Focus on FACE Newsletter | April 2024
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Check out our in-person AND virtual workshops happening in April! | |
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Virtual via Zoom
Live at both 10:00 am and 5:00pm
Discovering Your Child's Hidden Potential
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
What Parents Need to Know About Student Threats & Safety
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Family Wellness - Nurturing a Balanced Life
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Asking the Right Questions: How to Promote Mathematical Conversations with Children
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
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In-Person (440 N. Broad St.)
Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 10:00am
FREE Parking/SEPTA Passes Available, Light Refreshments, Giveaways, & More!
What's the Vision? Write the Vision & Make and Plan
Self-Care for Parents: Navigating Life's Ups and Downs
How to Use All This New Math!
Color Your Plate: Adding Fruits and Veggies to Family Meals
Resin and Gratitude Collage
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Interpretation is available for all workshops by request. Request by registering HERE at least eight days before the workshop you want to attend. | |
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Each year, the Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE) administers the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) Philly School Experience Survey (PSES) to Philadelphia public schools in both the District and Charter sectors. This survey, which is administered to students, parents/guardians, teachers, school support staff, and principals/assistant principals, measures six key topics related to school improvement:
- School Climate
- Instructional Environment
- School Leadership
- Professional Capacity
- Family Engagement
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Philly School Experience Survey is one of the best tools we have for assessing different perspectives across topics. Your responses each year are essential measures of progress related to our new Board Goals & Guardrails.
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FACT Workshop Watch Party at Cayuga Elementary |
Introducing Watch Parties, a new initiative at FACE where families are able to stream live FACT workshops directly from their schools! Recently, Cayuga Elementary hosted their very first Watch Party with the help of their seasoned Family Engagement Liaison, Dalila Bedoya. The event kicked off with a delicious fruit courtesy of A Better Start at Einstein and caregivers received tips on how to make healthy and nutritious breakfasts for their kids. Families then delved into the "Unlocking Your Creativity and Monetizing Your Zone of Genius" with FACT provider, Essence Iman. Through this session, families had the opportunities to explore their creative abilities and strengthen their talents through intensive exercises and self-assessments. Guardians left feeling empowered and equipped with the necessary skills to turn their dreams into reality!
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ELECT's 7th Annual Fatherhood Summit Was a Hit! | The ELECT program recently held its yearly Fatherhood Summit on Thursday, March 21st. Led by Program Coordinators Cheree Webster-Jones and Dante Banks, the summit offered a nurturing environment where new and expecting fathers could showcase their athletic abilities while diving deep into the parenting journey. | | |
The Sowing Seeds of Success Parent and Family Support Group | |
Founded by experienced Family Engagement Liaison, LuQman Abdullah decided to establish the Sowing Seeds of Success Parent and Family Support Group, where caregivers could extend support to one another through peer-driven conversations, access to recources, and inspire and uplift one another through their parenting experience
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From assisting with school administration to helping with school clean up, volunteers are the backbone of our school communities. Yet, navigating the path to becoming one can be daunting for many. In this month's FAQs article, we'll delve into the volunteer process and offer guidance on how to take the first steps. | |
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The Office of Student Health Services has partnered with Benephilly to provide free one-on-one help to enroll District families in public benefits. A Benephilly navigator is located at the School District of Philadelphia (440 N. Broad St.) every Wednesday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
The navigator helps families with health insurance, prescription medication cost, groceries, property taxes, college cost, heat and other utilities. This service is open to ALL District families regardless of documentation status, immigration status, language spoken or citizenship. Interpretation services are available.
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Join us for a series of virtual sessions to learn more about the District's Special Education Services and Programs. Tune in live on Zoom from 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. each day. Find workshop details & register here. | |
Looking for summer activities your children will love? Look no further - registration for the District's Summer Programming has now opened! All current School District of Philadelphia students, including those entering kindergarten in the fall, are eligible and encouraged to register for summer programs. Seats in summer programs are limited and registration does not guarantee enrollment. Registration for most programs opens on April 1st and closes on May 10th. Register today by visiting the District’s Summer Programming website here. | |
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Join the Office of Federal Programs on Thursday, April 11, 2024 to learn about how the School District of Philadelphia prioritizes the spending of federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) funds. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and share their thoughts on next year's funding application.
Questions? Email us at fact@philasd.org
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The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities is beginning the process of reviewing and revising the Code of Conduct for the 2024-2025 school year. The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to 1) outline clear expectations for all school community members; 2) provide information around student and parent/guardian rights and supports; and 3) equip staff with guidelines for addressing student behavior. The School District of Philadelphia seeks to eliminate inequitable disciplinary practices for black and brown students and therefore the Code of Conduct provides alternatives to exclusionary discipline.
It is important that the voices and perspectives of all stakeholders are included, especially our SDP families and community members! We invite you to complete the feedback survey which can be accessed HERE. Please provide as much detail as you can to help us improve our work.
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The Office of School Climate and Culture have been working diligently to collect information about our students' experiences and implement changes that are significant for our school communities. We are pleased to announce that 73.2% of our students district-wide participated and provided valuable feedback on their overall school experience.
Our next survey window will coincide with the Philadelphia School Experience Survey, in which you will also have the opportunity to participate. Please stay tuned for more information closer to the survey window opening on May 1 - June 14.
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COMMUNITY PARTNER MESSAGES | |
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Are you a community partner interested in sharing resources?
Email us at fact@philasd.org to submit your resources
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Philly Parent Summit 2024: Igniting Joy
Saturday, April 13, 2024 | 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM | 440 N Broad Street | FREE
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Join other parents and caregivers for a day of empowerment: a chance to learn new skills, build community, and get inspired to ignite joy in your school community. This event will feature workshops and keynote speakers and meals, childcare, and interpretation will be available.
The Parent Summit is organized independently of the school district by a coalition of public education advocacy organizations in Philadelphia, including Our City Our Schools, Parents United for Public Education, the Philadelphia Home and School Council, the West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools, and El Comité de Trabajadorxs.
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The Neighborhood Literacy Fund is awarding up to $2,000 for community-driven projects that support young readers in Philadelphia. It’s open to everyone, literacy advocates, educators, librarians, parents, and more. The Fund is managed by members of Read by 4th, Philly’s early literacy movement and was made possible thanks to Vanguard Strong Start for Kids and the Vert Field of Interest Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation. This round’s application deadline is April 19, 2024.
To learn more, visit the website which includes FAQs, a list of past awardees, and plenty of resources to support literacy changemakers.
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The Association of American Medical Colleges has highlighted a projected shortage of approximately 120,000 physicians in the U.S. by 2030. This free event will present healthcare career possibilities and guidance to young people in Philadelphia and its surrounding communities. Dr. Joseph Savino from the University of Pennsylvania will lead the presentation for students, their parents, and teachers, and will detail the steps to prepare for and apply to medical school. For more information, register here. | |
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The Penn State Outreach K-12 Engagement Network seeks to broaden the reach and awareness of the University’s resources for Pennsylvania youth, families, educators, and administrators. The Penn State K-12 Engagement Network showcases over 200+ academic year and summer opportunities for educators and students, including STEM professional development programs and summer camps for youth! Check out all opportunities here to register today! | |
Check out the DREAM Expo, where middle school students are invited to explore the exciting world of advanced healthcare careers—for free! Connect with healthcare professionals in speed networking sessions and dive into immersive workshops led by college students from the area's top universities. Enjoy a plethora of fun activities like a photobooth, DJ, carnival games, treats, giveaways, and much more! Exclusive sessions for parents are also available. Breakfast and lunch are included. Don't wait—register your child now for an incredible day of learning and discovery! | |
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Want to receive regular direct updates from the FACE Office? Focus on FACE comes out on a monthly basis. But if you're interested in receiving regular updates from the FACE Office about programs, events, conferences, and more, sign up for our email updates! | | | | |
