News & Highlights | President's Blog
May 10, 2024 by

Thank you for your GHS support - Town Hall Update

Thank you for Your Support of our Alma Mater

A list of action items was identified following the AAPHSG Town Hall meeting on April 18, 2024, which alerted our alumnae to the state of the Philadelphia High School for Girls. If you were unable to attend the webinar, please view the video on our home page or on our YouTube Channel by clicking HERE.

  • A strategy session with Girls' High students was held to assist them in registering to speak at the Board of Education meeting on April 25th.
  • Alumnae were available to help them write their testimony. Thank you to the alumnae who showed up for our younger sisters.
  • Alumnae attended the 4/25 Board of Education meeting. Alumnae wrote letters of support for Girls' High to the Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia.

Alumnae asked for:

  • The end to the forced transfer of nine valued faculty members.
  • An end to the lottery system of school selection and a return of autonomy in the selection process to the Principal.
  • The immediate identification of a permanent Principal and a voice in the search process.

Since our Town Hall and the powerful activism of our alumnae, we have witnessed a shift in the School District of Philadelphia's stance. Dr. Watlington hosted a School District Town Hall at PHSG on April 24, 2024, where he announced that the School District would hold Girls' High harmless despite declining enrollment. This means no teachers would be transferred, and no staff would be lost for Academic Year 2024/25. These outcomes are a testament to the strength of our collective voice and the power of our advocacy. Read this article for more details. Philadelphia Inquirer

At that time, Dr. Watlington also announced that the Principal search would be completed by the end of May. That Principal will be identified before the close of this school year. In addition, he said there would be alumnae, parent, and student representation on the search committee.

Once again, a big thank you to each alumna who made their voice heard. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed or unheard. However, despite these positive developments, our work is far from over. We need your voices to continue advocating. Your donations, participation and involvement ensure the legacy of the Philadelphia High School for Girls is not just preserved, but strengthened. Our journey continues, and we need each one of you to be a part of it.

If you would like more information on how to become involved, we encourage you to join GHSconnect to ensure you receive our most up-to-date correspondence.

 

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