PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Mayor Cherelle Parker introduced her nine picks for Philadelphia’s Board of Education Tuesday afternoon at City Hall.
On Monday, Parker announced just five nominations to the nine-member panel. Parker renominated Sarah-Ashley Andrews, ChauWing Lam, Joyce Wilkerson, and Reginald Streater, who currently serves as board president. Wilkerson also previously served as board president.
The new board nominees included Crystal Cubbage, a former teacher who is the executive director of the nonprofit Philadelphia Learning Collaborative; Cheryl Harper, a teacher and HR professional who worked in Gov. Ed Rendell’s Department of Education; Whitney Jones, the chief financial officer at Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and a former KIPP charter school exec; Wanda Novales, the executive pastor of City Reach Church; and Joan Stern, a longtime public finance attorney.
“I said I wanted a school board with a diversity of skills, from different neighborhoods, sectors and communities, some with deep knowledge, some with new ideas, a group that truly reflects my vision of One Philly, a United City," the mayor said.
The nine people who would oversee the education of 200,000 students and a $4.5 billion budget talked about why they wanted to volunteer on the school board. Current member Sarah-Ashley Andrews cites educational progress.
“Seeing the positive results gave me the resolve to reapply for the board,” she said.
Cubbage says it’s not a decision to be made lightly.
“I want to serve because too much intellect, creativity, and raw talent in my hometown goes unrealized,” she said.
Nominee Cheryl Harper says she would talk with educators about what works.
"I wanted to go into the schools," she said. "I intend to sit down and talk with the teachers."
Several nominees said they backed the mayor’s plan for year-round schools, and nominee Whitney Jones said he wanted to upgrade school buildings. Former board president Joyce Wilkerson appreciated that the mayor wanted to keep four current members.
And Mayor Parker believes her nominees exceeded expectations.
“What’s the unifying factor of the nine? How’d you get to the nine? Children first,” she said.
City Council must sign off on the nominations. Pending approval, the new board’s term would start on May 1, serving a term concurrent with the mayor’s.