Pete Specos noted at the last Frankford Civic meeting that the zoning had been approved for the Smedley addition.  I went by there yesterday and found the construction well underway.

As you can see the empty space within the outside walls at the back is being filled in with the gymnasium and new classrooms.  Other improvements will be an elevator and air conditioning as well as a much needed electrical upgrade to the building.

I was doing my periodic scan of everyblock.com for Frankford issues and tripped over this page.  Teacher at Smedley is trying to raise money for classroom supplies. This is how she puts it:

My students attend an elementary school in Philadelphia, PA. We are a very structured school, but are unfortunately located in a low-income area, and are known for being in one of the most dangerous parts of the city. Our school was even donned the nickname “Deadly Smedley,” before Mastery took over. Even with those surroundings, our students still come to school every day with smiles on their faces because they know that they are one step closer to going to college. Many of our students have lost parents and siblings due to the crime in the neighborhood, and many have witnessed those happenings themselves. This does not hold our students down. They are always striving to be on the next reading level, or to get a 100% on their Benchmarks. Having Spanish allows our students to “leave” their daily life, and travel to different Spanish-speaking countries to immerse themselves in the language and culture of the people who live in those countries.

Donorschoose.org is the site where you can make a contribution to the cause or just read more about it here.

Mastery Charter School Smedley Showing New Addition

At the August Frankford Civic meeting, one of the items on the agenda was a zoning variance to allow the Mastery Charter School Smedley campus to expand by adding a new gymnasium and four new classrooms.  Joe Ferguson, Chief Operating Officer of Mastery Schools and Brian McLaughlin, Principal of Smedley made the presentation to the Civic.  The plan is to fill in the area of the building at the rear with the gym on the bottom and to add four new classrooms at the top.  The plan also will add an elevator for students with disabilities and air conditioning for the building. Mastery noted when the took over the building that it needed extensive improvements.

The Civic voted unanimously to support the variance.

Brian McLaughlin and Joe Ferguson

Joe Ferguson (Chief Operating Officer, Mastery Charter Schools).
On the left is Brian McLaughlin (Principal, Smedley Elementary)
Joe Ferguson (Chief Operating Officer, Mastery Charter Schools).

On the left is Brian McLaughlin (Principal, Smedley Elementary)

I was browsing the schedule for zoning hearings for next week and found an application by Mastery Charter School – Smedley for an addition to the building.  Looks like the are going to build.  Investment in education sounds good for the kids and the community.

Saturday was community cleanup day and I got an invite to go over to the Mastery Charter School formerly known as plain old Smedley Elementary to see what was happening.   Smedley is a big school and when I first pulled up and I only saw a few kids in front.  Jacob Waters a teacher there had sent me the email and he gathered all personnel for a picture.  Turned out there was a nice crowd of kids on hand and just when we got set up Tony Payton arrived.

I have been doing this long enough to know that Tony will usually turn up at community events.  He is the most present politician I have encountered.  Present he was and below we have the picture.  Three cheers for Mastery Charter School and the new Smedley Elementary.

Frankford Cleanup Day at Mastery Charter School - Smedley

I was off the check out Overington Park and when I went by the 4900 block of Penn Street I found these folks just out cleaning up.  I had to stop and get a video of them in action.

Finally saw I was early for Overington so I headed over to Wilmot Park.  I got a tip from Jason Dawkins that there would be a cleanup crew there too.  I found Raymond Grant of Philadelphia Cares unloading the equipment as his crew began to arrive.  All in all it was a cleanup day in Frankford.  But there was more than that happening and that will be posted tomorrow.

Raymond Grant of Philadelphia Cares