Philly school district all ears as it draws up facility plan [Video]

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The School District of Philadelphia on Monday opened a series of neighborhood meetings to gather community input as it draws up a facilities plan that could see school buildings closed, constructed and consolidated in the coming years. The first of 32 sessions was held in Northeast Philadelphia.

The district is developing the plan because its aging buildings have the capacity for 180,000 students, and there are only 116,000 enrolled. On Monday night, a handful of parents and students gathered at the PATH Center, a behavioral health and intellectual disability nonprofit, on Cottman Avenue, to hear the priorities that residents say should be considered.

“Buildings that have asbestos and lead — that has to be dealt with immediately,” said Melanie Silva, whose daughter attends Rhawnhurst Elementary.

Deputy Superintendent for Operations Oz Hill said they have identified potential swing spaceswhere students can continue uninterrupted in-person instruction when environmental hazards, capital projects and unforeseen …