School Ethnography
Descriptive Review of the Logan Neighborhood
Central High School is a Philadelphia public magnet school located in the Logan neighborhood of Philadelphia. Its stated mission is to “challenge students with rigorous academic programs to prepare them for the demands of higher education.” (Central High School, 2013) U.S. News named Central High School a “Gold Medal School” in 2013. It is ranked as the 6th best high school in Pennsylvania and 2nd in Philadelphia (behind Masterman). (U.S. News and World Report, 2013) In 2011-2012, Central was the only high school in the state to be designated a Blue Ribbon High School. (U.S. Department of Education, 2013)
The high school is located approximately 0.4 miles from the Olney Transportation Center, a large SEPTA subway and bus terminal at North Broad Street and Olney Avenue (see Appendices A and B). The transportation center is serviced by the Broad Street Line subway (which runs north/south through the city) and bus routes 6, 8, 16, 18, 22, 26, 55, 80, and L. Its close proximity to a major transportation hub makes Central High School accessible from nearly anywhere in the city. Many students attend Central from Northeast, South, or Southwest Philadelphia, traveling on multiple buses and the subway each way, for up to two hours each school day. For some students living in North Philadelphia, though, Central High School is the closest high school that they could attend (see Appendix C).
A variety of businesses surround Olney Transportation Center. On the mezzanine level of the transportation center there is a family owned snack stand. The stand has operated at the transportation center for over ten years. (Snack stand proprietor, 2013). Above ground, eight food establishments are immediately visible, including a McDonalds, a Dunkin Donuts, Olney Pizza, Lucky Star Chinese & American Food Restaurant, United Chicken & Ribs, Wilson’s Market, Olney Steak & Beer, and Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill (now closed.). North of the station, a mini-strip mall lines Broad St. This strip of businesses includes a vision center, a pharmacy, a medical office, a furniture store, a shoe store, a prepaid cell phone store, an electronics repair store, a beauty supply store, a deli, a sports store, and a hosiery store (see Appendix A). Directly across the street from the transportation center is the large multi-unit building at 5601 N. Broad Street. Multiple businesses are housed here, including a Sovereign Bank, a wellness medical center, a general dentistry center, a janitorial services company, a medical equipment and supplies store, a foot and ankle care center, and an ACE Check Cashing service. Two large signs on the side of the building advertise vacant office space available in the building.
Walking westward along Olney Avenue from the transportation center to Central High School, one notes that the street is lined on the North by residential row homes and on the South by two other Philadelphia School District (PSD) high school campuses: Philadelphia High School for Girls and The Widener Memorial School (see Appendix A). After Girls’ High and Widener, the remainder of the block is composed of a series of row homes converted into smaller apartments, a laundromat/convenience store, New China Chinese & American Food Restaurant, The Essence photo studio, and Sorrento II Pizzeria & Grill. Across the street from these establishments is Kemble Park, part of the Fairmount Park system.
When approaching the busy intersection of Olney Avenue and Ogontz Avenue, the first visible signs of the school appear: flags of crimson and gold (the school colors) dot the sidewalks, and a digital sign (donated by Class 270) on the lawn announces the presence of the school. Across the digital sign scrolls upcoming school activities, the current time and temperature, and a photo of President Tim McKenna throwing the first pitch at a Philadelphia Phillies baseball game—2012’s “Central Night” at Citizen’s Bank Park. The school is built upon a hill and looms over the neighborhood like a grandiose castle; this makes it difficult to see the physical building from Ogontz Avenue below. In fact, it is only after beginning to walk up the concrete pathway to the school that the physical building of the school fully reveals itself.
To the south and southeast, Central High School is separated from the Logan community by the school’s many recreation fields; to the west, the school is bordered by the campus of La Salle University. A chain link fence separates “The Blacktop”, Central High School’s parking lot, from the University property. A single gate allows for foot traffic between Central and La Salle during lunchtime hours (approximately 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM). Once through the gate, the La Salle cafeteria is just a short stroll down the outdoor walkway. Teachers at Central often take advantage of this path to enjoy their lunch or coffee breaks at the cafeteria.
Demographics and Recent History of Central High School
Central High School is one of the larger high schools (grades 9-12) in the School District of Philadelphia, with approximately 2300-2400 students, though this number has been slowly decreasing in recent years. (School District of Philadelphia, 2013) Most of Central’s students do not live in the surrounding Logan or Olney neighborhoods; as a college preparatory “magnet” school, Central draws its students from across the city.
Minimum admissions criteria for the high school are very specific. Students cannot have received more than one “C” grade in their most recent year-end academic report, and must score at or above the 88th percentile in standardized tests in both Math and Reading. In addition, students are required to submit an application essay, and attendance and behavior records are taken into account as well. (Central High School, 2013)
Academic data for Central’s students reflects these admissions standards: in the 2011-12 academic year, 97.1% of Central juniors met AYP measures in mathematics, and 96.8% met AYP measures in Reading. When disaggregated by ethnicity, some gaps in performance can be observed, but overall scores are all quite high (ranging from 93.8% to 99.5% proficiency.) Graduation rates exceed 90%. In contrast, graduate rate across the School District is approximately 55%; only 36.4% of students and 42.6% in reading met Grade 11 academic performance measures, with large ethnic disparities (disaggregated data among students without IEPs ranges from 41.7% to 85.5% proficiency.) (Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2013).
The student body of Central is ethnically diverse: 31.9% of students identify as Asian, 31.1% as African American, 25.1% as white, and 8.7% as Latino. This ethnic mix stands in contrast to both the demographics of the Logan neighborhood (59.7% African American, 29.1% Hispanic, 5.4% Asian, 3.9% white) (United States Census Bureau, 2013) and those of the School District student body as a whole (54.52% African American, 18.5% Hispanic, 14.3% white, 7.83% Asian). (School District of Philadelphia, 2013)
Special education diversity is more limited: only 0.9% of Central students have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Last year, an additional 32.1% of the student body was in the Mentally Gifted Program. In the School District of Philadelphia, these students would receive “Gifted IEPs”; however, gifted classes at Central have been cut for the 2013-14 academic year due to budget constraints, and it is unclear whether these students’ Gifted IEPs are being monitored or kept up-to-date (School District of Philadelphia, 2013); (Biology teacher, Central, 2013). These statistics stand in stark contrast to those of the District as a whole, where students with disabilities represent 13.97% of the population, and 3.12% are classified as “gifted.” (School District of Philadelphia, 2013)
English language proficiency is nearly uniform throughout Central’s student body: only 0.9% of students are classified as “English Language Learners” (ELL). (School District of Philadelphia, 2013) It should be noted that Central’s admissions criteria specify that both ELL students and students with special needs are invited to apply; their admission to the high school is dependent on the decision of multiple members of school administration (Central High School, 2013). Once again, the overall profile of the School District is quite different: 8.48% of students throughout the city are classified as English Language Learners. The measurable demographic differences between the students of Central High School and those of the School District of Philadelphia persist in an analysis of socioeconomic status, though here they are slightly less pronounced: 62.1% of Central students are classified as “economically disadvantaged”, compared with 82.2% of all District students.
As the above data suggests, Central High School is not a demographically representative part of the community in which it is located. Local residents, even those who live on Olney Avenue between the Transportation Center and the high school, report little to no interaction with the student body. (Logan resident, 2013). Every morning and afternoon, students can be seen walking the very specific paths from Central’s exits to their bus and subway stops, with almost no divergence to other parts of the community. During arrival and dismissal times, the two sides of Olney Avenue appear as completely separate neighborhoods: the north side of the street, lined with row houses, is bare of pedestrian traffic, while the south side of the street between the Transportation Center and the school is a sea of children, walking with purpose to their destination. Since academic buildings dominate this side of the street (Philadelphia High School for Girls, Widener Memorial School, and Central High School), only the three or four businesses mentioned earlier seem to receive student traffic. About Central students, one of the proprietors of Sorrento Pizza said “Once school lets out, they really overwhelm the place...but they really only ever stop here and next door (the laundromat/convenience store and Chinese food restaurant), then take the train right home.” (Pizza shop proprietor, 2013)
Even in this narrow corridor of space shared by local residents and commuting students,
though, some nascent aspects of community have developed. The proprietor of the Transportation Center snack stand says, “[They’re] good kids--students from ten years ago will stop by the snack stand and say ‘Hey! You’re still here!’” (Snack stand proprietor, 2013)
Very few of Central’s students can be seen venturing west of the high school, towards LaSalle’s campus. We asked commuter students attending La Salle to offer their thoughts on Central and its students, as well as interactions between Central and their university. They were not familiar with any formal collaboration between the two institutions, and offered minimal commentary on Central itself (“it’s a good school”). Although reticent to speak at first, several La Salle students offered some critical perceptions of Central’s student body (“they’re pretentious”, “they overwhelm SEPTA in the mornings”), but did not note any further personal connections (LaSalle University students (multiple), 2013). Our Penn mentor, a Central High School alumnus, noted that La Salle professors used to teach classes at Central High School; this practice no longer occurs (Alumnus, Central, 2013). More recently, Central High School seniors have had the option to take classes at La Salle in lieu of their high school elective courses; it is unknown whether any current seniors (Class 273) are taking advantage of this program (Biology teacher, Central, 2013).
Since Central’s student body comes from across the city, we asked parents to provide their perspectives on the Logan neighborhood. The vast majority of the approximately 70 parents surveyed reported that the Logan’s distance from their own neighborhood was a factor in determining if Central was the right school for their child; many, however, expressed the sentiment that it was “worth it.”
“...I was concerned that they were traveling alone such a distance. But I know that Central is a good opportunity...”
“The traveling...was a consideration...but just because of that, it doesn’t mean my student shouldn’t attend”
“I feel the benefits surely outweigh the inconvenience of the travel.”
“The distance was an issue, but we both thought it would be worth it in the end”
Many parents expressed some reservations about the perceived safety of the
neighborhood as well.
“[It’s a] [r]undown neighborhood needing more security and no lighting with no large retail clientele to draw better business and money to the area.”
“I know all about the surrounding neighborhoods...You’re always a little apprehensive
but I put him in God’s hands and he was fine.”
“...I hear it dangerous so I tell him to watch himself and not to walk alone in the dark.”
“I am aware that they have a methadone clinic [nearby]. Clients often...buy/sell/use drugs. The location is very concerning.”
“...there was a shooting at the subway station she goes to everyday.”
“I attended girls high and around that time, it was very ‘ghetto’”
“The neighborhood was my biggest issue with [my daughter] attending Central.”
“One street I pass has a hooker who stands out in the morning to sell her body to
men...the area is a definite negative and almost convinced me to move out of the city for his schooling.” “As far as the neighborhood, all I can say is Broad and Olney lol” (see Appendix C)
The Community of Stakeholders at Central High School
It is difficult to imagine a discussion of any length about Central High School that does not turn back to its academic reputation; for decades, the school has been consistently ranked first or second among all city high schools in academic measures. In addition, the school has a long history; the first high school in the state of Pennsylvania, Central was founded in 1836 and is currently the second oldest (continually running) public high school in the United States.
Emerging from this history and academic reputation, an intense school pride is a strong part of Central’s school culture. Graduating classes are not referred to by year, but instead by numbers that embed the school’s history (e.g. this year’s freshmen are “Class 276”, not the “Class of 2017”.) Freshmen can be observed in classes trying to memorize the school song, and upperclassmen speaking of looking forward to graduation, when they can finally sing the song’s second verse (Current students, Central ((multiple), 2013). Central High school has a very active alumni community, which can be seen in the “John Smith, Class 254” tiles that decorate the main hallway (see Appendix A) as well as in the dedicated “school archivist” position at the school and the dedicated alumni building on Central’s grounds. Alumni donations great and small dot the school building: a best-in-class school library sits next to a modern computer lab and an alumni archive room filled with memorabilia from previous classes and donated art collections. Teachers and administrators have a modern, climate-controlled conference room, created from funds donated by a previous class (School archivist, Central, 2013).
In fact, personal conversations with current students reveal the near-ubiquity of this feeling of pride. Freshmen still talk with excitement about “getting into” the school, while upperclassmen spoke to us at length about the rigor of the education they have received, and their (usually quite high) expectations for their college years and beyond. (Current students, Central ((multiple), 2013) In fact, the school’s academic reputation was the primary motivation for choosing the school, according to most parents surveyed:
“[My son] told me he was going to Central when he was in the third grade. He knew that a Central was ranked #1 in the city and fifth on the country”
“Central can give my child the best education and that is much more important than the location.”
“We chose Central because of it’s rich tradition and reputation. It ranks among the top for
school’s in the region.” (see Appendix C)
Many students, and some parents, also indicated that Central’s academic expectations created some drawbacks, especially in the volume of homework:
“It’s like none of my teachers even realize that we take other classes!” (Current students, Central ((multiple), 2013)
“My daughter gets a better education than half the high schools in our neighborhood do. But...[she comes] home with tons of homework.”
“I believe central is a very fast-pacing in their lessons, which is good, but it also pushes the students to become exhausted...I’m certain that it draws a lot of time...because of homework...” (see Appendix C)
School policies have been put into place to partially mitigate this--each academic subject
has dedicated “test days” every week--but students report that this schedule is only sometimes followed, and does little to ease the overall homework burden. In fact, some teachers suggest that a high-volume of homework may be a deliberate manifestation of the school’s academic reputation: perhaps students and parents expect a “good school” to provide a heavy out-of-class workload (Math teacher, Central, 2013).
This belief, if true, fits into another overall picture that some stakeholders have, that some aspects of Central’s academic philosophy and school culture are rooted too firmly in the past. The building itself dates from the 1930s, and much of its aesthetics and infrastructure have not been updated in decades. Classrooms are not climate-controlled, and many are too small. Some rooms, like the old gymnasiums, have been informally repurposed over the years. The pockets of the school that benefit from alumni donations or grant money are quite obvious, as one walks into the only room on the floor to have air conditioning, or the only classroom in a department to have a smartboard. Some parents expressed concern over the physical state of the school:
“I believe the school could be more technologically advanced. Also, the upkeep of the grounds, parking lot, and the building needs to be taken into consideration.” “Building is run down...too many students in one building”
“Dislike building in need of repairs/updates” (see Appendix C)
The previous president of Central, Sheldon Pavel, ran the school for nearly 30 years, and was beloved by many students and teachers during that time (Biology teacher, Central, 2013). Several newer staff members and alumni, though, believe that very little reform or forward progress took place at Central during much of this time (Current teachers, Central (multiple), 2013).
“For a very long time, Central has had a reputation as a place where teachers go to die. When they’ve ‘earned seniority’, they want to take it easy, and at Central, they think the kids can basically teach themselves.” (Alumna, Central, 2013) “Staff at central seem to believe that just because these kids are central students, they don’t need help and guide which is wrong. Staff aren’t as much in te child’s life as other schools.” (See Appendix C)
When Dr. Pavel retired in the end of 2012, the school faculty selected Tim McKenna as
their new president: he brings with him a reputation for reform, and has in two years brought in several new teachers. The majority of the teaching staff, though, are veterans of both the district and of Central--roughly a dozen are Central alumni themselves.
Current staff opinions on President McKenna, when they could be solicited at all, were mixed, but most seemed cautiously optimistic. One teacher reported that he “had not lived up to his promise yet”, but that this was understandable, “given the situation.” (Current teachers, Central (multiple), 2013)
The “situation” alluded to here is the District budget crisis and its ramifications. Education funding is rarely in ample supply, but the current state of the School District is particularly severe. Central’s best-in-class library is shuttered most days, open only when parent volunteers can be found: the school librarian was laid off this summer. Student support services were severely cut back as well: only two counselors remain at this school of nearly 2400 students, and even that came at the sacrifice of some NTA support staff (McKenna, 2013). Some department’s textbooks date back to before Dr. Pavel’s tenure as President, and are held together by layers of duct tape. Technology is not readily available at the school, and what little exists is underutilized by staff (with no funds available to train them in use of smartboards, tablet computers, etc., and no funds available for a dedicated technical support staff). Those few teachers who do have technology readily available to them (such as permanent in-class Promethean boards or laptop carts) have independently sought and received grants to purchase these resources This means also that the maintenance and upkeep of these resources is their independent responsibility as well: one science teacher at the school recently received a grant to replace old, depleted laptop batteries (Biology teacher, Central, 2013).
What was most surprising and encouraging to us as we conducted our stakeholder interviews was just how much students seemed to know about the District budget crisis and how it affected Central and their education. One student interviewed eagerly walked us through her (very precise) understanding of the “doomsday budget”, teacher contract negotiations, the role of the School Reform commission, and the effects these things might have on her education. She expressed concern over the possible elimination of sports, music, and extracurricular programs, stressing the value of students’ ability to choose among Central’s many offerings in these categories: “...and if there’s not a club for your interest, you can find a sponsor and create one!” (Current students, Central ((multiple), 2013) The Mentally Gifted program at the school has been all but eliminated as well. Several students lamented the loss of favorite new teachers, as summer layoffs and force-transfers resulted in several newer staff members losing their positions.
Many Central students have taken active roles and positions in the discussion over education funding in Philadelphia. The student who summarized so-well the state of affairs in the District continued on to tell us of student-led-and-organized trips to SRC meetings at 440 North Broad Street, both to show student presence and involvement, and to publicly criticize the positions of the commission both in the meetings and out (Current students, Central ((multiple), 2013). After a recent visit by Superintendent Hite, one class of students engaged in a lively discussion over what issues and concerns they should have shared with him (Biology teacher, Central, 2013). The RoboLancers, Central’s robotics team, put forward an open letter / position platform outlining the crisis affecting them, their school, and their city. This carefully crafted position outlines specific harms they believe the budget crisis has caused, and makes specific recommendations to fix them. (Robolancers, 2013) (Gelles, 2013)
With these realities all taken together, a picture emerges of Central High School as a place steeped in a tradition of academic success, but a tradition that some stakeholders worry could be stultifying. New school leadership promises reform and modernization, but these promises are hamstrung by budget concerns and viewed with suspicion among more traditional members of the school community. Students are dedicated to their own success, and are active and engaged in larger issues that they believe affect the quality of their education. The Central community remains proud of the school as a beacon of academic experience, and they are clearly invested in the continued success of the institution and its students.
Works Cited
Alumna, Central. (2013, August). (N. Moakley, Interviewer)
Alumnus, Central. (2013, September). (A. McCulloch, & N. Moakley, Interviewers) Biology teacher, Central. (2013, September). (A. McCulloch, Interviewer)
Central High School. (2013). Retrieved from Central High School:
http://www.centralhigh.net/pages/CentralHigh
Central High School. (2013, September). Central High School Admissions. Retrieved from
Central High School: http://www.centralhigh.net/pages/CentralHigh/7197040085141361346/Main_Nav/Admis sions
Current students, Central ((multiple). (2013, September). (A. McCulloch, & N. Moakley, Interviewers)
Current teachers, Central (multiple). (2013, September). (N. Moakley, Interviewer)
Gelles, J. (2013, September). Philly's imperiled schools: The view from Central's robotics team.
Retrieved from philly.com: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/consumer/Philly-schools-
The-view-from-Centrals-robotics-team.html
LaSalle University students (multiple). (2013, September). (N. Moakley, & A. McCulloch,
Interviewers)
Logan resident. (2013, September). (N. Moakley, Interviewer)
Math teacher, Central. (2013, September). (N. Moakley, Interviewer) McKenna, T. (2013, September).
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Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2013, September). Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic Achievement Report: 2011-2012. Retrieved from http://paayp.emetric.net/District/SchoolList/c51/126515001
Pizza shop proprietor. (2013, September). (N. Moakley, Interviewer)
Robolancers. (2013, September). Robolancers' platform to save robotics programs and public
education in Philadelphia. Retrieved from Roboloancers: Central High School's Robotics
Team: http://robolancers.com/robolancers-platform/
School archivist, Central. (2013, September). (A. McCulloch, & N. Moakley, Interviewers) School District of Philadelphia. (2013, September). About Us. Retrieved from School District of
Philadelphia: https://www.philasd.org/about/#enrollment
School District of Philadelphia. (2013, September). Central High School Profile. Retrieved from
The School District of Philadelphia:
https://webapps.philasd.org/school_profile/view/6010
Snack stand proprietor. (2013, September). (A. McCulloch, Interviewer)
U.S. Department of Education. (2013). Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education:
www.ed.gov
U.S. News and World Report. (2013, September). U.S. News and World Report. Retrieved from
U.S. News and World Report High Schools Rankings: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/pennsylvania/districts/the-school- district-of-philadelphia/central-high-school-17231
United States Census Bureau. (2013, September). American FactFinder. Retrieved from United States Census Bureau: http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml
Central High School is a Philadelphia public magnet school located in the Logan neighborhood of Philadelphia. Its stated mission is to “challenge students with rigorous academic programs to prepare them for the demands of higher education.” (Central High School, 2013) U.S. News named Central High School a “Gold Medal School” in 2013. It is ranked as the 6th best high school in Pennsylvania and 2nd in Philadelphia (behind Masterman). (U.S. News and World Report, 2013) In 2011-2012, Central was the only high school in the state to be designated a Blue Ribbon High School. (U.S. Department of Education, 2013)
The high school is located approximately 0.4 miles from the Olney Transportation Center, a large SEPTA subway and bus terminal at North Broad Street and Olney Avenue (see Appendices A and B). The transportation center is serviced by the Broad Street Line subway (which runs north/south through the city) and bus routes 6, 8, 16, 18, 22, 26, 55, 80, and L. Its close proximity to a major transportation hub makes Central High School accessible from nearly anywhere in the city. Many students attend Central from Northeast, South, or Southwest Philadelphia, traveling on multiple buses and the subway each way, for up to two hours each school day. For some students living in North Philadelphia, though, Central High School is the closest high school that they could attend (see Appendix C).
A variety of businesses surround Olney Transportation Center. On the mezzanine level of the transportation center there is a family owned snack stand. The stand has operated at the transportation center for over ten years. (Snack stand proprietor, 2013). Above ground, eight food establishments are immediately visible, including a McDonalds, a Dunkin Donuts, Olney Pizza, Lucky Star Chinese & American Food Restaurant, United Chicken & Ribs, Wilson’s Market, Olney Steak & Beer, and Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill (now closed.). North of the station, a mini-strip mall lines Broad St. This strip of businesses includes a vision center, a pharmacy, a medical office, a furniture store, a shoe store, a prepaid cell phone store, an electronics repair store, a beauty supply store, a deli, a sports store, and a hosiery store (see Appendix A). Directly across the street from the transportation center is the large multi-unit building at 5601 N. Broad Street. Multiple businesses are housed here, including a Sovereign Bank, a wellness medical center, a general dentistry center, a janitorial services company, a medical equipment and supplies store, a foot and ankle care center, and an ACE Check Cashing service. Two large signs on the side of the building advertise vacant office space available in the building.
Walking westward along Olney Avenue from the transportation center to Central High School, one notes that the street is lined on the North by residential row homes and on the South by two other Philadelphia School District (PSD) high school campuses: Philadelphia High School for Girls and The Widener Memorial School (see Appendix A). After Girls’ High and Widener, the remainder of the block is composed of a series of row homes converted into smaller apartments, a laundromat/convenience store, New China Chinese & American Food Restaurant, The Essence photo studio, and Sorrento II Pizzeria & Grill. Across the street from these establishments is Kemble Park, part of the Fairmount Park system.
When approaching the busy intersection of Olney Avenue and Ogontz Avenue, the first visible signs of the school appear: flags of crimson and gold (the school colors) dot the sidewalks, and a digital sign (donated by Class 270) on the lawn announces the presence of the school. Across the digital sign scrolls upcoming school activities, the current time and temperature, and a photo of President Tim McKenna throwing the first pitch at a Philadelphia Phillies baseball game—2012’s “Central Night” at Citizen’s Bank Park. The school is built upon a hill and looms over the neighborhood like a grandiose castle; this makes it difficult to see the physical building from Ogontz Avenue below. In fact, it is only after beginning to walk up the concrete pathway to the school that the physical building of the school fully reveals itself.
To the south and southeast, Central High School is separated from the Logan community by the school’s many recreation fields; to the west, the school is bordered by the campus of La Salle University. A chain link fence separates “The Blacktop”, Central High School’s parking lot, from the University property. A single gate allows for foot traffic between Central and La Salle during lunchtime hours (approximately 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM). Once through the gate, the La Salle cafeteria is just a short stroll down the outdoor walkway. Teachers at Central often take advantage of this path to enjoy their lunch or coffee breaks at the cafeteria.
Demographics and Recent History of Central High School
Central High School is one of the larger high schools (grades 9-12) in the School District of Philadelphia, with approximately 2300-2400 students, though this number has been slowly decreasing in recent years. (School District of Philadelphia, 2013) Most of Central’s students do not live in the surrounding Logan or Olney neighborhoods; as a college preparatory “magnet” school, Central draws its students from across the city.
Minimum admissions criteria for the high school are very specific. Students cannot have received more than one “C” grade in their most recent year-end academic report, and must score at or above the 88th percentile in standardized tests in both Math and Reading. In addition, students are required to submit an application essay, and attendance and behavior records are taken into account as well. (Central High School, 2013)
Academic data for Central’s students reflects these admissions standards: in the 2011-12 academic year, 97.1% of Central juniors met AYP measures in mathematics, and 96.8% met AYP measures in Reading. When disaggregated by ethnicity, some gaps in performance can be observed, but overall scores are all quite high (ranging from 93.8% to 99.5% proficiency.) Graduation rates exceed 90%. In contrast, graduate rate across the School District is approximately 55%; only 36.4% of students and 42.6% in reading met Grade 11 academic performance measures, with large ethnic disparities (disaggregated data among students without IEPs ranges from 41.7% to 85.5% proficiency.) (Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2013).
The student body of Central is ethnically diverse: 31.9% of students identify as Asian, 31.1% as African American, 25.1% as white, and 8.7% as Latino. This ethnic mix stands in contrast to both the demographics of the Logan neighborhood (59.7% African American, 29.1% Hispanic, 5.4% Asian, 3.9% white) (United States Census Bureau, 2013) and those of the School District student body as a whole (54.52% African American, 18.5% Hispanic, 14.3% white, 7.83% Asian). (School District of Philadelphia, 2013)
Special education diversity is more limited: only 0.9% of Central students have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Last year, an additional 32.1% of the student body was in the Mentally Gifted Program. In the School District of Philadelphia, these students would receive “Gifted IEPs”; however, gifted classes at Central have been cut for the 2013-14 academic year due to budget constraints, and it is unclear whether these students’ Gifted IEPs are being monitored or kept up-to-date (School District of Philadelphia, 2013); (Biology teacher, Central, 2013). These statistics stand in stark contrast to those of the District as a whole, where students with disabilities represent 13.97% of the population, and 3.12% are classified as “gifted.” (School District of Philadelphia, 2013)
English language proficiency is nearly uniform throughout Central’s student body: only 0.9% of students are classified as “English Language Learners” (ELL). (School District of Philadelphia, 2013) It should be noted that Central’s admissions criteria specify that both ELL students and students with special needs are invited to apply; their admission to the high school is dependent on the decision of multiple members of school administration (Central High School, 2013). Once again, the overall profile of the School District is quite different: 8.48% of students throughout the city are classified as English Language Learners. The measurable demographic differences between the students of Central High School and those of the School District of Philadelphia persist in an analysis of socioeconomic status, though here they are slightly less pronounced: 62.1% of Central students are classified as “economically disadvantaged”, compared with 82.2% of all District students.
As the above data suggests, Central High School is not a demographically representative part of the community in which it is located. Local residents, even those who live on Olney Avenue between the Transportation Center and the high school, report little to no interaction with the student body. (Logan resident, 2013). Every morning and afternoon, students can be seen walking the very specific paths from Central’s exits to their bus and subway stops, with almost no divergence to other parts of the community. During arrival and dismissal times, the two sides of Olney Avenue appear as completely separate neighborhoods: the north side of the street, lined with row houses, is bare of pedestrian traffic, while the south side of the street between the Transportation Center and the school is a sea of children, walking with purpose to their destination. Since academic buildings dominate this side of the street (Philadelphia High School for Girls, Widener Memorial School, and Central High School), only the three or four businesses mentioned earlier seem to receive student traffic. About Central students, one of the proprietors of Sorrento Pizza said “Once school lets out, they really overwhelm the place...but they really only ever stop here and next door (the laundromat/convenience store and Chinese food restaurant), then take the train right home.” (Pizza shop proprietor, 2013)
Even in this narrow corridor of space shared by local residents and commuting students,
though, some nascent aspects of community have developed. The proprietor of the Transportation Center snack stand says, “[They’re] good kids--students from ten years ago will stop by the snack stand and say ‘Hey! You’re still here!’” (Snack stand proprietor, 2013)
Very few of Central’s students can be seen venturing west of the high school, towards LaSalle’s campus. We asked commuter students attending La Salle to offer their thoughts on Central and its students, as well as interactions between Central and their university. They were not familiar with any formal collaboration between the two institutions, and offered minimal commentary on Central itself (“it’s a good school”). Although reticent to speak at first, several La Salle students offered some critical perceptions of Central’s student body (“they’re pretentious”, “they overwhelm SEPTA in the mornings”), but did not note any further personal connections (LaSalle University students (multiple), 2013). Our Penn mentor, a Central High School alumnus, noted that La Salle professors used to teach classes at Central High School; this practice no longer occurs (Alumnus, Central, 2013). More recently, Central High School seniors have had the option to take classes at La Salle in lieu of their high school elective courses; it is unknown whether any current seniors (Class 273) are taking advantage of this program (Biology teacher, Central, 2013).
Since Central’s student body comes from across the city, we asked parents to provide their perspectives on the Logan neighborhood. The vast majority of the approximately 70 parents surveyed reported that the Logan’s distance from their own neighborhood was a factor in determining if Central was the right school for their child; many, however, expressed the sentiment that it was “worth it.”
“...I was concerned that they were traveling alone such a distance. But I know that Central is a good opportunity...”
“The traveling...was a consideration...but just because of that, it doesn’t mean my student shouldn’t attend”
“I feel the benefits surely outweigh the inconvenience of the travel.”
“The distance was an issue, but we both thought it would be worth it in the end”
Many parents expressed some reservations about the perceived safety of the
neighborhood as well.
“[It’s a] [r]undown neighborhood needing more security and no lighting with no large retail clientele to draw better business and money to the area.”
“I know all about the surrounding neighborhoods...You’re always a little apprehensive
but I put him in God’s hands and he was fine.”
“...I hear it dangerous so I tell him to watch himself and not to walk alone in the dark.”
“I am aware that they have a methadone clinic [nearby]. Clients often...buy/sell/use drugs. The location is very concerning.”
“...there was a shooting at the subway station she goes to everyday.”
“I attended girls high and around that time, it was very ‘ghetto’”
“The neighborhood was my biggest issue with [my daughter] attending Central.”
“One street I pass has a hooker who stands out in the morning to sell her body to
men...the area is a definite negative and almost convinced me to move out of the city for his schooling.” “As far as the neighborhood, all I can say is Broad and Olney lol” (see Appendix C)
The Community of Stakeholders at Central High School
It is difficult to imagine a discussion of any length about Central High School that does not turn back to its academic reputation; for decades, the school has been consistently ranked first or second among all city high schools in academic measures. In addition, the school has a long history; the first high school in the state of Pennsylvania, Central was founded in 1836 and is currently the second oldest (continually running) public high school in the United States.
Emerging from this history and academic reputation, an intense school pride is a strong part of Central’s school culture. Graduating classes are not referred to by year, but instead by numbers that embed the school’s history (e.g. this year’s freshmen are “Class 276”, not the “Class of 2017”.) Freshmen can be observed in classes trying to memorize the school song, and upperclassmen speaking of looking forward to graduation, when they can finally sing the song’s second verse (Current students, Central ((multiple), 2013). Central High school has a very active alumni community, which can be seen in the “John Smith, Class 254” tiles that decorate the main hallway (see Appendix A) as well as in the dedicated “school archivist” position at the school and the dedicated alumni building on Central’s grounds. Alumni donations great and small dot the school building: a best-in-class school library sits next to a modern computer lab and an alumni archive room filled with memorabilia from previous classes and donated art collections. Teachers and administrators have a modern, climate-controlled conference room, created from funds donated by a previous class (School archivist, Central, 2013).
In fact, personal conversations with current students reveal the near-ubiquity of this feeling of pride. Freshmen still talk with excitement about “getting into” the school, while upperclassmen spoke to us at length about the rigor of the education they have received, and their (usually quite high) expectations for their college years and beyond. (Current students, Central ((multiple), 2013) In fact, the school’s academic reputation was the primary motivation for choosing the school, according to most parents surveyed:
“[My son] told me he was going to Central when he was in the third grade. He knew that a Central was ranked #1 in the city and fifth on the country”
“Central can give my child the best education and that is much more important than the location.”
“We chose Central because of it’s rich tradition and reputation. It ranks among the top for
school’s in the region.” (see Appendix C)
Many students, and some parents, also indicated that Central’s academic expectations created some drawbacks, especially in the volume of homework:
“It’s like none of my teachers even realize that we take other classes!” (Current students, Central ((multiple), 2013)
“My daughter gets a better education than half the high schools in our neighborhood do. But...[she comes] home with tons of homework.”
“I believe central is a very fast-pacing in their lessons, which is good, but it also pushes the students to become exhausted...I’m certain that it draws a lot of time...because of homework...” (see Appendix C)
School policies have been put into place to partially mitigate this--each academic subject
has dedicated “test days” every week--but students report that this schedule is only sometimes followed, and does little to ease the overall homework burden. In fact, some teachers suggest that a high-volume of homework may be a deliberate manifestation of the school’s academic reputation: perhaps students and parents expect a “good school” to provide a heavy out-of-class workload (Math teacher, Central, 2013).
This belief, if true, fits into another overall picture that some stakeholders have, that some aspects of Central’s academic philosophy and school culture are rooted too firmly in the past. The building itself dates from the 1930s, and much of its aesthetics and infrastructure have not been updated in decades. Classrooms are not climate-controlled, and many are too small. Some rooms, like the old gymnasiums, have been informally repurposed over the years. The pockets of the school that benefit from alumni donations or grant money are quite obvious, as one walks into the only room on the floor to have air conditioning, or the only classroom in a department to have a smartboard. Some parents expressed concern over the physical state of the school:
“I believe the school could be more technologically advanced. Also, the upkeep of the grounds, parking lot, and the building needs to be taken into consideration.” “Building is run down...too many students in one building”
“Dislike building in need of repairs/updates” (see Appendix C)
The previous president of Central, Sheldon Pavel, ran the school for nearly 30 years, and was beloved by many students and teachers during that time (Biology teacher, Central, 2013). Several newer staff members and alumni, though, believe that very little reform or forward progress took place at Central during much of this time (Current teachers, Central (multiple), 2013).
“For a very long time, Central has had a reputation as a place where teachers go to die. When they’ve ‘earned seniority’, they want to take it easy, and at Central, they think the kids can basically teach themselves.” (Alumna, Central, 2013) “Staff at central seem to believe that just because these kids are central students, they don’t need help and guide which is wrong. Staff aren’t as much in te child’s life as other schools.” (See Appendix C)
When Dr. Pavel retired in the end of 2012, the school faculty selected Tim McKenna as
their new president: he brings with him a reputation for reform, and has in two years brought in several new teachers. The majority of the teaching staff, though, are veterans of both the district and of Central--roughly a dozen are Central alumni themselves.
Current staff opinions on President McKenna, when they could be solicited at all, were mixed, but most seemed cautiously optimistic. One teacher reported that he “had not lived up to his promise yet”, but that this was understandable, “given the situation.” (Current teachers, Central (multiple), 2013)
The “situation” alluded to here is the District budget crisis and its ramifications. Education funding is rarely in ample supply, but the current state of the School District is particularly severe. Central’s best-in-class library is shuttered most days, open only when parent volunteers can be found: the school librarian was laid off this summer. Student support services were severely cut back as well: only two counselors remain at this school of nearly 2400 students, and even that came at the sacrifice of some NTA support staff (McKenna, 2013). Some department’s textbooks date back to before Dr. Pavel’s tenure as President, and are held together by layers of duct tape. Technology is not readily available at the school, and what little exists is underutilized by staff (with no funds available to train them in use of smartboards, tablet computers, etc., and no funds available for a dedicated technical support staff). Those few teachers who do have technology readily available to them (such as permanent in-class Promethean boards or laptop carts) have independently sought and received grants to purchase these resources This means also that the maintenance and upkeep of these resources is their independent responsibility as well: one science teacher at the school recently received a grant to replace old, depleted laptop batteries (Biology teacher, Central, 2013).
What was most surprising and encouraging to us as we conducted our stakeholder interviews was just how much students seemed to know about the District budget crisis and how it affected Central and their education. One student interviewed eagerly walked us through her (very precise) understanding of the “doomsday budget”, teacher contract negotiations, the role of the School Reform commission, and the effects these things might have on her education. She expressed concern over the possible elimination of sports, music, and extracurricular programs, stressing the value of students’ ability to choose among Central’s many offerings in these categories: “...and if there’s not a club for your interest, you can find a sponsor and create one!” (Current students, Central ((multiple), 2013) The Mentally Gifted program at the school has been all but eliminated as well. Several students lamented the loss of favorite new teachers, as summer layoffs and force-transfers resulted in several newer staff members losing their positions.
Many Central students have taken active roles and positions in the discussion over education funding in Philadelphia. The student who summarized so-well the state of affairs in the District continued on to tell us of student-led-and-organized trips to SRC meetings at 440 North Broad Street, both to show student presence and involvement, and to publicly criticize the positions of the commission both in the meetings and out (Current students, Central ((multiple), 2013). After a recent visit by Superintendent Hite, one class of students engaged in a lively discussion over what issues and concerns they should have shared with him (Biology teacher, Central, 2013). The RoboLancers, Central’s robotics team, put forward an open letter / position platform outlining the crisis affecting them, their school, and their city. This carefully crafted position outlines specific harms they believe the budget crisis has caused, and makes specific recommendations to fix them. (Robolancers, 2013) (Gelles, 2013)
With these realities all taken together, a picture emerges of Central High School as a place steeped in a tradition of academic success, but a tradition that some stakeholders worry could be stultifying. New school leadership promises reform and modernization, but these promises are hamstrung by budget concerns and viewed with suspicion among more traditional members of the school community. Students are dedicated to their own success, and are active and engaged in larger issues that they believe affect the quality of their education. The Central community remains proud of the school as a beacon of academic experience, and they are clearly invested in the continued success of the institution and its students.
Works Cited
Alumna, Central. (2013, August). (N. Moakley, Interviewer)
Alumnus, Central. (2013, September). (A. McCulloch, & N. Moakley, Interviewers) Biology teacher, Central. (2013, September). (A. McCulloch, Interviewer)
Central High School. (2013). Retrieved from Central High School:
http://www.centralhigh.net/pages/CentralHigh
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Current students, Central ((multiple). (2013, September). (A. McCulloch, & N. Moakley, Interviewers)
Current teachers, Central (multiple). (2013, September). (N. Moakley, Interviewer)
Gelles, J. (2013, September). Philly's imperiled schools: The view from Central's robotics team.
Retrieved from philly.com: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/consumer/Philly-schools-
The-view-from-Centrals-robotics-team.html
LaSalle University students (multiple). (2013, September). (N. Moakley, & A. McCulloch,
Interviewers)
Logan resident. (2013, September). (N. Moakley, Interviewer)
Math teacher, Central. (2013, September). (N. Moakley, Interviewer) McKenna, T. (2013, September).
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Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2013, September). Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic Achievement Report: 2011-2012. Retrieved from http://paayp.emetric.net/District/SchoolList/c51/126515001
Pizza shop proprietor. (2013, September). (N. Moakley, Interviewer)
Robolancers. (2013, September). Robolancers' platform to save robotics programs and public
education in Philadelphia. Retrieved from Roboloancers: Central High School's Robotics
Team: http://robolancers.com/robolancers-platform/
School archivist, Central. (2013, September). (A. McCulloch, & N. Moakley, Interviewers) School District of Philadelphia. (2013, September). About Us. Retrieved from School District of
Philadelphia: https://www.philasd.org/about/#enrollment
School District of Philadelphia. (2013, September). Central High School Profile. Retrieved from
The School District of Philadelphia:
https://webapps.philasd.org/school_profile/view/6010
Snack stand proprietor. (2013, September). (A. McCulloch, Interviewer)
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United States Census Bureau. (2013, September). American FactFinder. Retrieved from United States Census Bureau: http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml