The City of Philadelphia announced Friday afternoon a second phase of access centers throughout the city would open on Monday.
According to the press release from the Mayor’s Office of Communications, the centers “have opened this fall to serve the City’s most vulnerable children while fully-digital learning is in place, providing eligible K-6 students with a safe, supervised environment to access digital learning.”
On Monday, 46 additional access centers opened, with 77 total now serving more than 2,100 students throughout the city.
The first round of access centers began operating on Sept. 8.
Access Centers are housed at various city sites, including Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, the Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Housing Authority and Office of Children and Families Out-of-School Time network.
“Access Centers will give children welcoming, connected places to learn – and give families peace of mind,” said Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell. “We’re proud to bring this option to Philadelphia families by repurposing many of our city’s recreation centers, and to draw on our successful camp season to inform Access Center health and safety operations.”
All centers follow health and safety guidelines, including the required wearing of masks for all students and staff; taking daily temperatures on arrival; desks being spaced 6 feet apart; and limiting capacity to 25 students and staff per center.
Students can enroll free of charge and will participate in activities and receive meals while at each center.
Sites are open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Access Centers located in and around the River Wards include Bridesburg Boys and Girls Club, 2901 Bridge St.; Harrowgate PAL Center, 851 E. Tioga St.; Norris Square Community Alliance Office, 2014 N. Mascher St.; Ramonita G de Rodriguez, 600 W. Girard Ave.; and Samuel Recreation Center, 3539 Gaul St.
For help with filling out an interest form, call 215-709-5366, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Access Centers are not drop-in sites and filling out a form does not guarantee students a spot at an Access Center.
To fill out the interest form, find eligibility details and view the list of sites, visit phila.gov/accesscenters.
