continued from page 5


CHARTERS


Pennsylvania Department of Education. If a student leaves a district school for a charter, the charter school re- ceives the amount the school district would spend on each student, minus the average per-student expenditure for special education programs, nonpublic school programs, adult education programs, community/junior college programs, student trans- portation services, facilities acquisition, construction and improvement services and debt service and fund transfers from the district, according to the Dept. of Ed Manual of Accounting. Those items amount to charters spending about $1,500 less per student, Paul said, which is still above average in Pennsylvania. According to the Depart- ment of Education, the statewide average districts spend on charter schools is $9,401 per student. Altoona Area School District spends the least — $6,413 per stu- dent — while Lower Merion School District, at $17,755.44 per student, spends the most.


Outside of the critical fi- nancial issues, Philadelphia charter schools have slightly outperformed traditional public schools on statewide testing, and there is a grow- ing number of parents who want more charter schools options in the city. Sev- eral were in attendance for Turzai’s meeting last week in West Philadelphia, one of the poorest sections of the city.


“Given the academic suc- cess of the charter sector, as well as the sizable demand for schools of choice, the SRC should approve the highest-performing ap- plicants and allow more Philadelphia families to reap the benefits of choice,” Paul said.


As part of a $2-per-pack


cigarette tax increase enact- ed last year to help bolster Philly’s school budget, the SRC was authorized to open the charter school applica- tion process for the first time since 2007. There had been a moratorium on opening new charters since then because of the finances involved, but with up to $170 million coming in from the new tax, the law included a provi- sion that the district had to reopen the process.


The School Reform Com- mission, which governs the district, could accept some, all or none of the applica- tions. The deadline for its decision is next month.


continued from page 5


STEM


they learn in school,” says Samuel B. Huey Principal, John W. Spencer. “The experience at the Science Center will have a long lasting impact on the lives of our students. I could al- ways tell from my students’ faces when it was time to go to The Science Center. You could see the enthusi- asm in the faces. This type of hands-on, experiential learning offers these kids a sampling of the types of ca- reers possible when armed with knowledge in the sub- jects of science, technology, engineering and math.” Through youth program- ming, mentorships, and educator workshops that en- courage creative exploration and experiential learning, the Science Center’s STEAM Initiatives program is using Art to encourage entry into the STEM fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math – and ensuring that today’s generation of students are prepared to become tomorrow’s innova- tion workforce. The real-life applications of the students’ projects are reinforced with tours of labs at the Science Center. Scien- tists, investors and research- ers at the Science Center’s Port business incubator and its resident companies men- tor the students and inspire their creativity and dedica- tion through workshops and demonstrations. The Port companies’ work in STEM fields will leave students with a strong understanding of science’s relevance to the real world.


The Science Center’s STEAM Initiatives are made possible by the generous support of Cognizant Mak- ing the Future, The Dow Chemical Company’s Dow- Gives Program and Wexford Science + Technology, A BioMed Realty Company.


continued from page 3 POLITICS


dents to earn the first half of a bachelor’s degree or the technical skills required to obtain a high wage job—at no cost to them. If all 50 states participated, there is potential for nine million students to benefit from the plan. Currently, approxi- mately 40 percent of under- graduate students attend one of 1,100 community col- leges across the country. The resolution, which


recognizes the challenges associated with the rising costs of a college education, continues Fattah’s push to make education more acces- sible to all.


continued from page 6


set to music by Ligeti, and the commissioned World Premiere of local dancer and Choreographer in Residence Matthew Neenan’s “Shift to Minor” inspired by Mo- zart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 showcasing solo violinist Luigi Mazzocchi and fifteen dancers. A not to be missed event. Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad. 215-893-1999 or paballet.org › Philadelphia Orchestra Concert Master David Kim assumes the role of Leader, and guest artist Imogen Cooper performs as Leader and Pianist for the performances of Feb. 5 and 7 at 8 p.m., Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. The program in- cludes Grieg’s “Holberg” Suite, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Mo- zart’s Symphony No. 38 (“Prague”). Verizon Hall in the Kimmel Center, Broad and Spruce. 215-893-1999 or www.philorch.org Theatre Exile presents Samuel D. Hunter’s Man- hattan hit and prize-winner “The Whale” from Feb. 5 through March 1 starring Scott Greer in an immense “fat suit” as the 600 pound gay Charlie, eating himself to death in his apartment and trying to reconnect with his adult daughter. With Kate Cazjkowski, Trevor William Fayle, Amanda Grove and Campbell O’Hare, staged by Matt Pfeiffer. Studio X, 13th and Reed. 215-218-4022 or the- atreexile.org › Opera Philadelphia con- tinues its 40th Anniversary Season with the east coast premiere of American com- poser Theodore Morrison’s “Oscar”, with a libretto by the composer and John Cox, a major new work co- commissioned and co-pro- duced by Santa Fe Opera. Countertenor David Daniels re-creates his starring role as Irish playwright and wit Oscar Wilde accompanied by the original cast: sing- ers Heidi Stober, William Burden, Dwayne Croft plus dancer Reed Luplau in the silent role of Wilde’s lover Lord Alfred Douglas. Evan Rogister makes his local conducting debut and Kevin Newbury is stage direc- tor. Evenings of Feb. 6, 11 and 13, matinees on Feb. 8 and 15. Academy of Music, Broad and Locust. 215- 893-1999 or operaphila. org Other Wilde related


events include “Everything is Going On Brilliantly” at the Rosenbach Museum & Library through April 26, a special exhibition of objects and unpublished materi- als. 2008-10 Delancey, 215- 732-1600, and the Walnut Street Theater’s “Mickle Street” from Feb. 17-March 8, a recreation of Wilde’s American tour and his visit to Camden to spend an afternoon with Walt Whit- man. 215-574-3550. (More on this latter production in a future issue.)


Another blockbuster comes to town on Feb. 6 with Philadelphia Theatre Company’s production of Terrence McNally’s Tony Award-nominated “Moth- ers and Sons” featuring Emmy Award-winning actress Michael Learned as the Mother paying an unexpected visit to the apartment of her late son’s partner Cal. Others in the cast include Hugh Ken- nedy, James Lloyd Reynolds with Patrick Gibbons and Jacob D. Wilner in alternat- ing performances. Wendy Goldberg is stage director. Through March 8 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre as part of PTC’s 40th Anni- versary Season. Broad and Lombard. 215-985-0420 or PhiladelphiaTheatreCom- pany.org ›


Intercultural Journeys,


promoting peace through music, presents the Apple Hill String Quartet with special guests Kinan Azmeh and Sally Pinkas on Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m., the third installment in the Songs for Peace concert season, this one entitled “Music Bridging Contemporary Cultural Divides” bringing together musicians from Arab cultures (both Muslim and Christian), with Israeli/ Jewish and American cul- tures. International House, 3701 Chestnut. 215-387- 5125 selecting menu option 2. ›


Big news: The Mendels- sohn Club presents the North American premiere of Mendelssohn’s re-envi- sioning of one of the world’s greatest musical master- pieces, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Alan Harler wields the baton, Michael Stairs is organist, and the quartet of vocal soloists includes two Met Opera stalwarts, soprano Susanna Phillips and bass Eric Owens, with


WEEKLYPRESS.COM • UCREVIEW.COM • FEBRUARY 4, 2015 9 Check out


mezzo-soprano Marietta Simpson and tenor Yusuke Fujii. Major support pro- vided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. Girard College Chapel, 2101 S. College Ave. 215-735-9922. ›


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