Bell Schedule

School Day: 8:15 AM – 2:54 PM
Breakfast: 8:20 AM – 8:40 AM
Lunch/Recess: Times vary according to grade, beginning at 10:24 AM – 12:39 PM

For details on early dismissals, inclement weather procedures, delayed openings, and emergency closings, please refer to the Parent & Student Handbook.
Specific student schedules may differ depending on class sections.

Attendance

Attendance matters! The consistency for both students and teachers is critical to success. Consequences can come from excessive or unexcused absences.

• Attendance Policy
• Absence Excuse Form
• Helpful information, toolkits, and other resources to support your child’s attendance success

Out-of-School Time (OST)
Out-of-School Time (OST) is the time that a child or youth spends in after school or summer programming. In Philadelphia, OST programs are provided for young people in grades K through 12.
➜ Learn more and find a program near you

Summer Programs
Explore free summer programs from the School District of Philadelphia that keep students learning, engaged, and prepared for success.
➜ Learn more about opportunities for your student over the summer.

Boys & Girls Club
Boys & Girls Club provides after-school and summer programming for students.

• Annual School Musical/Drama Club
• Recording Studio
• Music once a week
• Grades 3–5 have an Instrumental Music Teacher
• After School Choir
• After School Step Club

Partnership Dashboard
Explore programs and opportunities available to students across the School District of Philadelphia, including arts, STEM, wellness, mentoring, and more.
➜ Search the Dashboard

• Chestnut Hill Rotary Club
• Philadelphia Children’s Foundation
• Mainline Health
• ArtWell
• Healthy Newsworks
• Men Who Care
• Librarians (100% volunteer-operated)
• Boys & Girls Club
• Drumcliff Foundation
• Black Girls with Green Thumbs
• Philly Goat Project
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Our school offers several programs to broaden the horizons of our young scholars. We offer a variety of activities and clubs geared toward student interests and abilities.

• Drama Club
• Choir
• Homework Club
• Step Club
• Lexia Club
• PSSA Prep Club
• Boys & Girls Club (After School and Summer Programming)

Eleanor C. Emlen School is named in honor of Eleanor Cope Emlen, a Philadelphia educator and philanthropist who was a dedicated advocate for teacher preparation and educational excellence. The school originally opened as the Eleanor Cope Emlen School of Practice, serving as an observation and training school where future teachers gained hands-on classroom experience. Her commitment to high-quality education continues to inspire the school community today.

The current school building was designed by renowned Philadelphia school architect Irwin T. Catharine and constructed in 1925–1926. Designed in the Late Gothic Revival style, the building includes an auditorium addition completed in 1930 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988 in recognition of its architectural and historical significance.

For nearly a century, Eleanor C. Emlen School has served generations of students and families in the Mount Airy community. Today, the school continues its tradition of academic excellence, community partnership, and preparing students to become lifelong learners and engaged citizens.

• 2022 Lindback Distinguished Principal Award winner
• Celebrated 100 years of serving the Mount Airy community
• Student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1
• Teacher retention rate is 100%, with teachers choosing to stay at Emlen each year
• PECO/Exelon STEM Lab

Participation in sports requires a completed physical form signed by a doctor.

Please contact the school for current sports or athletics opportunities.

Elementary Intramural Sports
Grades K-5 learn fundamentals, good sportsmanship, and team-building skills.

➜ Emlen Parent/Student Handbook & Code of Conduct
➜ District – Student Code of Conduct & Discipline Process

Policies

• Dress Code – Uniforms
• Cell Phone Policy
• Report Bullying, Harassment, or Discrimination
• Student Safety

School Improvement Plan – Title I Documents
➜ View your school’s School Improvement Plan
➜ Request a translation of your school’s plan

If you do not have web access or need additional assistance, please contact planningsupports@philasd.org for support.

Annual Notification of Rights under FERPA
The School District of Philadelphia is required to annually notify parents and eligible students of their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). These rights include the right to inspect and review education records, request amendments, consent to disclosures, and file a complaint.

➜ View the Annual FERPA Notice
For questions, contact the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Students are expected to wear appropriate clothing at all times to help maintain a safe, respectful, and focused learning environment.

Shirt color: No specific color required. Shirts must cover the torso and may not be see-through or made of sheer fabric.
Pants/Bottoms: No specific color required. Pants, shorts, skirts, and dresses are permitted and must be worn securely at the waist. Shorts and skirts should be an appropriate length (mid-thigh).
Footwear: Closed-toe shoes are required at all times. Sandals, Crocs, and other open-toe footwear are not permitted.

Not Permitted:

• Clothing with inappropriate, offensive, or disruptive language or images
• See-through or sheer clothing
• Pants or shorts worn below the waist
• Hats or hoods worn inside the building, unless worn for religious, cultural, or documented medical reasons
• Earrings larger than the size of a quarter
• Open-toe shoes, sandals, or Crocs

Religious, cultural, and documented medical exemptions for headwear are always permitted.

If a student violates the dress code:

• A parent/guardian may be contacted.
• The school may provide loaner clothing or request that a change of clothes be brought to school.

If you have barriers to obtaining appropriate school clothing, please contact the principal or school counselor for assistance.

In the event that an emergency arises and a student cannot meet the dress code on a specific day, please send a note to your child’s teacher explaining the situation.

➜ See our uniform policy for more details.

The School District of Philadelphia provides a variety of programs and services in many languages to support our multilingual families. Students whose first language is not English may qualify for ESOL services.

Need Help? Contact your school’s Bilingual Counseling Assistant

Programs & Services

Multilingual Curriculum and Programs
Learn more about the different programs and opportunities offered for multilingual students and families, and to get assistance with any District-related questions or processes.

• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Dual Language (Bilingual)
• Newcomer Learner Academy (NLA)

Language Access Support Services
Learn more about accessing interpretation/translation services, including Bilingual Counseling Assistants (BCAs) assigned to your school, and other resources.

Language Access Concern
Your feedback is essential in helping us improve language access within our District. If you’ve encountered a language-related challenge, such as a communication barrier, translation issue, or interpretation challenge, your input helps us improve our services.

Our school is committed to providing specialized services to children in the least restrictive environment, as required by the law. Students receive accommodations and modifications as outlined in their Individualized Educational Program (IEP).

The District provides an extensive range of educational services and supports for students with diverse needs within our schools.

➜ Learn more about IEPs and Special Education Programs.