philadelphia academy of school leaders



philadelphia academy of school leaders

Dear Friends and Supporters of the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders,

In 2015, the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders launched our flagship program, the Neubauer Fellowship in Educational Leadership, based on a simple belief: There are no great schools without great principals. We invested in proven school leaders and provided results-driven development experiences to improve student outcomes and drive equity across the educational system. More importantly, we aimed to change the trajectory of students’ lives in the city of Philadelphia.

Six years later – based on the understanding that leadership is the key catalyst for change – School Leaders continues to develop, engage, and retain principals and system leaders. Following a competitive selection process, participants build capacity as instructional leaders and enterprise managers. Leaders engage in skill-building institutes and coaching to support strategy implementation and leadership growth. They build deep relationships, collaborate, and learn from a cohort of peers so that they can transform schools, dramatically improve student outcomes, and drive systemic change to prepare all Philadelphia students for college, career, and life.

“This was truly a life-changing experience when it comes to my effectiveness as a principal. Being a principal can be very isolating and lonely. I really enjoyed collaborating with my peers, which helped further my growth. I left with concrete tools and increased confidence in my abilities.”

– Kelly Espinosa, 2020 Neubauer Fellow

Today, we serve nearly 100,000 Philadelphia students every day across all programs. We are proud of the 128 Neubauer Fellows and celebrate that 23 have been promoted to system leadership roles for the current 2021-2022 school year. Leadership continuity matters, and Fellows are retained at higher rates at the school, principal, school system, and city level, even after controlling for individual- and school-level characteristics. Schools led by Fellows deliver larger growth on state tests; greater proficiency and growth with Black students in elementary and middle school; and fast-paced growth in attendance rates, which remain higher than other schools.

As we share this Annual Report, we do so with immense gratitude for the principals and system leaders we serve. We never envisioned a year of such educational upheaval for students, families, and teachers. Faced with navigating a global health crisis and engaging in necessary conversations and actions around race and equity, principals and system leaders showed unwavering focus and perseverance. They tirelessly exhibited the competencies – or Leadership Levers – underlying all of our programs: they led authentically, developed people, advanced equity, and drove results. They fostered cultures of support, accountability, and continuous improvement both in-person and virtually. They designed innovative solutions to complex and ever-changing challenges. They advanced instruction while addressing health, safety, and social-emotional needs. Through it all, their focus on students remained resolute.

It is inspiring that the Neubauer Fellowship and the programs we subsequently launched – Leaders of Leaders and Performance Partners – so quickly created such a vital, collaborative community delivering results for students. We remain committed to the same vision we had in 2015 because it is working. We hope you share in that pride and commitment. Please join us in saying “thank you” to these incredible educational leaders.

Sincerely,

Tracy-Breslin-signature
Tracy Breslin
Executive Director
joseph-neubauer_signature
Joseph Neubauer
Chair, Board of Directors
Phila-School-Leaders-2021

By the Numbers

In February 2021, The Wallace Foundation issued a landmark report on the power of principals in driving student achievement. Synthesizing research across two decades, its summation was simple and powerful:

“An effective principal’s impact is stronger and broader than previously stated, with positive impacts on learning, attendance, and teacher satisfaction and retention.”

The authors asserted, “It is difficult to envision an investment in K-12 education with a higher ceiling on its potential return than improving school leadership.” Our own work over the last six years proves the same, generating results that point to the importance of investing in high-quality school leadership. We are proud to share a snapshot of the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders’ growing impact on our educational system.

Reach

School Leaders’ program participants served nearly 100,000 Philadelphia students in 2020-21 (directly and indirectly)

Reach

School Leaders’ program participants served nearly 100,000 Philadelphia students in 2020-21 (directly and indirectly)

chart-principal-by-sectorsF2

Roles

105 Neubauer Fellows served as principals and 16 served as education system leaders in Philadelphia in 2020-21

Roles

105 Neubauer Fellows served as principals and 16 served as education system leaders in Philadelphia in 2020-21

chart-principal-by-sectorsF2

Retention

Neubauer Fellows are retained at a higher rate in the school, principal, school system, and Philadelphia compared to other principals who never participated in School Leaders’ programs. This is true after 1, 2, 3, and 4 years.
retention chart
chart-retention

Retention

Neubauer Fellows are retained at a higher rate in the school, principal, school system, and Philadelphia compared to other principals who never participated in School Leaders’ programs. This is true after 1, 2, 3, and 4 years.
retention chart
chart-retention
chart-attendance

Attendance

On average, Neubauer Fellow-led schools improved student attendance more than twice as much as other schools

Attendance

On average, Neubauer Fellow-led schools improved student attendance more than twice as much as other schools

chart-attendance

Student Achievement

Neubauer Fellow-led schools improved more than 3x as much as other schools in elementary and middle school Math and English Language Arts (ELA)

student-achievement

Student Achievement

Neubauer Fellow-led schools improved more than 3x as much as other schools in elementary and middle school Math and English Language Arts (ELA)

student-achievement

Neubauer Fellows have led 9 of 12 National Blue Ribbon Schools in the City of Philadelphia over the past six years

Recognition

Recognition

Neubauer Fellows have led 9 of 12 National Blue Ribbon Schools in the City of Philadelphia over the past six years

“The children of Philadelphia deserve the best leaders.  This program is designed to invest in leadership, and there is no other offering like it.  We recognize that the school leader is the most important person, outside of a teacher, who will transform the educational experience for Philadelphia’s children.  Our children deserve this type of investment.”

– Amelia Coleman-Brown, 2016 Neubauer Fellow

MAP_Neunauer-Fellow-in-Educational-Leadership
Neunauer-Fellow-LED-Schools

The School Leaders Experience

Our fundamental belief is that Philadelphia’s principals and school system leaders change students’ lives. Through a pipeline of results-driven leadership development experiences,​ the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders empowers individuals to drive student growth and advance equity in Philadelphia’s district, charter, and faith-based schools.​

Our flagship experience, the Neubauer Fellowship in Educational Leadership, provides proven principals with the resources and guidance to sharpen their leadership capacities. The Fellowship is a transformative two-year experience that develops critical leadership skills needed to elevate school performance and student outcomes in their schools and across the city. Fellows receive best-in-class professional development and build relationships with a network of outstanding peers who share strategies and problem-solve with one another.

As Neubauer Fellowship alumni are promoted, they join Leaders of Leaders, designed to provide the tools needed to effectively supervise and develop principals, improve principal practice, manage talent, address challenges, and increase student outcomes.

Fellowship alumni also serve as coaches to promising principals in our Performance Partners experience, where high-potential principals deepen the instructional skills necessary to coach teachers, resulting in improved teacher practice and student outcomes.

To bring this to life, read insights from Neubauer Fellows, Performance Partners, and a Leader of Leaders as they reflect on how these experiences inform – and evolve – their own leadership practices.

Einstein Quote
principal-in-class

Reflections

on the Support of the Neubauer Fellowship in a Year Unlike Any Other

LeAndrea

LeAndrea Baltimore-Hagan

LeAndrea Baltimore-Hagan, Principal of Rudolph Blankenburg Elementary School and 2020 Neubauer Fellow, reflects on the ways the Neubauer Fellowship helped her stay focused on education and outcomes as her school transitioned to virtual learning during the pandemic.
quote
“The Neubauer Fellowship really helped me transition into the virtual world.  Summer Institute took my leadership to another level and prepared me for the unexpected.  It gave me crucial information, tools to grow as a coach and a disruptor, and strategies to apply to my practice.”
Peter-Chapla

Peter Chapla

Peter Chapla, Principal of Father Judge High School and 2020 Neubauer Fellow, leverages lessons from the Neubauer Fellowship to “boldly unmute and share” – a phrase used to encourage participants to engage during virtual sessions and, more importantly, raise their voices to share their unique perspectives. This encouraged students to embrace the ever-changing education landscape during the global pandemic.
quote
“Our boys became fast learners – much faster than we expected. We taught them the COVID system of how Judge would operate, and they stepped up to it. They ‘boldly unmuted’ just as we learned to do in our Neubauer Fellowship cohort. I‘m proud of that – and of the faculty and staff who helped make it happen.”

Reflections

on the Power of Performance Partners

Letisha-Laws

Letisha Laws

Letisha Laws, Regional Schools Officer at Mastery Charter Schools and 2018 Neubauer Fellow, fondly reflected on the mutual benefits of her partnership with Rodney Johnson through the Performance Partners Program.
quote

“This relationship is one that is mutually beneficial. I learned a great deal from Rodney, especially since I work in the charter system while he works for the district. When I’ve done walkthroughs or observations with him, I see the different challenges he faces compared to what I see at Mastery. Working with him reminded me to slow down in my own work, recenter my own energy, and focus on the kids.”

Rodney-Johnson

Rodney Johnson

Rodney Johnson, Principal of John Moffet Elementary School and Performance Partner, highlighted the tangible impact of mentorship, partnership, and support provided through the Performance Partners Program.
quote
“My vision for Moffet is to be a National Blue Ribbon school in five years. Letisha was upfront with me that I needed to make some adjustments to my leadership style, set clear quarterly goals, and better use data to measure progress. She taught me that sometimes you have to sit, listen, and think. Just yesterday I was looking at my quarterly data and the goals we set for success. We exceeded every one of them. And I thought, ‘If you didn’t come into my life, I don’t what I would have done.’”

Reflections

from Leaders of Leaders

noah-tennant

Noah Tennant

Noah Tennant, Assistant Superintendent in The School District of Philadelphia, 2016 Neubauer Fellow, Leaders of Leaders participant, and Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders Board Member, utilized lessons from Leaders of Leaders to better understand that it was not only core systems – but also trust and relationships – that played a key role in making quality improvements.
quote
”With our goals at the forefront, I want to create a culture of trust among the schools I serve so leaders feel comfortable, confident, and encouraged to share their story and their schools in a truthful, open, and candid way. This enables us to identify and introduce systems to tackle challenges and make real change. Only when we truly understand the stories behind our data are we able to drive results and influence outcomes.”

“I attended many professional development sessions throughout my career in education, and the Neubauer Fellowship, by far, offered meaningful sessions that are applicable to my craft.  I greatly benefited from content pertaining to talent and acquisition because teacher retention is paramount in the academic success of scholars.  The sessions allowed me to reflect on current practice, restructure hiring strategies to reflect our school values, engage teachers in conversations regarding personal and professional goals, and tier teachers to differentiate support.”

– Crystal Gary-Nelson, 2020 Neubauer Fellow

The

Educational Changemakers

Making Headlines

Every year, School Leaders’ participants deliver innovative programs, create game-changing initiatives for students, and serve as thought leaders on any number of educational issues. Their leadership – and the impact it has on the students of Philadelphia – often catch the attention of media, elevating their practice and passion for the community at-large to see. Here are a few highlights from this past year.

Attendance Works

Connecting with Teens at
John Bartram High School

Principal Brian R. Johnson (2016 Neubauer Fellow) arrived at John Bartram High School in fall 2019 and quickly had what he termed an “a-ha!” moment. By paying attention to attendance as a key metric for increasing academic achievement at Bartram, Johnson began to turn the tide in just two years. Working with his team to review the data bi-weekly, address suspensions, and build a school climate rooted in relationships and connection, Johnson improved Bartram’s attendance rate from 72% to 80%.

the philadelphia inquirer

A Philadelphia High School Principal is Honored as the Nation’s Best

Principal Richard Gordon (2017 Neubauer Fellow) of Paul Robeson High School was named Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals in 2020. When he took over Robeson, he focused on supporting and developing staff, creating an inclusive culture, and advancing equity by providing opportunities to students, such as internships. With Gordon’s leadership, 95% percent of Robeson students go on to attend college.

the philadelphia inquirer

Seven Philadelphia-Area Schools Win National Blue Ribbon Honor

Two Neubauer Fellow-led schools were named 2021 National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education: Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) led by Jovan Moore (2019 Fellow) and Penn Alexander led by Lauren Overton (2018 Fellow) and previously led by Michael Farrell (2016 Fellow). Neubauer Fellows have led 9 of 12 Blue Ribbon school winners in Philadelphia over the past six years. As Penn Alexander’s principal shared, “We know when we design schools for the students at the margins, the community will thrive.”

the philadelphia tribune

Academics, Music Blend at C.W. Henry School

The C.W. Henry School was the recipient of the PCCY School-Wide Arts Grant, which allowed them to invest funds in their auditorium during the 2019-20 school year. Principal Kate Davis (2020 Neubauer Fellow) believes in the power of arts and culture as a driver of achievement saying, “We are specifically interested in finding creative ways to engage students who may not ‘do art’ because we believe that all elementary students should have access to high-quality arts programming in school.”

WHYY

Half of PA Schools Still Don’t Have a Single Teacher of Color. These Black Educators Explain Why.

Aliya Cantanch-Bradley (2019 Neubauer Fellow) made fighting for diversity and inclusion her life’s work and, as an educator, she is devoted to serving students of color. As principal of Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary, Cantanch-Bradley has been recognized for successfully recruiting and retaining teachers of color. In 2020, 63% of teachers at Bethune were Black and 27% were Black men — among the highest rates in the state for both. As Cantanch-Bradley shares, “It’s really important for Black and brown children to see themselves [reflected] in teaching staff. In many schools when you start asking the question, ‘When did you have your first Black teacher?’ Many have never had one.”

the philadelphia tribune

Philly Principals Talk Winning Lindback Award, Improving Their Schools

Neubauer Fellows won 6 of 7 of this year’s Lindback Awards for Distinguished Principals.  The Lindback Award recognizes school principals who make significant leadership and humanitarian contributions to their communities.  Thirty (30) Neubauer Fellows have received the Lindback Award since its inception.  Over the last five years alone, Neubauer Fellows won 69% of Lindback Awards even though they represent only 28% of current sitting principals.  Congratulations to Colleen Bowen (2017), Pauline Cheung (2019), Luke Hostetter (2018), Brian Johnson (2016), Shavonne McMillan (2018), and Lisa Mesi (2015).

Our Reason to

Believe

Principals and system leaders are the reason for our organization. Their work and positive impact on thousands of Philadelphia students are why we exist. Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders is proud to provide leadership development experiences and critical resources to these educational leaders, and we are inspired by all that they do for the City of Philadelphia and our young people. We recognize all Neubauer Fellows and 2020-21 Performance Partners here. We salute you for your tireless dedication to leading authentically and advancing equity.

Stephanie Andrewlevich

Principal, S. Weir Mitchell Elementary

Gianeen Anyika

Principal, James G. Blaine School

Sherri Arabia

Principal, John H. Webster Elementary School

Wendy Baldwin

Principal, Universal Creighton Charter School

LeAndrea Baltimore-Hagan

Principal, Rudolph Blankenburg Elementary School

Latanya Barrett

Principal, Mastery Charter Harrity Elementary School-Lower School

Joanne Beaver

Principal, The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts

Rebecca Benarroch

Principal, Wissahickon Charter School

Robert Berretta

Principal, William H. Ziegler Elementary

Tiffani Blunt

Principal, Grover Washington, Jr. Middle School

Christine Borelli

Leadership Coach, The School District of Philadelphia

Colleen Bowen

Principal, Clara Barton Elementary School

Khadijah Bright

Principal, Kennedy C. Crossan School

April Brown

Principal, Talent Partner Specialty, The School District of Philadelphia

David Brown

Principal, Ad Prima Charter School

Stacey Burnley

Principal, E.M. Stanton School

Genevieve Byrd

Principal, LEAD Southeast High School

Michael Calderone

Principal, Frankford High School

Connie Carnivale

Principal, H.A. Brown Academics Plus Elementary School

Eileen Carr

Principal, Ridge Park Elementary School

Jason Carrion

Principal, Cayuga Elementary

Aliya Catanch-Bradley

Principal, Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School

Natalie Catin St. Louis

Leadership Coach, The School District of Philadelphia

Peter Chapla

Principal, Father Judge High School

Pauline Cheung

Principal, Francis Scott Key School

Jamina Clay-Dingle

Assistant Superintendent, The School District of Philadelphia

Leah Coleman

Principal, Stephen Girard Elementary

Amelia Coleman-Brown

Assistant Superintendent, The School District of Philadelphia

Omar Crowder

Principal, Northeast High School

Katharine Davis

Principal, Charles W. Henry School

Dywonne Davis-Harris

Principal, Propel Academy

Emily Diefendorf

Principal, Our Mother of Sorrows/St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic School

Monique Dolcy

Principal, Mastery Charter Frederick Douglass Elementary

Ted Domers

Assistant Superintendent, The School District of Philadelphia

Siouda Douglas

Principal, A.S. Jenks School

Alexa Dunn

Principal, Walter Biddle Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences

Shakae Dupre-Campbell

Principal, Middle Years Alternative

Tamara Edwards

Assistant Superintendent, The School District of Philadelphia

Sharif El-Mekki

Founder and CEO, Center for Black Educator Development

Kimberly Ellerbee

Principal, Powel Elementary School

Genevieve Endy-O’Kane

Principal, Stephen Decatur School

Kelly Espinosa

Principal, Fanny Jackson Coppin School

Tamika Evans

Principal, Global Leadership Academy Southwest

Michael Farrell

Deputy Chief of Leadership Development, The School District of Philadelphia

Raymond Fields

Founding Executive Director, Urban Teachers Philadelphia

Jodan Floyd

Principal, AMY Northwest Middle School

Meredith Foote

Principal, Overbrook Educational Center

Elana Galli

Principal, Isaac A. Sheppard Elementary

Crystal Gary-Nelson

Principal, Universal Bluford Charter School

Aaron Gerwer

Principal, Henry C. Lea Elementary School

Michael Gomez

President, Saint Peter’s Preparatory School

Richard Gordon IV

Principal, Paul Robeson High School for Human Services

William Griffin

Principal, John Hancock Demonstration School

Christine Gullotti

Principal, Belmont Charter Middle School

LeRoy Hall Jr.

Principal, Henry H. Houston Elementary School

Jason Harris

Leadership Coach, The School District of Philadelphia

Tiffany Holmes

Director of Leader Coaching and Development, Skyrocket Education

Luke Hostetter

Principal, C.C.A. Baldi Middle School

Cassandra Houston

Principal, Ethan Allen School

Gina Hubbard

Principal, Joseph J. Greenberg Elementary School

Suzanne Hughes

Principal, Belmont Charter Elementary

Stephen Janczewski

Principal, St. Malachy School

Anna Jenkins

Principal, Adaire Alexander School

Kenneth Jessup

Principal, John M. Patterson Elementary School

Brian Johnson

Principal, Bartram High School

Rodney Johnson

Principal, John Moffet School

Leta Johnson-Garner

Director of Evaluation, The School District of Philadelphia

Rebecca Julien

Principal, Eliza B. Kirkbride School

Todd Kimmel

Principal, Horatio B. Hackett School

Joy Kingwood

Principal, Rhawnhurst Elementary School

Mary Kirby

Principal, Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School

Sherin Kurian

Principal, William Loesche Elementary School

Ariel Lajara

Assistant Superintendent, The School District of Philadelphia

Kwand Lang

Principal, Spruance Elementary School

Peter Langer

Principal, Mastery Thomas High School

Colette Langston

Principal, Swenson Arts and Technology High School

Kelly Lanza

Principal, Sacred Heart Academy

David Laver

Principal, Bayard Taylor Elementary School

William Lawrence

Principal, John Marshall Elementary

Letisha Laws

Regional Schools Officer, Mastery Charter Schools

Meaghann Lawson

Principal, Mastery Shoemaker Campus

Courtney Lemon-Tate

Director of School Leadership, Independence Mission Schools

Joshua Levinson

Principal, Upper Moreland High School

Pheng Lim

Principal, Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School

Kristen Long

Principal, Independence Charter School

Meredith Lowe

Principal, Andrew J. Morrison Elementary

Michael Lowe

Principal, Cook-Wissahickon School

Guy Lowery

Principal, Mayfair Elementary School

Andrew Lukov

Principal, Southwark School

Charlotte Maddox

Principal, Lewis Elkin Elementary

Anthony Majewski

Principal, Hill-Freedman World Academy

Sharon Marino

Principal, Alexander K. McClure Elementary School

Joseph McFadden

Principal, Archbishop Ryan High School

Stephanie McKenna

Principal, General George A. McCall Elementary and Middle School

Timothy McKenna

Principal, Central High School

Leigh McLinden

Principal, George Sharswood School

Shavonne McMillan

Principal, Vaux Big Picture High School

Jeanne Meredith

Retired

James Meredith

Principal, Nazareth Academy High School

Lisa Mesi

Principal, Philadelphia High School for Girls

Cheshonna Miles

Principal, KIPP West Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School

Jovan Moore

Principal, Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP)

Heather Mull Miller

Principal, William H. Hunter Elementary School

Margaux Munnelly

Principal, Mastery Charter Pickett Campus

Sean Murray

Principal, St. Martin de Porres School

Emily Myers

Adjunct Professor, Heidelberg University

Jack Nelson Jr.

Principal, Abraham Lincoln High School

Kimberly Newman

Assistant Superintendent, The School District of Philadelphia

Flannery O’Connor

Principal, Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School

Lauren Overton

Principal, Penn Alexander School

Jeannine Payne

Principal, Richard Wright Elementary

John Piniat

Principal, Feltonville School of Arts and Sciences

Melissa Poorman

Principal, KIPP DuBois Collegiate Academy

Antoinette Powell

Principal, Robert E. Lamberton Elementary School

Jayda Pugliese

Principal, St. Mary Interparochial School

Donna Ragsdale

Principal, Prince Hall School

Jessica Ramos

Former Assistant Superintendent, The School District of Philadelphia

Rickia Reid

Principal, Mastery Molina Elementary School

Marisol Rivera Rodriguez

Principal, Juniata Park Academy

Fatima Rogers

Principal, Copper Beech Elementary

Michael Roth

Sabbatical (Olney Elementary)

Crystle Roye-Gill

Principal, Thomas Holme Elementary

Susan Rozanski

Principal, Richmond Elementary School

Chuanika Sanders-Thomas

Leadership Coach, The School District of Philadelphia

ShaVon Savage

Managing Member, Mosaic School Support Solutions, LLC

Angikindslows Senatus

Principal, Edward T. Steel Elementary School

Naeemah Seward

Principal, Mastery Charter Hardy Williams High

Katherine Sylvester

Principal, Watson T. Comly Elementary School

Tom Szczesny

Principal, Powderhorn Elementary School

Noah Tennant

Assistant Superintendent, The School District of Philadelphia

Karen Thomas

Retired

Susan Thompson

Principal, George Washington High School

Nicole Unegbu

Principal, New Foundations Charter School

Mark Vitvitsky

Principal, Bache-Martin Elementary School

Isaiah Walker

Principal, KIPP Philadelphia Preparatory Academy

Susan Walsh

Director of Alumni – Advancement Assistant, Mercy Career and Technical Education High School

Stuart Warshawer

Chief Program Officer, ArtistYear

Shakeera Warthen

Assistant Superintendent, The School District of Philadelphia

Lisa Wilmer

Principal, J.W. Catharine Elementary School

Shira Woolf-Cohen

Co-Founder, Innovageous

Christopher Zagacki

Principal, Freire Charter Middle School

Christopher Ziemba

Principal, Mastery Charter School – Lenfest Campus

quote

“Connections to other leaders outside of my network has been a complete game-changer for me. It made me a better leader to learn from others who are in similar circumstances but have very different perspectives.  I am a more confident leader and feel far less burned out and thus am more likely to continue in my role for years to come.”

– Margaux Munnelly, 2019 Neubauer Fellow

An Update on Our Commitment to

Equity and Racial Justice

The Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders was founded on a pillar of educational equity so that every student in every Philadelphia neighborhood would have the opportunity to attend an excellent school that prepares young people to attain their dreams. Last year, as the nation faced heightened social injustice, we made a commitment to reassess and improve our practices to combat the harmful role that racism plays in education as it relates to access, opportunities, and outcomes.

Rooted in the understanding that we could not change school systems unless we changed ourselves, we made it a priority to clarify our beliefs and values, engage in courageous and open dialogue, diversify our faculty, staff, and governance committees, incorporate an explicit focus on equity and anti-racism in our programs, and develop goals that hold us accountable as measured by improvements for student subgroups in student, school, and system level outcomes.

While our mission for a more equitable education system is a work in progress and there remains much work to do, we took the following steps:

  • Launched a Practitioner Advisory Committee to ensure our programming addresses the priorities and needs of the people we serve
  • Redesigned our Leadership Levers, the competencies that form the foundation of our programming, to explicitly focus on Advancing Equity
  • Hosted a Leading for Equity Summit that included sessions to equip leaders to facilitate Courageous Conversations about Race and take action to address inequitable policies and practices in their schools and systems
  • Analyzed participants’ school data by race to identify strengths, trends, and actions to address areas with disproportionate outcomes
  • Grounded programming in a leading for equity lens so leaders consistently reflect and identify strategies to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Increased diversity of staff (25% to 50%), leadership (0% to 60%), Board (0% to 33%), faculty (26% to 53%), and guest speaker series (20% to 100%)

The following insights from our participants show that these efforts have begun to make a mark among the leaders and schools we serve.

Leah-Coleman

Leah Coleman

Leah Coleman (2019 Neubauer Fellow) leveraged the Neubauer Fellowship’s equity and anti-racism training to inspire meaningful change in her school.
quote

“After participating in trainings related to equity and anti-racism through the Neubauer Fellowship, my school counselor and I worked to create a professional development series for staff to begin this work in an intentional and supportive way in our school. We held five sessions focused on these important themes and used two texts that were shared during the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders professional development programs.”

Alexa-Dunn

Alexa Dunn

Alexa Dunn (2020 Neubauer Fellow) commended the program’s commitment to evaluating student data, which helped her school implement equity-informed policy changes based on gaps in discipline, attendance, and outcomes.
quote
“I appreciated the time we took to look at our school survey data sorted by questions around race and equity, which led us to commit to advancing our equity-focused professional development for staff. This was important for helping our community of teachers and leaders put into practice new equity-informed disciplinary policy shifts.”
Wendy Baldwin

Wendy Baldwin

Wendy Baldwin (2020 Neubauer Fellow) applauded the steady nature of the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders’ commitment to equity-focused, anti-racist education.
quote

“Equity is incorporated in the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders’ body of work for the entire year. I appreciate the ongoing nature of the work, because we have an opportunity to get better and implement real change.”

We will continue to examine and improve our practices to make a greater impact. As part of our community, we ask all who interact with the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders to join us in this work, hold us to our commitments, and identify ways we can be better in our work together.

Philanthropic Partners

We are fortunate to partner with visionary funders and partners who generously contribute to our goal of developing highly effective school and system leaders across Philadelphia’s district, charter, and faith-based schools. We gratefully acknowledge the following organizations who make our work possible.

$1 Million or More

Neubauer Family Foundation

The Neubauer Family Foundation is the founding and primary supporter of the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders. The Neubauer family is committed to improving education in Philadelphia and believes that school leaders are best poised to make that happen.

$100,000 or More

anderson family charitable foundation
aramark
brandywine
comcast
connelly-foundation
independence
phillies charities inc
School District of Philadelphia

Contributors

Anderson-Family-Foundation_logo
green-family-foundation
ross family fund

Financials

2021 Revenue
2021 expenses chart

Board of Directors

Tracy Breslin

Executive Director
Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders

Stephanie Naidoff, Esq.

Attorney
Former Philadelphia Director of Commerce; Founding President of the Kimmel Center

Joseph Neubauer

Board Chair
Former CEO, Aramark Corporation

Sara Ray Stoelinga

President & CEO
Easterseals serving Chicagoland and Rockford; Former Director, Urban Education Institute

Noah Tennant

Assistant Superintendent
The School District of Philadelphia
2016 Neubauer Fellow

Dalila Wilson-Scott

Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Comcast Corporation; President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation

Tracy Breslin

Executive Director
Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders

Stephanie Naidoff, Esq.

Attorney
Former Philadelphia Director of Commerce
Founding President of the Kimmel Center

Joseph Neubauer

Board Chair
Former CEO, Aramark Corporation

Sara Ray Stoelinga

President & CEO
Easterseals serving Chicagoland and Rockford
Former Director, Urban Education Institute

Noah Tennant

Assistant Superintendent
The School District of Philadelphia
2016 Neubauer Fellow

Dalila Wilson-Scott

Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Comcast Corporation
President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation

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