Philadelphia – Page 67

National Health Center Week Poster Contest

Posted on June 25, 2013June 25, 2013 by admin

Young artists ages 9-18 living in Chester, Delaware, Montgomery or Philadelphia Counties are invited to participate in the sixth annual poster contest to celebrate National Health Center Week (August 11-17, 2013). The contest theme is: “Community Health Centers: Connecting Neighborhoods to Healthcare.”

First, second and third place prizes will be awarded in two age groups: 9-13 and 14-18. Prizes include gift cards in the amount of $250 (first place), $150 (second place), and $100 (third place). In addition to the top prize winners, 15-20 finalists will be selected. All prize winners and finalists and their families will be invited to an awards ceremony at Philadelphia City Hall on August 15 at 2:30 pm.

All posters must be submitted by July 19. Contest rules, entry forms, fact sheets about health centers, and additional information are available here or by calling 215-567-8001, x3026. Like our facebook page to see contest winners and finalists from past years, get updated info about the contest, and participate in online voting.

The contest is organized by the Health Federation of Philadelphia on behalf of its fourteen member community health centers and generously sponsored by Health Partners. Posters can be dropped off at the Health Federation or any member community health center site. For locations, go to our map or call 215-567-8001, x3026.

Philadelphia Air Pollution

Posted on June 11, 2013June 11, 2013 by admin

About this map
To begin exploring how air pollution may affect your community, use this interactive map of more than 17,000 facilities that have emitted hazardous chemicals into the air. Color-coded dots and scores of one to five smoke stacks are based on an EPA method of assessing potential health risk in airborne toxins from a given facility. More smoke stack icons signify higher potential risks to human health.

From NPR Toxic Air

School District Layoffs

Posted on June 10, 2013 by admin

Mayor Michael A. Nutter issued the following statement in response to the announcement by the Philadelphia School District to lay off 3,783 teachers and support staff:

For months, the School District has been open and honest about the impact that its $304 million budget shortfall would have on District students and employees and the quality of education that it would be able to provide. Today is the reality of that disastrous, bare-bones budget.

The layoffs of the 3,783 teachers and school support staff is devastating not only to those individuals who will lose their jobs but to the thousands of students and parents and the school communities that will suffer because of these regrettable personnel reductions and other budgetary cuts

This has been an exceptionally difficult process for Dr. Hite, the School District leadership and the School Reform Commission. No one wants to close schools, lay off teachers or staff but the current leadership is determined to make the District’s fiscal health, immediate and long-term, a top priority.

To help the children of this City, there has to be a real commitment from the Commonwealth, City and the unions to find critical funding for Philadelphia public education. I have proposed a revenue package that would provide the District with $95 million in vital funding. Now, we need action in Harrisburg and City Council to pass that legislation. We need Harrisburg to do its share and support the School District. And, we need the education unions to accept critical economic and work rule changes.