For the past two years, I have served as the Assistant Superintendent of the Innovation Network, while also continuing to serve as co-principal of Science Leadership Academy. It was an incredibly exciting and powerful learning experience, and I count myself lucky to work with such a talented group of educators – both the people in the schools I served as Assistant Superintendent, and the members of Dr. Hite’s senior leadership team.
It is an amazing thing to be able to help other school founders and school leaders work on their visions for their schools. We accomplished a great deal – including opening SLA Middle School and Vaux – a Big Picture School (which will open in September), bringing New Tech Network to Philadelphia, and creating a model for innovation within a large urban district like Philadelphia.
Yet what also became clear to me is just how much passion I still have for the model we created at Science Leadership Academy. I have been incredibly lucky to have been able to work within the School District of Philadelphia and build a three school network with people I love and care deeply about. And I especially love working in a context where I can know and work with kids every day. Over the last few months, Dr. Hite and I have talked about the passion I have for that work.
And so, it is with great excitement that I am now returning to that work full-time as CEO of SLA Schools. Dr. Hite has developed this position so that I can continue to support and grow the SLA model in Philadelphia. I am tremendously excited to have the opportunity to do so.
Thanks so much for the support and patience I’ve had from so many communities over the last two years, especially my co-principal Aaron Gerwer. I’ll also be cheering on the Philadelphia Virtual School, Workshop School, Building 21, the LINC, the U School, and the new Vaux – Big Picture High School and look forward to continuing our friendships and (less formally) our learning community as we all tackle new ways of serving Philadelphia’s children.