Mayor Parker visits South Philadelphia school to tout benefits of extended day pilot program
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, Superintendent Tony B. Watlington and city officials visited Southwark Elementary School Tuesday and shared an update on Parker's push for extended school days and school years in the city.
This fall, Parker launched her "Extended Day, Extended Year" pilot program, which includes 20 Philadelphia public schools and five charter schools.
Year-round school was a major focus during Parker's election campaign and her first 100-day action plan.
Parker visited three classrooms at Southwark, including a kindergarten class, media lab and robotics class.
The before and after-school pilot program offers specialized enrichment programs five days a week, and schools also offer extended hours through the winter and spring breaks. Extended hours vary by school.
Parker, a former English teacher, said she believes the program narrows an educational gap for students and gives them more opportunities for learning.
"The socioeconomic status that our children find as their reality on a daily basis, it should not be the sole indicator of whether or not they have access to this kind of programming," Parker said.
This pilot program is voluntary and funded through a $24 million investment.
Right now, the district says 1,400 students take advantage of the program, and there are plans to increase that number.