We are a group of parents and community members from the East Passyunk Crossing Civic Association focused on providing support to Southwark Elementary, located at 9th and Mifflin Streets.
We work with Principal Andrew Lukov, teachers, and parents on many different projects and together we are making an impact. Since March 2012 we have:
- Received a Community Design Collaborative grant to work with OLIN, an internationally recognized design firm, to create a master plan for Southwark’s school yard during the fall of 2014.
- In collaboration with several parents from the school, we facilitated the creation of a School Advisory Committee in 2013; we now serve on the committee.
- Participated in the New Principal Selection Committee in 2013
- Held a happy hour school supply drive at Watkins Drinkery in 2012
- Held online and “gift registry†school supply drives
- Applied for two grants to renovate and green the schoolyard (pending – fingers crossed! Will know more in spring 2014)
- Created a list of educational resources for the community in 2012
- Held a happy hour for both Southwark teachers and community members to mix and mingle at the Cantina
- Conducted an art supply donation day (yes – Southwark Elementary has art! And music and dance!)
Check out Articles on Southwark School:
Passyunk Post: A New Principal at Southwark Elementary Gives Neighborhood New Hope
South Philly Review: Team Dragon Begins Tenure at Southwark
Please join our Committee!
Are you in the Southwark School District? Check Here.
If you are a parent at Southwark or live in our neighborhood, we hope you will get involved in our group! We meet monthly. Please send us a Facebook message or contact the Committee Chair, Beth Dougherty, at education@epcrossing.org or 215-280-2027.
Latest Committee News and Events
Southwark Schoolyard Design Wins Community Design Award
From: cdesignc.org
Dragon Green Park—an imaginative design for a South Philadelphia green schoolyard inspired by the school’s mascot, a bright yellow dragon—is the winner of the Collaborative’s 2016 Community Design Award.
Jeff Goldstein, principal of DIGSAU and a member of the Collaborative Board of Directors, presented the award at the AIA Philadelphia Design Awards on October 19th. Over the past decade, he explained, “The Collaborative has provided 33 design grants for the design of schoolyards or school-related open space. Among the collection of inspiring schoolyard projects, Dragon Green Park was a standout for its design excellence.The intimate collection of elements – play structures, multi-use surfaces, rain gardens – that have come to define this project type, have been reinterpreted in a engaging and identifiable way that works at the civic scale. Everyone was blown away by the design. This project also exemplifies a true partnership between community and school.â€
Since the Collaborative wrapped up Dragon Green Park, Southwark’s schoolyard has been chosen for implementation as part of Parks for People Philadelphia, a joint schoolyard greening initiative of The School District of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Water Department, and the Trust for Public Land. Danielle Denk of the Trust for Public Land notes, “The work by the Collaborative showcased a commitment to schoolyard greening and elevated the selection of Southwark School as one of our next sites.â€
Southwark Elementary School was also selected as one of nine community schools. These schools will receive extra resources to serve as hubs for social, health, and other services in their neighborhoods. The school’s new community liaison, Beth Dougherty of East Passyunk Crossing Civic Association, was instrumental in the Collaborative’s design and community engagement process for Dragon Green Park.
Please join EPX Civic – Friends of Southwark for our Paper Happy Hour! Paper is always in short supply at our Philly neighborhood schools, so bring a ream (or more) of paper for our wonderful teachers and staff. The first 30 people to bring a ream will get half-off their first drink thanks to Adobe’s generous owner. There will also be a chance to mix and mingle with Southwark teachers and staff.
Kids are welcome, and EPX Civic – FOS will provide kid-friendly drinks!
EPX Civic – Friends of Southwark (the new Ed Committee subcommittee) is hosting a happy hour on Tuesday, June 2nd from 5 to 7 at Watkins Drinkery. We will be on the second floor, kids are welcome (EPX-FOS will provide the juice boxes!), and all draft beers are half price.
Principal Lukov will be there, as well as some awesome Southwark teachers and staff. Come on out and learn more about all of the amazing things going on at your neighborhood school! Email education@epcrossing.org with any questions.
From Beth, EPX Eductation Committee Chair:
Southwark had a terrific visit from Mayor Nutter and Dr. Hite yesterday. They met with parents, teachers, and community partners, and toured several classrooms. They visited the kindergarten two-way immersion classroom, a sixth-grade classroom which was having a career day, and one of Southwark’s English Language Learner (ELL) classrooms. We discussed Principal Lukov’s innovative and ongoing use of community partners and the success of the TWI program, and heard from parents and teachers about Southwark’s successes and challenges.
It was quite an honor to be there and speak on behalf of the work the Education Committee is doing, and to hear from all of the other participants. The kids were so excited to have the Mayor there, and he was completely charmed by them. Our school is really something special, and if you haven’t had a chance to visit, stay on the lookout for an open house or two before the end of the year.
Wednesday January 21, 2015 – 7PM
Location TBD
(contact Beth at education@epcrossing.org for more information)
