While the new school year will begin with remote learning, Board members look forward to the time when students and teachers can safely return to their classrooms and when Board members and the public can also safely return to district headquarters for Board meetings. We know that getting back to in-person learning will require significant…
Julia Danzy Mallory Fix-Lopez During the last several months, we have all been focused on the new realities of living in a socially distanced world – from learning remotely to working from home to celebrating milestones online. And some things may have fallen to the wayside, like filling out the 2020 Census. However, there…
As we officially mark the end of the 2019-2020 school year and turn toward all that is to come in 2020-2021, Board Members are spending time reflecting on the year. To end our year, we’d like to share with you the reflections of individual Board members presented at our June 11th committee meeting. We look…
At this moment, when our schools, city, and country are experiencing the impact of generational trauma and suffering, suffering which has most critically impacted the Black community, Board Members want to respect this time for our school communities as a moment to process events and to begin healing. We believe that the trauma our students,…
(Board President Joyce Wilkerson presented the following testimony to Philadelphia City Council during a budget hearing on May 20, 2020.) Good morning, Council President and members of City Council. Thank you for having us here today. My name is Joyce Wilkerson, and I am the President of the Board of Education. I…
Members of the Board of Education extend a warm welcome to our newest member, Ameen Akbar, who was appointed to the Board of Education by Philadelphia City Council on May 1, 2020, for a four-year term. Over the last two years, members of the board have worked hard to develop a spirit of collegiality and…
Joining districts across the nation, The Board of Education has approved a resolution calling on governors and state legislators to preserve state funding for public education and asking Congressional delegations to advocate for additional federal funding for public education. Board members consider this a critical resolution for public education in Philadelphia, as the district has…
I am deeply honored and, at the same time, saddened to have this opportunity on behalf of the Board to thank Vice President Wayne Walker for his dedication to the School District of Philadelphia and his many contributions to the work of the School Board. Wayne has spent his career focusing on corporate governance,…
It is with real sadness that we are saying goodbye to Dr. Chris McGinley as a member of the Board of Education. I had the privilege of co-chairing the Student Achievement Committee with Dr. McGinley, and it proved to be an invaluable experience. As a career educator from a family of career educators, Dr. McGinley…
Safeguard Education and Don’t Let Coronavirus Force Budget Cuts Doha Ibrahim, Student Representative on the Philadelphia Board of Education, Lincoln High School Class of 2020 Imere Williams, Student Representative on the Philadelphia Board of Education, Boys Latin Charter School Class of 2020 We are members of the class of 2020. In the last few…