PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia School Board has appointed a first-of-its-kind school district Superintendent Search Advisory Committee.
Board member Julia Danzy says the 13-member committee is part of the effort to include the public in selecting the next superintendent.
“We wanted to make sure the community-at-large was involved in every step of this process because, at the end of the day, the superintendent belongs to the public," said Danzy.
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“A superintendent has a better chance of success if there’s a sense of ownership by the group he’s involved with."
Danzy said the members include students, parents, school district employees and leaders of the business community and advocacy groups.
She said they will review and evaluate the five finalists for the superintendent’s job and help the board narrow them down to two, from which the board will choose.
The board has just posted the job, and Danzy expects a lot of interest.
Across the country, there’s a lot of turmoil going on within our school systems, and superintendents are experiencing things they thought they’d never have to contend with," said Danzy.
"We’re hopeful there will be a robust body of applicants who are willing to take on the challenges of the Philadelphia School District."
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Danzy hopes to have the names of the finalists to the committee by the end of January. She hopes to have a selection by April.
"I think it’s best for a candidate when they’re able to come in and get familiar before they have to take over the reins, learn the community, learn the business partners, learn some of our political pieces," Danzy said.
Superintendent William Hite announced in September that he would be retiring at the end of the school year. Hite has been superintendent for ten years.
