Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School https://www.factschool.org an education that engages students with culture & community Fri, 28 Apr 2023 16:36:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 4/29/23 No Arena March Postponed https://www.factschool.org/en/4-29-23-no-arena-march-postponed/ Fri, 28 Apr 2023 16:36:44 +0000 https://www.factschool.org/?p=5307 The No Arena in the Heart of Our City March and Rally has been postponed. It will be held on June 10, with a rain date of June 17.

反对建竞技球场Arena在我们的城市中心游行和拉力赛已被推迟。它将于 6 月 10 日举行,雨天为 6 月 17 日。

Marching bersama untuk No Arena ke City hall bulan Maret telah ditunda. Tanggal barunya adalah 10 Juni, dan bila hujan diganti menjadi 17 Juni.

La Marcha No Arena en el Corazón de Nuestra Ciudad ha sido pospuesta. Se realizará el 10 de junio, con fecha de lluvia el 17 de junio.

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FACTS Teachers and Staff Form Union https://www.factschool.org/en/facts-teachers-and-staff-form-union/ Thu, 15 Dec 2022 13:22:02 +0000 https://www.factschool.org/?p=5194 On December 12, 2022 teachers and staff of the Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School voted to form a union. FACTS employees voted to be represented in collective bargaining by the Alliance of Charter School Employees of the American Federation of Teachers-PA. Below is a message to the staff from Principal Pheng, Teacher Ellen, and Selina Morales, our Board Chair, offering our congratulations.

Dear FACTS Community,

Every year, on or near March 9, our school community celebrates the day when FACTS was founded. During the assembly, we retell the heroic story of the founding of our school. Using cardboard props and a script full of our mythology, teachers act out the dreaming up of our school and the mobilization of our communities who, in 2005, marched into the Philadelphia School Reform Commission hearing, and (in a moment the kids love to recount) the Commissioners raised their hands and all said yes, yes, yes, the school could open! We all yell, “Hurray, Hurray for Founders Day!”

FACTS was envisioned and founded by community activists who saw arts and culture as important world-building tools. Our beloved Founder’s Day Play is a future-looking tool, a chance to foster inclusion in the foundational narrative of our school and to ask students, teachers, and staff: How will you steward these dreams?

There are many ways that each of us rise to this question, through small daily interactions, through curriculum design, through policies or through professional development planning and so much more. To believe in our FACTS mission and to work together to build something bigger, better, and brighter is a ritual in our school.

Today is a historic day for FACTS. The school has taken a step into our future with the formation of the FACTS Teachers Union! We are proud to move forward into a new beginning; proud to – together-  be founders of FACTS’ future.

We offer sincere and enthusiastic congratulations to FACTS teachers for taking this step. Together we will work to build a fair and peaceful world.

Sincerely,

Ellen Somekawa, Executive Director

Pheng Lim, Principal

Selina Morales, Chair, FACTS Board of Trustees

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Book Fair – December 6th-9th https://www.factschool.org/en/book-fair-december-6th-9th/ Tue, 06 Dec 2022 13:32:07 +0000 https://www.factschool.org/?p=5189

FACTS Scholastic Book Fair is December 6th-9th 2022.

FACTS students will visit the book fair with their literacy class one day during the book fair. The book fair will also be open 3:00-4:15 after school Wednesday for parents and families. Here is a link to the school’s Scholastic Page.

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Teachable Moments https://www.factschool.org/en/teachable-moments/ Wed, 17 Mar 2021 13:45:04 +0000 https://www.factschool.org/?p=4488 FACTS shares “Teachable Moments” video clips weekly with our students during Morning Meeting community time. These videos are created by our School Counselor Teacher Mikki and our Directors of School Culture Teacher Griffin and Teacher Trish. They often focus on social and emotional learning. We think these uplifting lessons are great for people of all ages. Enjoy!

  1. Words of Encouragement – Bravery
  2. Managing Stress
  3. Words of Encouragement – Hope
  4. Internet Safety Tips
  5. Stay Healthy – Tips from Teacher Daisy
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What to do in a Pandemic – Advice from FACTS Students https://www.factschool.org/en/what-to-do-in-a-pandemic-advice-from-facts-students/ Tue, 16 Mar 2021 19:25:30 +0000 https://www.factschool.org/?p=4485 FACTS students meet weekly in small learning communities to focus on social and emotional learning. One activity had them thinking about what they do to relieve stress and relax. They brainstormed the following list. 

“What to do in a Pandemic” – Advice from 5th – 8th Graders at FACTS 

Go for a walk but stay six foot

Watch anime

Jump rope

You can relax, watch scary movies, and study.

Treat yourself when you finish your classwork with video games or a video

I would jog in place.

Stay active

Make a goal and set a deadline

Learn a new skill (cooking, painting)

Eat cheese puffs

Listen to your favorite music! (It can be calm or chaotic–your choice!)

Read A Book Let time pass…

Have safe contact with your friends

Eating candy – Have a SNACK!!!

Go into a closet and bring your mobile with you so you won’t get paranoid because so many people are there.

Find peaceful activities

Stay home and don’t interact with people who don’t live in your house

Bake/Make Food

Exercise to relieve stress: Push-ups, Jump rope, Meditation

Bake with family

Lock your door in case your brother annoys you when they come in your room

I would play a game with my sister.

Do things u like

Read a book! (You can reread a favorite book or read a new book that you’ve never read before!)

When your siblings are bothering you, you should play with them.

Walk In A Park!

If siblings are annoying you: Annoy them back, pretend to not hear them, prank them,

Make sure to watch shows that aren’t about a pandemic so you don’t get anxious.

Exercise

Wear whatever you want. (No uniform)

Play an instrument if you have one

Bribe my sister to stop bothering me.

Sleep whenever you’d like to

Find yourself a hobby like sewing or baking

Make a film

Bond with siblings

Write a story! (Writing helps me calm down when I’m stressed, so you can try it out too!)

If you are lonely at home, you can post messages on social media to text to your friends.

Decorate Your Mask – Draw on it!

Workout at home

Make sure to call family and friends to not feel isolated.

Hobby

Re-decorate your room

Take at least 1 hour off the screen each day to read or to bother your siblings

Sit on things that feel nice to you

Help your parents out with chores

Attempt a challenge

Try new things

Talk to someone if you are stressed

If you have troubles with your schoolwork or homework, you can always email your teachers for help.

Learn Something New!

Taking a longer shower

Have time to play/be silly

Have a pet to comfort you.

Stay in touch with teachers

Order food, clothes, essentials instead of going out to get them, it’s less risky.

When it’s your birthday get a whole cake because you deserve it – YOUR birthday is at home!

You can play with your toys, and let your siblings join.

 Study on your computer to learn new things                                     

What to do when you want to get fit: do yoga, do random dances, run, do chores

Brag 

Make origami

When you feel bored at home, you can always take a walk.

Stay calm, eat and play video games. Repeat.

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FACTS awarded NoVo Foundation’s Social and Emotional Learning Grant https://www.factschool.org/en/facts-awarded-novo-foundations-social-and-emotional-learning-grant/ Mon, 23 Nov 2020 15:04:00 +0000 https://www.factschool.org/?p=4374 FACTS was awarded a grant from the NoVo Foundation for its social and emotional learning (SEL) project “Many Ways of Knowing: Mindfulness Practices from our Own and Other Cultures.” FACTS is honored to receive this grant, as only 40 were awarded out of 800 applicants.

This grant will allow FACTS to continue to build upon our SEL teaching practices. It is also funding a weekly Qigong Movement Class for all of our students this year. The class focuses on movement-based and breath-based practice used to promote health and well-being. The exercises they learn from resident artist Henry Jun Wah Lee are designed to be powerful, simple to learn, and easy to practice. The intention is that students and staff will be able to come away from this class with practices they can draw upon in their daily lives.

See the “ED Talk” that FACTS Executive Director, Ellen Somekawa, and Folk Arts Education Specialist, Linda Deafenbaugh recently presented at the national convening that brought together all of the NoVo SEL Grant recipients.

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Read about FACTS in the Journal of Folklore & Education https://www.factschool.org/en/read-about-facts-in-the-journal-of-folklore-education/ Tue, 29 Sep 2020 20:14:58 +0000 https://www.factschool.org/?p=4245

The new issue of the Journal of Folklore and Education, “Teaching for Equity: The Role of Folklore in a Time of Crisis and Opportunity,” features an article on co-teaching by our former music teacher, T Avalon, partnered with our African Dance teaching artist, T Jeannine. The guest editor for this issue is our very own FACTS Board chair, T Selina.  Read the Journal here: Journal of Folklore and Education Vol 7

 

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FACTS featured on WHYY television program Movers & Makers https://www.factschool.org/en/facts-featured-on-whyy-television-program-movers-makers/ Tue, 30 Jun 2020 19:37:01 +0000 https://www.factschool.org/?p=4133 Thank you WHYY for giving us an opportunity to highlight how FACTS integrate folk arts education and social emotional learning into our daily curriculum to help support, develop and nurture the whole child. It is lovely seeing all the smiles and familiar faces on TV.
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Weekly Family Communication https://www.factschool.org/en/weekly-family-communication/ Wed, 01 Apr 2020 13:48:10 +0000 https://www.factschool.org/?p=4008 Dear FACTS Family,

Our weekly communications will go out on Tuesdays through Plus Portals.

Below are links to this week’s announcements:

English Family Communication Week of 3-30-2020

Chinese Family Communication Letter Week of 3-30-2020

Indonesian Family Communication Week of 3-30-2020

Spanish Family Communication Week of 3-30-2020

Take care and be well,

Principal Pheng

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Change to locations of free meal pick up https://www.factschool.org/en/change-to-locations-of-free-meal-pick-up/ Sun, 22 Mar 2020 15:32:28 +0000 https://www.factschool.org/?p=4000
The City of Philadelphia, School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Housing Authority, and several charter schools have created a new list of schools and community sites providing free meals for children and youth.

Student meal sites and schedules will change beginning Monday, March 23. In addition, Parks & Recreation sites are no longer distributing student meals.

Please share this information widely:

Blog: Find free meals for students while schools are closed

Map: Where to find free meals for students 

Where to find meals during the week 

 

District schools

Open Monday and Thursday, 9 a.m. – noon

Families will receive six meals per student—3 breakfasts and 3 lunches

School Address (Zip)
Baldi Middle School 8801 Verree Rd (19115)
Barry, John Elementary School 5900 Race St (19139)
Barton School 4600 Rosehill St (19120)
Bartram, John High School 2401 S 67th St (19142)
Bethune, Mary McLeod School 3301 Old York Rd (19140)
CAPA (Philadelphia H.S. for Creative and Performing Arts) 901 S Broad St (19147)
Clemente, Roberto Middle School 122 W Erie Ave (19140)
Comegys, Benjamin B. School 5100 Greenway Ave (19143)
Conwell, Russell Middle School 1849 E Clearfield St (19134)
Cooke, Jay Elementary School 1300 W Louden St (19141)
Cramp, William School 3449 N Mascher St (19140)
De Burgos, J. Elementary School 401 W Lehigh Ave (19133)
Decatur, Stephen School 3500 Academy Rd (19154)
Duckrey, Tanner School 1501 W Diamond St (19121)
Edison, Thomas A. High School 151 W Luzerne St (19140)
Fels, Samuel High School 5500 Langdon St (19124)
Finletter, Thomas K. School 6100 N Front St (19120)
Fitzpatrick, A. L. School 11061 Knights Rd (19154)
Frankford High School 5000 Oxford Ave (19124)
Franklin Learning Center 616 N 15th St (19130)
Franklin, Benjamin School 5737 Rising Sun Ave (19120)
Furness, Horace High School 1900 S 3rd St (19148)
Hackett, Horatio B. School 2161 E York St (19125)
Harding, Warren G. Middle School 2000 Wakeling St (19124)
Hunter, William H. School 2400 N Front St (19133)
Juniata Park Academy 801 E Hunting Park Ave (19124)
Kelly, John B. School 5116 Pulaski Ave (19144)
Kensington CAPA 1901 N Front St (19122)
King, Martin Luther High School 6100 Stenton Ave (19138)
Lawton, Henry W. School 6101 Jackson St (19135)
Lincoln, Abraham High School 3201 Ryan Ave (19136)
Loesche, William H. School 595 Tomlinson Rd (19116)
Marshall, Thurgood School 5120 N 6th St (19120)
Mayfair School 3001 Princeton Ave (19149)
Muñoz Marín, Hon Luis School 3300 N 3rd St (19140)
Northeast High School 1601 Cottman Ave (19111)
One Bright Ray Mansion 3133 Ridge Ave (19132)
Overbrook Educational Center 6722 Lansdowne Ave (19151)
Philadelphia Learning Academy‐South 4300 Westminster Ave (19104)
Rhodes Elementary School 2900 W Clearfield St (19132)
Roosevelt Elementary School 430 E Washington Ln (19144)
Roxborough High School 6498 Ridge Ave (19128)
Sayre, William L. High School 5800 Walnut St (19139)
South Philadelphia High School 2101 S Broad St (19148)
Wagner, Gen. Louis Middle School 1701 Chelten Ave (19126)
Washington, Grover Jr. Middle School 201 E Olney Ave (19120)
Webster, John H. School 3400 Frankford Ave (19134)
West Philadelphia High School 4901 Chestnut St (19139)
Ziegler, William H. School 5935 Saul St (19149)

Charter schools

Open on varying days, 9 a.m. – noon (contact schools or visit their websites for exact days):

School Address (Zip)
Aspira Charter – Stetson 3200 B St (19134)
Aspira Olney Charter High 100 W Duncannon Ave (19120)
Lindley Academy Charter – Birney 900 Lindley Ave (19141)
Mariana Bracetti Academy 1840 Torresdale Ave (19124)
Mastery Charter – Cleveland 3701 N 19th St (19140)
Mastery Charter – Clymer 1201 W Rush St (19133)
Mastery Charter – Gratz High 1798 W Hunting Park Ave (19140)
Mastery Charter – Hardy Williams 5400 Warrington Ave (19143)
Mastery Charter – Harrity 5601 Christian St (19143)
Mastery Charter ‐ Lenfest Campus 35 S 4th St (19106)
Mastery Charter – Mann 5376 W Berks St (19131)
Mastery Charter – Pastorius 5650 Sprague St (19138)
Mastery Charter – Pickett 5700 Wayne Ave (19144)
Mastery Charter ‐ Shoemaker 5301 Media St (19131)
Mastery Charter – Smedley 1790 Bridge St (19124)
Mastery Charter ‐ Thomas Campus 927 Johnston St (19148)
Mastery Charter – Wister 67 E Bringhurst St (19144)
Mastery Prep Elementary Charter 1801 W Pike St (19140)
Philadelphia Montessori Charter 2227 Island Ave (19142)
Richard Allen Prep 2601 S 58th St (19143)
Universal Audenried Charter 3301 Tasker St (19145)
Universal Charter – Bluford 5720 Media St (19131)
Universal Charter – Daroff 5630 Vine St (19139)
Universal Creighton Charter 5401 Tabor Ave (19120)
Universal Vare Charter 2100 S 24th St (19145)

Philadelphia Housing Authority centers

Open for breakfast and lunch on Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – noon:

PHA Community Center Address (Zip)
Abbottsford Homes 3226 McMichael Street (19129)
Bartram Village 5404 Gibson Drive (19143)
John F Street Center 1100 Poplar Street (19123)
Raymond Rosen Homes 2301 W. Edgley Street (19121)
Westpark Apartments 300 N. Busti Street (19104)
Wilson Park 2500 Jackson Street (19145)

Please note that the last day for meal distribution at recreation centers was Friday, March 20. All Parks & Rec buildings, playgrounds, and athletic courts are closed until further notice. Check here for the latest on Parks & Recreation’s site operations.

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