Focus on FACE Newsletter | May 2024

FEATURED

 

Check out our in-person AND virtual workshops happening in May!

Virtual via Zoom

Live at both 10:00 am and 5:00pm


Supporting Your First-Generation Child As a Family

Thursday, May 2, 2024


Asthma Basics: Students Can Control Their Asthma, Learn How!

Tuesday, May 7, 2024


Understanding Financial Aid Offers

Thursday, May 9, 2024


Parent's Guide to Cultivating a Love For Reading

Tuesday, May 14, 2024


Redefining Math and Who It Belongs To

Tuesday, May 21, 2024


The Power of Positive Parenting

Thursday, May 23, 2024

In-Person (440 N. Broad St.)

Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 10:00am


FREE Parking/SEPTA Passes Available, Refreshments, Giveaways, & More!


Unscripted Project: Improv for Families


Stories, Science, and Nature: Naturally Work Together!


Creative Cleansing Colors Enhancing Resilience Through Art


Discovering Ways to De-Stress As a Family

Visit the FACT Website
Register for a FACT Session

Interpretation is available for all workshops by request. Request by registering HERE at least eight days before the workshop you want to attend.

The Online Parent/Guardian Philly School Experience Survey Is Now Open

The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) conducts the Philly School Experience Survey (PSES) in the spring of each year. The PSES is administered to five groups—students, parents/guardians, teachers, support staff, and principals/assistant principals—to measure six key topics related to school improvement:


School Climate | Instructional Environment | School Leadership Professional Capacity | Family Engagement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion


The PSES is one of the best tools for assessing different perspectives across topics. Your responses each year are essential measures of progress related to the Board of Education's Goals & Guardrails and Accelerate Philly: The School District of Philadelphia's Strategic Plan.

Complete PSES Survey
Learn More

FEATURED FACES

Lewis Elkin School Creates Weekly Opportunities for Kindergarten Families

This month we are celebrating the staff and families at Lewis Elkin School in Kensington. Nearly every week, Kindergarten students and their parents or caring adults are invited to the school to participate in "My Kinder & Me". This program offers an opportunity for students, staff, and families to connect, eat breakfast together, and participate in fun, bonding, and linked-to-learning activities. This provides a space for everyone to build relationships and walk away feeling more confident in supporting a child's learning in and out of the classroom. A special shout out to School-Based Teacher Leader Jasselle Cirino and Principal Charlotte Gillum for developing My Kinder & Me and Math Interventionist Tessa Nitkin, Bilingual Counseling Assistant Yoleiky Castro, and other school staff who support this initiative every week.

FAMILY NEWS & RESOURCES

Families Asking Questions (FAQs): What are the Summertime Out-of-School Opportunities?

Searching for engaging summer activities to keep your children entertained and enriched? Look no further! The registration period for Summer Programming is open now! Open to all current students, including those preparing for kindergarten, this initiative promises an unforgettable summer experience.


Seats are limited, so early registration is encouraged. While registering does not guarantee enrollment, it's the first step toward securing your child's spot in these sought-after programs. Committed to inclusivity and community involvement, the District's summer program is designed to meet the diverse needs of students and families. Don't miss out—registration is open until May 10th. Secure your spot here.

Summer Programs Website
Philadelphia's Out-of-School Time Website

District Families: Get Help Registering for Public Benefits at 440!

The Office of Student Health Services has partnered with Benephilly to provide free one-on-one help to enroll District families in public benefits. A Benephilly navigator is located at the School District of Philadelphia (440 N. Broad St.) every Wednesday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.


The navigator helps families with health insurance, prescription medication costs, groceries, property taxes, college costs, heat, and other utilities. This service is open to all District families regardless of documentation status, immigration status, language, or citizenship. Interpretation is available.

 
Make an Appointment 

Special Education Services and Program: Family Information Sessions

Join us for a series of virtual sessions to learn more about the District's Special Education Services and Programs. Tune in live on Zoom from 4:00 PM. - 6:00 PM on on each workshop day. Find workshop details and register here.

Registration Form

DISTRICT UPDATES

Your Input Matters: Revising the Code of Conduct for the 24-25 School Year

The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities is reviewing and revising the Code of Conduct for the 2024-2025 school year. The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to 1) outline clear expectations for all school community members; 2) provide information around student and parent/guardian rights and supports; and 3) equip staff with guidelines for addressing student behavior.


It is important that the voices and perspectives of all stakeholders are included, especially our families and community members! We invite you to review the current Code of Conduct and complete the feedback survey. Please provide as much detail as possible to help us improve our work.  

Complete Survey

Student Well-Being Survey is Open Now through June 14

The Office of School Climate and Culture has been working diligently to collect information about our students' experiences and implement changes that are significant for our school communities. We are pleased to announce that 73.2% of our students district-wide participated and provided valuable feedback on their overall school experience. Our survey window coincides with the Philly School Experience Survey, in which families are invited to participate as well.

Learn More

COMMUNITY PARTNER MESSAGES

Are you a community partner interested in sharing resources? Click here to let us know!

 
Learn More & Register

Eureka! Free STEM Summer Camp for Girls

Calling all rising 8th-grade girls! Dive into the exciting world of STEM with the Girls Inc. Eureka! program. This FREE 5-week summer camp will explore space, aerospace, AR/VR, biotech, and more. Engage in hands-on activities, rocket science, DNA experiments, digital art, and wellness. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn, grow, and make new friends! Join us for an unforgettable summer adventure at Eureka! Program's summer camp. Register by May 15th.

Introducing Career Connected Learning Philadelphia

Career Connected Learning Philadelphia (C2L-PHL) is a collaborative youth workforce initiative sponsored by the City of Philadelphia, the School District of Philadelphia, and PhiladelphiaWorks. Replacing the city’s previous WorkReady initiative, C2L-PHL seeks to connect young people to a range of paid experiences such as internships and career exploration. Youth will gain the skills, knowledge, and mindset necessary to enter the workforce, pursue careers, and engage in community life—and get paid! Registration is now open at www.phila.gov/C2L-PHL. 

Visit the Website
Register Here

Empowering Tomorrow's Health Leaders: CHOP's Junior Youth Summit

Are you interested in working in the healthcare field? Calling black and brown 7th and 8th graders to join Philadelphia health professionals for a day of hands-on activities, small group discussions, and a chance to get your questions answered by a panel of diverse health professionals on May 17th. Register here today.

Grands and Elders Circle Workshop: Making Positive Change for Philly Schools

Thursday, May 16th, 2024

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM | Virtual on Zoom

The Grandmother Collective (GMC) is a global, member-based organization focused on raising the profile of grandmothers as essential contributors to social change. Germantown Grandmothers Circle invites you to a workshop to learn tools you can use to make a positive impact in our community. We will explore the unique roles of elders and talk about the ways these roles can help us drive local change in Philly's neighborhood schools and educational institutions. Come work with your fellow elders to create change and discover untapped potential.

Register Here

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