4 district schools selected for School Redesign Initiative
Tilden Middle School, Chester A. Arthur Elementary, Laura H. Carnell Elementary and J.S. Jenks Academy will implement changes.
THE SCHOOL district yesterday announced that four schools were selected to take part in its new School Redesign Initiative, which encourages community members and educators to collaborate to turn around low-performing schools.
The schools chosen for the initiative are Tilden Middle School, on Elmwood Avenue near 66th Street in Southwest Philadelphia; Chester A. Arthur Elementary School, on Catharine Street near 20th in Southwest Center City; Laura H. Carnell Elementary School, on Devereaux Avenue near Summerdale in Oxford Circle; and J.S. Jenks Academy for the Arts and Sciences, on Germantown Avenue near Southampton in Chestnut Hill.
The teachers, principals, families and community members who worked on the proposed models for the four schools will "refine" their ideas before the next school year, a district news release said yesterday.
The district was awarded a $300,000 grant by the Barra Foundation to fund the initiative. Each school will receive a $30,000 mini-grant to implement redesign plans.
Chester A. Arthur's proposed redesign will be modeled after the Science Leadership Academy's inquiry-based approach to instruction; Carnell Elementary will create a project-based learning environment; J.S. Jenks' proposal includes a shared-classroom model and summer learning session using technology and excursions; Tilden's proposal will aim to personalize instruction.
Online: ph.ly/DNEducation