Dear Families;

As parents we seek above all to protect the innocence and safety of our children. Their wonder and joy brighten our lives and give us hope for what our world can be. The verdict in the killing of Breonna Taylor wasn’t a surprise and someone showed me today the verdict on Emmet Till’s killers came 65 years ago to the day of the lack of justice in Breonna Taylor’s case. Injustice is not a bug but a feature of our country and we all seek to protect our children from the numbness that has creeped into our own souls. While we want our children to know how the society they have been born into functions in order to stay safe from harm, we of course work to inspire them to question, speak out and have the tools to build a better future as we continue to work to change the present.

This Thursday we set aside time for our staff and students to work through their feelings and experiences and shared a message of support with our students (different messages for k-2 and 3-8 given the different understandings of the world kids have based on their age) . We especially wanted to honor the work and legacy of black women whose brilliance, perseverance, courage, care, intelligence and determination have been and continue to be a saving grace of our nation. Next week we will be hosting student contests to honor the life of Ms. Taylor and highlight the need for justice in the United States.

Speaking of next week, we are excited to welcome everyone to our Back to School Night this Wednesday. While we wish it could be in person, our team has worked to provide a quality experience. We will begin at 4 with the Principal’s address and overview, then we will share information about our partners and finally you will have the opportunity to check-in with your child or childrens’ teachers. We are piloting a back to school website that we hope provides an easy way to experience the evening.

On a final note, please help us help your child by ensuring that the space they complete their work is peaceful and conducive to learning and they are appropriately dressed and ready to take part in class. I know this time is a challenge to everyone but a child who is seated and dressed in a quiet room has a much easier time than a child who isn’t in that situation. We know this isn’t always possible- I came out of a meeting on Thursday (we all worked from home to be with our families after the verdict) and saw my daughter hanging literally upside down on the couch while in class and asked her if she wanted to stand with her head facing the wall in front of her classmates.- so I appreciate the struggle, but when you can provide the ideal environment for your kid please help us help you by doing so. Thank you,

With love and respect,

Principal Gerwer

agerwer@philasd.org

No School: Monday, September 28th

All School District of Philadelphia schools and offices are closed on Monday, September 28th. School will resume on Tuesday, September 29th.

Back To School Night

We will hold our virtual Back To School Night next Wednesday, September 30th from 4:00 to 6:00 pm! All families can attend Back To School Night by visiting our school website's homepage, where we will share a link to our Back To School Night page on Wednesday.

The schedule for Back To School Night will be:

• 4:00 - 4:30 pm: Principal Gerwer's welcome assembly

• 4:30 - 4:50 pm: Learn about our partner programs

• 5:00 - 6:00 pm: Virtually visit with your child's teachers and other school staff!

Back To School Night will be an opportunity for our families to hear from Principal Gerwer, meet their children's teachers and other school staff, learn about our school's programs and partners, meet other parents and guardians, and to come together as a community. We look forward to seeing you!

Virtual Lunch & Recess!

Each school day, our climate team will be hosting virtual lunch and recess on Zoom during our daily lunch and recess break between 11:00 am - 12:00 pm! We will post Zoom links every day on ClassDojo, and our teachers will soon be adding these links to their class websites for easy access. So, if you want to hang out with other Lea students and our climate staff members, join us!

• 11:05 am – 11:55 am: Grades K-5 lunch and recess

• 11:00 am – 12:0 0 pm: Grades 7-8 lunch and recess

School Calendar

Scroll down to the bottom of this Lea Express webpage to see our Lea School Calendar, which is also linked on the home page of our school website.

Student Supplies Pick-Up

Starting September 7th, we've been distributing student supply bags with textbooks, workbooks, and general school supplies from Lea's Small Schoolyard on Locust Street. If you still need to pick up a supply bag for your child, please come to the school building during school hours (Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 3:00 pm). Please ring the buzzer at the Main Entrance on Locust Street and let the main office staff know you are here to pick up a supply bag.

Free Adult ESOL Classes

Community PEDAL (Practical English for Daily Living) is a program at the Penn Graduate School of Education that provides free English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classes for adult English language learners who live in West Philadelphia and are novice, intermediate, or advanced level students. Due to COVID-19, Community PEDAL classes will all be held online on Zoom.

Information about the Fall 2020 session for Community PEDAL classes is below, and a flyer is attached at the "Additional Attachments" section at the bottom of this Lea Express:

• Days/Times: Wednesdays & Fridays, 10:00 - 11:30 am

• Dates: September 23 - November 20

• Registration: Email Katherine O’Morchoe at omorchoe@upenn.edu

• Website: https://pedal.gse.upenn.edu/community

School Advisory Council (SAC)

We encourage ALL families to participate in our School Advisory Council (SAC), which is a peer-elected, collaborative team composed of family members, the school principal, teachers, and other school-based staff, students and community members. Our SAC champions the work for improved student achievement, effective teaching in the classroom, family and community engagement in the educational process, and communication and support between home and school. Our SAC focuses on data-driven, strategic conversations that center on the three primary focus areas mentioned above.

Last SAC Meeting: September 17th

Click on the link to read a summary of the last SAC meeting: Lea SAC Meeting Summary

Next SAC Meeting: October 15th

• Link: SAC Zoom Meeting

• Time: 5:30 – 7:00 pm

• Fall 2020 dates: 9/17, 10/15, 11/12, 12/17

• Spring 2021 dates: 1/21, 2/18, 3/18, 4/15, 5/20

If you want to get involved in SAC:

• Come to one of our monthly Zoom meetings!

• Contact our SAC Organizer, Molly McGlone (mcglone.molly@gmail.com, 608-213-4443), or our Family and Community Engagement Coordinator, Mr. Brown (antbrown001@gmail.com).

Home & School Association (HSA)

The Home and School Association (HSA) of Henry C. Lea Elementary aims to provide support to Lea students, families, and staff, and we encourage ALL families to participate in the HSA! Whether it’s managing the school book fair, supporting school events, raising money, or rounding up volunteers to help clean teachers' rooms, we are ready to help.

Our first HSA meeting was this past Wednesday, September 23rd, and there is a summary below. Our next HSA meeting will be held this Wednesday, September 23rd from 7:00 - 8:00 pm. Please use the link We will use the same link for every meeting this school year.

Last HSA Meeting: September 23rd

Click on the link to read a summary of the last HSA meeting: Lea HSA Meeting Summary

Next HSA Meeting: October 28th

• Link: HSA Zoom Meeting

• Time: 7:00 – 8:00 pm

• Fall 2020 dates: 9/23, 10/28, 11/10, 12/9

• Spring 2021 dates: 1/27, 2/24, 3/24, 4/28, 5/26

If you want to get involved in HSA:

• Come to one of our monthly Zoom meetings!

• Email us: leahomeandschool@gmail.com

• Visit the HSA website: https://lea-hsa.wixsite.com/support

PennSmiles Dental Bus

Bad news: Cavities have sky-rocketed since COVID-19 quarantine!

Good news: Penn Dental Bus is still providing excellent, free, and safe dental care at Lea! 🦷

If your school-aged children need dental care, call to make an appointment: 267-463-6571

Free Eye Care for Kids: Saturday, October 10th

Free eye care for kids on Saturday, October 10th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm!

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY!

Give Kids Sight Day is for kids ages 6 - 17 years old who did not have or did not pass an eye screening this year and who do not have health insurance.

Starting Monday, September 21st, call to make an appointment for a virtual vision screening at 215-563-5848, extension 21.

A limited number of appointments are available.

Basic Technology Issues and Troubleshooting

See the attached document in the "Additional Attachments" sections at the bottom of the page for instructions on how to address the most common issues that students and families have been experiencing with technology.

Daily Technology Support for Families

Our team is standing by Monday through Friday to offer technology support for students and families in our Tech Support Google Meet during school hours (8:30 am – 3:09 pm).

Please use this link if you need technology support of any kind:

• Google Meet link: Family Tech Support

District Supports and Services

Technology Support Centers

The School District of Philadelphia has three District Technology Support Centers open 5 days per week (Monday – Friday) from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm for families to obtain new Chromebooks or get help with their current Chromebook.

Beginning September 21, 2020, the 3 locations for Chromebook pick up and repairs will be South Philadelphia High School, MLK High School, and Fitzpatrick Annex:

1. South Philadelphia High School: 2101 South Broad Street

2. Martin Luther King High School: 6100 Stenton Avenue; Philadelphia, PA 19138

3. Fitzpatrick Annex Building: 4101 Chalfont Drive, Philadelphia PA 19154

Please note that starting September 14, 2020, the district will open South Philadelphia High School as a Parent & Family Tech Support Center for Chromebook pick up and repairs. To allow for a smooth transition as the South Philly High School location ramps up, the Support Center at 440 N. Broad Street will remain open for the week of September 14th. September 18th will then be the last day for Chromebook repair and distribution at the 440 location.

Tech Support Hotline

The District offers a dedicated telephone support line and email exclusively for parents and students to help you get your District-issued devices up and running, and to address more basic technical issues with broken or malfunctioning computers.

• Phone: 215-400-4444

• Email: FamilyTechSupport@philasd.org

Internet Support

If you want or need support related to internet access, call “211” on your phone and select Option 1. Also, information about no-cost or low-cost internet access is available here:

• https://www.philasd.org/technologyservices/gettingconnected/

Returns

Wondering if you have to return your Chromebook, and how? The answers vary, depending if you are a graduating senior, changing schools, and other factors. Visit the District's Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) page for more information.