School kids flock to parade

Though just about all schools in the Philadelphia area were open today, that didn't keep tens of thousands of students from heading into the city for the Phillies' World Series victory parade.

Children of all ages, many accompanied by their parents or older siblings, were present in large numbers among the throngs that lined the streets and cheered as the team rolled by.

In the Philadelphia district, high school attendance averaged 61 percent today, about 20 points lower than the normal Friday count, said spokesman Fernando Gallard. Some city high schools had fewer than half of students there. "The closer to the parade the lower the attendance," Gallard said.

There were empty or nearly empty classrooms across the region: About half of the high schoolers didn't show up in Montgomery County's Lower Merion school district while 40 percent of high school students in Cheltenham school district were absent along with many of their teachers.

William Tenant High School in Bucks County's Centennial School District counted 45 percent absent.

At Washington Township High School in Gloucester County, 46 percent of the students were absent. In the Delsea Regional School District, absences were more than five times what they usually are.

"We had 264 students absent, and normally we probably only have about 50 absent," said Delsea district spokeswoman Mary Moyer.

For many parents, taking their children out of school for the day was an easy call. "The last time the Phillies won [the World Series] I was only nine," said Bridget Newman, of Haverford Township, who was there with her ninth and seventh graders. "I wasn't able to go; I was too young; . . . I had to take my kids down to see this. They're good students; they deserved this."

Kari DiSipio, also of Haverford was happy that her children's school, St. Denis was closed for parent-teacher conferences although they wouldn't have missed the parade.

"When they're 40 years old, they will be able to tell their kids that they were there after the Phillies won in 2008," she said. "They'll remember this for the rest of their lives."

Martha Bolger, also of Haverford, was there with her three children and her husband Bill. "I was 13 when they had the 1980s celebration, and I was there," she said. "I wanted my kids to have the same experience."

Jeremy Puntel, a sixth grader at Regine Coeli Academy In Wyndmoor, was there too. "A lot of kids wanted to go so bad, but their parents wouldn't let them," he said. "I had a note that said I could go. I missed math, Spanish and reading." He added: "It was great to see the Phillies spirit; hundreds of thousands of people in one place, all thinking the same thing."

Mark Jacobs, his wife Lisa and their three children came from Harrisburg to witness the celebration. "We could be dead the next time they win one," he said. Twins Nate and Maddie, 10, said the parade was "cool" and "awesome;" eight-year old Ryan said "it was loud."

Contact staff writer Dan Hardy at 215-854-5554 or dhardy@phillynews.com