Metro Philadelphia Education Power Players

Michelle Palmer became executive director of Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia in February 2021, the culmination of decades of work in the field of education. As a teacher and administrator at Germantown Friends School and other independent schools, Michelle works closely with students, faculty, and staff on strategic initiatives to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in education. Michelle is deeply committed to making education fair and accessible. To that end, she facilitates the Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity Project, and currently teaches a social justice course at Germantown’s upper school. She is a co-founder of the Germantown Friends School Alumni of Color program, and served as its first manager until 2020. In recent years, Michelle has shared her expertise and experience in this area by presenting at several prestigious education conferences around the country. Michelle has a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Temple University, a master’s degree in Education and Instructional Technology from Arcadia University, and a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from New School University.

What is something you have learned from your students?
Students learn when they have teachers that are enthusiastic and excited about what they are teaching. Also, I have learned that we can grow as educators when we intentionally meet students where they are in life. We must stay dynamic in our journey as educators to keep students engaged in their educational journey.

What was your favorite moment or experience in your own education?
My favorite part of my education was during my undergraduate years at Temple University. I interned at a local radio station and had the opportunity to learn all the behind-the-scenes work that it takes to produce a live radio show. It was hard work, and it gave me real-life experience in the studio and in the world of radio, television, and film.

What conditions do you think are necessary for a safe and effective learning environment?
Students need to be in an inviting classroom with teachers who are concerned with their overall well-being so they can have an effective learning environment. Students feel safe when they have teachers and mentors that they can depend on in many different ways. We must also remind students that they can always speak to their teachers about school and personal matters, and that they will be supported.

How do we ensure those without privilege have equal access to quality education and opportunity? 
This is the mission of Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia. We close the opportunity gap for middle school students through our year-round tuition-free high school preparation and academic enrichment program. Also, we need to hold schools accountable so that all students, regardless of their zip code, should receive a quality education. Our students need access to quality books, computers, educational tools, and teachers.

Scott Peterman is the executive director of Philadelphia Charters for Excellence. As a lifelong Philadelphian and public school graduate, Scott’s dedication to educational advocacy and community building is not just a professional calling, but a vocational passion. As PCE’s chief ambassador, he creates meaningful connections, leads strategic initiatives, and catalyzes game-changing ideas into action with tangible outcomes for charter’s and their nearly 70,000 students citywide. Scott received a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Franklin and Marshall College, a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, and serves on board for the Thomas and Woods Foundation.

Fred Pinguel immigrated to the US with his parents and brother and grew up in the City of Brotherly Love. His organizing began in high school as a youth member of Asian Americans United, fighting gentrification in Philadelphia’s Chinatown. He then became a member of the Philadelphia Student Union, joining other youth across Philadelphia to support public education reform. Fred brings his background as a working-class immigrant, youth organizer, and life-long Philadelphian to his role as executive director of the Philadelphia Student Union.

What is something you have learned from your students?
I’ve learned to listen more than I speak. Adults often see what young people lack but in my role with the Philadelphia Student Union I see young people being leaders in their schools and communities. Our youth see and understand the world around them and they know there are problems we need to fix. I know young people will be a part of the solution as long we take the time to listen to them.

What was your favorite moment or experience in your own education? 
I loved when I could learn from other students. Community organizing introduced me to the idea that students are not empty vessels to be filled with knowledge, but that I can learn from my peers’ experiences and they can learn from mine. Fostering this with our members is still my favorite part of my work.

What conditions do you think are necessary for a safe and effective learning environment?
We need schools where young people materially have access to everything they need to learn. The lack of school funding for Philadelphia public schools means young people in our city start from a deficit when it comes to learning conditions, and this only grows over time. Additionally, we need a culture and policies that value young people and their voices. Too often students are made to feel like future criminals rather than future leaders. This is not a condition created by any one person or group of people, but we need to work together to reverse it.

How do we ensure those without privilege have equal access to quality education and opportunity?
We need to direct resources to the people who need them the most. Young people who are disadvantaged for any reason deserve the most attention, not the least. We need to refocus our attention on the schools in our neighborhoods that have the least resources and highest need and intentionally divert resources their way. Equity is not giving everyone the same slice of pie, it’s when everyone at the dinner table is full.

A native of Pennsylvania and a product of Philadelphia public schools, Antoinette attended Temple University after graduating from George Washington High School. She graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Education and then went on to earn a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Cheyney University. In 2011, after serving in the classroom for 13 years, Antoinette embarked on a journey of leadership where she has served as principal and CEO in both public and charter-operated schools in Philadelphia.

What is something you have learned from your students?
One of the greatest gifts that I have learned from my students is how to be resilient and how to persevere. As an educator, my students have taught me to never give up, to fight for the things that matter, and to always push towards excellence. It takes just one person to shift the narrative, and as an educator, I have leaned into the belief that we all have something great to contribute to the world.

What was your favorite moment or experience in your own education?
School for me has certainly not been a crystal stair. In all honestly, I can only remember a few distinct teachers, one from the first grade and the other from the fourth grade; Ms. Cunningham and Ms. James. What I remember about those teachers are the communities that they built in order to make students feel safe. It was in these communities that one believed that they mattered. In Ms. Cunningham’s class, she allowed me to write on her chalkboard–I think this was the first time I thought about being a teacher.

What conditions do you think are necessary for a safe and effective learning environment?
Children are amazing people, and they need to know this first. They want to feel safe and secure, they want to have strong relationships that pour greatness and speak positively over their lives, they want to be seen, to know that they have a voice and that it matters. Most importantly, they need to have community. There is no one size fits all method or way of thinking about a learning environment because every community is different. However, the basic tenets needed are human connections, strong relationships, and individuals who never give up and who fight for liberation.

How do we ensure those without privilege have equal access to quality education and opportunity?
We need to make a lot of noise and disrupt the status quo. We liberate our young people with appropriate access to resources, such as high-quality educators. Educators who continue to uplift, educate, and disrupt the narrative of those who are marginalized. Additionally, we need to create ambitious schools with the sole purpose of teaching the whole child, building a love of learning, bringing joy, and creating space for equity.

Eric Pryor is the new president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. A strategic, creative, and collaborative leader, he brings over 25 years of experience in education, museum administration, and community-building initiatives to PAFA, America’s first art school and museum. Pryor joined PAFA from the Harlem School of the Arts, where he served as president. He is also an active community volunteer and earned a master’s degree from the Tyler School of Art and Architecture.

What is something you have learned from your students?
When I meet with PAFA students, I am consistently impressed with how the learning process impacts not just their work as talented artists, but their growth as human beings. I see tremendous personal development tied to their artistic education and it is an important reminder of how education, and arts education specifically, contribute to a holistic journey of growth.

What was your favorite moment or experience in your own education? 
One of my favorite moments as a student was my thesis exhibition for my master’s degree in Painting. I was a student in Philadelphia and had the opportunity to show my work in a street-level gallery in Center City. I had seen plenty of solo exhibitions, but it was the first time I saw all of my own work in a professional gallery setting. It gave me a sense of my own power and potential as an artist. In that moment, I felt like I really belonged.

What conditions do you think are necessary for a safe and effective learning environment?
A learning environment needs to applaud growing, not just knowing. Too often, we focus on the students who always get the right answer, and they receive all the praise and positive attention. The students facing challenges can become discouraged, feeling shame instead of confidence. It’s okay not to know everything. Vulnerability and risk must be encouraged in the classroom because that is how we truly learn: by becoming comfortable making mistakes and learning from them. As educators, we need to create situations that celebrate the process, and not just who knows everything.

How do we ensure those without privilege have equal access to quality education and opportunity? 
Unsurprisingly, I’m a champion for the arts. When I look at schools without tremendous resources, I see a singular focus on success in language arts and math. The arts get sidelined or thrown away entirely. You can learn so much about language arts through the lens of drama or about math through music. With a well-rounded education, students have a greater opportunity to find success in something they care about and build their confidence.

Maria Quiñones Sánchez is a proven leader who has dedicated her life to addressing some of Philadelphia’s most entrenched problems, from endemic poverty to community development, from education to affordable housing. She made history in 2007 as the first Latina elected to City Council, and has successfully advanced a bold, progressive agenda. Maria chaired the Philadelphia City Council’s Appropriations and Education Committees, co-chaired the Council’s Special Committee on Poverty Reduction and Prevention, and served on the Philadelphia Tax Reform Working Group. Maria created the Land Bank and established Philadelphia’s internationally-recognized water affordability program.

What is something you have learned from your students?
As the founder of Pennsylvania’s first bilingual charter school, I saw firsthand how students thrive when their school reflects their culture, engages with them in the languages they speak, and gives them opportunities to lead. Even when they deal with tough circumstances, kids are so strong.

What was your favorite moment or experience in your own education?
When I was a young mother finishing my degree and working for Councilmember Marian Tasco, there was a bus driver who would wait for me every morning as I came running to the bus stop. I had so many wonderful teachers and mentors, but the care of that SEPTA driver helped me get through my day. It takes so many different kinds of help to support students through their individual journeys, and I am so grateful for what I received.

What conditions do you think are necessary for a safe and effective learning environment?
The best schools are the hearts of their neighborhoods, and you can tell as soon you walk through the door. Community members are present and active, programs reflect the neighborhood culture, and the students have a place where they are safe, respected, and able to learn.

How do we ensure those without privilege have equal access to quality education and opportunity? 
We need to make strategic investments. Every neighborhood should have a quality, walkable elementary school. Every high school student should have access to multiple options, including career and technical education programs, dual enrollment at the Community College of Philadelphia, and specialized programs to prepare for college, career, and beyond. School programming should be connected with recreational centers and neighboring institutions, and school buildings should be accessible to community groups.

Dr. Wendy Raymond is the 16th president of Haverford College. Prior to this, she held several leadership positions at Davidson College, including vice president of academic affairs, dean of faculty, and chief diversity officer. Dr. Raymond began her career in education in 1994 at Williams College, and went on to become the program director of Williams’ Howard Hughes Medical Institute undergraduate program and the first associate dean for institutional diversity at the college. She earned her PhD in biochemistry from Harvard University, and completed an American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington. 

Todd Reeves has been the executive director and CEO of the Overbrook School for the Blind since 2017. Prior to this, he was the executive director and superintendent of the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children. He has served as a school bus driver, TA, teacher of the deaf, speech-language pathologist, principal, director of special education, superintendent, CEO, and executive director in large and small school districts and a state agency in Oregon, Washington, Texas, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders from Pacific University, a master’s degree in Deaf Education from Lamar University, and a JD from the University of Washington School of Law.

What is something you have learned from your students?
I’ve learned that achievement and perseverance are relative terms. Whatever feat I’ve ever accomplished, it pales in comparison to summoning the courage to cross a street in Center City without the aid of sight. Even with the assistance of a skilled Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist or a teacher of students with visual impairments, I can’t imagine attempting many of the necessary tasks we put in front of our students.

What was your favorite moment or experience in your own education? 
Unfortunately, my earliest recollections of K-12 schooling incorporate a high fear of failure, from essentially my first day to my last. I don’t recall favorite moments, so much as moments of relief, like getting the grade I needed to keep me in the queue for a scholarship. I’m glad there’s generally greater awareness and responsiveness to the mental health needs of students in the present day. I hope none of my students ever believe high achievement and high anxiety are inseparable.

What conditions do you think are necessary for a safe and effective learning environment?
Gary Locke appointed me the superintendent of the Washington School for the Deaf when the state legislature was considering its closure. My experience there taught me that regardless of the student safety issue, every student safety challenge has a solution, every member of a school community must view their role as critical to protect student safety, and safeguarding students requires data analysis, consistent oversight, timely decision-making, and the willingness to shift resources quickly.

How do we ensure those without privilege have equal access to quality education and opportunity?
We must recognize and have important conversations about how the law currently deprives students with disabilities of a guarantee of equal educational opportunity. In Endrew, the Supreme Court reiterated their longstanding position that students with disabilities have no right to an equal educational opportunity, maintaining that ‘…free appropriate public education’ was a phrase ‘too complex to be captured by the word ‘equal’….’ I respectfully but steadfastly disagree.