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Category: Family News & Resources

Listening Ears and Productive Strategies at Strawberry Mansion High School

Listening Ears and Productive Strategies at Strawberry Mansion High School

This month and next month we are featuring a 2-part story on family engagement at Strawberry Mansion High School in North Philadelphia! Through this past year that all of us have had to stay physically isolated, one’s assumption would be that people would have less interaction with one another and feel more separated. However, at...
Spring is in Full Swing at the Free Library of Philadelphia

Spring is in Full Swing at the Free Library of Philadelphia

Spring is in full swing at the Free Library of Philadelphia! Our libraries continue to offer a wonderful selection of virtual programs for all ages, from yoga to storytimes. Check out our Calendar of Events to see what’s coming up. The Free Library’s popular Sundays on Stage series – which offers high-quality arts programming to...

March 2021 Reading Promise: 76’ers Tobias Harris Has a Few Tips to Make Your Next Storytime a Slam Dunk

  March Madness has us thinking. Reading and basketball have a lot in common. It’s fun, practice helps you get better, and one of the best ways to do it is with family and friends! One of our favorite literacy game-changers is 76’ers Tobias Harris. When he’s not playing, you can often catch him carrying...
March 2021 SAC Tip of the Month: Time for a Tune-Up!

March 2021 SAC Tip of the Month: Time for a Tune-Up!

Somehow the first couple of months of 2021 have breezed on by, and we’ve already hit March. It seems like a good time for a School Advisory Council (SAC) tune-up and a chance for you to fine-tune any parts of your SAC meetings that can be even stronger as we head into the final several...
Assessing Needs and Finding Strategies to Meet Them at Overbrook Educational Center

Assessing Needs and Finding Strategies to Meet Them at Overbrook Educational Center

At Overbrook Educational Center (OEC), located in West Philadelphia, the constant work of this digital learning season has been to learn the needs of families and then step in to find strategies to meet those needs. Principal Meredith Foote and the entire school staff have been all hands on deck to figure out what families...
Spring Into Reading with the Free Library's Upcoming Programming

Spring Into Reading with the Free Library’s Upcoming Programming

The Free Library is excited to share that some of our libraries are open for limited service. Service varies from library to library, so please check the hours of operation of the library near you. Even though the hours are different from library to library, the Free Library’s virtual services are available all the time!...
February 2021 Reading Promise: We Read in Color

February 2021 Reading Promise: We Read in Color

Reading has always been about more than the story. It’s a chance to see yourself reflected on a page, discover new worlds, and learn and grow together. That’s why we’re celebrating this Black history month with books because diverse stories are for everyone (and every month of the year)! Here are a few ways we’re...
Clear Communication in the Forefront at Robert Morris School

Clear Communication in the Forefront at Robert Morris School

These days, because each student is learning independently and families and students are physically separated, it can be a challenge to share information with the entire school community and make sure that everyone is in the know. At Robert Morris School, the administration has paid extra attention to its family communication efforts to make sure...
February 2021 SAC Tip of the Month: Collaborating with Other Family Groups

February 2021 SAC Tip of the Month: Collaborating with Other Family Groups

The School Advisory Council (SAC) at schools serves as a collaborative team made up of family members, the school principal, school-based staff, students (for schools grades 7-12), and community members. The main focal points of a SAC are student achievement and academics, school climate and culture, and family engagement. To have strategic conversations about these...
January 2021 SAC Tip of the Month: Taking SAC Meeting Minutes

January 2021 SAC Tip of the Month: Taking SAC Meeting Minutes

Utilizing various online platforms throughout the city, School Advisory Councils (SACs) have been virtually meeting across our District schools. As a group of school stakeholders come together to discuss relevant school topics, there may often be many strands of thoughts, questions, and opinions that are presented. A good way to consolidate these different thoughts can...