Picture of the Week

Winner: Best Back to School Picture

The main photo on the story may be great, but it’s not the winner. Click on the photos to see the winner.

Congratulations to Victoria Henderson, of Wynnewood, and Carol Sweeney, of Telford. They are the winners of Patch’s Back to School Picture of the Week contest. We had a tie and Sweeney’s amusing photo of a happy mom behind two less than thrilled back to school students ties with Henderson’s picture of the young kids left behind as the bus prepares to leave. Thanks to everyone who submitted your great pictures. We had some great pictures submitted during and after the nomination period. I included a picture submitted after the nomination period in this post so you can enjoy it. The voting was close and just a reminder to everyone that as much as we love seeing the pictures submitted after the deadlines, if you want your photo to be …

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Councilman Preps Roxborough Kids for Back-to-School Season

Cook-Wissahickon students received backpacks, other goodies from Office of Curtis Jones, Jr.

Philadelphia City Council's Democratic Majority Leader marked the back-to-school season two ways—honoring dads and giving away school supplies. Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. (D-4) spent Monday by participating in the “Million Father March” a day of male responsibility at the House of Umoja, 5625 W. Master St., on top of presenting Philadelphia students with free bookbags. "Too often fatherhood is undeserved and underrepresented in public policy. However, fatherhood is a vital role in childhood development and parenting is the foundation of education achievement," Jones said in a news release. "Please join me in supporting the call of fatherhood; it doesn't matter if you are a grandfather, coach, mentor or neighbor, let's be a part of our …

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Students Say Hello to Green Woods' Manayunk Home

School begins for first through eighth graders at environmental charter school.

After a summer of moving, Green Woods Charter School is ready to teach. Following the relocation from the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education to two former Catholic schools in Manayunk, the environmental charter school began its transition year Monday morning. First and second graders hopped off the bus on Rector Street and entered their new home at the former St. John's School. A few blocks over on Conarroe Street, third through eighth graders entered the former St. Mary's School and similarly explored. Green Woods will conduct the 2012-13 school year in Manayunk while a new school is erected on Domino Lane in Roxborough. Click here for a tour of the school. View the first day gallery by clicking through the photos.

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Picture of the Week

Vote: Best Back to School Picture

Check out all these great back to school pictures from your neighbors and vote on which one you think is the best.

These are great pictures. Thanks to all those parents for uploading your back to school pictures. Now that we have all the pictures in, it’s time to choose the best one. All the pictures are numbered in the caption area. Please vote by giving the photo number in the comments below. We'd also love to know why you think that is the best photo, but all we need for the vote to count is the number. Voting will end at 9 a.m. Monday. So get in your vote. One vote per person, please. Preview: This Sunday is Grandparents Day, so let’s celebrate our grandparents with next week’s topic. If you have great pictures of grandparents, find those pictures and check back on Monday. This is part of Patch’s summer Picture of the Week series, where we ask you …

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Friday First Day of School for Philadelphia Students

A look at the Patch 'Back to School' guide.

Students may have dreaded it all month, but the day finally has arrived—Friday marks the first day of school for nearly all public school students in the School District of Philadelphia. Throughout August, Patch interviewed teachers, parents and administrators at schools all around Roxborough and Manayunk. The school year kicks off for public school first through high school students with a half-day Friday. Here's a rundown of stories leading up back to school. Shawmont Elementary School Says Hello to New Students Sign of Change at Roxborough School—AMY Northwest Middle School Lankenau HS Preps for Nearly 170 New Students Library Leader Builds New Library at AMY Northwest What's New at Roxborough High School? Roxborough's Newest School …

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Picture of the Week

Upload Back to School Pictures, Win Prizes

Post your best back to school pictures and you could win a Patch prize pack in our Picture of the Week contest.

Many students are heading back to school this week, and we want to see them getting on the bus for the first time or in that perfect outfit picked out for the first day. Upload your pictures from this year, or from other years. Still have a back to school picture of you from when you were little, we want to see that too. We’d love to know the first name of the child and the name of the school. We also want to know in the caption your name and what town you’re from and any other information you think we should know. Please only upload pictures of your own children. This is part of Patch’s summer Picture of the Week series, where we’re asking you for your best pictures on a certain topic each week. We’re enjoying seeing what pictures you …

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Shawmont Elementary School Says Hello to New Students

Home and school, staff welcome students in back-to-school tea.

"My names is Michael, and I'm going to start the third grade." New Shawmont Elementary School students braved the microphone last week and introduced themselves to soon-to-be classmates, teachers and friends at the annual Home and School Association breakfast and tea. Parents and Principal Michael Graff welcomed students starting their first year at the Roxborough primary school with a orientation breakfast. Kids could get a feel for the new environment, and parents peppered staff with questions on uniforms, lunch, and transportation as school gets under way with a half-day Friday. Janet McHale, Shawmont HSA president, remembered her first tea in 2009 when her son entered the school. "I think it's important for new families, transfer …

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Sign of Change at Roxborough School

New middle school posts signage at Levering building.

AMY Northwest Middle School continues to prep for the 2012-13 school year—the magnet school's first at the Roxborough campus on the former Levering School's ground. Principal Marco Zanoi and staff work to transform the building for the Sept. 7 first day of school one week from Friday and the district-wide, bell-ringing ceremony set for AMY Northwest that day, as well. The new era for Levering school has begun and signage to mark the shift has also arrived. AMY Northwest increases enrollment this year by nearly double and wants to become part of Roxborough. Welcome AMY Northwest to neighborhood Sept. 7 for the sign unveiling and bell ringing at 8:45 a.m. in the schoolyard in front of the sign at 6000 Ridge Ave. in Roxborough.

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Lankenau HS Preps for Nearly 170 New Students

Roxborough's magnet high school hosts new student orientation.

Four years ago, Taylor Mathis, Chris Mack and Sam Smith nervously attended the freshman orientation at Lankenau High School where upperclassmen demonstrated what the magnet school in Upper Roxborugh had to offer. On Tuesday, the seniors returned the gesture and joined fellow classmates and staff in welcoming nearly 170 new students. "I remember what my orientation was like. We were all so scared. It's great to be a part of it today," Mathis said. After the School District of Philadelphia increased enrollment at the school, Lankenau prepares to add on to its 277 students from last year when school returns Sept. 9. Annually, the Lankenau family invites parents and new students, mostly freshman, to familiarize themselves with the school and …

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