About 500 School District of Philadelphia employees gathered for the second annual Accelerate Philly awards at Martin Luther King High School on May 2, 2025. The ceremony celebrated both excellence and improvement across various academic and professional metrics aligned to the Board of Education’s Goals and Guardrails, and the strategic priorities outlined in the District’s five-year strategic plan, Accelerate Philly.

“These awards recognize the hard work and dedication of our school-based staff and I applaud their accomplishments as we work to accelerate academic achievement to make Philadelphia the fastest improving, large urban school district and prepare all students to realize any future they desire,” said Tony B. Watlington, Sr., Ed.D., superintendent for the School District of Philadelphia.

Over the last two school years, the District noted promising improvements as the District:

• Increased student enrollment by 1,841 students
• Increased the number of students with regular attendance (90 percent or more days) by over 3,500
• Increased third grade reading proficiency by 6.2 percentage points
• Increased third grade math proficiency by 6.6 percentage points
• Increased third grade through eighth grade math proficiency by 5.5 percentage points
• Increased NOCTI exams pass rate by 12.6 percentage points
• Increased the four-year graduation rate by 6.3 percentage points
• Reduced the number of dropouts by 1,400
• Based on data from the 2023-2024 school year, schools were honored in their respective categories:

PSSA Math:

Highest increase in proficiency:

• James Logan
• Cook-Wissahickon
• AMY Northwest

Highest in proficiency:

• Penn Alexander
• Samuel Powel
• CCA Baldi

Third Grade Math Proficiency:

Highest increase in proficiency:

• Robert Morris
• Cayuga

Highest in proficiency:

• Penn Alexander
• Abram Jenks

PSSA ELA:

Highest increase in proficiency:

• Robert Morris
• Isaac Sheppard
• Roberto Clemente

Highest in proficiency:

• William M. Meredith
• Abram Jenks
• SLA Middle School

Third Grade Reading Proficiency:

Highest increase in proficiency:

• Robert Morris
• John Moffet

Highest in proficiency:

• William M. Meredith
• Abram Jenks

Biology Keystone :

Highest increase in proficiency:

• William W. Bodine
• Parkway Center City Middle College
• Carver Engineering and Sciences

Highest in proficiency:

• Julia R. Masterman
• Central
• Academy at Palumbo

Algebra I Keystone:

Highest increase in proficiency:

• William W. Bodine
• Hill-Freedman World Academy
• Constitution

Highest in proficiency:

• Julia R. Masterman
• Central
• Science Leadership Academy

Literature Keystone:

Highest increase in proficiency:

• A. Philip Randolph
• The LINC
• Paul Robeson
• Thomas A. Edison

Highest in proficiency:

• Julia R. Masterman
• Central
• Parkway Center City

NOCTI:

Highest increase in proficiency:

• Kensington
• W. B. Saul
• Roxborough

Highest in proficiency:

• George Washington
• W. B. Saul
• Franklin Learning Center

Student Attendance:

Highest increase:

• Bryant
• Louis M. Wagner
• Gloria Casarez

Highest:

• Julia R. Masterman

Teacher Attendance:

Highest increase:

• James Sullivan
• Motivation
• McCloskey
• Heston

Highest:

• McCloskey

Graduation & Dropout Reduction:

Largest reduction of school dropout:

• Northeast

Highest Increase Four-Year Graduation Rate:

• Horace Furness
• Sayre
• A. Philip Randolph

Highest Four-Year Graduation Rate:

• Julia R. Masterman
• Girard Academic Music Program
• Science Leadership Academy
• Carver Engineering & Sciences
• Parkway Center City Middle College

More than 100 teachers across the District were also recognized for perfect attendance during the 2023-2024 school year:

• Adrienne Gordon
• Alan K Foo
• Alexander W Riccardo
• Amy L Devlin
• Amy T Barker
• Andrew J Thomas
• Andrew M Warren
• Anne F Olvera
• Annette Ruf
• Ariel M Biener
• Ashley Kapuscinski
• Brian K Ehmann
• Carolyn E Gray
• Carrie L Pacini
• Cartion D Noel
• Charles Bolger
• Christine M Jannotta
• Christine M Schuler
• Christine R Jones
• Christopher D Rozelle
• Cody Lutz
• Colleen Gannon
• Colleen Mcfadden
• Dana F Dubin
• Dana F Mothersbaugh
• Daniel M Lewis
• David White
• Devonia C Mourning
• Dorothy E Mayer
• Elizabeth A Bongiovanni
• Erik D Wiessmann
• Erika J Buscaglia
• Fayne Paley
• Frank J Prohaska
• Freda J Gowland
• Frederick Mccray
• George Shreuder
• Gillian Maimon
• Gloria Wiesel
• Glynda Williams
• Guy W Cannon
• Gwendolyn C Davis
• Heather Randolph
• Hector L Hernandez
• James Hill
• Jasmine D Bullock
• Jeff A Devitt
• Jeff M Walton
• Jennifer L Spano Kalish
• Jessica H Lewis
• Joanne D Shafer
• Johnathan D Cox
• Jonathan Goulet
• Jonathan B Harrington
• Joseph A Healy
• Joshua D Jacobson
• Judith Leventhal
• Judith A Grant
• Julie L Magner
• Juri Kim
• Katherine S Muc
• Kelly A Cassetti
• Khalil D Williams
• Kim Kelter Neu
• Kimberly Brassfield
• Kimberly Wallace
• Kristen Brown
• Kurt Ahrens
• Lance M Levy
• Lauren Trainor
• Laurence Sherzer
• Lexus Jessup
• Linda Graham
• Linda Pierce
• Linda M Palantine
• Lisa S Bellman
• Liz Cabrera
• Madeline Valentin
• Maha A Mohamed
• Marcus S White
• Marla Colondres
• Mercedes Ortiz-Rivera
• Michael Geraci
• Michael Petri
• Michael Rosentreter
• Michael J Gannon
• Michael J Phelts
• Miles Mayers
• Morgan Schuler
• Nannette Thornton
• Nicole Kershaw
• Pamela A Mclean
• Pamela A Leifer
• Paula F Miller
• Ralph D Waldman
• Rasheana Clark
• Renee Braun
• Richard C Kozikowski
• Robert P Sandy
• Rosetta E Davis
• Ryan Clark
• Sara B Webber
• Sarah Masker
• Sarah J Wagner
• Sarah M Bower-Grieco
• Serge P Sherstyuk
• Shari K Robbins
• Sharnetta T Denmark
• Shuchi Mishra
• Stephanie Mccoullu Aikens
• Stephanie R Cattan
• Steven Jahr
• Taryn J Matkowski
• Tina N Travers
• Tonya R Oniyama
• Velda Alexis
• Wanda E Ellis-Beaver
• William J Wagenborg
• Ya-Lan C Kao (Cordelia Kao)
• Yuji C Okamura

Five employees from across the District were recognized for reaching more than 40 years of service and one employee was honored for reaching more than 50 years of service.

• Margaret Bizzell
• Tammy Gravlsande
• Joseph Lombardo
• Frederick Miller
• Kathleen O’Hanlon (50 years)
• Joanne Shafer

The event was sponsored by the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia and Wawa, who provided goodie bags and gift cards to all attendees. The Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia Phillies and Visit Philadelphia also provided raffle prizes to winners. Guests also enjoyed student performances from Girard Academic Music Program and Franklin Learning Center.