PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The city and school district are reminding students that the new school year is about a week away.
School leaders and Mayor Jim Kenney emphasized that message Monday morning at the annual Ring the Bell event at Citizens Bank Park.
Sept. 5 is the first day of classes in the Philadelphia School District. Even before the start of the school year, Phillies ambassador and 1993 National League champion Mickey Morandini delivered a lesson to students at the ballpark event: Being active in athletics and school clubs is good for your mind and health.
“Active students get better grades,” he said.
Participating in sports and clubs, he said, helps students to learn responsibility.
“[It] teaches you to be on time. I had a coach, Larry Bowa, who said, ‘If you’re five minutes early, you’re late,’” Morandini said.
Superintendent Tony Watlington said the new year brings an opportunity for students to do better.
“One thing about being a kid in school is, every school year you get a second chance,” Watlington said.
“No matter what happened last year you can always improve, be better, and be your best self in the upcoming school year. So that’s my charge to all of our students this year.”
Kenney acknowledged the new staff joining the district workforce this fall.
“Earlier this month, the district welcomed 700 new teachers and counselors, each of whom brings training, dedication and a passion for education to our city’s classrooms,” he said.
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Hiring, though, is still going on.
Watlington said as of last week, the district had filled a little more than 95% of its teaching positions.
“We won’t reach 100% by Sept. 5 but we will make sure that every classroom is covered with a teacher or a person who’s appropriate to be in that classroom,” he said.
Watlington said while his priority is student safety, his focus on this day is making sure the district’s 113,000 students feel welcome on their return to school.
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