School Leaders Newsletter

Items Due

Professional Development Assessments

Summer Program

important dates

05.06.2024

05.05 - 05.10

05.07.2024

05.08.2024

05.09.2024

05.10.2024

Leading 9th Grade Professional Development Meeting

(High School Leaders)

PSSA Make Ups

Principal Professional Development

Equity Professional Development Pathways: Self as Core; Micro Disruptions

Equity Professional Development Pathways: Equity Data Training Series

Equity Professional Development Pathways: Black Male Leader Think Tank; Black Women

Leaders Think Tank; Latino/é Leaders Think Tank; BIPOC Leaders Think Tank; Immigrant

Leaders Think Tank; White Anti-Racist Leaders Think Tank

Staff Professional Development (Half Day); Three Hour Early Dismissal for Students

Monthly Observances and Celebrations

Asian-American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month - Jewish American Heritage - Mental Health Awareness Month

National Nurses Appreciation Week

Teacher Appreciation Week

National School Nurse Appreciation Day

Keystone Testing Window

Kindergarten Open House Week

Memorial Day (School closed for students and staff; Administrative offices closed)

05.06 - 05.10

05.10.2024

05.13 - 05.24

05.13 - 05.17

05.27.2024

2023- 2024 School Year Transition and 2024-2025 New School Year Opening

Preliminary Planning is underway for the 2023-2024 School Year Transition and the 2024-2025 New School Year Opening.

The 2023-2024 School Year Transition and 2024-2025 New School Year Opening processes are guided by the key principle that every individual within each chief office will maintain a collaborative and accountable stance in ensuring that all schools will bring seamless closure to this school year and will be ready to welcome students, staff and community in the upcoming school year.

Throughout the next several months, there will be a schedule for expected work products that will lead to our schools being ready for the next school year that includes the 2023-2024 School Year Transition and the 2024-2025 New School Year Opening checklists.

During the months of April, May, June, July and August, Principals and Assistant Superintendents will be in close contact with their Facilities Area Managers, Talent Partners and other offices as necessary for the purpose of closing out this school year and preparing for the new school year. One-on-one meetings with specific offices should be held to further address issues, concerns and progress related to school year transition and new school year opening.

One of the tools used for the transition of the school year is The 2023-2024 School Year Transition Checklist. The checklist is a guide and reference document that includes necessary tasks to ensure a seamless school closure to the current academic school year in a manner that provides for a smooth opening for the new academic school year.

Checklists will be posted in Google Classroom on Thursday, May 9, 2024. Checklists are to be completed no later than Thursday, June 20, 2024. There will be an ongoing review of the checklists by the Assistant Superintendents and Associate Superintendents.

ACTION: Principals, please work directly with their Assistant Superintendents and/or Central Office Departments for support. Please note only the assigned staff member in Google Classroom (principal or designee) has access to update the checklist and only the assigned person is permitted to update the document per Google Classroom guidelines.

Contact: Melinda Mammi | Senior Project Manager | mmammi@philasd.org | School Organization and Management

Attention: Middle School & High School Principals

Career Connected Learning PHL (C2L-PHL) Application Now Open

In early March, the Office of Academic Services announced (https://www.philasd.org/academics/wp-content/uploads/sites/860/2024/04/C2L-PHL-Anncmnt.pdf) the District's partnership with the City of Philadelphia Office of Children and Families, and Philadelphia Works, to launch a new youth workforce initiative called Career Connected Learning PHL (C2L-PHL). C2L-PHL increases the depth and breadth of work-based learning opportunities available to Philadelphia's youth, with the goal of ultimately becoming Philadelphia’s primary integrated youth workforce system. C2L-PHL's new program model goes beyond traditional summer work placement, ensuring year-round opportunities for thousands of young people, including many of our students. Work-based learning activities will include internships, experiential learning projects, career exploration and mentoring, professional development, and job shadowing.

Students age 12-24 can apply for paid summer 2024 opportunities now at phila.gov/c2lphl.

ACTION: Additional job opportunities can be found on the School District's Student Job Board. More information about summer programs can be found on the Summer Programs website.

Contact: Office of Pathways to Graduation | collegeandcareer@philasd.org

Attention: K-12 Principals

Summer School Student Registration

We are pleased to inform you that preparations for summer school are progressing smoothly. There will be some slight changes to the student registration process this year. Registration for summer school will be the sole responsibility of each high school. Registration for the summer credit recovery program is no longer available to parents. This decision was made to reduce the number of students enrolled in unnecessary classes. Nevertheless, schools must still effectively communicate the registration process to parents and guardians. The Office of School Organization will send each high school their summer school registration spreadsheet by May 1st. The document will be shared with the high school principals and roster chairs. Principals can feel free to share with the designated individuals responsible for registering students for credit recovery. The registration spreadsheet is designed to collect all the required information for student enrollment. Registration for students starts on May 1st and concludes on June 7th. Email correspondence will go out the week of June 10th to all students and parents to confirm their enrollment in summer school through the email addresses provided during registration.

Contact: Star Nixon | Professional Learning Specialist | rnixon2@philasd.org

Attention: K-12 Principals

Attention: high school Principals

Writing Instruction (9-12)

Teaching students how to write across disciplines can be an enriching experience that helps them develop versatile communication skills. Here are some tips for writing that teachers can apply across various subjects. 1. Teach Genre Awareness: Help students understand the unique conventions and expectations of writing in different disciplines. Discuss how writing styles vary between subjects and the importance of adapting their writing accordingly. 2. Integrate Writing into Content Areas: Collaborate with teachers in other disciplines to incorporate writing assignments into their subjects. 3. Model Multidisciplinary Writing: Demonstrate how to integrate knowledge from various subjects into written work. Show examples of interdisciplinary writing and discuss how combining perspectives can enhance the depth and richness of their writing.

Contact: ela@philasd.org

Attention: K-12 Principals

Core Instructional Resources Delivery Tracking

The Operations Team is grateful for the partnership of schools as we continue to support the arrival of Core Instructional Resources. To further our efforts for seamless delivery of Math and ELA resources, we have put together a tracking sheet that will assist in preparing schools for the incoming large deliveries. This tracking sheet will be updated live and should be checked frequently. Core instructional Resource Leads with approaching delivery date will receive communication from the Operations team.

ACTION: Please view the tracking sheet here.

Contact: textbooks@philasd.org

Attention: Grade 3 Principals

Attention: Pre-K through 12 Principals

Save the date for the Math Summer Institute on June 18th!

Teachers are invited to join the Math Team for a 1-day Summer Institute on June 18th. In K-5 participants will focus on best practices to plan for and implement Centers. In 6-12, participants will reflect on lessons learned from this year to support planning for next year. Sessions will be posted on Cornerstone on April 26th and we’d like your help in sharing the opportunity with you staff. General Information: - In-person at School, 9 am - 3 pm, with 1 hour break for lunch - Participants will receive both payment and Act 48 hours Additionally, we are looking for PD facilitators for that day.

ACTION: If you know any teachers who have strong Math facilitation skills, please share this link and encourage them to apply here.

Contact: math@philasd.org

Juneteenth: Freedom, Justice and Joy

June 19, 2024 will mark the annual honoring of Juneteenth as a federal holiday. In October 2023, The School District of Philadelphia created an interactive resource and activity guide for teachers to engage their students in activities focused on learning about Juneteenth. This interactive activity guide, titled, Juneteenth: Freedom, Justice, and Joy has been created to engage K-12 District students in various rigorous, inclusive, meaningful, and engaging activities focused on the ideals of Juneteenth. Please use this interactive activity resource guide to enhance activities around Juneteenth in the classroom. As you engage in and create these activities, please use the included link to share any completed projects.

ACTION: Please see the flyer here.

Contact: Dr. Kwame Williams | Executive Director, OCI | kwilliams5@philasd.org | 215.400.5810

Juneteenth 2024: Celebrating Freedom, Justice, and Joy Giveaway

The School District of Philadelphia is focused on developing and providing our schools, teachers, and students with educational experiences that are rigorous, inclusive, meaningful, and engaging. In our continued effort to highlight Juneteenth and its impact, we would like to offer twenty (20) K-12 schools $500 each for the purposes of planning individual classroom projects that honor and celebrate Juneteenth.

ACTION: If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please complete the included form and email it to Dr. Kwame Williams, kwilliams5@philasd.org.

Contact: Dr. Kwame Williams | Executive Director, OCI | kwilliams5@philasd.org | 215.400.5810

Attention: Kindergarten Principals

Reminder: District-wide Kindergarten Open House Week is Next Week!‘

District-wide Kindergarten Open House (KOH) Week is next week! All schools with Kindergarten classrooms will host a KOH session between May 13 - 17, 2024. KOH is an excellent opportunity to meet your neighborhood families and assist them with registration before the on-time registration deadline of May 31, 2024. Please work with your Kindergarten Transition Team to distribute the Learning Kits to your families at Kindergarten Open House.

ACTION: Please see the Kindergarten Open House Week Meeting Information here.

Contact: Geoff Thornton ​| Program Manager: Operations and Grants Development/PreK-3 Alignment gthornton@philasd.org | 215.400.5533

Distribution For May Kindergarten Open House Learning Kits

The School District of Philadelphia is providing your incoming Kindergarten families with fun-filled learning materials to support the transition to Kindergarten. All elementary schools will be receiving Learning Kits via Pony Mail Service that include an activity booklet, crayons, pencils, and other resources. The Learning Kits are designed to support and encourage your families as they work together with their children to build on the knowledge and skills that they will use in Kindergarten.

ACTION: Please work with your Kindergarten Transition Team to distribute these kits to your families at the Kindergarten Open House during the week of May 13-17, 2024. Families who attended the March Open House and any families who walk in to register through May 31 can receive a kit as well. Please review this letter for more information.

Contact: Doria N. Mitchell | Director, K-3 Early Literacy and Special Projects | dnmitchell@philasd.org | 215.400.5811

family AND community engagement (F.A.C.E.)

Attention: Kindergarten Principals

District-wide Kindergarten Open House Week is May 13-17, 2024

This year’s District-wide Kindergarten Open House (KOH) Week is May 13-17, 2004. All schools with Kindergarten classrooms will host a KOH session during that week. KOH is an excellent opportunity to meet your neighborhood families and assist them with registration before the on-time registration deadline of May 31, 2024.

ACTION: Please work with your Kindergarten Transition Team to distribute the Learning Kits to your families at Kindergarten Open House. You should have received, or will soon receive, the Learning Kits via Pony Mail Service. Families who attended the March Open House and any families who walk in to register through May 31 can also receive a kit.

Learning Kit Information & Open House Week Meeting Information

Contact: Geoff Thornton ​Program Manager: Operations and Grants Development/PreK-3 Alignment gthornton@philasd.org | 215.400.5533

Distribution For May Kindergarten Open House Learning Kits

The School District of Philadelphia is providing your incoming Kindergarten families with fun-filled learning materials to support the transition to Kindergarten. All elementary schools will be receiving Learning Kits via Pony Mail Service that include an activity booklet, crayons, pencils, and other resources. The Learning Kits are designed to support and encourage your families as they work together with their children to build on the knowledge and skills that they will use in Kindergarten. Please work with your Kindergarten Transition Team to distribute these kits to your families at the Kindergarten Open House during the week of May 13-17, 2024. Families who attended the March Open House and any families who walk in to register through May 31 can receive a kit as well.

ACTION: Please review this letter for more information.

Contact: Doria N. Mitchell | Director, K-3 Early Literacy and Special Projects | dnmitchell@philasd.org | 215.400.5811

family AND community engagement (F.A.C.E.)

family AND community engagement (F.A.C.E.)

Attention: high school Principals

Senior Exit Survey is open; counselors receiving completion reports

The Senior Exit Survey is available in all 12th grade students' portals, and takes less than 10 minutes to complete. See here for a stepper.

It is mandatory that we offer students the opportunity to complete the survey in their senior year. While the Senior Exit Survey team encourages seniors to take the survey, each senior has the right to decline to participate. School counselors have received instructions and have access to google sheets showing which students have already completed the survey, to support follow-up. Students can take the survey even if they are not sure whether they are graduating, or if they plan to graduate later in the summer. The survey will remain open to students until July 31, but the best chance of getting them to take the survey is before graduation.

ACTION: Please see Frequently Asked Questions about the Senior Exit Survey here.

Contact: seniorexitsurveys@philasd.org

family AND community engagement (F.A.C.E.)

family AND community engagement (F.A.C.E.)

Paid Teacher Computer Science Certification Opportunity

Through support from the National Science Foundation, the Jumpstart Philadelphia CSforAll CS Praxis Preparation Program is designed to prepare teachers to successfully pass the Pennsylvania Praxis test for 7-12 Computer Science and teach computer science. This is a paid opportunity for teachers who will teach a Computer Science course or afterschool club in the 2025-2026 school year. See the attachment for all of the information and dates. Space is limited.

Contact: Luke Bilger | Executive Director, Educational Technology | lbilger@philasd.org

SDP Educators Weekly Update

The link to the Office of Professional Learning's SDP Educator’s Weekly Update email for the week of 4/29-5/3 can be accessed HERE.

Contact: Meredith Mehra, Deputy Chief mmehra@philasd.org 215.400.6539

<Reminder> Equity PD Pathways: May 8th or May 9th

As a reminder, our last required set of Equity PD Pathway sessions is taking place on May 8th or May 9th. All school leaders have a calendar invite to the session you had signed up to attend. Please note that our PD location has switched from Strawberry Mansion HS to Daroff, located at 56th and Vine in West Philadelphia. Most Equity PD groups will meet at Daroff, with the exception of the Black Male Leader Think Tank (meeting at School of the Future) and the Black Women Leader Think Tank (meeting at the Discovery Center). All information including session descriptions, dates, times, and room numbers can be found in THIS catalog.

ACTION: Please remember to bring your laptop with you to the last session, as you will engage in an annual Equity-Centered Leadership Reflection using a SurveyMonkey questionnaire - or you can take it now!

Contact: Katie Pak | Director | kpak@philasd.org | 215.400.5756

Overdue District-Wide PD Attendance <Action Needed>

As we begin to transition to PowerSchool over the summer, it is imperative that these sessions are completed because we are unable to transfer anything with an incomplete status to the new system and your staff will not receive those Act 48 hours. Click HERE to see the list of schools with missing attendance. If your school is highlighted in red, you have sessions that are more than 3 months overdue. Please resolve all by Monday, 5/6. Click HERE for the stepper that explains how to complete attendance. All principals, APs, and secretaries should have the ability to take attendance for their school. If you realize that you or anyone else in those role groups at your school doesn’t have access to take attendance, you can request access HERE.

Contact: Office of Professional Learning | cornerstonehelp@philasd.org | 215.400.4280

Preview of MTSS Tiers 2 and 3 Guidelines” Leader Learning Lab: May 6th, 4-5:30pm (Virtual)

The last Leader Learning Lab of the year is scheduled for Monday, May 6th, from 4-5:30pm on Zoom. The Office of Diverse Learners and the Office of Prevention and Intervention are partnering to provide an opportunity for school leaders to reflect on existing MTSS systems and gain a clear understanding of the MTSS Tiers 2 and 3 Guidance document. This session is open to principals, assistant principals and climate managers.

ACTION: Please RSVP to the session using THIS form.

Contact: Katie Pak | Director | kpak@philasd.org | 215.400.5756

Equity PD Pathways: May 8th or May 9th

Our last required set of Equity PD Pathway sessions is taking place on May 8th or May 9th. All school leaders have a calendar invite to the session you had signed up to attend. Please note that our PD location has switched from Strawberry Mansion HS to Daroff, located at 56th and Vine in West Philadelphia. Most Equity PD groups will meet at Daroff, with the exception of the Black Male Leader Think Tank (meeting at School of the Future) and the Black Women Leader Think Tank (meeting at the Discovery Center).

All information including session descriptions, dates, times, and room numbers can be found in THIS catalog. Please remember to bring your laptop with you to the last session, as you will engage in an annual Equity-Centered Leadership Reflection using a SurveyMonkey questionnaire!

Contact: Katie Pak | Director | kpak@philasd.org | 215.400.5756

Overdue District-Wide PD Attendance <Action Needed>

As we begin to transition to PowerSchool over the summer, it is imperative that these sessions are completed because we are unable to transfer anything with an incomplete status to the new system and your staff will not receive those Act 48 hours. Click HERE to see the list of schools with missing attendance. If your school is highlighted in red, you have sessions that are more than 3 months overdue. Please resolve all by Monday, 5/6. Click HERE for the stepper that explains how to complete attendance. All principals, APs, and secretaries should have the ability to take attendance for their school. If you realize that you or anyone else in those role groups at your school doesn’t have access to take attendance, you can request access HERE.

Contact: Office of Professional Learning | cornerstonehelp@philasd.org | 215.400.4280

Preview of MTSS Tiers 2 and 3 Guidelines” Leader Learning Lab: May 6th, 4-5:30pm (Virtual)

The last Leader Learning Lab of the year is scheduled for Monday, May 6th, from 4-5:30pm on Zoom. The Office of Diverse Learners and the Office of Prevention and Intervention are partnering to provide an opportunity for school leaders to reflect on existing MTSS systems and gain a clear understanding of the MTSS Tiers 2 and 3 Guidance document. This session is open to principals, assistant principals and climate managers.

ACTION: Please RSVP to the session using THIS form.

Contact: Katie Pak | Director | kpak@philasd.org | 215.400.5756

School Safety Officer Nominations

The Office of School Safety is now accepting nominations for School Safety Officer Awards. This is an excellent opportunity to recognize and celebrate school safety personnel who go above and beyond to ensure the safety and security of our schools.

ACTION: Please take a moment to consider any School Safety Officer who has made significant contributions to safety at your school. The deadline for submissions is May 10, 2024.

Contact: Tyisha Godwin | tlwright@philasd.org | 215.400.5512

Chief Johnson Office Hours

Interim Chief Johnson holds biweekly office hours to support District Principals. Join to discuss your school safety concerns, share pertinent community updates and request any needed supports. Office Hours are from 8-9 am with next meeting on May 16.

ACTION: Please see the flyer for more details.

Contact: Tyisha Godwin | tlwright@philasd.org | 215.400.5512

Summer Achievers Elementary Program: Registration Clarification

Registration for the Summer Achievers Program has been open since April 1st, and will remain open through May 10th. Some schools are already full, but many still have plenty of open seats for students.

THIS document is available on the summer programs website and is updated weekly to reflect program availability. As we enter a final registration push, we want to ensure that school teams know that although registrations from the host school students will be prioritized, all District students are able to apply for the programs. If a family comes to your school to register and they do not attend during the year, please provide them the application if your program is still open. Our providers have ben given the same clarification. Thank you for supporting program accessibility!

Contact: Abbey Gunn | Executive Director | agunn@philasd.org

Summer Programs Collaboration Planning

The summer programs collaboration planning window is open now, and all plans must be completed by May 15th. Any schools that are hosting programs should have a meeting scheduled to complete the plan with the provider(s) operating out of the site. Solo Sites (only one program at your school): Providers should have already reached out to you to schedule a time that works best for you to come to your school and complete the plan with you. If they have not yet done so, reach out to them to make sure it gets scheduled in a way that meets your needs prior to May 15th.

Co-located Sites (more than one program at your school): These meetings have been coordinated and scheduled by members of the Office of Student Life based on submitted preferred dates and times from the host principals. You should have received calendar invites for your meeting- if you have not, please let Abbey Gunn know.

Contact: Abbey Gunn | Executive Director | agunn@philasd.org

The SWBS Window is Open!

The time is NOW! The PSES student survey + SWBS window 3 is now open and all are encouraged to participate and share their voice! From May 1 - June 14th the window will be open for Staff and Students to participate in sharing their school-time experiences. The results will be available for schools ahead of the upcoming school year, for reflection and planning purposes.

For more information on the PSES, visit philasd.org/pses. A stepper to access both surveys can be found HERE. Students can access the student well-being survey any time throughout the survey window. Please access the Student Well-being Survey Information Sheet for more information.

ACTION: Next Steps: Please remind teachers to allocate time for all students to complete the Student Well-Being Survey. School staff with access to Qlik can also track participation using the tracker throughout the survey window.

Contact: Helen Ford | Assistant Director, Student Well-being | hford@philasd.org

Student Enrollment Reminders

Guidelines for student enrollment/registration and transfers during the standardized testing window (Keystone Exams and PSSAs) may be found HERE.

Placement Tools for School Leaders: The following tools that are found in SIS have been developed to support school leaders with monitoring and supporting students that are enrolled outside of their catchment area:

1. The Placement Tab in SIS provides information regarding a student’s enrollment when the enrollment record is created by a central office department, rather than by a school-based secretary. The Placement Tab stepper can be found HERE.

2. The Placement Report in SIS provides principals, assistant principals, and assistant superintendents with additional information about a student's enrollment record when it was created by a central office department. To access this report in Infinite Campus (SIS), click "Student Information" -> "Reports" -> "Placement" from the Index tab on the left toolbar in SIS.

School Selection New Enrollments: For all enrollments that were made through the District’s School Selection Process, this procedure outlines the steps that should be taken by schools to complete the enrollment process for students who accepted offers for placement.

Contact: Lizette King-Lassus | Director of Student Enrollment and Placement | lkinglassus@philasd.org | 215.400.6548.

Emergency Teaching Certification Update

Positions will be made available for others to apply and can be filled for the 2024-2025 school year. Talent Partners will post all certification termination positions in Taleo on May 8th and others will be able to apply for those positions. Please reach out to your Talent Partner if you have any questions.

ACTION: Please see the Teacher Certification Update Letter for Principals here.

Contact: Tony Pearson tpearson@philasd.org Network 7 & 11

Natalia Lebron nlebron@philasd.org Network 5 & 6

Davette Johnson dbjohnson@philasd.org Network 8 & 12

Andretta Starks astarks@philasd.org Network 1 & 13

Anna Massey-Jackson amasseyjackson@philasd.org Network 3 & 9

David McMullin dmcmullin@philasd.org Network 10 & Innovation Network

Joshua Browning jbrowning@philasd.org Network 2 & Acceleration Network

Dajah Russell drussell@philasd.org Network 4

2024-2025 Principal Vacancies

SDP is seeking a dynamic leader to serve as the next Principal starting in 2024 at the following schools: Ellwood School Fitler Academic Plus Shawmont School and the Thomas Peirce School.

ACTION: If you are interested in applying to please visit: https://jobs.philasd.org/opportunities/principals/

Please note you must be a current Principal or on the SDP Principal eligibility list.

Contact: Kia Farrow | Senior Recruiter for School Leadership | kfarrow@philasd.org

The Closing of Cornerstone

Our Observation platform Cornerstone will be sunsetting and will not be accessible after June 28th 2024. To prepare for this end date. We HIGHLY encourage all users to download and save important documents from the online platform.

ACTION: We have also provided a stepper to walk you through downloading your documents. Please see the stepper here.

Contact: Amadi Hayes | Observation Evaluation Coordinator | ahayes@philasd.org | 215.400.6194

Network Rankings for Spring Formal, SPMs, and IEPs

The Employee Effectiveness and Evaluation Team is providing progress ranking for the following tasks: Spring Formals, SPMs, and IEPs. This is an overview of all learning networks. *Please note that this data was pulled on April 23rd. Changes may have occurred since this date.

ACTION: To retrieve updated information, please pull the report on Cornerstone via Reporting 2.0.

Contact: Amadi Hayes | Observation Evaluation Coordinator | ahayes@philasd.org | 215.400.6194

District-Wide Instructional Hiring Event

The Recruitment and Selection team invites School Leaders to join us for a large district-wide instructional hiring event on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 from 4:30 to 6:00 PM at the Administration Building at 440 N. Broad Street. We will invite teachers and counselors to attend to connect directly with school teams.

We highly recommend that you use this opportunity to schedule interviews for qualified candidates with your site selection teams. We will have tables in the atrium and auditorium, and we are expecting a large number of candidates and schools to attend. We may need to share tables so we kindly ask that you limit the number of representatives from your school to two people.

ACTION: Key Links for SY 24-25 Instructional Hiring:

• RSVP for the hiring event here by Monday, May 20, 2024, at 11:59 PM
  
• View eligible instructional candidates here.
  
• Access TALENT SUPPORT SERVICES 2024-2025 SITE SELECTION FORM
  
• Upload signed site selection forms here for approval.
  

Contact: Virginia Soza | Senior Project Manager | vsoza@philasd.org | 215.400.6149