700 new Philly teachers show up to day 1 of work in ‘the most critical profession on the planet’

Outside of School of the Future in Parkside, a drumline boomed out greetings. Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. stood nearby, shaking hands.

Thursday was the first day of work for more than 700 new Philadelphia School District teachers and counselors — fresh recruits to staff the district’s 216 schools, which will welcome 117,000 students back for the first day of school Aug. 25.

It was a big-deal day because the people who walked in were a big deal, said Debora Carrera, the city’s chief education officer.

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“Teaching is the most noble profession on the planet,” Carrera said. “It is the most critical profession on the planet.”

The new hires, part of the district’s 20,000-person workforce, will spend five days learning about supporting students through trauma, puzzling through the district’s brand-new science curriculum, and figuring out how to use their classroom smartboards.

Watlington impressed upon the newbies, gathered for a kickoff pep rally in the School of the Future gym, the gravity of what they were about to undertake. Research shows that the number one most important contributing factor to a child’s academic progress is having a well-supported, stable teacher in front of them.

“We can never tutor and mentor and AI our way to excellence,” the superintendent said. “It’s about what happens in the classroom every day.”

Focus on your own mental health, Watlington said. Use your support network: you can’t be there for your students if your own needs aren’t met.

No pressure, but Watlington also reminded the room of his and the board’s academic charge: to become the fastest-improving large urban district in the U.S. (Philadelphia, the nation’s eighth largest school system, is making progress but still ranks low compared to its peers.)

“Philadelphia will not be at the bottom,” Watlington said. “We’re going to be at the top tier of large urban school districts.”

There will be hard days, said Watlington. But remember: Mayor Cherelle L. Parker is a graduate of the district — she attended the Parkway Program. So is Guion S. Bluford (Overbrook High), the first Black American to go to space.

“I want you to believe in the infinite possibilities of our children in Philadelphia,” Watlington said, “including the ones who are not quite ready to believe in themselves.”

Faith Applegate took a deep breath.

After years of planning to be a Philly teacher, Applegate is about to claim her own classroom: she’s going to teach seventh graders English and social studies at Farrell Elementary in the Northeast.

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“I feel very strongly about teaching in Philadelphia,” said Applegate.

Three months ago, Applegate graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where she cofounded a group for aspiring teachers. Her friend and roommate Sophia Leung, another Penn grad, is walking a similar path, about to start teaching fourth graders at Mayfair Elementary in the district.

Applegate is a Philadelphia native and Masterman graduate, but Leung hails from New York. Still, the district lured her for many reasons, she said.

“Philadelphia is a lot more affordable on a teacher’s salary than New York is,” said Leung. “I really like the city.”

Digging through giant cardboard boxes of free books available to help teachers build classroom libraries, Leung and Applegate said they mostly heard “why would you do that?” when they told people that they were using their Ivy League degrees to teach. A nationwide teaching shortage persists, with declining numbers of people choosing to become educators.

But, they said, they were undaunted.

“I’m excited,” said Leung.

“Nervous,” said Applegate, “but hopeful.”

The new hires’ start comes at a critical juncture for the district.

There’s no state budget in sight, a critical issue for a district that relies on Harrisburg for about half its operating budget.

SEPTA, which tens of thousands of students and staff rely on to make their way to school and work, is facing massive funding and service cuts at the end of the month.

And the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, which represents the majority of the district’s workforce, including 14,000 teachers, counselors, secretaries, nurses, and other school staff, has a contract that expires at the end of the month.

PFT members have authorized a strike, and some began preparing picket line signs this week.