SDP Connect – Issue 11
NEWS
March is all about the ladies! We’re celebrating Women’s History Month every week in March with engaging presentations and panel discussions, while sharing critical connections and resources — all of which honor the history and legacy of the women who shape our homes, schools, workplaces and the world. For a list of events, panels and resources, visit our Women’s History Month website. And make sure to read this month’s Equity Coalition newsletter for even more!
WE’RE PRO-SOCIAL!
March is also Social Work Month — a time to celebrate the contributions that social workers have made to this nation and in the lives of students and families, especially as we try to collectively address economic inequality, systemic racism, the need for improved health and mental health care, and more. This year’s theme is The Time is Right for Social Work! and we’ll be using our time this month to publicly honor our incredible SDP social workers. Join the celebration by saying THANK YOU to our social workers on social media using #SWMonth2022 and #PHLed.
OH THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!
Tomorrow, March 2nd, is National Read Across America Day. The day, which falls on the birthday of Dr. Seuss, is one where millions of people nationwide pause to intentionally celebrate the joy, and importance, of reading. Here in Philly, many of our schools will be participating by hosting read-alouds with guest readers, book fairs and more. Tomorrow, we encourage you to get excited (or re-excited) about reading. Find Read Across America Day ideas here and here.
THERE’S STILL TIME
…To nominate a teacher for the 2021-2022 Lindback Award for Distinguished Principals and Teachers. You have until Monday, March 14th at noon to nominate a teacher who has gone above and beyond and serves as a source of inspiration for peers and students! Submit a nomination today by visiting this website.
FULL STEAM AHEAD!
Rowen Elementary School, led by previous Lindback Award-Winning Principal James Murray, will be opening a brand new Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) lab this month. The Quantum STEAM Lab, paid for using prize funds from the Lindback Award, will focus on quantum information science (QIS) which explores the mysteries of the microscopic world. Rowen students will consult with physicists from Howard University and have access to state-of-the-art technology including 3D printers and scanners, virtual reality headsets and robotics. The lab will also include spaces for other sciences including horticulture and biology.
MORE COOKS IN THE KITCHEN
The School District’s Culinary Arts programs are saying a collective thank you to FCM Hospitality and owner Avram Hornik for their recent $50k donation. The donation through the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia will help address the difficulty schools are experiencing with timely delivery of food and supplies due to the country’s ongoing supply-chain issues and labor shortages. It will support a system in which FCM provides food and supplies directly to each of the 12 District culinary programs at their request through the end of the school year, and will help more than 730 students receive the hands-on training they need to prepare for careers in the culinary industry.
SPEAKING OF DONATIONS!
We’re also saying THANK YOU to Wawa for partnering with The Fund to donate 40,000 COVID-19 test kits (80,000 tests) to the District. The tests will be sent to schools to support our ongoing effort to maintain safe learning environments where our educators can teach and our students can learn in person. This donation marks the beginning of an expanding relationship between the School District and Wawa — we are excited to share more about that later this month!
WE’RE GOING GOOGLE
ICYMI, Google will replace Zimbra and become SDP’s sole email and calendar system on April 4th, 2022. There is nothing you need to do now, and your current @philasd.org email address will not change. But please keep an eye out for messages from the Office of Information Technology between now and then. They will be sharing more information and transition resources in the coming weeks.
TAX TIME
A couple of helpful notes for tax season:
- If you opted to access your W2 online, it is available now. All other W2s have been mailed and should arrive in mailboxes soon.
- 1095-C Health Care tax forms are also available online. Find instructions for how to register for online delivery here.
PEOPLE
THE FACE OF SDP
In February, Deputy Chief of the Office of Family and Community Engagement (F.A.C.E.) Jenna Monley was named one of Education Week’s 2022 Leaders to Learn From. Jenna was selected as one of 11 outstanding school district leaders from across the country who have demonstrated innovative and effective leadership for schools. FACE plays an integral role in creating and supporting partnerships among schools, families, and communities. Under Jenna’s leadership, FACE has made great strides in assisting families in navigating the School District, especially during the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and trauma created by growing violence in Philadelphia. Read more of the story here. Well done Jenna!
VERY PRESIDENTIAL
Mathematics Curriculum Specialist Jessica Tilli, a former mathematics and science teacher and teacher leader at Meredith Elementary School, has been selected by the White House for a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). She is one of two teachers from Pennsylvania to receive this recognition and the only one in the state to be recognized in the mathematics category. The honor goes to educators who have demonstrated a strong commitment to STEM education. As part of the honor, Jessica will receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation. Read more here. Congratulations Jessica!
GOOD MORNING!
Congratulations to Comegys Elementary School teacher Xiomara Robinson! Yesterday, she was surprised by Robin Roberts and Quinta Brunson on Good Morning America and honored for going above and beyond for her students. In addition, Mural Arts Philadelphia created a special mural for the school, Scholastic donated $20,000 worth of books for students, Wells Fargo gifted $40,000 to the school and Staples donated a truckload of school supplies. Good morning indeed! Watch the video here.
February Teacher & Seniors of the Month!
Feb. Teacher of the Month – Marie Wilkins-Walker
Watch the video HERE.
Feb. Senior of the Month – Milan Dukes
Read her profile HERE.
Feb. Senior of the Month – Vy Nguyen
Read her profile HERE.
We are accepting nominations for March’s Seniors & Teacher of the Month right now! Submit your nominations here, and visit the Senior & Teacher of the Month website to learn more about past winners.
The Equity Coalition is helping to lead the District’s celebration of Women’s History Month. This year’s theme is Breaking the Bias: Philly Women at Work and we’re honoring some amazing women who are killin’ it at home, at work and everywhere else. Check out the newsletter to learn how to participate in the upcoming events, and to find Women’s History Month media and resources!
RESOURCES
COMMUNICATIONS CORNER
The Office of Communications strives to make news, information and resources easily accessible. Every month we will provide information and reminders to help keep you connected. Here’s a helpful hint: Working on a project or campaign in your office? The communications team provides helpful resources like branding and color guides, presentation templates, and photo catalogues, to help you keep your project stylish and on-brand. Just click here!
Remember, if you have a story to share or someone to celebrate, you can submit them using the buttons below.
GET A LITTLE EXTRA
See the Office of Grant Development’s list of grant opportunities on their website. View the newsletter for more information.
SPREAD THE WORD
We’re hiring. Everywhere! Know someone who’s searching? Send them to workinphilly.com.
KEEP TRACK
Follow the District’s progress towards the Goals & Guardrails.
STAY SHARP
Cornerstone has PD for all employees, some specific to Central Office.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Tess Forgione is a student at Girard Academic Music Program where she concentrates on vocal performance and percussion, as well as performing in the school musicals. Last year, she was invited to perform with the American Choral Directors Association All Eastern Junior Honor Choir. The performance took place in Boston, Massachusetts in February, as part of the ACDA Eastern conference where Tess joined 350 students from across eleven states, performing in three choral groups selected through a competitive audition process. We’re proud of you Tess! Keep up the great work!
FOCAL POINT
We’re expending our storytelling and producing videos to better highlight the amazing work of District students and staff. This is the place where we’ll share those videos with you. This month, we focused on the Steppingstone Scholars program. Enjoy!