American Paradigm Schools Announces Phased Reopening of Four Philadelphia Charter Schools

First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School, Tacony Academy Charter School, Lindley Academy Charter School and Memphis Street Academy will reopen for the first time since March 2020

American Paradigm Schools (APS), the nonprofit charter management organization supporting four charter schools in North and Northeast Philadelphia, today announced the phased reopening of First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School, Tacony Academy Charter School, Lindley Academy Charter School and Memphis Street Academy Charter School on April 19, 2021. The long-anticipated reopening comes just over one year since scholars began learning remotely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The rise of vaccine immunizations, vaccine eligibility for teachers and the overwhelming response from parents and staff to return to in-person learning laid the groundwork for us to develop a strong strategy that meets the needs of our families and we are excited to begin welcoming our students back to their schools,” said American Paradigm Schools Executive Director Ashley Redfearn.

The phased reopening will begin with one or two grades per school. Broken up into cohorts, one group of scholars will report in-person to their respective school on Mondays and Tuesdays, while the other group will report on Thursdays and Fridays. All scholars will learn remotely on Wednesdays.

Developed in accordance with federal, state and local guidelines, APS’ reopening plan integrates best practices to protect and prioritize health and safety. Masks are required for all students, teachers and staff and will be provided as needed. Desk and office barriers, sanitizing stations, social distancing signage supporting traffic flow and quarantine rooms have been implemented in every school. COVID-19 testing will be available for anyone experiencing symptoms.

Grounded in innovation, American Paradigm Schools used its CARES Act allocation to invest in significant facility, technology and safety advancements, some of which even began prior to the pandemic. This funding has allowed all four charter schools to mobilize, move quickly, and address the needs of diverse school communities.

First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School

• Returning grade: Kindergarten
• Safety protocols: Clorox Total 360 cleaning system, AtmosAir™ purification, air balancing, thermal temperature scanners, desk and office barriers, quarantine room, hand sanitizing stations, PPE and social distancing signage
• Facility enhancements: Bottle filling stations, touchless air hand dryers and touchless faucets
• Technology advancements: 2:1 student laptop ratio and 5G bandwidth

Tacony Academy Charter School

• Returning grade: Kindergarten
• Safety protocols: Clorox Total 360 cleaning system, AtmosAir™ purification, air balancing, thermal temperature scanners, desk and office barriers, quarantine room, hand sanitizing stations, PPE and social distancing signage
• Facility enhancements: Bottle filling stations, touchless air hand dryers, touchless faucets and touchless paper towel dispensers
• Technology advancements: 2:1 student laptop ratio and 5G bandwidth

Lindley Academy Charter School

• Returning grades: 3rd, 5th and autistic scholars
• Safety protocols: Electrostatic cleaning, Novaerus Air Disinfection devices, thermal temperature scanners, desk and office barriers, quarantine room, hand sanitizing stations, PPE and social distancing signage
• Facility enhancements: Bottle filling stations and touchless faucets
• Technology advancements: 2:1 student laptop ratio and 5G bandwidth

Memphis Street Academy Charter School

• Returning grade: 5th
• Safety protocols: School-based health center, Electrostatic cleaning, Novaerus Air Disinfection devices, air purifiers, thermal temperature scanners, desk and office barriers, quarantine room, hand sanitizing stations, PPE and social distancing signage
• Facility enhancements: New windows and bottle filling stations
• Technology advancements: 2:1 student laptop ratio and 5G bandwidth

“The improvements made to all four schools will be long-lasting and are a significant step toward lessening educational disparity among students in Philadelphia, which has increased among minority students as a result of the pandemic,” continued Redfearn. “Our hope is to welcome back additional grades in the coming weeks and months.”

"I would not send my kids back to school if I didn't think it would be safe,” said Maria Velez, a parent of Kindergarten twins, a 2nd-grade student and 7th-grade student at Tacony Academy Charter School. “I trust American Paradigm Schools. They have exceeded my expectations."

About American Paradigm Schools

American Paradigm Schools (APS) is a nonprofit charter management organization that supports and serves four charter schools in North and Northeast Philadelphia. These schools are: First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School; Lindley Academy Charter School; Memphis Street Academy; and Tacony Academy Charter School. For more information, visit www.ap-schools.org.

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