Back to school 2023: Tips for students, teachers and parents ahead of the start of the year
From COVID restrictions to where to snag school supplies on the cheap, we got you covered with everything you need to know before the first day of school.
School buses are getting ready to rev their engines for the 2023-2024 academic year, set to begin in Philadelphia soon.
But before you rush your kids off to campus, read below for all our back-to-school coverage.
Attendance in the Philadelphia School District is up, and dropouts are down, according to Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. That makes him optimistic about the school year ahead. But the district still faces challenges as it welcomes students back to classrooms. Here’s what to expect when school starts Sept. 5.
Over the next five years, the district aims to increase proficiency in reading and math among third through eighth graders by 30 percentage points.
The district is still searching for teachers. The district currently employs 9,000 teachers but did not address how many teachers would need to be hired to get the district at full staffing. If the district doesn’t fill the remaining teaching positions by Sept. 5, “we’ll do what we need to do because we want to make sure we have appropriate people in the classroom,” Watlington said.
New curriculum is on the way.
School buildings will still be hot. The district installed more air-conditioning in 25 buildings this summer. Still, 57% of district buildings lack adequate air-conditioning, Watlington said. District officials say they begin considering closures when temperatures are forecast above 86 degrees.
181: The number of instructional days in the school year, with 169 full days and 12 half-days — fewer than in the past. 25: The number of schools that received air-conditioning this summer. Still, more than half the district’s schools are not fully air-conditioned. $3,000: The dollar amount the district is offering to pay parents of students eligible for transportation to drive their children instead of relying on yellow buses. 700: The number of new teachers and counselors hired so far across the district’s 216 schools. 95.1: The percentage of district teaching jobs that have been filled. For more on what these numbers mean, read on.
The Philadelphia School District is keeping masks optional — mostly for the upcoming school year. People will be required to wear masks if they test positive for COVID-19 after returning from five-day isolation, and are “highly recommended” to mask for 10 days after their last date of COVID exposure. Students who test positive must stay home for at least five calendar days, and will be expected to participate in virtual learning. For more on the district’s COVID-19 regulations, read here.
While Philadelphia readies for a new school year, teachers are still trying to figure out how to get enough supplies for their classrooms. The school district provides educators with a yearly stipend for school supplies, but the need is greater than the resources provided. Teachers are left to figure out how to bridge the gap. If you’re a teacher, we include steps for applying, where applicable, and offer guidance for donors.
From now through Sept. 4, in-person or online sellers of certain computers, school supplies and sports and recreational equipment should not charge sales tax on eligible items you purchase during the sales tax holiday in New Jersey. The full list of items included can be found here.
What happens if there’s a positive COVID-19 case in school or at home? Students who test positive for COVID-19 will need to stay at home and be isolated from the rest of their household for five days. After that five-day isolation period at home, if the person has shown no symptoms for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine like Tylenol or Motrin, they’re free to stop isolating and go back to school. However, they must wear a high-quality face mask (N95 or KN95 recommended) at all times for an additional five days after isolation. Vaccines against COVID-19 and the flu are available for all school-age children, however, the district doesn’t require students to get them. Read on for more on how the Philadelphia School District will enforce COVID-19 protocols, masking and vaccine mandates.