Watlington, a North Carolina career educator, was selected by the Philadelphia School Board to replace William R. Hite Jr. as the next supervisor of the Philadelphia School District, CEO of an extensive system of 216 schools, 115,000 students, and a $ 3.9 billion budget. Watlington has signed a five-year, one-year renewal contract and will be paid $ 340,000, with no incentive clauses. He will live in the city, according to the terms of his contract, and will start on June 16. The Philadelphia job is a huge leap forward for Watlington, the current Rowan-Salisbury School District inspector, who trains about 20,000 people with a budget of $ 190 million. »READ MORE: Tony Watlington, who leads a small NC school district, speaks to the community The announcement was made at the district headquarters on Friday morning, closing a six-month national search and with Mayor Jim Kenney, Hite and other officials searching. The cheers went up as the new supervisor entered the amphitheater and then as Board Chairman Joyce Wilkerson announced Watlington as the Board Elect. “This is an incredible moment for our students and our families,” Wilkerson said. “Our city is passionate about education and we look forward to working with you to make our schools the beacons of light we need. “Dr. Watlington is the right person to lead the work forward,” Kenny said. Watlington said he was grateful for the opportunity to lead one of the nation’s largest school systems and said he wakes up every day with a question on his mind: “How are the children? How is it all the children?” He said he wanted to offer “life-changing opportunities and outcomes for every child in the Philadelphia School District.” Watlington, who has a whole day of meetings with politicians and businessmen, acknowledged that he has a lot to learn about the city with which he had no previous ties. “I will go out and be very visible and learn about Philadelphia,” Watlington said. He identified a listening tour as one of his top priorities, wrapping his arms around the state of the area’s facility challenges and understanding “the next steps in improving academic performance”. Watlington, who will remain Rowan-Salisbury’s inspector until he starts in Philadelphia, said he will start his house hunt immediately and plans to spend the weekends in the city. Hite said he has already made room for Watlington at the area headquarters. The current Philadelphia boss said he believed Watlington was the right choice to take over after his decade in office. “I have all the faith in him,” said Hait. Watlington, 51, was one of three finalists for the job. He was chosen to replace John Davis, the current headmaster of the Baltimore Schools, and Chris Mohip, the deputy director of education for the Illinois State Board of Education. Although some criticized what he said was a shallow pool of candidates amid a storm of nationwide investigators, Watlington was seen as the clear favorite after the public met him at a series of meetings and at a town hall. Earn points for a simple style and clear explanations of who he is and what he values as a teacher. »READ MORE: 7 things you need to know about Philly’s new inspector, Tony B. Watlington Sr. But Watlington has a lot to prove as someone who has only served as a supervisor for a year and in a small neighborhood. He comes from a state with the right to work in a district that has to deal with five separate unions, including the mighty Philadelphia Teachers Federation. It will lead a district that can not raise even a penny of its own revenue and is therefore sensitive to the prevailing political winds in City Hall and Harrisburg. Watlington will face myriad challenges right away – from the ongoing pandemic impact and low staff morale to a stockpile of 300 aging buildings that require about $ 5 billion to repair. The school system is about to embark on a strategic planning process that could lead to school closures. His renewed special admission procedure has been widely criticized. and his work on anti-racism continues. Academically, he struggles, even when compared to other school districts in major cities: Only about 35% of his students meet state standards in English and 21% in mathematics. »READ MORE: What does the Philadelphia caretaker do and why do you care? But Watlington said he is ready to meet the Philadelphia challenge, ready to assemble a strong team and increase the things he does well. He described himself as a builder of consensus. “I know how to bring out the best in people, I have the ability to bring different groups of people together to solve big, difficult problems,” Watlington said during a March town hall. Identify the obstacles that will be needed manipulates to gain the trust of Philadelphia, but has sworn transparency as it does. “I’m one of those leaders who likes to put my papers on the table,” Watlington said. “Trust is the cumulative act of small deeds.” The school board has scheduled a special meeting for Thursday to approve Watlington’s contract. This is a story that unfolds.
