Franklin Towne Charter girls basketball players huddle as they prepare to defeate Dobbins in the Public League playoffs. Photo/Raymond Boyd

The Franklin Towne Charter girls basketball team defeated Dobbins Technical High School 43-25 Friday in the first round of the Philadelphia Public League Playoffs.

Towne’s girls team, the No. 1 seed in its division, was competing in only its second playoff game in team history. continue reading »

Here’s a summary of the week’s Northeast news we didn’t cover. See others here.

Tacony is getting a new park. Work will start in the summer or fall on Lardner’s Point Park adjacent to the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. As PlanPhilly reports, the fishing pier will be updated and tables, benches, restrooms, solar lighting and more will be added to the 4.5-acre space. continue reading »

Franklin Towne Charter students with a check from the Rohm and Haas Foundation in 2008. The school was one of two Northeast charter schools cited by the city controller's office this month.

Two Northeast charter schools have been cited for profiteering by the City Controller’s office in a recent investigation.

Controller Alan Butkovitz‘s investigation of 13 city charter schools “found repeated examples of complex real estate arrangements in which charters leased or rented facilities from related nonprofit organizations,” according to the Inquirer.

continue reading »

The office of Sen. Mike Stack has announced the second annual President Idol Contest, open to all students in the 5th Senatorial District in kindergarten through eighth grades.

More than 600 students participated in last year’s contest, which is based on the American Idol theme. In keeping with tradition, this year’s nine winners (one from every grade) will be honored at a breakfast at Franklin Towne Charter High School on Presidents Day, Feb. 15. The winners’ families and teachers are also invited to the breakfast.

The rules for the art contest are as follows: continue reading »