AI in Philly schools | Morning Newsletter
And the fun of backyard ice rinks
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Wake up, it’s NFC Championship Sunday.
People will place bets on the game outcome, but apparently they’re also gambling on the temperature. Well, the high will be around 40 today.
There’s an initiative launching in Philadelphia schools to train educators on integrating artificial intelligence into learning. Today’s top story explores possible uses for AI in the classroom, and the fine print of the pilot program.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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The Philadelphia School District is partnering with the University of Pennsylvania to guide teachers and administrators on best practices for incorporating AI into education.
The district already has some guidelines in place, but this new initiative, called “Pioneering AI in School Systems, will train staff in best practices and possible risks. It is scheduled to begin in March.
While some schools across the United States have outright banned AI, Penn and district officials say the goal is to expand the program to other school systems.
Notable quote: “Philadelphia will be on the leading edge,” said L. Michael Golden, a vice dean at Penn’s Graduate School of Education. “We want to understand what’s possible and make sure we’re mitigating against any risks.”
Go deeper with reporter Kristen Graham to learn how the program will roll out, how city schools will use AI tools, and how institutions are navigating the risks.
What you should know today
A Montco township supervisor is under fire for posting a TikTok where she mimics the controversial gesture Elon Musk made during President Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day festivities — which many have likened to a Nazi salute. She has resigned from her positions at a local library and nonprofit.
Investors in Par Funding, a defunct Philadelphia small-business lender that raised $547 million in what the Securities and Exchange Commission calls a Ponzi scheme, have received some of their long-awaited money back.
During an unusual hearing at the federal courthouse in Philadelphia this week, Liberians who survived a civil war accused a man now living in South Jersey of committing atrocities including murder.
The Rutgers University Center for Minority Serving Institutions canceled an upcoming conference indirectly funded through the U.S. Department of Labor, in response to President Donald Trump’s orders for federal agencies to cease diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
The new year has had a rough and wobbly start for the people who run Medford Township. In a chaotic meeting, residents and officials clashed over the process of choosing a new mayor.
How do Philadelphians really view the Fashion District? Here’s what about two dozen area consumers told us.
At a “Choose Love” rally Saturday demonstrators called on officials to defend Philly’s sanctuary city status.
A new docuseries revisits Kobe Bryant’s time spent in Philadelphia, five years after a helicopter crash took his life along with his daughter, Gianna. Bryant’s impact also lives on with current members of the Sixers, who shared some of their personal stories of the late icon.
Harold Katz, the former Sixers owner and founder of Nutrisystem perhaps best known for bringing the team to its last NBA championship win in the 1982-83 season, has died at 87.
Backyard ice rinks are a thing again thanks to recent freezing conditions, and homeowners and hockey enthusiasts are loving it.
For nine straight winters, Fox Chase resident David Bara has built one using plywood, a white plastic liner, and a lot of patience. What started as a one-off project turned into an obsession, and it’s even become a family tradition.
The same rings true for Logan Radanzzo, a Flourtown content creator. A video of her DIY rink has drawn the attention of other Philly-area residents looking to make their own.
Watch Jenna Miller’s video and read more in Earl Hopkins' latest.
❓Pop quiz
Which of the following actions do experts recommend Philly-area residents take in order to be financially prepared for natural disasters?
A) Calculate your flood risk
B) Invest in flood insurance
C) Keep copies of important documents in a waterproof box
D) All of the above
Think you know? Check your answer.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Philadelphia artist known for his portraits of leading figures of the American Revolution
ARIES CELLPHONE WALLS
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Georgette Forgione who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Wagyu Week, happening now through Feb. 7 (so technically, it’s two weeks). It’s an opportunity for Philly restaurants to show off rare cuts of Japanese beef.
Photo of the day
🎶 Today’s track goes like this: “You always say you wanna connect / But you never wanna give to get.”
On another musical note, get to know the Broadway star and Philly-area native who will sing the national anthem at the Linc this afternoon. And if you’re looking to stay warm at a concert, our pop and classical music critics picked area shows to enjoy before winter is out.
👋🏽 Thanks for starting your day with The Inquirer. Take care, and go Birds.