|
Focus on FACE Newsletter
February 2025
| |
| | |
|
|
Kindergarten Registration for the 2025-2026 School year opens at the end of this month! Students must by 5 years of age on or before September 1st to start Kindergarten. If your student is younger, consider one of the many Pre-K options, which is also open for enrollment. You can register:
-
Online using the online registration portal
- In-person at your catchment (neighborhood) school
- In-person at the School District of Philadelphia Office of Student Enrollment & Placement - 440 N. Broad St. | 1st Floor, Suite 111
| |
|
The Student Well-Being Survey (SWBS) will be open from February 10–24, 2025—and we need your support to ensure your student’s voice is heard!
The SWBS is a brief, 5-minute survey that allows students to share their school experiences, including:
- How they feel about their relationships with peers and staff.
- How the school helps to handle emotions and challenges.
How You Can Help:
- Talk to your student about the survey, encouraging them to be honest.
- Remind them to complete the survey during school hours or at home.
-
Visit Student Well-Being Survey webpage to learn more about how the survey supports school improvement.
| |
| |
|
We invite you to learn more about Policy 138, which governs English Language Development and Bilingual Education programs. Join us in person at Franklin Learning Center (616 N 15th St., Philadelphia, PA 19130) or virtually on Wednesday, February 26th, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. This community meeting will provide valuable information about how this policy supports our English language learners. If you need an interpreter, please email multilingual@philasd.org by January 24th. For more details, visit bit.ly/policy138sdp. | |
While the holiday season has since ended, the Philadelphia Virtual Academy (PVA) was hard at work to ensure all had a cheerful start to their winter break. On December 20, 2024, The Philadelphia Virtual Academy's School Advisory Council (SAC) held their 5th Annual Holiday Toy Giveaway at the School District of Philadelphia's headquarters. SAC members and students joined forces to wrap hundreds of gifts for families throughout the city. With the support of our community partners, PVA was able to support 124 families during the holiday season. | |  |
In January, Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy (MANA) launched My Kinder & Me. This program was created by MANA Assistant Principal, Jasselle Cirino, at her previous school, Lewis Elkin, and she has eagerly started it up at her new school with the support of Principal Dr. Nicole Patterson. Nearly 60 caring adults and their kindergarten students gathered for breakfast and together learned about cutting off letter sounds. They then played Kaboom!, a game that helps students practice letter sounds. Families get to take the materials with them to continue classroom learning at home through fun, accessible activities. | | | |
|
On January 23rd, James Rhoades School's Family Engagement Liaison, Bridgette Holmes, hosted a Muffins with Dad event for fathers and their children to be able to spend quality time with one another, gain resources, and have a quick bite. The dads participated in a classroom activity and had the opportunity to converse with one another. Bridgette provided families with further information regarding how to access Parent Portal and volunteering opportunities at Rhoades. Lastly, Fathers were given the option to speak with the Public Defender's office about record expungements.
| | |
COMMUNITY PARTNER MESSAGES | |
Are you a community partner interested in sharing resources? Click here to let us know! | | |
|
Project HOME's Adult Learning and Workforce Program invites adults of all ages to join our free Computer Basics course. This four-week course will be held from February 17th to March 14th, Monday through Friday, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Honickman Learning Center at Comcast Technology Labs (1936 Judson St, 19121). Participants will learn essential computer skills, including basic computer navigation, internet browsing and email, and word processing and other basic software. Enrollment closes on Monday, February 10th. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your digital literacy and open doors to new possibilities. | |
Join Episcopal Community Services virtually on February 27th at 1:00 PM for an essential seminar on estate planning. Learn from expert Emily B. Pickering, Esq., a partner at Morgan Lewis, as she guides you through best practices, tax strategies, and how to navigate today's challenges. Register Now! Don't miss this opportunity to protect your assets and loved ones, maximize your charitable giving, and ensure your legacy is secure. | |
| |
|
|
🚨 Crusades to Save a Life Training Workshop Series 🚨
Starting February 4th, 2025 and running weekly until February 25th, 2025 at 5:30pm.
Join us for hands-on training in:
✅ CPR ✅ First Aid ✅ Narcan Administration ✅ Final Wishes ...and more!
📍 In-person at NET CUA 1, 2701 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19132.
| |
|
This summer, dive deep into your academic interests at the University of Pennsylvania's Summer Mentorship Program (SMP). Spend six weeks on campus, learning from top-notch mentors and connecting with other ambitious students. Students will also gain educational enrichment in areas related to financial literacy, study skills, time management, SAT test preparation, personal statement writing, and other information and skills required to be successful in the college application process. This program is being offered rising 10th and 11th grade SDP students, who reside in the Philadelphia area.
Apply now! Applications due February 14th. Visit the website for more information!
| |
|
|
Philly high school students, it’s your time to shine! PhillyGoes2College, in partnership with Wawa Welcome America and Vanguard, is proud to present the 2025 I AM PHL Contest—a celebration of Philadelphia, your passions, and your future! Submit original work in one of three categories: music, visual art, or spoken word/public speaking. Winners in each category will receive a $1,000 prize, sponsored by Vanguard. Showcase your talent at this summer’s Wawa Welcome America Festival.
This year Vanguard is adding an extra $1,000 prize for the category winner who best describes how they’d use their prize money to achieve their personal, educational, or artistic goals! If you are interested, go to the Interest Form so that we can keep you updated and you can learn more about last year’s contest. For more information, contact Emmanuel Sofolawe, Digital Projects & Content Manager, PhillyGoes2College (PG2C) at esofolawe@philaedfund.org.
| |
|
Everyone needs a break sometimes—and a little support.
Parent Cafés are small, discussion-based group where parents can share their experiences, worries, and ideas in peer-to-peer conversations. Parent cafes are completely ran by parents and are designed to be safe and non-judgmental spaces where parents can learn and grow together. Open to all caregivers and always include a free meal, childcare, and a chance to win a raffle prize!
Interested in attending? Find a parent cafe near you!
| |
|
FACE is now offering virtual "Educator Office Hours" every Tuesday at 3:00 PM. These live Q&A sessions provide an opportunity to discuss event planning, community engagement, and building stronger family-school partnerships. | | |
|
Want to receive regular direct updates from the FACE Office? Focus on FACE comes out on a monthly basis. But if you're interested in receiving regular updates from the FACE Office about programs, events, conferences, and more, sign up for our email updates! | | | | |
