August 21, 2020
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The Ramonita G. de Rodriguez Library, at 600 W. Girard Ave., will be among the buildings will be used as an Access Center for Philadelphia taking virtual classes.
With most schools in Philadelphia planning to begin the coming school year with full- or part-time remote learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city has created Access Centers where limited numbers of student will be able attend classes virtually.
These centers are intended for children with caregivers who work outside their homes and who cannot afford other childcare options, which would leave the students otherwise unsupervised during the day.
Because of space limitations, families must register students in advance. Access Center registration opens on Aug. 24, and can be done by phone or online. As of Friday evening, the city had not published the phone number or web address to complete the registration. But that information should be found here when it becomes available.
There will be 31 free city centers able to serve approximately 25 students in each location during the first phase of the program beginning Sept. 8, accommodating about 800 Philly students. Site capacities will be limited to comply with COVID-19 safety guidelines.
The Access Centers are open to students in kindergarten through sixth grade who have circumstances that would prevent them from attending classes virtually from home, like no access to internet or caregivers who work outside the home during the day. More information can be found here.
City officials said more Access Centers will be added on a "rolling basis, and here are plans to have 50 centers open by Sept. 21.
Access Center wll be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day and provide internet, meals, and supervision for children. Centers will be located at city recreation centers, Free Library locations, and Philadelphia Housing Authority buildings.
The program was organized collaboratively between Philadelphia's Office of Children and Families, Parks and Recreation Offices, the Office of Innovation and Technology, and the Free Library of Philadelphia.
The map below shows the addresses of the first 31 Access Centers that Philadelphia will open.
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