An outpouring of emotion for Sheppard

PlanPhilly staff

December 15, 2011

Third grader Julio Pedraza was one of about 150 supporters of Sheppard Elementary in Kensington

by Benjamin Herold
for the Notebook and WHYY/NewsWorks

The tears fell freely at Julia de Burgos Elementary School Tuesday night.

During the fifth of 17 community meetings on the School District of Philadelphia’sfacilities master plan, a flood of over 150 supporters of Sheppard Elementaryimplored District officials to reconsider their recommendation to close the tiny K-4 school in Kensington. Located just a few blocks away from de Burgos, Sheppard isone of nine schools the District has targeted for closure by 2014.

This story is a product of a reporting partnership on the District’s facilities master plan between PlanPhilly and the Notebook. The project is funded by a grant from the William Penn Foundation. Follow our coverage of the facilities master plan community meetings, and discuss school-specific issues in our forum.

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