PHILADELPHIA, PA, August 5, 2021— The School District of Philadelphia announced plans for its inaugural Back-to-School Bus Tour, a 31-stop program that will provide critical information and services to students and families, including free state-required childhood immunizations at four event sites, as they prepare for a successful return to full, in-person learning on Tuesday, August 31.
The tour, which will kick off at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 9 at the Jardel Recreation Center, will visit 31 neighborhoods through Friday, August 27. At each stop, students and families will have an opportunity to communicate with the School District of Philadelphia Street Team Ambassadors to receive back-to-school information, register for pre-Kindergarten through grade 12, sign up for the Parent Portal and receive a free backpack and school supplies. Additionally, select tour stops will feature opportunities to receive free state-mandated immunizations required for school registration.
“After an unprecedented 18 months and recognizing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Back-to-School Bus Tour will give us the opportunity to meet our students and families where they are and share in the excitement of returning to a full day, in-person learning, five days a week,” said William R. Hite, Jr., Ed.D. “We know that the best place for students to learn and thrive is in a classroom surrounded by caring educators and their peers. We look forward to getting out and in neighborhoods across the city to help our families prepare for the new school year.”
The bus tour, which will feature two specially-wrapped school buses, is powered by a generous grant from the Independence Blue Cross Foundation. The Foundation is committed to leading sustainable solutions that improve the health and well-being of the community.
“The IBC Foundation is proud to support efforts that improve the health and well-being of our communities,” said Lorina Marshall-Blake, president of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation. “The School District of Philadelphia’s Back-to-School Bus Tour is bringing education into the streets. It is an exciting way to help inform families and immunize our children so they can achieve their full potential when returning to in-person learning later this month.”
A complete list of the Back-to-School Bus Tour stops, and the latest back-to-school updates can be found at philasd.org/ringthebell.
