook on Thu, 12/06/2012 - 14:06 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Bill Hangley, Jr.
With the shadow of dozens of possible school closures looming in the background, a group of public school advocates has formally filed an ethics complaint challenging the legitimacy of the dramatic reform plan developed for the School District of Philadelphia by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and the William Penn Foundation.
Coalición reúne opiniones de la comunidad sobre planes de reforma
por Charlotte Pope Posted in Diciembre 2012 Edition | Permalink
Este otoño los defensores de la educación trabajaron para asegurar que se tomara en cuenta la opinión de la comunidad en la discusión sobre el futuro de las escuelas de Filadelfia: la Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools (PCAPS) llevó a cabo dos foros y circuló una encuesta dirigida a padres, educadores, estudiantes y otros que apoyan la educación pública.
Coalition developing alternative to consultant’s plan for District
Charlotte Pope Posted in December 2012 Edition | Permalink
Education advocates worked this fall to ensure a community voice in the discussion about the future of Philadelphia schools: The Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools (PCAPS) sought input through two forums and a survey aimed at parents, educators, students, and other public education supporters.
Round two of PCAPS forums keeps education reform conversation going
Submitted by thenotebook on Fri, 11/02/2012 - 14:01 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Charlotte Pope
Many parents, teachers, and community members filled the Francis Myers Recreation Center in Southwest Philadelphia on Thursday for a second forum held by the Philadelphia Coalition for Advocating for Public Schools (PCAPS).
The forums are part of an ongoing effort by PCAPS to get community input as it works to map out alternatives to the reform strategies suggested by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
School Advisory Council summit to be held Saturday
Submitted by Wendy Harris on Thu, 11/01/2012 - 13:30 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
There has been a push from a coalition of community groups to spread School Advisory Councils (SACs) to more District schools. On Saturday, Nov. 3, community members will join SAC teams, parents, students, and others interested in serving on one of the councils for an SAC Summit.
Education coalition holds first of three forums to discuss school reform plans
Submitted by thenotebook on Fri, 10/26/2012 - 14:25 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Charlotte Pope
“We are in this together. This fight you are not fighting alone.”
These are the words Philadelphia Federation of Teachers member Denise Turner used to encourage a crowd of concerned parents, educators, and caregivers who attended a meeting Thursday held by the community organizing group Action United, in support of the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools (PCAPS).
The push is on to expand School Advisory Councils
by Paul Jablow and Paul Socolar Posted in October 2012 Edition | Permalink
School Advisory Councils, or SACs, will be spreading to more schools this year, after lots of encouragement from a coalition of community groups.
The coalition went to the School Reform Commission in July and in August, calling for a resolution mandating the expansion. A resolution that they have developed calls for the SRC to give its blessing to creating a SAC at every District school and to require it at all 73 “full-autonomy” schools, where principals will have expanded authority over educational decisions this year.
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