As we come to the end of a long and unprecedented week, we want to take a moment to thank Superintendent Hite, and the many teachers, principals, and school communities who have jumped in feet first to serve our students and communities in this difficult time. As always, student learning remains our first priority, and…
In order to conduct essential business for the School District of Philadelphia, the Board of Education will hold its Monthly Action Meeting on Thursday, March 26, beginning at 5 p.m. The meeting will focus on accomplishing critical business for the School District of Philadelphia. In the interest of the health of our staff, board…
I know that the lives of every single person in the city changed abruptly on March 16 when schools were closed, and parents were left to figure out how to adjust. Every day I wake up thinking that so many of our parents are essential workers who are reporting to hospitals, grocery stores, shipping companies,…
These are scary times for all of us who have been impacted by school closures due to the COVID-19 virus. Dealing with so many unknowns can sometimes seem overwhelming. It can cause us to fear our continued existence, create stress in our homes and add to the trauma that so many of our children and…
This crisis is a wake-up call. We should be outraged that our most vulnerable communities and children are at most risk as a result of the coronavirus crisis and school closures, and that the achievement gap will likely widen during this time. We should be more outraged because, despite the new crisis, this is not…
I want to take a moment to acknowledge how difficult these last several weeks have been for our communities and our city, and to thank the District, our educators, and our school and city staff for everything they are doing to support and educate our children. As a grandmother of school-age children, I have seen…
As we are tasked with the mission of educating students, I deeply thank our teachers for their creativity and perseverance in keeping that going under such unusual circumstances. I know it’s the Board’s intention to make sure that, in the absence of access to our buildings, the learning and ancillary support services can continue, with…
At its September 17 Action Meeting, the Board of Education officially installed and welcomed Keylisha J. Diaz and Toluwanimi Olaleye as the Student Board Representatives for the 2020-2021 school year. As Student Board Representatives, they will represent their peers by sharing student concerns with the Board at its monthly meetings and by reporting Board deliberations…
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education has announced that Ameen Akbar has resigned from the Board, effective immediately, to care for his father who is in declining health. Mr. Akbar was appointed to the Board by Mayor Jim Kenney and sworn in by Philadelphia City Council on May 1 along with his seven…
The Board of Education voted to fundamentally change its focus and operating structure when it formally approved the new Goals & Guardrails initiative at its December 10th action meeting. This five-year plan for the Board focuses intently on student learning and achievement and creates new ways for the public to hold the Board accountable for…