On Thursday, April 25th at 4 p.m., the Board will hold a Budget Hearing, followed by an Action Meeting. Find materials here here.

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Category: Family Spotlight

Decatur Elementary Volunteer Shows That Giving is a Two-Way Street

Decatur Elementary Volunteer Shows That Giving is a Two-Way Street

Jennifer (left), an ESL teacher at Decatur with parent volunteer Linda For so many of us, volunteering at a school can seem like a daunting idea. With numerous things to do and ways to help, how can you even get started? Linda, an experienced volunteer who recently won the District’s Family Engagement Award and regularly...
Getting Back into the “Spring” of Things

Getting Back into the “Spring” of Things

For so many of us exhausted over another frigid winter, the freshness of Spring proves to be a welcome arrival– like a friend at our door whom we haven’t seen in forever. With daffodils and aster flowers poking through the dirt and gravel and so much going on in the city, now is a great...
Scholarships Available for Penn Museum Anthropology Camp

Scholarships Available for Penn Museum Anthropology Camp

Celebrate summer fun and learning through the Penn Museum’s world-renowned collections. Each week features an exciting theme with hands-on workshops, expert talks, gallery exploration, and more. Penn Museum Anthropology Camp is designed for children ages 6-13 who will be entering grades 1–8 for the 2022-2023 school year. The Penn Museum is offering two types of...
guardian and student

Family Involvement vs. Family Engagement: What’s the Difference?

"Family involvement" and "family engagement" are not one in the same. These are two very distinct concepts that look different in practice and yield different outcomes and results. Take our Quick Quiz to start off, and then read below to learn more about how "involvement" and "engagement" are two very different ideas, and why it's...
Adjusting to In-Person Learning in the New School Year

Adjusting to In-Person Learning in the New School Year

Fall 2021 has finally arrived, and students are back to in-person learning 5 days a week. It seems to go without saying that certain adjustments will be needed after over an entire school year of virtual and hybrid learning. Here are some tips that could be helpful to keep in mind as you and your...
Families Get Creative Together at Crayola Workshops

Families Get Creative Together at Crayola Workshops

Students and their families enjoyed time spent together creating STEAM-inspired artworks during FACT workshops led by Family Engagement Liaisons Dalila Bedoya and Melanie Oeun-Greenhalgh.  STEAM was a two-part series of FACT workshops; the first was called "The Future Me" facilitated by Family Engagement Liaison Joy McIntosh. STEAM which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and...
Parent Shares Her Experience with the PTA at Charles W. Henry School

Parent Shares Her Experience with the PTA at Charles W. Henry School

The School District of Philadelphia is fortunate to have parents, caregivers and teachers who are dedicated to educating and caring for our students. At Charles W. Henry Elementary School, located in Mt. Airy, we have a wonderful school community and one of our best assets is our PTA. I decided to join the PTA shortly...
Families Learn from Each Other at the "Meeting of the SACs"

Families Learn from Each Other at the “Meeting of the SACs”

Have you ever wondered how family engagement works at other schools in the School District of Philadelphia? Well, all you have to do is ask! This past March, members of several school communities in North Philadelphia came together to discuss what School Advisory Councils (SACs) look like in each other schools and exchange helpful tips...
Two Parents’ Responses to The Engagement Strategies at Strawberry Mansion High School

Two Parents’ Responses to The Engagement Strategies at Strawberry Mansion High School

In our April Focus on FACE newsletter issue, we had the opportunity to write about the family engagement initiatives happening at Strawberry Mansion High School. After hearing from Principal Brian McCracken, School Counselor Ms. Ameera Sullivan, and Family Engagement Liaison Victoria Trower, we had the chance to hear from two Strawberry Mansion parents to speak...
Read by 4th's Parent Council Looking for Liaisons

Read by 4th’s Parent Council Looking for Liaisons

Read by 4th’s Parent Council is a volunteer group of parents and caregivers who offer advice about how the Read by 4th Campaign can help ALL children read on grade level. We are looking for parent leaders who are passionate about being actively engaged in their child's education; are interested in learning more, doing more,...