Cheryl Harper, who earned her Master of Science degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, was appointed to the Philadelphia Board of Education by Philadelphia Mayor Sherrell L. Parker.
Harper was one of nine people recommended out of about 120 applicants. Officials said the list will now be sent to City Council for advice and consent.
The mayor commented on this announcement as follows:
We are proud to announce our nine candidates for the Board of Education. I have committed to finding the best candidates for this important committee and identifying a group with the skills, experience, knowledge, and wisdom to serve on the Board of Education. I am committed to my vision of a unified city, One Philadelphia, with a school board with diverse skills from different regions, sectors, and communities, some with deep knowledge and others with new ideas. I said I wanted a group that truly reflected me. We have a Board of Directors and are confident that they are committed to sound governance and the best interests of our school system's 197,000 students, families, faculty and staff.
I would like to commend all of the community members who came forward for service during this nomination process. This includes everyone who applied to serve on the school board, all members of the education nominating committee, and members of the public who attended public hearings and participated in the process. My administration is committed to this committee, Superintendent Dr. Tony B. Watlington Sr., and our many educators and staff to ensure that all students receive a world-class public education in Philadelphia. We are doing our best to support you. The challenges before us are enormous, and I am committed to working with the school district and its governing body, the Board of Education, to support a well-run school system. Finally, I would like to thank all of the current school board members for their years of tireless service and dedication to all children in our school.
Mayor Parker first nominated 13 people to serve on the Education Nominating Committee, and the committee held two public meetings and interviewed all candidates before nominating 27 candidates on March 12th. The list was sent to Mayor Parker, officials said.
With the advice and consent of the City Council, the new school board will begin its term on May 1st, or the next available start date following the City Council process.
From the announcement:
Cheryl Harper was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia and graduated from Germantown High School. She earned her bachelor's degree in elementary and special education from Cheyney University and her master's degree from Arcadia University. She is certified in elementary and special education, elementary and secondary school principals, superintendents and superintendents. She taught as an elementary school teacher in Philadelphia, served as an assistant principal, placement officer in the human resources department, and was appointed director of human resources by Superintendent Dr. Constance E. Clayton. After retiring from her district, she was called to serve as executive director of human resources for the Camden Public School District. Then, under Governor Ed Rendell, she was appointed special educator in the Pennsylvania Department of Education. She was assigned to various school districts within Pennsylvania to help them achieve AYP (adequate annual progress). Cheryl was a site director/adjunct professor at Drexel University, where she supervised student teachers. She currently serves on the Cheyney University Board of Trustees.
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