“We want to make sure our students feel safe, welcomed, and loved,” said Mr. Senatus.
“If you saw the energy of our young people, you know that there should be nothing in their way or acquiring the best public education they can get in the City of Philadelphia,” said Mayor Parker. She told Mr. Senatus and School District President Dr. Tony B. Watlington that she was proud of the work they accomplished to make Steel Elementary one of its Extended Day, Extended Year (EDEY) public schools.
The EDEY program provides free before- and after-school care and year-round camps (winter, spring, summer) to students, aiming to close the enrichment gap and support parents’ work schedules. The initiative is a collaborative effort between the city and the School District of Philadelphia.
However, parent schedules were rerouted as SEPTA cuts forced riders to navigate through drastic changes to its services.
“It was crowded at the Frankford Station,” said Shandia Smith. She and her two children, who are students at Steel Elementary, took the bus to the school on Wayne in North Philadelphia. While her bus route wasn’t changed, she believed the larger crowd at the transit center was due to other routes eliminated. “It was a mess.”
More than 32 bus routes were eliminated and 16 others were shortened along with dozens of other rail, subway and trolley lines reduced in service.
SEPTA faces a $213 million dollar shortfall in its budget, and after state lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would aid the transit agency, officials moved forward with its reduction in service.
While the mayor nor school board members spoke on the SEPTA cuts during the Ring the Bell Ceremony, other administrators are concerned about its impact. More than 50,000 students use SEPTA services as a way of getting to school, and administrators fear that the cuts could lead to absenteeism and tardiness. The school district published alternative route guides and maps to help families navigate the changes.
SEPTA urges all riders to utilize its app and website for any updates.
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