Philly schools ready; SEPTA buses too

After a last week's one-two winter punch and an unexpected week off, Philadelphia public school students and staff will return to class tomorrow.

Officials say they're ready for them.

"We're at 100 percent," John Frangipani, chief of school operations for the district, said yesterday. "Our buildings are ready."

While the city is responsible for clearing streets of snow, it's the school district's job to get parking lots, school playgrounds, sidewalks, and steps in shape.

District personnel began that work after the last flakes fell last week, and now the city's 265 public schools are ready, Frangipani said.

Officials have been tracking the overnight storm, which Frangipani labeled "just a nuisance," but said that they anticipate some delays, especially on school bus routes. Unplowed streets, especially in some sections of South and Northeast Philadelphia, could also factor in to delays.

About 10 percent of district children - 15,687 of 161,000 - ride yellow school buses, and an additional 53,000 use SEPTA to get to school, though that figure includes private and charter school students the district is required by law to provide transportation for.

SEPTA spokesman Gary Fairfax expects all bus lines to be running tomorrow. As of this afternoon, only a handful were still down.

"We've been through the worst for the time being," said Fairfax.

SEPTA officials will continue to update their website, www.septa.org, and will also post bulletins at www.twitter.com/septa in the case of service delays or cancellations.