West Philly Charter School Finds Temporary Home After Fire
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A West Philadelphia charter school burned out of its building last weekend (see related story) has found a new home for the rest of this school year.
The 400 students of the Global Leadership Academy will resume classes next Wednesday at the former Turner Middle School, 59th Street and Baltimore Avenue, which closed in 2009. The School District owns the building and is expected to make the announcement tomorrow.
The KIPP West Philadelphia Academy currently uses the second floor of the Turner building, and KIPP CEO Mark Mannella says there should be plenty of room.
"It looks like they'll be able to put their entire program on the third floor, with their kindergarten classrooms in a couple of spots on the first floor. And this way we should be able to co-locate in that building without any problem," Mannella said.
Global Leadership, near 52nd and Lancaster, was leveled by a five-alarmer on Sunday (see related story), and students have been out of class since then.
A new GLA is being built at 46th and Girard but won't be ready until September.
The school district originally offered the former Peirce School, at 24th and Christian, as a temporary home for GLA.
Reported by Mike DeNardo, KYW Newsradio 1060.
