Calling on the Philadelphia City Council Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs to hold public hearings to determine and identify Parks and Recreation Department resources, along with other City departments' programming, universities, cultural institutions, social and non-profit organizations focused on youth, which can be utilized to aid in the academic enrichment and supplement the academic needs of Philadelphia public school students.

WHEREAS, The School District of Philadelphia is the eighth largest school district in the country, with 249 schools, serving 146,090 students; and

WHEREAS, The School District of Philadelphia's mission is to provide a high-quality education that prepares, and empowers all students to reach their fullest academic and social goals on the way to becoming life long knowledge seekers, as well as, productive members of society; and

WHEREAS, The School District of Philadelphia is currently operating under severe financial strain as the result of an extremely hampering budget deficit

School Reform Commission,

Fiscal Year 2011-2012 (July 2011 - June 2010) Budget Update

, January 19, 2012.

End

; and

WHEREAS, The School District of Philadelphia's current financial strain has led to proposed cuts which could negatively impact current and future students with significant cuts to all aspects of school based services including: eliminating summer school, eliminating mentally gifted programs, reducing special education services, eliminating all spring athletic programs, and eliminating instrumental music training; and

WHEREAS, The Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Philadelphia, working in conjunction with Philadelphia's vast number of world renowned universities and cultural institutions, as well as libraries and other City departments can offer Philadelphia students a plethora of rewarding summer educational and cultural experiences; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby authorize the Committee on Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs to hold hearings to investigate, examine and identify Parks and Recreation Department resources along with other City departments' programming, universities, cultural institutions, social and non-profit organizations focused on youth, which can be utilized to aid in the academic enrichment and to supplement the academic needs of Philadelphia public school students.

Cindy Bass

Councilwoman, 8th Council District

January 26, 2012