The Search Timeline 

• December 2, 2021: Final Report released to the public, detailing themes and feedback gathered during the community input process.
• December 3, 2021: Job Profile Released + Local and national search begins
• December 7, 2021: 13-member Superintendent Search Advisory Committee announced (info below)
• Winter 2022: Superintendent interviews
• February – March 2022: Board moves from top 5 candidates to finalists
• March 2022: Public forums with final candidates
• Spring 2022: New Superintendent announced
• August 2022: New Superintendent starts

Additional Community Input and Diverse Voices Along the Way 

On December 7, the Board announced the appointment of 13 Philadelphians to serve on the newly-created Superintendent Search Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee). The Advisory Committee has been convened to ensure the inclusion of diverse voices in the superintendent search process and includes stakeholders from multiple communities and constituencies across the City of Philadelphia.

The Advisory Committee members are:

Rebecca Allen: a Student Board Representative for the School District of Philadelphia and a junior at Central High School. She is the Alliance Chairperson for the Philly Black Students Alliance, and the Vice-President and founder of U.N.H.E.A.R.D. (Uprooting Negligence by Habituating Equity and Anti-Racism through Real Discussions), which leads discussions about anti-racism, inclusion and diversity. She is also a member of the Nexus team, which builds relationships at Central through restorative justice practices. Allen serves on the committee to ensure superintendent candidates understand the factors that influence students every day.

Ernie Bennett: the School District of Philadelphia’s leader of SEIU 32BJ, which represents approximately 2,000 district employees. He is also a member of the Men United Against Violence Network and the Veterans Multi-Service Center.

Virginia Field: a kindergarten teacher at William H. Loesche Elementary School, where she also mentors practicum students, serves as a member of the building committee, and supports the Cradles-to-Crayons program. She comes from a family of public school educators — her parents and sister all taught in the School District of Philadelphia — and her daughter and son are graduates of the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush. Field believes the biggest benefits for students lie in a positive relationship, open communication, and ongoing collaboration between district leadership and school level staff members.

Regina A. Hairston: the President & CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, which is committed to the economic development and empowerment of Black-owned businesses in the region. Her son graduated from Overbrook High School and her daughter attended Harambee Charter School. Hairston’s work supports workforce development to ensure District students receive the education and skills to be connected to careers and living wage-paying jobs after graduation. She also supports nonprofits that assist with wrap-around supports and activities to supplement the public school experience.

Cindy Lee Hauger: Operations Director at Project Based Learning, Inc., where she is responsible for human resources, finances, and fundraising functions. Her husband has worked in the District as a teacher and principal for over 25 years. They have two children currently attending District schools — Science Leadership Academy at Beeber — and a child who graduated from The Workshop School. Hauger chose a nonprofit career to help apply her previous knowledge from the corporate world to improving education in Philadelphia. She also took the step of moving her family into the city from Lower Merion so her children could get a Philadelphia public school education; she believes in it, and wants to be part of helping it grow stronger.

Dr. Ayesha Imani: Head of School at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School and Executive Manager of Imhotep Institute Charter High School, where she teaches, learns, loves, and leads in intergenerational African-centered learning communities. She attended District public schools for her K-12 education, and all of her children and grandchildren have also attended Philadelphia District and charter schools, including the C.W. Henry School and Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School. Dr. Imani has spent over 44 years as a public educator and advocate for educational equity, 24 of which were spent in the School District of Philadelphia. She is passionate in her belief that the success of the School District of Philadelphia and public charter schools are inextricably tied together.

Pep Marie:Coalition Coordinator of Our City Our Schools (OCOS). OCOS is a growing education justice coalition, made up of two dozen youth, parent, school staff and community organizations who work together on issues of investment, governance and funding to transform our District’s schools. Pep is also an alum of the High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) and the Philadelphia Student Union. Pep is dedicated to building with and learning from school community leaders across the city and joined the committee to ensure that our next Superintendent is excited to do the same.

Marina Nunez: a Bilingual Family Advisor at Hispanos Unidos para Niños Excepcionales (HUNE), a nonprofit organization that provides free bilingual English and Spanish training, technical assistance and individual assistance to families of infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities, and to professionals who work with children. Her oldest son graduated from Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School, and her two youngest children attend High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA). Nunez supports public education by making sure all families have access to equal opportunities, general curriculum and Pennsylvania core standards.

Armando Ortez: a Student Board Representative for the School District of Philadelphia and a senior at Northeast High School, where he takes dual enrollment courses at Community College of Philadelphia. At Northeast he also participates in track and lacrosse, and recently attended Access Engineering, an enrichment program presented by University of Pennsylvania students to introduce high school students to engineering. A first-generation Honduran American who is interested in politics and advocating for social justice, Ortez works to represent the interests of immigrant students and to ensure there are safe, comfortable spaces for students who lack a home or family.

Dr. John W. Spencer: the principal of John F. McCloskey School and a member of Teamsters Local 502/Commonwealth Association of School Administrators (CASA). He is a second-generation principal in the District, and an alumnus of Germantown High School. All of his children have attended District schools, including one who graduated this year. Dr. Spencer believes in the children, families and employees that comprise the School District of Philadelphia, and serves on the committee to give back to a community that has poured so much into him.

Dr. David E. Thomas: Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement at Community College of Philadelphia (CCP), where he designs, implements and leads the strategic initiatives and programs of the college. He is an alumnus of Central High School, and his son graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School. Dr. Thomas is a board member of Youthbuild Philadelphia Charter School and a steering committee member of Project U-Turn. He is committed to finding the ideal superintendent candidate who can build upon the great things already happening in our public schools, while remedying the challenging areas our schools continue to face.

Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, Ph.D.: Senior Pastor at Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church. His youngest two children were educated in the School District of Philadelphia, including Julia R. Masterman School and Science Leadership Academy. Rev. Tyler has consistently called and fought for fair funding in state spending on public education through his work with POWER Interfaith, participating in countless meetings, marches, demonstrations and other actions. He serves on the committee because he believes our next superintendent will be one of the most important persons for years to come, making decisions that will have a lasting impact that outlives the next generation.

Christiana Uy: Senior Director, Legal and Paralegal, at PREIT Services, LLC, the management affiliate of Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT). She has two sons attending the A.S. Jenks School and another son who will enter the District next year. Uy is a member of the Parent and Community Advisory Council to the Board of Education, and also participates in A.S. Jenks’ Home and School Association. She serves on the committee to continue to ensure every child has the opportunity to be successful, safe and happy, to give back to the community, and to show that the District’s superintendent search is an honest, transparent and real process.

There will be a public meet and greet opportunity to hear from the final two candidates before a final selection is made by the Board.

The Board will also has the support of The Parent and Community Advisory Council of the Board of Education – a group of individuals composed of parents/caregivers, community stakeholders, faith-based leaders, former educators and staff members who are dedicated to the children and youth of the School District of Philadelphia. The Board consistently seeks the Advisory Council’s input on all matters pertaining to the District, and will continue to do so during this public input and superintendent search process.