PHILADELPHIA – City Council voted today to approve Mayor Jim Kenney’s eight appointees to the Board of Education for the School District of Philadelphia. The appointees will be sworn in today, the first day of the new Board term.

The Board members are:

  • Ameen Akbar

  • Julia Danzy

  • Leticia Egea-Hinton

  • Mallory Fix Lopez

  • Lee Huang

  • Maria McColgan

  • Angela McIver

  • Joyce Wilkerson

Mayor Kenney announced his appointees in March, having selected them from a list of twenty-seven nominees recommended by the Educational Nominating Panel. Seven of the appointees are returning Board members. Ameen Akbar applied this year and was recommended by the Educational Nominating Panel. Mr. Akbar will take the place of departing Board member Wayne Walker.

“Now more than ever, we need a Board of Education with experience, expertise, and a profound commitment to the well-being and education of our city’s children,” said Mayor Kenney. “I am confident that the Board members I’ve appointed will help our city ensure that Philadelphia students are educated and supported during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. I am grateful to all the returning members for their past leadership and continued service, and I look forward to working with Ameen Akbar in his new role. I also want to thank City Council for their partnership in the appointment of the Board, and thank the Educational Nominating Panel for their efforts and recommendations.”

“School Board members are truly honored to be appointed to the Philadelphia Board of Education and to continue our work of ensuring that all students have access to great schools,” said Joyce Wilkerson, Board President. “As we move forward in these challenging times, the interests of our students will continue to come first, and we will support programs and initiatives designed to help our students reach their full potential. We greatly appreciate the support of Mayor Kenney and City Council for public education in Philadelphia.”

“Our Board members have displayed an outstanding commitment to ensuring that all of our children have access to resources and services that support a high-quality education,” Superintendent William Hite, Jr., Ed.D. said. “Because of the impact the coronavirus pandemic is expected to have on our District in the short- and long-term, our Board will play an even more crucial role in helping us determine the best path forward for our students. I look forward to our continued partnership as we carry out this very important work.”

A ninth seat on the Board of Education is vacant following former Board member Chris McGinley’s decision not to serve a second term, which came after the Mayor submitted his appointments to City Council for consideration. When feasible, given the extraordinary circumstances caused by COVID-19, Mayor Kenney will reconvene the Educational Nominating Panel to solicit applications and to submit a new list of candidates for the Mayor’s consideration for appointment to the ninth seat.

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