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The Philadelphia school district will close 52 schools Friday and move to virtual learning due to high temperatures, district officials announced Thursday afternoon.
Early childhood programs located at those schools will also be virtual, and all in person after-school programs in those buildings will be canceled.
The transition to virtual learning will hit around one-quarter of the district’s schools. Schools not on the list will continue to operate as normal. Students may also still participate in field trips.
In a letter announcing the change, Deputy Superintendent Oz Hill said the district recognizes “that unexpected shifts to virtual learning can create challenges for families.”
“While we know that in-person learning is the best environment for students, the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families remains our top priority,” Hill said.
Temperatures are expected to hit 90 degrees on Friday in Philadelphia. Many schools lack air conditioning in all rooms.
The district also moved dozens of schools to virtual learning on May 20 due to high heat. That move came after the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers urged the district to keep students and staff safe amid soaring temperatures.
The 52 schools that will operate virtually on Friday are:
- AMY Northwest
- Bache-Martin*
- Blaine, James*
- Building 21
- Catharine, Joseph*
- Comegys, B.
- Comly, Watson
- Cooke, J.
- Crossan, Kennedy
- Disston, Hamilton
- Dunbar, Paul
- Emlen, Eleanor*
- Fell, D Newlin
- Fox Chase
- Franklin, Ben HS
- Girard, Stephen
- Harding, Warren
- Henry, Charles
- Hill-Freedman
- Hopkinson, Francis
- Houston, Henry
- Howe, Julia
- Jenks, Abram
- Jenks, John S
- Lamberton*
- Lingelbach, Anna
- Loesche*
- Ludlow, James
- McCloskey, John
- McClure, A.*
- McMichael, M.*
- Mitchell, Weir
- Moore, J. Hampton
- MYA
- Olney Elementary
- Overbrook ES
- Parkway West
- Patterson, John*
- Rhawnhurst*
- Rowen, William
- Roxborough HS
- Sayre, William
- Sharswood, George*
- Sheppard, Issac
- South Phila. HS*
- Spring Garden
- Spruance, Gilbert*
- Sullivan, James
- Tilden, William
- The U School
- Wagner, Gen. Louis
- Washington, Martha
An asterisk indicates the school has prekindergarten or Head Start on site.
Rebecca Redelmeier is a reporter at Chalkbeat Philadelphia. She writes about public schools, early childhood education, and issues that affect students, families, and educators across Philadelphia. Contact Rebecca at rredelmeier@chalkbeat.org.
