Each year, the School District of Philadelphia and the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation honors seven distinguished District principals with an award ceremony and a stipend to benefit their school community. The Lindback Award for Distinguished Principals recognizes leaders who lead and serve with equity principles, dedicate their time and efforts to public service to benefit the school and community, demonstrate compassion for others by their acts of kindness, establish high expectations and develop people within their school community, ensure conditions fully support teaching and learning environments so that students are well prepared to succeed in the 21st Century, and create inclusive and diverse school communities.
2025 Lindback Award for Distinguished Principals
The 2025 Lindback Award for Distinguished Principals are:
The 2025 Lindback Award for Distinguished Principals were celebrated at an award ceremony on Tuesday, April 10 at the Philadelphia Film Society. The award, which has been generously funded by the Lindback Foundation since 2011, recognizes school leaders for their dedication to District students. Recipients receive a $20,000 award to be used in their school community, which is received and administered through the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia. The event featured congratulatory remarks, performances from students at Girard Academic Music Program and a reception for guests.
“I’m honored to celebrate these seven distinguished principals, who have shown a deep commitment to their staff, students and families and are working hard to accelerate student academic achievement,” said Tony B. Watlington, Sr., Ed.D., Superintendent for the School District of Philadelphia. “I’m grateful to the Lindback Foundation and its trustees who understand the impact a great leader has on our school communities and continue to honor that work with recognition and provide the stipend to benefit the school community.”
Members of the community were able to nominate principals from District schools. Seven principals were then selected from the pool of nominees that were scored by the Nomination Selection Committee, and recommended to the Lindback Foundation.
“The Lindback Foundation is pleased to recognize this year’s class of distinguished principals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to their schools and communitie,” said David E. Loder, Lindback Trustee. “They are critically important to providing leadership and serving as role models to the teachers and students they serve. We support them and their mission to better educate students today and in the future and thank them for their efforts.”
The Foundation also honors teachers with the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teachers. A total of 60 teachers will be honored at the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teachers Ceremony at the Philadelphia Film Society on May 6. Each teacher honored will receive a $3,500 award.
For more information, visit philasd.org/lindback.