June 24, 2022

Dear School District of Philadelphia Staff & Families,

Improving student outcomes and achieving the Board’s Goals & Guardrails, such that the School District of Philadelphia is positioned to be one of the nation’s fastest improving urban districts, requires intentional and strategic actions. A first step to achieve this begins with engaging a Transition Team of local and national experts who are well versed in the latest educational research and best practices to help inform our work. The District has secured the services of Joseph & Associates, which specializes in equity training, strategic planning, and transition team development and implementation, to help facilitate our work.

As a former Met Life Principal of the Year in the state of Maryland, a former school superintendent in Tennessee and Delaware, and the current co-director of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA)/Howard University Urban Superintendent Academy, Dr. Shawn Joseph is a nationally recognized educator and author who has improved outcomes for historically marginalized students, including increasing:

• student average ACT scores,
• student dual enrollment participation and pass rates, and
• the number of students earning industry certifications and taking industry certification exams.

He and Dr. Betty Morgan, a former National Superintendent of the Year, will lead a team of local and national experts to assist me as I assess and grow the capacity of our School District. Their scope of work includes supporting a 100-Day Listening and Learning process, a Transition Team and the development of a Strategic Plan. You can learn more about my 100-day priorities at www.philasd.org/100days and I’ll share more about the launch of the Transition Team soon.

I look forward to all of us working together with a clear focus on helping all of our students fulfill their highest potential.

Sincerely,

Dr. Tony B. Watlington, Sr.
Superintendent