Philly school board unanimously extends Superintendent Watlington's contract, signs off on school police union contract, and approves new charter
The school board also renewed six charters and approved several Keystone Opportunity Zones at its monthly meeting. Follow live coverage from reporter Kristen A. Graham.
The school board approved a contract extension for Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr.
The board approved six charter school renewals and one new charter school. It also approved several Keystone Opportunity Zones, which last month failed to gain board approval.
The school board signed off on a new, three-year contract for district school safety officers.
Recap: School board extends Watlington's contract, signs off on school safety officers' contract, and more
The Philadelphia school board met for a little under three hours Thursday.
Here's a brief overview:
The board unanimously extended the contract for Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr., keeping him in Philly until at least 2030.
Board members also approved a new contract for the school security officers union, which had been ratified Saturday. The officers will get 3% raises, a bonus, and bulletproof vests.
The board renewed six charters, and approved a new charter school, Early College Charter School of Philadelphia.
The board approved several Keystone Opportunity Zones, though some board members expressed reservations about the information they had received from city officials.
Board approves the rest of its agenda
The rest of the agenda passes speedily. Board vice president Sarah-Ashley Andrews and Streater both voted no to amending a contract for community engagement on the facilities master planning meeting. All agenda items pass.
Here ends the meeting, a relatively speedy sub-three hour session.
Board approves contract for school safety officers
The school board just unanimously approved the school police union's contract.
Board unanimously votes to extend Watlington's contract
The board unanimously voted to keep Superintendent Tony B. Watlington in Philly through 2030.
» READ MORE: Tony Watlington will be Philly’s superintendent through 2030
Watlington received a standing ovation as the vote was passed.
"I want to thank the board for the confidence you've placed in me as your superintendent," Watlington said.
Board members wax poetic on Watlington's achievements so far
Up now is consideration of a contract extension for Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr.
"Your work has earned national recognition," board president Reginald Streater said. "It's only been three years, but it seems like a lifetime with all this work that's been done."
Now's the time to re-sign Watlington, Streater said.
Board approves new charter school: Early College Charter School of Philadelphia
A new charter can officially open, too. The board had previously signed off on Early College Charter School of Philadelphia, but the charter schools office has negotiated terms with the school, and the charter was approved, eight to one. (Joyce Wilkerson was the lone no vote.)
Board unanimously votes to renew six charters
The board just voted to renew the charters of Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School, Russell Byers Charter School, Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School, MaST II Community Charter School, MaST III Community Charter School, and Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School.
All votes were unanimous.
Board agrees to Keystone Opportunity Zones
The board agrees to Keystone Opportunity Zones, but said it "looks forward to April" when it will request more information.
Board member Crystal Cubbage voted no to all KOZs, board member ChauWing Lam voted no to only the KOZ for 5 Crescent Dr. in Philadelphia.
Board begins voting on a slate of action items
The school board is on to votes now.
KIPP North Philadelphia principal asks the board for more time to reverse course
The principal of KIPP North Philadelphia said the school shouldn't be closed, displacing students and causing long-term harm. Students are making progress, the principal said.
"We're not asking for grace," the principal said. "We're just asking for more time."
The board voted in August to issue a notice of nonrenewal to KIPP North Philadelphia.
Under-resourced schools shouldn't be targeted for closure, retired teacher urges the board
Barbara Dowdall, a retired Philadelphia teacher and member of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools, reminds the board that schools are neighborhood anchors, and suggests that under-resourced schools should not be targeted for closure.
Retired Philly educator speaks out against charter
Retired Philadelphia educator Lynda Rubin is against issuing a charter to Early College Charter School of Philadelphia.
District parent says the district is 'applauding a fish for swimming'
Lanique Golphin, a district parent, suggests the district "rework some of the schools that aren't doing so well" and make more space for some of the schools that are doing well. "More children will be served better," she said.
Golphin said: "Y'all can't keep saying you want the best for us, and you're doing the best, when y'all have allowed failure" to continue. She said the district is "applauding a fish for swimming" and that its students are behind.
'I will not wait another 120 days for my daughter to get supports,' says Overbrook High parent
Kimberly Nelson, parent of a child at Overbrook High, said her daughter is supposed to have an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, a one-on-one assistant, and more. But she has had none of those services.
"I understand that there's a shortage, but what way can you come up with to support our children?"
"If they are not getting that support, where is that money going?" Nelson asked. If you can't find services, she said, the district should give parents a voucher to get those services.
Strawberry Mansion parent speaks about the drawbacks of Zoom speech therapy
Ethel Haskins, parent of a child at Strawberry Mansion High, said her daughter had speech therapy via Zoom last year. She needs "in-person therapy," Haskins said, with her daughter sitting beside her.
"Without the proper speech therapy, her opportunities are limited. I'm just hoping that they can re-establish, and get a person as soon as possible at Mansion, just as the kids at other high schools have in-person therapy."
Retired teacher says there hasn't been enough input on the district's facilities planning process
Deborah Grill, a retired Philadelphia teacher, said she believes the millions the district spent on community outreach for its Facilities Master Planning work, was "wasted."
There is not enough feedback or input, she said.
Staff member at Alliance for Progress Charter School says school has compliance issues
Raheem Harvey, a staff member at Alliance for Progress Charter School, is talking about compliance problems at the school — issues with financial oversight, access to student data, and more.
"These are not small mistakes. They are system failures of compliance and governance," Harvey said.
Strawberry Mansion students with disabilities are missing out on services, learning support teacher says
Lucia Mogilyansky, a learning support teacher at Strawberry Mansion, tells the school board their students have missed a full month of services that they are entitled to under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
"Why is there no urgency to provide these services?" Mogilyansky said, noting they have watched students lose skills and fail to make progress.
Mogilyansky suggests that systemic racism factors into Mansion students' lack of services.
More speakers address the board
Jasmine Milligan, parent of children at Global Leadership Academy, is singing the school's praises. She said she "hopes this board understands the impact these schools are making."
Leah Clouden, daughter of Horace and Mama Gail Clouden, and a district graduate herself, discusses issues in the district.
Cloudens urge the board to consider junior high schools
Up now is Horace Clouden, an activist and former district building engineer, treading familiar ground. He said the district's data shows "the need for junior high schools."
Clouden said it's good that students enrolled in career and technical education programs now have access to driver's education resources. But they should be expanded to other students, Clouden said.
Mama Gail Clouden is also talking about what she believes to be the failure of K-8 schools, and a need for junior high schools. "We've got to do better," Clouden said. "We're not doing better by these children."
Registered speakers begin
Up now are registered speakers.
Kaitlin McCann, a life skills teacher at Strawberry Mansion High, is speaking first. Related services — including speech and language services — are not being provided, she said, and this is a violation of their legal rights.
"We're starting this year without any services," McCann said. Last year, students with intellectual disabilities were provided with virtual services. "It was a disaster," McCann said.
Board member Stern says the city's responses on KOZs are not enough
Board member Joan Stern says she needs more information and is prepared to wait until April to vote. Stern said the U.S. began in Philadelphia because of "no taxation without representation," and said the district is not getting adequate information about Keystone Opportunity Zones.
"We're not an economic development agency, we're an education agency," Stern said. "We appreciate your responses, but the more you glue them together, the less informed we are."
Acting City Commerce Director Karen Fegley said the city is committed to giving updates and information not just when they're sitting in front of the board asking for votes.
Board members ask questions and request more information about KOZs
Board member Crystal Cubbage, on Keystone Opportunity Zones, said: "I would love to see this program set the tone for how businesses should interact with our students." She said she'd like to support KOZs, but doesn't feel like she has enough information to do so.
ChauWing Lam said she understands that Keystone Opportunity Zones were designed to help develop properties in blighted areas that would otherwise sit vacant. But some of the KOZs on the table are in beautiful buildings in areas that are no longer blighted, she said.
"At what point do we celebrate that this has been a successful program, and let the property owners carry on the rest of the project without this designation?" Lam asked.
School board receives more information about Keystone Opportunity Zones
The board meeting is now moving into a presentation about Keystone Opportunity Zones.
There are 10 KOZs on the agenda. All were presented last month, but the board declined to vote on them, saying they had too many questions and didn't feel the city provided enough information.
Acting City Commerce Director Karen Fegley is presenting to the board, which had questions specifically around work-based learning opportunities, which all organizations granted Keystone Opportunity Zone status must provide.
'I see us becoming a Super Bowl team,' says Streater
Board president Reginald Streater says that the nation's report card (NAEP) scores show that the district is on the rise.
"We are starting to understand and learn how to win." Streater likens the district to the Eagles. "I see us becoming a Super Bowl team," he said, shouting out school staff, who make the work possible.
Board member Joan Stern commends district staff for ratifying the school safety officers' contract
Board member Joyce Wilkerson commends staff for sealing the school security officers' contract.
"Getting that kind of stability for the district, ensuring better compensation for our security staff is very important," Wilkerson said.
"This is a very fraught time in public education," but securing contracts with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and school police officers' union is crucial, board member Joan Stern said.
Philly has rebounded from the pandemic better than other big-city districts, Watlington shares
Watlington is now discussing Philadelphia's performance compared to other big-city school districts. Prior to the pandemic, the School District of Philadelphia was near the bottom of performance. It's rebounded quicker than other school systems.
Newly ratified contract for school safety officers would give them 3% raises and bulletproof vests
Chief financial officer Mike Herbstman is presenting the School Police Association of Philadelphia's contract, ratified this weekend. It gives officers 3% raises, provides bulletproof vests for all, and gives officers more training.
"We are very excited about the tentative agreement," Herbstman said.
The Board of Education will need to vote tonight to approve the contract.
Superintendent Watlington begins his report to the board
Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. touted the relaunch of Parent and Family University — a once-popular program for district families that just re-started.
"Our commitment is to follow the principle of nothing for us, without us," to be equal partners with parents and families, Watlington said.
Parent and Family University will be at eight locations around the city — and the district may possibly add more. "We will meet parents where they are," Watlington said.
Global Leadership Academy student thanks for the board for supporting school choice
Malaya Milligan, a student at Global Leadership Academy, is speaking to the board.
"GLA isn't just a school, it's a place that teaches us to believe in ourselves."
Malaya is singing the praises of her school, which has made her into a leader, she said. She said she's speaking to thank the board for its support of school choice.
Know a student interested in serving on the school board?
The board is now taking applications for (non-voting) student school board members. Board members' terms will run from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 2026. Ninth and 10th graders from district and charter schools are encouraged to apply.
Roll called at the meeting
All board members are present, as is Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr.
Highlighting school board members' work
Board president Reginald Streater highlights some school visits that board members have made: to the ribbon-cutting for Jenks' new playground, and to charter schools: Keystone Academy and Universal Creighton.
Also, last week, the district held a Project RISE meeting. Project RISE will guide charter school authorization/renewals going forward.
Meeting kicks off with a performance
Thursday's school board meeting began with a performance from the Franklin Learning Center's "Universal Language" band.
What to expect today
Welcome to school board meeting today!
A busy agenda is on tap for today, including a contract extension for Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr., a number of charter school renewals up for consideration, and the re-introduction of a number of Keystone Opportunity Zones, which last month failed to gain board approval.
The school board is also expected to sign off on a new, three-year contract for district school safety officers. Follow along for live coverage.