Philly school board elects its president and vice president for next year
The Philly school board is hosting its final action meeting of 2025, which began at 4 p.m. Follow live coverage from reporter Kristen A. Graham.
The Philly school board is hosting its monthly action meeting — the last of 2025.
The school board reelected Reginald Streater and Sarah-Ashley Andrews as its president and vice president for next year.
The board will vote on whether to approve the newly ratified contract with the principals union.
Board unanimously approves new contract for principals union
The board also approved CASA's new contract, also with a 9 to 0 vote.
» READ MORE: Principals union president expresses gratitude to the board for their newly ratified contract
Board unanimously approves meeting schedule for 2026
Ultimately, the board decides to move forward with its schedule as written: separate action meetings and Goals and Guardrails meetings for 2026.
The vote was unanimous.
Board moves from speakers into its agenda for voting
That's the end of the speakers list. Now we're onto voting.
The board is voting on its 2026 meeting schedule.
Board member ChauWing Lam has concerns about keeping the board's "Goals and Guardrails" meetings separate from action meetings. She'd like more progress monitoring as part of the board's action meetings.
Clouden family speaks to the board about the state of Philly schools
Horace Clouden, a retired district employee, wants to know the true number of underperforming district and charter schools.
"Families have no confidence" in district schools, Clouden said. Clouden is a proponent of traditional junior high schools, and believes that K-8 schools are leading to poor academic outcomes.
Mama Gail Clouden (who is married to Horace Clouden) said the district "needs to stop ignoring what we know is happening."
Retired teacher speaks in support of Keziah Ridgeway and Ismael Jimenez
Barbara Dowdall, a retired district teacher, said her mother was denied a job as a school librarian because she was Jewish.
She asks: "What is the school district's lesson to students" when it mistreats educators Keziah Ridgeway and Ismael Jimenez?
Retired teacher and activist tells board to stop renewing 'substandard charters'
"More than half of district charter schools are underenrolled," said Lisa Haver, a retired district teacher and founder of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools.
"It's not right for this board to renew substandard charter schools" but close neighborhood public schools, Haver said.
District school psychologist asks the board to halt the facilities planning process
Paul Brown, a district school psychologist, asks for a re-examination of community engagement around the facilities planning process.
The current survey does not "truly capture the needs of Philadelphia," Brown suggests.
"I'm asking the district to halt the process," Brown said.
Schools need more time for student relaxation, parent says
Toya Diggs-Clay, a district parent, says schools need more time for student relaxation and movement. They need better breakfasts and lunches, hygiene bundles going home with kids, and more.
District speech language pathologist sounds the alarm on lack of pathologists
Tamara Sepe, a district speech language pathologist and parent, sounds the alarm about a lack of speech language and pathologists in the district, and asks for more transparency around the number of SLP positions in the district.
Teacher wants the board to 'resist' the congressional investigation 'as strongly as you can'
Freda Anderson, a district teacher, said the congressional investigation "is a witch hunt" and "does nothing to protect Jewish people."
Anderson suggests the board and district "resist as strongly as you can."
Teacher tells the board to 'look closely at which schools have high turnover'
Philip Belcastro, a teacher at Hill-Freedman World Academy, tells the board: "Teachers aren't leaving students. In some cases, they're leaving administrators."
Belcastro: "I'm asking you again to look closely at which schools have high turnover," and to make it publicly available.
District educator calls the congressional investigation 'political theater'
Alexandra Volin Avelin, a district educator, calls the congressional investigation "political theater."
Volin Avelin, an observant Jew, said: "Don't waste time complying with a redundant investigation."
In the 1950s, the House Un-American Activities Committee dismissed 26 teachers for alleged Communism. "Learn from this shameful history and stand up for teachers teaching critical content," Volin Avelin said.
Schools became underenrolled because of disinvestment, parent tells the board
Melanie Silva, a district parent, tells the board: Schools became underenrolled because of your disinvestment.
Families aren't ignoring middle schools because of transitions, Silva said, continuing: We're ignoring them because you under-resourced them.
"We expect investment, not displacement," Silva said.
Teacher Keziah Ridgeway tells the board: 'You are at a crossroads right now, with a national spotlight on you'
Up now is Keziah Ridgeway, a district teacher who sued the school district earlier this year, alleging civil rights violations. She was alluded to in a recent order for a congressional investigation into alleged antisemitism in the district.
"All I've ever wanted is to protect students in the ways that I wasn't protected from the racism that permeates the SDP schools," Ridgeway said.
"Being a teacher should be heart work," Ridgeway said. "It's December and I probably spent $2,000 of our own money on our babies — because they are our babies."
District teacher and former teacher each testify in opposition to any school closures
Julian Prados-Frank, a district teacher, is testifying "to oppose any plan that would close schools."
Schools represent a safe haven for students — sometimes the only place where they get nutritious meals and get social services, Prados-Frank said.
"Our students rely on their schools as a stable refuge," Prados-Frank said. In his first period math class, many kids miss because of transportation issues. "These kids can't miss more math," he said.
KIPP North parent speaks to the board in support of the charter
Lynnette Carroll, parent of KIPP North Philadelphia student Timothy Fontaine, who spoke to the board earlier in the meeting, said her son "is going to be a KIPPster for life."
At charters, her kids' grades were better, and "the support was better," Carroll said.
"Leave KIPP alone," Carroll said.
Parent critiques the district's school selection process
Anne Dorn, a district parent, is discussing the school selection process and pointing out flaws.
"We need to trust the people in the buildings [rather than wait for outside consultant reports to tell us what to do]," Dorn said.
Retired district school psychologist wants district to consider 'the possibility of transformation and support for our schools'
Wendy Galson, a retired district school psychologist and former district parent, talks about Ada B. Lewis, a school where she formerly worked.
"It was starved" before it was closed in 2012, Galson said. Now, the building is dilapidated, now a crime scene.
Galson asks: What if the district had taken care of Ada B. Lewis, invested in its kids and families, its importance to the neighborhood?
Pro bono librarian tells the board: 'School librarians are not expendable.'
Deborah Herskovitz, a district parent who acts as the pro bono librarian at Vare-Washington, which has one of a clutch of "small guerrilla libraries" around the district, wants the board to know that what she provides is not the same has having a certified school librarian. "The district only has about three of those."
"School librarians are not expendable. They are not extras," Herskovitz said.
Suburban schools all have school librarians, she said, and these are the schools parents are leaving Philly for.
Another Mastery charter parent speaks in support of the school
Amberia Perkins, a parent at Mastery Charter Wister, said her kids love the school, and asks the board to support it.
There is too much anti-Blackness and racism and not enough consequences, retired teacher says
Kristin Luebbert, a retired district teacher, says she witnessed many instances of racism, anti-Islamic, and anti-Palestinian behavior in the district.
"No consistent effort has been made to make white teachers interrogate their whiteness" and confront racism, Luebbert said.
"This leads to too many teachers and staff upholding racist and anti-Black attitudes," said Luebbert, who is white.
Teacher shares concerns about 'politically motivated attacks' on educators
Thomas Quinn, a district teacher, tells the board: "Right now, Philly schools are under politically motivated attacks."
Quinn was once targeted when he began a campaign to register students to vote.
"The truth doesn't matter, as long as they can have a chilling effect," Quinn said.
Another parent speaks in support of Mastery schools
Shavon Almodovar, a parent with children at Mastery schools, is also praising her kids' schools. Mastery has pushed her kids to grow, given them challenging and fun content, and has developed her kids in all areas.
Parent urges the board to consider standing behind KIPP North, rather than nonrenew it
Beanna Hazel, parent of Jovahni Hazel, a KIPP North student who spoke to the board earlier in the meeting, said her kids, including Jovahni, who's battled medical and other issues since he was 3, have blossomed at KIPP North.
"Our children ... [should] be in schools where teachers truly love the work, and not just show up to do the work," Hazel said.
"If we truly believe in equity ... then we have to stand behind the places that are already doing that," Hazel said. She asks the board to keep KIPP North open. (The board has moved to nonrenew KIPP over academic concerns.)
Parents speak in support of two Mastery Charter schools
Yolanda Williams, a grandparent at Mastery Charter Clymer, says the school has done wonders for her granddaughter.
"Me, I don't worry when I drop her off at school because she's at Mastery. I know she's fine, I know they'll treat her right, and I know she'll get her education," Williams said.
Joyletta White, a parent at Mastery Charter Gratz, has had a positive experience at Gratz, where her son is thriving.
Principals union president expresses gratitude to the board for their newly ratified contract
Robin Cooper, CASA president, is speaking first.
"We're a long way from two weeks ago," Cooper said. At the last board meeting, she and others blasted the board for being far apart from CASA on their contract. Now, they're approving it.
"It was very clear from actions over the weekend that we were heard loud and clear," Cooper said. "Any time that men will meet with you on a Sunday — on a football Sunday — you know that a contract is in the making."
» READ MORE: Philly principals union has a tentative contract
Public speakers begin
We're onto public speakers now.
There's lots of written testimony defending Keziah Ridgeway and Ismael Jimenez, district educators who were alluded to in an order for a congressional investigation into alleged antisemitism in the district.
» READ MORE: A House committee is investigating allegations of antisemitism in Philadelphia schools
Sarah-Ashley Andrews is unanimously reelected as vice president
Andrews is unanimously reelected vice president, 9-0.
Andrews thanks her fellow board members "for your continued trust and support, and the push. I really appreciate the push. Thank you for the opportunity to serve again."
Streater also responds to his reelection: "This was not a box-checking moment," and he appreciates that the board still has confidence in him.
Board moves on to election of vice president
Sarah-Ashley Andrews is renominated as board vice president.
Cheryl Harper speaks out for her as a hard worker and steadying force, someone who works with students and community members especially well.
Crystal Cubbage says: "She has a great sense of the city and her dedication to the residents of the city in all neighborhoods is admirable. I'd like to see her play an expanded role as our vice president if elected."
Streater is reelected as board president
Streater is reelected 8-0.
But there was a bit of a suprise: Board member Crystal Cubbage abstained from voting.
Board prepares to elect its president and vice president for 2026
We're into the board reorg now. As secretary, Watlington presides. Reginald Streater is renominated quickly.
Streater accepted the nomination "humbly," he said. He praises the whole board for its work in the past year. "We have demonstrated that steady leadership, not reactionary swings, produces real results," Streater said.
The board has an enormous job in front of it in the next year: the facilities master planning process, which will bring school closures that will surely be unpopular.
» READ MORE: Philly is nearing a decision on closing some schools. Here’s a look inside the process.
Board members respond to superintendent's report
Board member Cheryl Harper applauds the CASA contract. Principals, Harper said, "are the backbones pushing education in the schools...you deserve the contract, and I'm so happy that you have it."
Lots of praise for CASA from the board, generally.
Board president Reginald Streater on district principals: "You are first in our line fighting for our babies," he said.
The district has made improvements to the school selection process, Watlington says
An update on school selection: The superintendent says the district has made improvements to the process, changes recommended by an outside consultant including optimizing the lottery, ranking and waitlist features, and enabling schools more leeway to select criteria for their best-fit students.
This year, 21,624 students applied to criteria-based schools, up from 16,878 students last school year. There were 67,928 total applications submitted, and 17,744 career and technical education applications submitted (that number is also up).
5,000 people have taken the facilities planning survey so far, Watlington shares
An update, now, on the facilities planning process: 5,000 people have responded to the district's new facilities survey.
The survey will be open through Dec. 11.
» READ MORE: Take the survey here.
Watlington reminds the district of its inclement weather procedures
Hard to believe, but it's time for Watlington to discuss inclement weather procedures!
Weather-related school delays or closings will be announced "as early as possible, but no later than 5:30 a.m."
Superintendent and CFO outline the details of the newly ratified contract with the principals union
Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. is delivering his report now.
First up: CASA, the district's pricipals' union, has ratified its contract, and the board will be asked to ratify the deal tonight.
CFO Mike Herbstman is talking about the specifics of the CASA contract. It includes:
3% salary increases and salary schedule adjustments "to address compression issues and reward experience"
$1,500 bonuses in 2025 and 2028
Uniform allowance increases
A take-home vehicle stipend
Hard-to-staff school principal and retention incentives
Five weeks of paid parental leave (This is the first time that principals will have parental leave; PFT just got paid parental leave as well.)
More professional development
Two students share their love for KIPP North
Student speakers are up now.
First is Jovahni Hazel, a student at KIPP North. Jovahni said he never got help at his old school, but he gets lots of help at KIPP. His sister used to hate school, but she loves school at KIPP.
"Kids like me work hard, we try, we show up, we push through things most people never see ... Please keep [KIPP] open." (The board has moved to nonrenew KIPP over academic concerns.)
Attendance taken as the meeting begins
All nine board members are present at tonight's meeting.
Seniors and teacher of the month are honored
Seniors of the month are Juan Aquino of Olney High School and Andre Carter of Parkway Northwest High School for Peace and Social Justice.
Teacher of the month is Cynthia Carr from Swenson Arts and Technology High School.
Final school board meeting of the year begins
School board meeting, here we go!
The final school board meeting of 2025 is the annual re-organizational meeting, when officers will be elected for 2026.
School board president Reginald Streater kicks the meeting off.
Philly school board to host its monthly action meeting
The Philadelphia school board is set to host its monthly action meeting — the last of 2025 — starting at 4 p.m.
Among the topics on the agenda is the election of the board's president and vice president for the coming calendar year.
Follow along for more updates.