PHILADELPHIA —  At a press briefing today, City of Philadelphia and School District officials announced plans for keeping students safe for the upcoming school year.

“Back-to-school season is always an exciting time of year, and we know that the safety of our city’s children is at the top of everyone’s minds. That’s why the City, in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia and our public safety partners, is working to enhance programs that will help keep our children safe as they head back to school in neighborhoods all across the city,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. “As we work together to address the surge in gun violence taking place across the country and in Philadelphia, it is critical that we ensure that the epidemic of gun violence does not impact children or interfere with their learning, development, and wellbeing—and that our schools and the surrounding areas are safe havens from violence, something every student in Philadelphia deserves.”

The Office of Children and Families (OCF) provided an update on Out-of-School Time (OST) and other programming in advance of the return to school. This fall, OCF is working to engage over 6,400 students at 129 OST programs, and with hundreds more students in Parks and Recreation, Free Library and Department of Human Services programs.

“We invest in a variety of programs because decades of research confirm that students who participate are more likely to be engaged in learning,” said Vanessa Garrett Harley, Deputy Mayor for Children and Families. “They are also likely to have better school attendance, increased levels of physical activities, and are less likely to become victims of violence or be involved in violent activity.”

OST programs provide fun, safe, and engaging activities for students during the critical after-school hours. A majority of OST programs will be located in School District of Philadelphia schools. Charter, parochial, private and community-based locations including recreation centers will also be available. A variety of programs are offered for all grade levels. Residents can find out what programs are available at phila.gov/OST. To find a program near you, go to “Find Programs.”

Other programming offered by the Office of Children and Families includes:

• Parks & Recreation offers affordable, fun after-school programs for young people ages 6-12 in every neighborhood of the City. Many Parks & Rec programs pick up directly from the local district school, and all include a healthy afternoon meal. Visit phila.gov/ppr to learn more.

• The Free Library’s Literacy Enrichment Afterschool Program (LEAP) returns for a new school year at all libraries with a playful learning focus for younger students, as well as a focus on literacy, as well as collaboration, communication, creativity, and social skills. LEAP will offer homework assistance in-person and live tutoring through Homework Help Online from 10 a.m. to midnight seven days a week. Also, LEAP is hiring teens who will design and implement programs, and serve as peer mentors to younger LEAP participants. Check with your local library for more info on working with LEAP. More information is available on the Free Library’s website.

• The Department of Human Services is now enrolling for two youth development programs: Philadelphia Youth Leadership Council and Boys and Girls T.R.A.C.K. Youth ages 12 and up are invited to register. The programs offer structured activities, community service, mentorship, life skills, and more. Visit phila.gov/DHS and look under “Announcements” to learn more.

• Intensive Prevention Services, or IPS, is for youth ages 10 through 19. Youth can enroll in the program for different reasons. Whether it’s for social, emotional, or academic support, the goal remains the same. Visit phila.gov/IPS to find the site closest to you.

• Older youth are also encouraged to take advantage of Community Evening Resource Center programming. At the Resource Centers, youth can get help with homework, boost their photography skills, learn to cook, or take part in a movie night. The Centers also provide mentorship and coaching to help with family engagement and conflict resolution. Visit phila.gov/DHS and look under “Posts” to learn more about the Resource Centers.

In addition, PHLpreK is enrolling for the 2022-2023 school year. This year, the program will add 300 new PHLpreK seats to serve 4,300 students in over 180 pre-K centers throughout the city. Interested families can reach out directly to participating centers, or call 844-PHL-PREK (844-745-7735) to find a program. Children who will be 3 or 4 years old by Thursday, September 1, 2022 are eligible, regardless of their families’ income.

The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) will continue to collaborate with the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), local businesses, and community volunteers to ensure that students have safe passage to and from school. Through a longstanding partnership, PPD will expand their Safe Zones initiative, which provides additional uniformed police officers present at school dismissal times to support safe passages for students as they leave school. This year, PPD and SDP have 27 Safe Zones that will encompass 40 District and charter schools.

The District is also collaborating with The Institute for the Development of African-American Youth, Inc. (IDAAY) to hire community members that will patrol routes providing extra supervision and support for students traveling from eight schools.

The City of Philadelphia has over 620 crossing guards actively assigned to locations for the upcoming school year, and will continue to process applications, provide trainings, and onboard new hires over the coming weeks to staff additional locations. To learn more about the program, and submit an application please visit phila.gov/crossingguards.