Along with East Mt. Airy Neighbors (EMAN) and West Mt. Airy Neighbors (WMAN), Mt. Airy CDC is part of a three-part collaborative project called the Mt. Airy Schools Coalition.
Working with the principals from seven local public schools—Day, Emlen, Henry, Houston, Jenks, Lingelbach, and Roosevelt—this program seeks to find resources to aid the work being done by the School District of Philadelphia.
Literacy is at the center of the work we do as the Coalition. With additional support from Read by 4th, Lovett Memorial Library, State Senator Art Haywood, and State Representative Chris Rabb, we provide opportunities throughout the year to help kids get up to speed and stay up to speed with their respective reading level. This includes the Reading Captains and Philly Reading Coaches programs, summer reading camps, story time at our public events, Little Free Libraries, and more.
VISION
We believe that Mt. Airy can be the premiere destination for families seeking high quality public education in Philadelphia. We envision all schools in Mt. Airy as places where students are not only equipped with essential skills in reading and math, but also have access to a rich curriculum that includes art, music, science, and technology. Our local schools have the power to instill a love of learning through curriculum that is engaging, challenging, and prepares students for a future of their own choosing.
Northwest Philadelphia Public School Guide
In 2023, the Coalition published a print guide to 7 public schools local to Mt. Airy and Northwest Philadelphia. The guide is aimed at promoting the area public schools and helping prospective families make an informed decision. See the digital guide HERE.
Public Schools Video Series
With a grant from the EMAN Community Fund, the Coalition produced a series of 10-minute film shorts highlighting each of our public schools. For more info and to watch the videos, click HERE.
Priority Areas
Based on the input of school principals, teachers, parents, and community members, the Mt. Airy Schools Coalition identified three areas of focus:
School Climate
We aim to ensure that all Mt. Airy neighborhood schools have a welcoming atmosphere with a positive school culture and a visually appealing environment.
Literacy
We aim to support schools’ instructional programs to ensure that all students in Mt. Airy schools can read on grade level by the end of third grade and have access to engaging, literature-rich curriculum in all grade levels.
Well-Rounded Curriculum
We believe that all students deserve access to the arts, music, science, and technology as part of a complete curriculum that allows students to discover and pursue their passions.
Past Projects
- Starting in 2014, the Schools Coalition partnered with Elfant Wissahickon Realtors for a series of open houses that introduced dozens of local Realtors® to many of the exciting, innovative programs in our neighborhood’s public schools. This has continued as an annual tour of each of the six public schools with real estate agents from across the Northwest Philadelphia region.
- In 2014, Mt. Airy Schools Coalition partnered with Emlen Elementary School to raise funds for a new computer lab.
- The Schools Coalition also participates in Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. Thanks to the support of Susquehanna Bank, M&T Bank, and National Penn Bank, in its first year the Coalition raised $8,500 in EITC funds for our partner schools.
- Each spring, we host a mixer for students, parents, school staffers and Schools Coalition team members to mingle and discuss ideas for the school year ahead.
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