In W. Kensington, a vibrant school community faces closing

Some people look at Isaac A. Sheppard Elementary and see an antiquated building that's cramped, costly, and stuck in the middle of a neighborhood marked by boarded-up buildings and daylight drug sales.

Principal James Otto sees something else - a throwback, a gem, a neighborhood public school that's small, safe, and effective.

Those visions will compete later this month, when the Philadelphia School Reform Commission - controlling a district with declining enrollment and tens of thousands of empty seats - votes on nine possible closings, including Sheppard's.

Until Sheppard landed on the closing list, it flew below the radar, said Otto, a district veteran who walks the halls in shirtsleeves and a tie, waving to kindergartners, checking in on lunch recess, talking to parents.

"I don't know that anybody knew we were here," Otto said. "Paul Vallas wouldn't have known. I doubt Arlene Ackerman even heard of it. We cause no incidents, cause no trouble, ask for nothing."

The building at Cambria and Howard in West Kensington was built in 1897; it has no gym, library, or real auditorium. If Sheppard closes, its students would go to nearby Hunter or DeBurgos, both bigger schools built in the last decade.

But "there's a big difference between an old building and a vibrant community," Sheppard teacher Jamie Roberts said.

And with city and district officials publicly proclaiming the need to expand high-quality options for all Philadelphia students, Sheppard boosters wonder: What about us?

Sheppard's 290 students are mostly poor and Hispanic. Almost 30 percent are classified as English-language learners.

They are "wonderful, bright, eager, needy," Otto said.

But the school is making strides. It has met state standards for three out of four years. It has little faculty turnover, hardly any violence, and a high rate of parental support.

It also has an abundance of partnerships with Merck, Home Depot, and many others. There are twice-weekly dance lessons, one-on-one reading help, tutors, hands-on science lessons, a community garden, art lessons, nutrition classes, and parenting workshops. The school hosts a Boy Scout troop; students can participate in cheerleading, chess, or a meditation club.

"That's my philosophy of building and running a school - give kids opportunities," Otto said. "Our kids are safe. They're happy. They're challenged."

Inside the school's makeshift gym-auditorium, a group of fourth graders bounced energetically over the worn floor on a recent day. It was hip-hop day, with a dance instructor from the Rock School for Dance Education, and the students were excited.

But when the possibility of Sheppard's closing came up - as it often does - the students' faces fell.

"I love this school," Angelica Diaz, 9, said. "When I came from Puerto Rico, I felt welcome here. They should not close this good school."

Roberts, who teaches English for speakers of other languages, knew what Angelica meant.

"We're all like godparents to these children," Roberts said. "They all understand they're going to be treated with warmth and patience. Here, they're not a number or a test. We're not the community separate from them. We are part of the community."

Colleen Lutz, the literacy lead teacher, is equal parts incredulous and sad. She's been at Sheppard for 13 years, and she had hoped to retire from the school.

"Why would you take a school that's achieving so much? We should be a model, a school that's replicated. If the SRC came here for one day, they'd see the magic," she said.

But in a district besieged by budget problems, keeping the magic alive is getting harder.

Sheppard, like all city schools, was hit with deep budget cuts before the school year began and another round in December.

It lost six support positions; Otto is now the school police officer and nurse most days. He had to cut the administrator who handled discipline issues, so now he's filling that job, too.

Otto has a theory about why he was sent to Sheppard nine years ago: someone had decided that it should close.

Before arriving at Sheppard, he was principal at the Durham School, over whose shutdown he presided, and at E.M. Stanton, which was turned over to a private provider for a time and is now also up for closing.

His transition to Sheppard wasn't easy. Its test scores were abysmal. He speaks no Spanish, and many parents spoke no English.

But he dug in, won over the parents, and built a strong faculty who feel supported.

News that the school might close has mobilized the community. Decked out in purple T-shirts, Sheppard parents, teachers, and even representatives of the organizations that work with them are regulars at district meetings.

The closing of Stanton, in South Philadelphia, also has activists incensed. Stanton, too, has a record of academic achievement, strong partnerships, an enviable arts program. But though the school is still mostly attended by poor and minority children, the neighborhood around the school, at 17th and Christian, has shown signs of gentrification.

West Kensington is light years away from gentrification. And parents wonder: How can you guarantee our children's safety if Sheppard is closed and we have to travel even a few dangerous blocks to a new school?

Jose Villafane's six children all attended Sheppard. His youngest, first grader Kianna, wrote and illustrated a book about why the school shouldn't close. She would have to cross seven drug corners if forced to attend DeBurgos, Villafane said.

"The community will be at risk if we lose Sheppard," Villafane said.

Horatio Leftwich sees that. Leftwich supervises Sheppard's multiple student teachers for Pennsylvania State University's College of Education, driving weekly from State College to visit the school.

"It's worth the drive," Leftwich said. Besides being a beacon for the neighborhood, Sheppard is a model of urban education, he said.

"The Sheppard staff does not have the resources that other schools have," Leftwich said. "But they manage to get the most out of them. They succeed in spite of their circumstances."

Otto is right, said Danielle Floyd, the official overseeing school closings - the district has long planned to close Sheppard. When the district built Hunter and DeBurgos in 2002 and 2004, officials said publicly those schools would someday house students from Sheppard, Floyd said.

"We needed to provide an adequate school facility," she said. "We knew that based on its age, the Sheppard school was reaching a point that doing any major capital improvements would be cost-prohibitive."

Sheppard boosters say it's not fair that students would be sent to lower-achieving schools. Floyd counters that Hunter and DeBurgos are on upward trajectories.

But the community's argument is not lost on Floyd, who called the school supporters "wonderful" and said she teared up watching a "Save Sheppard" video they made.

"They're formidable," Floyd said. "In that neighborhood, it's very clear that the school is a glue."

The School Reform Commission is scheduled to vote March 29, on nine possible closings.

The schools on the list:

Drew Elementary, 3724 Warren St. Students would go to Powel, Middle Years Academy, Locke, or Martha Washington. Would close this year.

FitzSimons High, 2601 W. Cumberland St. Some students would go to Strawberry Mansion; eighth and 12th graders only would attend FitzSimons during the 2012-13 academic year, and then the school would close.

Harrison Elementary, 1012 W. Thompson St. Students would go to Dunbar, Ludlow, or Spring Garden. Would close this year.

Levering Elementary, 6600 Ridge Ave. Students would go to Dobson, Cook-Wissahickon, Mifflin, or AMY Northwest. Would close this year.

Pepper Middle School, 2901 S. 84th St. School would be phased out, dropping a grade each year and closing in 2016.

Philadelphia High School for Business. 540 N 13th St. School would be phased out, dropping a grade each year and closing in 2015.

Sheppard Elementary, 120 W. Cambria St. Students would go to Julia deBurgos or Hunter. Would close this year.

Sheridan West Academy, 3701 Frankford Ave. School would be phased out, dropping a grade each year and closing in 2014.

E.M. Stanton Elementary, 1700 Christian St. Students would go to Arthur or Childs. Would close this year.

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