The playground moms at Andrew Jackson Elementary are a perfect example of how parent involvement can transform public education.
Rather than sit idle and let the troubled South Philadelphia school continue to fail their neighborhood children, they are taking action.
It began last year with a two-page wish list that included reopening the school library, starting a language program, and removing bars and grates.
The school was in obvious need of a makeover. It has failed to meet state standards for years and classified among the lowest-performing schools in the city.
Nevertheless, the “Jackson moms” are working to raise funds, bolster the curriculum, reduce class sizes, and, most important, persuade a wary neighborhood to believe in public education. The efforts of the moms to make inroads is refreshing in a troubled education system with 85 failing schools around the city.
The responses so far have been impressive and could be a model for other neighborhood schools. More urban parents should follow their model and get more involved in their children’s education.
Superintendent Arlene Ackerman should find ways to work closely with parents like the Jackson moms to improve struggling schools.
The efforts are based on successful national and local models. They align perfectly with Ackerman’s plan to reopen failing schools as renaissance schools.
Fixing the city’s ailing public education system won’t be easy or happen overnight. Schools need more parents like the Jackson moms to roll up their sleeves and get more involved.
For more information about the Jackson moms, visit www.passyunk.org or send an e-mail to education@passyunk.org.
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