Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Template:TOCnestleft The Philadelphia Public School Notebook is an independent news service serving thousands of supporters of the Philadelphia public schools. The Notebook serves as an information source and voice for parents, students, teachers, and other members of the community who are working for quality and equality in Philadelphia's public schools.
A group of concerned parents, teachers, and community members committed to improving public education founded the Notebook in 1994. We remain an independent journalistic enterprise, with nonprofit status supported by foundation and donor support.
Over more than two decades, we have developed into a widely read and respected resource online and in print. Six editions of our free print newspaper are published each year, and 55,000 copies are distributed to each Philadelphia public school and Free Library branch as well as through charter schools and over 250 community organizations. Our web site has 40,000 unique visitors each month, and our stories and commentary are posted on our Facebook page and on other news sites through content-sharing partnerships.[1]
It is closely associated with Freedom Road Socialist Organization activists.
Founding
In 1990, Paul Socolar became involved with his kindergarten-age daughter’s Philadelphia public school, and saw first-hand the devastating effects of inadequate funding on both the school and district levels. After a few years of involvement with parent groups, he floated an idea with some other parent activists, teachers and concerned members of the community, all of whom were committed to improving public education in the city.
The result was the Philadelphia Public School Notebook, a newspaper focused on issues related to the Philadelphia School District. First published in 1994, the paper, which Socolar now heads as editor-in-chief, has a print circulation of 57,000 copies and a website that draws more than 11,000 visitors monthly. A previous school superintendent has called the Notebook “the unofficial watchdog of the school district.” In January, the paper received a $200,000 grant from the Knight Foundation to revamp and expand its online presence. Socolar also offers internship opportunities for current Haverford students through the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship.
Board of directors
As of 2016;
Jolley Bruce Christman, Eli Goldblatt, Charlotte Hall, Harold Jordan, Katey McGrath, Brandon Miller, Rochelle Nichols-Solomon, Maida Odom, Len Rieser, Encarna Rodriguez, Denis Devine.[2]
Editorial advisory board
Brian Armstead, Leslie Becton, Christine Caputo, Morgan Cephas, Jeannine Cook, Sarah Costelloe, Taylor Frome, Rachel Fryd, Shanee Garner Nelson, Jody Greenblatt, Tine Hansen-Turton, Ami Patel Hopkins, Wendy Anne Johnson, David Loeb, Colleen McCauley, Suzanne O'Connor, Arun Prabhakaran, Mike Sack, Carolyn Smith-Brown, Ted Wachtel, Debra Weiner. (Participated in 2014-15)
Also freelance writers Bill Hangley, Jr., Dan Hardy, Paul Jablow, and Connie Langland.[3]
Staff
As of 2016;[4]
- Maria Archangelo, publisher and executive director
- Wendy Harris, managing editor
- Dale Mezzacappa, contributing editor
- Matthew Yabor, advertising sales / business manager
- Lauren Wiley, development director
- Neeta Patel, associate director for operations
- Harvey Finkle, photography
- Mildred S. Martinez, Spanish translation
- Joseph Kemp, designer