SEPTA cuts will have far-reaching implications for the district, Watlington says at school board meeting

The board zips through the rest of its agenda, and the meeting is over!

For more details on Thursday night's action meeting, visit my author page on Inquirer.com later Thursday night.

The board voted 7 to 1 to table the vote. The lone dissenter was board president Reginald Streater.

Board vice president Sarah-Ashley Andrews said she supports the nonrenewal notice for KIPP North Philadelphia because of "the school's failure to deliver for our students.” She cited problems with suspension rates and academics.

"I believe this is unacceptable," Streater said of KIPP's performance.

KIPP North Philadelphia notice of nonrenewal passes. This doesn't mean the school will close; it stays open while the charter office moves to set up a nonrenewal hearing. The process is a lengthy one.

"Our role is to oversee outcomes, not operations," board president Reginald Streater said, introducing the nonrenewal notices for KIPP North Philadelphia and People for People Charter. Charter schools were greenlit to accelerate achievement faster than traditional public schools have been able to, Streater said.

Board president Reginald Streater, talking about the WPACES settlement, said he was "pleased" that the two sides were able to work out a deal over what was once a $30 million bill for over-enrolling students. The school will instead pay $2.5 million.

The WPACES settlement was approved unanimously.

» READ MORE: This Philly charter owed the school district $30M and is settling for $2.5M

Lisa Haver, a retired teacher and founder of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools, is formally objecting to several votes that are about to be taken, including Keystone Opportunity Zone votes and one to accept a settlement with West Philadelphia Achievement Charter Elementary School.

Natalie Wiltshire, who leads KIPP North Philadelphia, another school that the board will vote to nonrenew, said the school has met all conditions the charter office put on it, and serves a very vulnerable population.

The closure move “feels more like it’s about making a political statement," Wiltshire said.

Anthony Fratanduono, of People for People, also asks the board to reconsider the notice of nonrenewal vote for the charter.

Toni Damon, principal of Middle Years Academy, expressed concerns about data the district has presented to the public — reported in The Inquirer. The district's data shows the MYA building is underutilized, and that's inaccurate, Damon said.

The school system has not released the data in a searchable form on its website, despite promising to do so months ago. It has said it will check all data before releasing. Watlington on Thursday night said the district would release "updated information within the next few weeks, in the near term."

Don Anticoli, a retired district principal and union official, works as an interim principal at Heston Elementary, which he said is thriving.

He asks the board for support for a "strong, glorious resurrection of our neighborhood schools." In the suburbs, neighborhood schools are cherished and supported, Anticoli said.

Pri Seebadri, CEO of People for People Charter School, which the board will vote to nonrenew tonight, said the process used is a "flawed, shortsighted approach to charter renewal."

People for People students showed significant academic growth last year, and "that's the true measure of a school's worth."

Not renewing People for People would be "a profound injustice to our children and families," Seebadri said, and suggests the district has used a "biased snapshot" to judge People for People as academically lacking.

Cecilia Thompson, a former school board member and education activist, said some parents keep their children home because they cannot afford school uniforms.

Thompson wants the district to clarify that parents who cannot afford uniforms should send their children to school and get assistance from the school or district for uniforms.

Anne Dorn, a district parent and member of the Parent and Community Advisory Council, is reporting things she's heard in her work for the council: problems at Overbrook High, flawed hiring district hiring practices, and more. Dorn also reported concerns about looming school closures and inequities between charter and district schools.

Philip Belcastro, an English teacher at Hill-Freedman World Academy, asks for detailed teacher retention data at each school.

In just a year in the district, too many teachers have left their schools and the district because of "bad and abusive leadership". These are willing teachers driven out by "vindictive leadership culture," Belcastro said. "People will say, 'things could be worse,' but I think things should be better."

Belcastro asks the district to examine school-by-school teacher retention data and dive into why some schools have high turnover. "Our students deserve the best," he said.

Sharif Muhammad, a school safety officer at Prince Hall Elementary and school police union treasurer, said the union is seeking basic equipment and better training.

The district needs more safety officers, Muhammad said, asking for the district's partnership in negotiations.

Deana Ramsey, principal of Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center, said the "facilities master plan has raised deep worry for many of us."

For many Philadelphia students, "school is not just a place of learning. It is a lifeline," Ramsey said. Charters threaten district progress, she said.

Tamika Gilliam, principal of Pennypacker Elementary, said students need adequate staff and clean, modern buildings.

"When we invest in public school buildings, we say, 'You matter. Your education matters,'" Gilliam said.

Too often, underperforming charters are renewed, Gilliam said. "It is time to stop dividing resources," she said.

Fatima Rogers, a district leadership coach, and Cindy Farlino, a retired principal, are talking about keeping schools excellent. "We need your support to not entertain the closing of schools," Farlino said. "What are the solutions? The solutions are not to close down."

Rogers and Farlino say schools and school leaders need funding to meet their potential.

KaTiedra Argro, principal of the Philadelphia High School for Girls, has concerns about the facilities planning process.

She said the school building "looks exactly like it did 26 years ago" when she attended Girls'. "It seems like decisions are being made for us, not with us," Argro said.

» READ MORE: Philly school district leaders are identifying schools to close. Here’s a look at the data that will inform those decisions.

Lisa Haver, a retired teacher and founder of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools, is frustrated by a lack of notice to the public about Keystone Opportunity Zones.

"The mayor has a political agenda here, and that is what is being presented," Haver said. "We are talking about how much money the school district will not get."

City officials are now presenting about 10 requested Keystone Opportunity Zones, privately held properties that the city wants to give tax abatements.

Each would have to make payments in lieu of taxes to the city, with more than half of the payments going to the school district.

The properties — which would all get extensions of current Keystone Opportunity Zones — include properties at the Navy Yard, in West Philadelphia, and North Philadelphia.

Board member Wanda Novales wants to know more about the district's teacher vacancies.

As a former principal, "I personally know that one vacancy impacts instructional programming," Novales said.

She asked for more data about the vacancies.

Watlington is now discussing facilities master planning. Recommendations on the fate of the district's 300 school buildings are coming this fall.

There will be "five buckets of recommendations," Watlington said. Schools will either be recommended for maintenance, significant renovations, co-location, re-purposed for community use, or closed.

"We will address our aging facilities, and the problem of underenrollment and the problem of overenrollment," Watlington said.

» READ MORE: Philly is nearing a decision on closing some schools. Here’s a look inside the process.

The teacher fill rate is at 97%, Watlington said. "We've gotten better every year."

But the district will still rely on some retired teachers and other substitutes to make sure certified teachers are in front of every class, Watlington said.

"We are very particular about hiring principals in the district who have improved student outcomes," Watlington said, introducing 17 new principals.

"We're excited next week for the first day of school on Monday," Superintendent Tony B. Watlington said, opening his board meeting remarks.

Watlington is touting the re-opening of Frankford High School, which came back online after a $30 million project triggered by damaged asbestos. He also noted the departure of administrators Jayme Banks and Randi Klein-Davila, and the arrival of Brenda Elliot, who is associate superintendent of student life and innovation.

It's school board meeting day! Here we go!

Eight board members are present. Board member ChauWing Lam is absent.

After a summer break, the Philadelphia school board will meet for its regular action meeting Thursday. They are set to discuss a number of issues: