Future of Germantown High School building the focus of Friday forum

When the city’s School Reform Commission voted to close Germantown High School, some community members were understandably upset.

Nostalgia certainly played a part, but residents were primarily concerned with the future of public education in the neighborhood considering that Fulton Elementary, which sits directly across Haines Street from the 99-year-old school, was also closed as part of the district’s Facilities Master Plan.

There were also concerns, however, about the impact of having yet another vacant building along Germantown Avenue, the backbone of the neighborhood.

What’s next for Germantown High?

On Friday, NewsWorks content partner NBC 10 and AxisPhilly will host an hour-long forum to explore what Germantown’s hulking building could be used for after the school closes this summer.

“What’s Next? A Forum on the Future of Germantown High” will feature a panel of elected officials, community leaders and development experts.

They include Eighth District City Councilwoman Cindy Bass; Betty Turner, president of Germantown Community Connection; Emily Dowdall of the Pew Charitable Trusts; and Bill Ewing with First United Methodist Church.

PlanPhilly and the Public School Notebook, also NewsWorks content partners, are helping to organize the forum event which will be moderated by Solomon Jones, a Northwest Philadelphia resident who writes The Philadelphia Experiment blog for NewsWorks.

It will be held at FUMCOG, 6001 Germantown Ave. between 4 and 5 p.m. Registration ends Friday at 3 p.m.

NewsWorks will be there.