Thank You for the Warm Welcome and an Engaging Week One
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June 16, 2022
Dear School District of Philadelphia Families & Community,
Today marks the end of my first week as superintendent of our great School District. Before I share a few reflections and thoughts with you, I first want to say how grateful I am for the very warm welcome I have received from students, families and many other members of our Philadelphia community. From letters and emails you’ve shared to initial meet-and-greet sessions to “hello and welcome” greetings as you’ve seen me throughout the city, you have made me feel right at home and I am truly thankful.
As you know, I have laid out an ambitious agenda for my first 100 days, which you can learn more about at philasd.org/100days. There you can take our Listening & Learning Survey to share with me your thoughts and ideas about our school District, and you can register for an upcoming Listening and Learning session. We’re already off to a strong start, completing seven of more than 80 listening and learning sessions planned through September. I have more than a dozen sessions scheduled for next week and I’m excited to continue to listen and learn. Every voice matters to me and I want to hear from as many people as possible in the coming weeks and months.
Another important effort that is underway is planning for the launch of my Transition Team, which will include local and national expertise as well as the latest research and best practices to help us assess how we can effectively address major challenges facing our School District and meet our Goals and Guardrails. The team will be comprised of five subcommittees aligned to areas outlined in my 100-day priorities. I intend to launch the Transition Team within the next few weeks so stay tuned for more information.
Thank you again for the warm Philadelphia welcome. I look forward to our work together. Have a wonderful weekend, take care and be safe.
In partnership for children,
Dr. Tony B. Watlington, Sr.
Superintendent