Great public, catholic and charter schools still exist in Philly. Parents just need to know where to look


By Nicole Contosta Staff Reporter


F


or years, the state of the Phila- delphia School District has forced parents with means to


move to the burbs. Parents who, either can’t or don’t want to move, often have to send children to failing schools. That’s not to say that Philadelphia


doesn’t have a wealth of excellent parochial, charter and public institu- tions. Some parents just don’t know where to look. Enter the Philadel-


phia School Partnership. With the collaboration of local non-profits, the Philadelphia School Partner- ship recently launched GreatPhilly- Schools.org. “It provides parents with all of the city’s great schools,” said Mike Wang, the organization’s managing director. The website also includes specific information on each school’s academics, its safety and extra curricular activities. “It used to be,” Wang explained, “that [parents] had to go to five differ- ent websites and make ten different phone calls.” By visiting Great-


Art Students at Boys Latin. Last week, the UC Review took a tour of three local schools. The tour, organized by the Philadelphia School Partnership, illustrated the wealth of excellent public, charter and parochial schools in the city of brotherly love. Photo: N.C.


PhillySchool.org, parents can obtain that information at one site. And for parents without internet access, print guides will be distributed in January 2013, Wang added.


UNIVERSITY CITY


To celebrate the launch of the GreatPhillySchools.org, the Philadel- phia School Partnership hosted a tour of three city schools on Wednesday,


Review


Boxer Tyrell Biggs winning the Greatest Battle of


His Life By Napoleon F. Kingcade U C Review Sports Reporter


W


hen Tyrell Biggs fought Iron Mike Tyson in the greatest fight of his pro


boxing career, many people didn’t know he was also engaged in a tough battle with drugs. This sad revelation was revealed during a sit-down interview that took place inside Shepard Recre- ation in West Philadelphia. In a recent interview, Biggs held court with this reporter inside a cold and dark room.


As the story was told some 25-years later, Biggs entered the ring against Iron Mike Tyson… knowing fully well that he had to be clean and ready in order to have a prayer of a chance to survive 12 tough rounds with this young and vicious fighter.


Boxer, Tyrell Biggs with youngster.


On the night of October 16,1987… Tyson entered the ring with three championship belts to his name while Biggs entered the ring with


a good record, but no champion- ship belts to count for. This was a fight that meant everything. Biggs had an oppor-


tunity to shock the world and cre- ate a new page in boxing history. Biggs had a chance to make Phila- continued on page 4


He teaches kids how to be champions


December 5, 2012 continued on page 5


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ZBA ap- proves vari- ances for 400 S. 40th


Street


By Nicole Contosta Staff Reporter


T


he Zoning Board of Adjust- ments (ZBA) approved a handful of variances for the


construction of Azalea Gardens, a five-story, 122-unit apartment building for graduate students at 400 S. 40th


vember 27th


St. last Wednesday, No- .


Submitted under the former zoning code, the project’s de- veloper David Weiss of Equinox Properties sought several vari- ances. For example: the number of units permitted: two versus the 122 proposed, the number of sparking spots required: 122, ver- sus the zero proposed as well as maximum height, 35 feet permit- ted versus the 58 ½ feet proposed. Last week’s ruling from the ZBA, brings the proposed Azalea Gardens project one step closer to becoming a reality. In May of 2012, Philadelphia’s Historical Commis- sion voted 7-2, in favor of allow- ing OAP, a subsidiary of Penn to demolish the lot’s existing, histori- cally designated building. The Historical Commission ruled in favor of OAP based on its argu- ment of financial hardship. How- ever, the Historical Commission also stipulated that OAP could not demolish the existing building until it received variances from the ZBA. For the record, last week’s rul- ing does not mean that OAP has continued on page 4


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