Posted from a listserv. I've been impressed with the Philly Student Union but have no connection to them:

Dear West Philly Block Captains,

As you may know, West Philadelphia High School is scheduled to get a new
building. On Wednesday, August 10 at 5:30 at the Enterprise Center at 46th
and Market there will be a meeting to involve the community in this process.
This is an important opportunity for members of our community to reclaim
education in our neighborhood.

Two years ago, when students from the Philadelphia Student Union at West
first heard about the new building, they decided to use this as an
opportunity to do more than just get a shinny new building. They wanted to
improve the way that education happens in the school and get the community
more involved in the school.

A group of students, parents, teachers, and community members convinced the
School District that rather than giving us a cookie cutter school, they
should bring in a group from New Orleans called Concordia that specializes
in engaging the community in school design and creating schools that serve
as centers for the community. We have recently started an eight month
process of bringing students, parents, teachers, and community members
together to create a plan for the new school. Meetings will happen every
second Wednesday of the month. This is our opportunity to come together as
a community and ensure high quality education for all of our children. I
hope you will join us.

Sincerely,

Eric Braxton



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Eric Braxton
Philadelphia Student Union
1315 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: 215-546-3290
Fax: 215-546-3296
Web: http://www.phillystudentunion.org