To secure a spot for 4-year-old daughter, Josie, Line's husband jumped out of bed and dressed in layers, battle-tested from attending Eagles games. He then walked five blocks and got in line.
By daybreak, more than 75 parents were outside, and all the slots were filled.
Josie got in. She was No. 22. For Line, the moment was bittersweet.
"We moved to this neighborhood particularly to send our kids to a good public school," she said. "We also want equitable education that's shared - not people who know to text each other at 1 a.m. That's not public education. The neighborhood needs to have all four of its schools be strong, quality schools. There's certainly demand."
Some see Penn Alexander, which goes through eighth grade, as a model for public education: a quality neighborhood school that draws homeowners and stabilizes a community.
Year after year, it has maintained waiting lists, with the number of students rising from 475 in 2004, when it became a full K-8, to 587 this school year.
In the fall, with kindergarten through third grade filled, the School District for the first time had to reroute neighborhood children to other schools.
"It's unfortunate because it's a really good school," district spokeswoman Shana Kemp said. "But we have to ensure that it doesn't become overcrowded."
Henry C. Lea Elementary sits at 47th and Locust Streets, just a 10-minute walk away. But some parents don't perceive the school - an old building with a barren play lot and low test scores - as an option.
Others, including Erin McLeary, have organized community groups, switching their focus from Penn Alexander to the neighborhood's educational alternatives.
