Board of Ed members appointment process begins

The city of Philly will be starting a formal process to appoint nine members of the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia. It is required at the beginning of a new mayor’s term. 

On Wednesday, the process will begin with the Educational Nominating Panel. There will be a two-week application window during which the Nominating Panel will consider applicants before sending a final list to Mayor Kenney for consideration later in January. 

A tentative timeline of the process, as outlined in a press release, can be found below: 

Jan. 23: Board of Education application closes

February: Nominating Panel to recommend 27 candidates to Mayor; date to be determined (Deadline Feb. 18). 

February: Mayor transmits Board of Education nominations to City Council; date to be determined

May 1: Appointed members of the Board of Education begin their four-year terms

A press release reports that if individuals are interested in applying for a role on the Board of Education they can fill out an online form. Individuals can also pick up paper applications at City Hall in room 115. Folks can also pick up the forms from the School District’s central offices at 440 N. Broad Street beginning Jan. 8. The deadline for applications is Jan. 23. 

“This will be the first four-year term for Board of Education members since we returned to our public schools to local control,” Mayor Kenney said in a press release.

Kenney added, “Nothing is more important than the education and well-being of our city’s children, and an experienced and dedicated Board of Education is vital to the success of our public education system. I look forward to working with the Nominating Panel and City Council during the appointment process.” 

The Mayor will rely on a 13-member nomination panel, which will recommend candidates to the Mayor. Kenney will make appointments, and the City Council will provide consent and advice. A press release lists the Nominating Panel as:

Bonnie Camarda, Director of Partnerships, The Salvation Army of Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware. 

Dan Fitzpatrick, President, Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware

Peter Gonzales, President and CEO, Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians

Derren Mangum, Director of Institutional Giving, Opera Philadelphia 

Maura McCarthy, Executive Director, Fairmount Park Conservancy

Barbara Moore Williams, educational consultant

Stephanie Naidoff, board member, Fund for the School District of Philadelphia

Ivy Olesh, Executive Director, Playworks 

Douglas Oliver, Vice President, Government & External Affairs, PECO

Kimberly Pham, community activist and member of the National Council of Young Leaders

Wendell Pritchett, Provost, University of Pennsylvania

Sean Vereen, President, Steppingstone Scholars

Rosslyn Wuchinich, President, UNITE HERE Local 274