PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — At the Philadelphia School Board’s annual reorganization on Thursday, attorney Reginald Streater was unanimously re-elected president. The board also has a new vice president, Sarah-Ashley Andrews, a therapist who served on the board under previous Mayor Jim Kenney and was kept on by Mayor Cherelle Parker.
“A united board sends a powerful message that despite differences in perspective or approach, we are committed to working together for the greater good,” Andrews said after her unanimous election. “It is both an honor and a responsibility to sit here today as we work together to shape the future of our school district.”
Andrews replaces Wanda Novales, who was appointed by Parker. She served as vice president for the last six months.
“Serving as vice president for the short term has been an incredible honor,” Novales said. “We started great work together, and there’s a lot of work to do ahead.”
Streater has served as the nine-member board’s president since 2022. “I want to emphasize that I see my role as facilitating and serving the board’s collective will, not my own,” he said.
Streater added the all-volunteer school board is a hard-working panel that aims to fix problems, not kick things down the road.
“I think we are the most talented collection of individuals in a place of public trust in the city of Philadelphia,” he said. “I know City Council might hear this. I get it. But this is my team.”