This Philly elementary school is on the rise | Morning Newsletter
🚘 And our very pricey car insurance
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The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Welcome to Wednesday. It’s another sunny day with a high near 46.
A decade ago, Lingelbach Elementary made headlines for its financial and academic struggles. At one point, its entire discretionary budget was just $160. Today, the school is on the rise. Our lead story chronicles how the school in Philadephia’s Germantown neighborhood transformed into a statewide star.
— Paola Pérez (@pdesiperez, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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The glow-up at Anna Lane Lingelbach Elementary is real. Just ask Tim Riley, who has taught math and science to the school’s oldest students for 15 years.
In the past, Riley said, he might spend 60 minutes of a 90-minute instructional block teaching; the rest of the time was spent handling classroom issues, counseling a student or addressing student behavior.
In his own words: “Now, we work from bell to bell — we teach for 90 straight minutes, without distractions,” Riley said. “There aren’t kids in the hallways anymore, there aren’t kids in the bathrooms. Kids are positive, they get here early.”
Lingelbach’s improvements can be seen across the board from a dramatic increase in student performance to more representation of the streets and neighborhoods that it serves. There is also a marked change in its climate, now with clear and consistent rules, high expectations, and strong supports.
Lisa Waddell became Lingelbach’s principal nine years ago. Since then, Waddell has helped advance the school by leaning into its strengths and introducing new systems.
Across the school, there is a sense that the momentum will continue. Keep reading for more on how Lingelbach moved from a barebones budget to a statewide star.
Drivers in the Philadelphia metro area are spending a larger share of their income on insurance compared to many in the nation, according to a new report from Bankrate.
On average, Philly drivers pay $4,753 for annual car premium costs, or about 5.65% of their household income, the fourth highest in the nation.
The consumer financial services company also found that the Philadelphia metro area — which includes Camden and Wilmington — saw the largest increase in average full-coverage premium costs of any of the 26 metros examined. It jumped 154% this year.
Not just a Philly thing: Nationally, the average cost of full coverage car insurance has increased 26% since last year, according to the report.
Reasons for the jump: A Bankrate analyst said that insurance premiums are, for the most part, reactionary. Inflation, an increase in the price of car parts, and other factors play a part.
Keep reading for more on Bankrate’s findings and get expert recommendations on lowering your insurance costs.
What you should know today
Gov. Josh Shapiro made a historic address from the Main Rotunda in the state Capitol building on Tuesday, where he unveiled a $48.34 billion budget, a 6.2% increase over last year’s spending plan.
Police are investigating after two glass jars containing two preserved fetuses were mailed to the Mütter Museum without a return address.
The Living Room and Cricket Cafe, the Ardmore listening room owned and booked by Philadelphia songwriter Laura Mann, is closing for good this spring.
The family of Thomas “T.J.” Siderio, the 12-year-old who was shot and killed by a plainclothes Philadelphia police officer in 2022, has filed a lawsuit against the city and the officer who killed him. Pennsylvania’s legal disciplinary board has accused a Philadelphia lawyer of attempting to file a civil lawsuit on behalf of T.J. Siderio’s father without his permission.
In the wake of Michael Mohn’s brutal killing in Bucks County, his friends and coworkers say they hope to remember Mohn for the way he lived: as a thoughtful, innovative, civil engineer dedicated to creating a cleaner environment, and someone who cared deeply about his family.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. plans to open another 40 Chase bank branches in the Philadelphia area by 2027, expanding from the 50 locations it has placed in the region since it began branching into the area in 2018.
The widow of a Pennsylvania state trooper who was killed by a drunk driver on I-95 in South Philadelphia has filed a lawsuit against the driver and a speakeasy that allegedly served Webb alcohol and marijuana that 2022 night before the crash that also killed another trooper and a civilian.
Famed South Philly soprano Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez, and star of the cult-classic French thriller “Diva,” has died. She was 75.
It’s time to gear up for the Super Bowl on Sunday ... even though the Eagles aren’t playing. Here’s where to order hoagies, tomato pies, wings, and more good food for your viewing party.
🧠 Trivia time
Which Super Bowl headliner is bringing their tour to South Philly this summer?
A) Lady Gaga
B) Usher
C) Rihanna
D) Justin Timberlake
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we're...
🍵 Sipping on: A nice cuppa from the best tea houses in Philly.
🗣️ Practicing: Saying “Voe, Águias, voe!” to cheer on the Birds when they go to Brazil.
📰 Reading: How Mayor Parker’s social media crackdown is impacting City Hall.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: One of Philadelphia’s first viral animal stars 🐱
PHONATE RAINCOAT
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Judy Pidgeon who correctly guessed Tuesday’s answer: Black Thought.
Photo of the day
That should get you started for the day. Have a great one, and I’ll see you in your inbox again tomorrow.
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