THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA
James Rhoads Elementary School K-8
4901 Parrish Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19139
(215) 400-7680
Dear James Rhoads Elementary School Community,
I hope this letter finds you enjoying a restful and rejuvenating summer break! As we eagerly anticipate the start of the 2025-2026 school year, I wanted to share some exciting updates and important information.
Last year was truly remarkable, and I am incredibly proud of our collective efforts, especially in attendance. Thanks to your partnership and our attendance incentives, we saw significant improvement, with over 40% of our students achieving the district’s goal of 90% attendance or higher! We will be continuing these incentives, and a detailed calendar outlining them will be sent home soon.
Academically, many of our students made more than a year’s growth, showcasing their dedication and the impactful instruction provided by our talented staff. Building on this momentum, we will continue to implement the successful Imagine Learning Math Curriculum and the comprehensive EL Reading Curriculum. We are also incredibly thrilled to introduce a brand-new, hands-on Science curriculum this school year, promising engaging and interactive learning experiences for all our students!
To ensure all families are up-to-date on everything happening at James Rhoads, we will continue to send home monthly calendars detailing events, holidays, and important dates
We are also pleased to confirm that our valuable before-school care and after-school care programs will continue for the upcoming school year. Furthermore, our partnership with Safe Haven will carry on, and we are excited to announce the addition of a new program: The Community Council Artistic and Cultural Enrichment Program (A.C.E.)! Both Safe Haven and A.C.E. are free to our community and are part of the school district’s and Mayor’s Extended Day/Extended School Year partnership. Students enrolled in these wonderful programs will benefit from an extended school day, from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
For our regular school day, please remember that students should arrive by 7:45 AM for breakfast and by 8:10 AM for morning arrival. School concludes at 2:54 PM.
I am personally incredibly excited for the new school year and all the exciting things we have coming. We look forward to partnering with you once again to make the 2025-2026 school year our best one yet!
Enjoy these last few weeks of summer, and we look forward to seeing you all very soon!
Warmly,
Megan Wapner
Principal, James Rhoads Elementary School
Remember that James Rhoads is a phone-free school, and all students will place their phones in pouches at the start of the school day and have the pouches unlocked at the end of the day. We have seen great success since implementing this policy three years ago. Students are engaged with each other and are not preoccupied with social media during the school day.
James Rhoads has a school uniform, and all students are expected to wear uniforms every day. The uniform, consisting of plain blue or yellow tops and blue, black, or khaki pants, is a reflection of our school’s standards and expectations. Students must wear closed-toed shoes, no crocs or flip-flops.
Breakfast is served in the cafeteria every morning from 7:45 to 8:10. Students enter through the door on 50th Street. We encourage students to start the day off with breakfast! School starts at 8:10 for students.
We look forward to working with you during the school year to ensure the success of all James Rhoads students. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Megan Wapner
Principal James Rhoads Elementary School
***James Rhoads Sweatsuits, T-Shirts and Polo shirts are available for purchase in the main office. ( $10 polo shirts, $5 t-shirts, $25 full sweatsuits and $15 sweatshirt or Sweat Pants separates)
We are looking forward to a productive partnership with you to ensure our children can achieve their highest potential. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the main office at 215-400-7680.
Megan Wapner Principal
Fatima Welcome Assistant Principal 
Frequently Asked Questions
● School Starts at 8:10 AM. Dismissal is at 2:54 PM
● Breakfast for K-8 is served in the cafeteria daily from 7:45-8:05
● Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades students will arrive and dismiss from Cafeteria yellow door on 50th Street
● 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades arrive and dismiss from the schoolyard
● James Rhoads will be cell phone-free! School number: 215-400-7680
● School Uniform: Blue or Yellow Shirts, Blue or Khaki Pants. NO crocs, or open-toed shoes
● Parents/Guardians must bring current photo ID to pick up their child for early dismissal
Important Contact Information
Megan Wapner: Principal; mwapner@philasd.org
Fatima Welcome: Assistant Principal; fwelcome@philasd.org
Francis Askew: School Counselor; faskew@philasd.org
Rhonda Boyd: Behavioral Health Counselor; rboyd@philasd.org
Kenyatta Brown: School Counselor; kbrown8@philasd.org
Dr. Thomas Papi: School Counselor; tpapi@philasd.org
Lamond Muhammad: Climate Manager; lmuhammad@philasd.org
Our Vision
The James Rhoads Vision is to provide a world-class learning environment where children become lifelong learners to positively impact not only their future, but also the future of their families and community.
Our Mission
It is our mission as the staff of James Rhoads to provide a highly effective educational program that informs, inspires, liberates and empowers students to seize academic, emotional and social success.
Provide effective instruction that is standards driven, differentiated and rigourous and provided by highly qualified and dedicated teachers.
