Dear School District of Philadelphia Community:
Last night, we shared with you that, after 10 years of outstanding service to Philadelphia students, families and communities, Dr. Hite has chosen to not renew his contract which ends in August 2022. While this news impacts the District in many ways, our focus on student achievement as outlined in our Goals and Guardrails and our focus on the well-being of students, staff and families remain our top priority. As such, finding a high quality superintendent to follow Dr. Hite is critical to maintaining the progress that we have become accustomed to at the District.
Today we want to share a little bit about the upcoming search and selection process. You can find details, timeline and FAQs on the Board of Education’s Superintendent Search website HERE. However, here are a few highlights:
- While Dr. Hite will fulfill his role through the end of his contract in August 2022, the formal search for a new Superintendent will begin immediately.
- The search will begin with a public engagement process that starts on October 11, 2021.
- The process will include listening sessions where we will solicit feedback from students, parents, legislative representatives, labor partners and more.
- The formal search will begin in November, informed by feedback gained from the listening sessions.
- A Superintendent Search Advisory Committee will be created to guide the process and ensure diverse voices are included in the review of final candidates.
- The search will be conducted at both the local and national levels.
For a smooth transition, our goal is to make a superintendent appointment by Spring 2022, and for that appointee to take office in August 2022, at the end of the current contract.
There are many more details involved in a search like this, and we encourage you to visit the Board of Education Superintendent’s Search website to learn more. We are counting on each of you over this next year to ensure that we continue to serve our students, families and communities well.
Thank you for your ongoing dedication!
Sincerely,
Joyce S. Wilkerson
Board President