Dr. Tony Watlington sworn in, begins term as superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA - Dr. Tony B. Watlington Sr., Ed. D. has officially begun his term as the superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. 

Watlington was named as the new superintendent in April after a search with several candidates. 

He previously served as the superintendent of Rowan-Salisbury Schools in North Carolina and has a vast background in education that spans several decades. 

He was sworn in on Thursday morning with his three sons by his side. 

"As I embrace the incredible honor of becoming superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, I will engage in strategic, thoughtful, and equity-focused conversations and actions to identify what is currently being done well and what needs improvement," he said. "Philadelphia is a vibrant city with extraordinary talent and collective resources. I look forward to engaging with a wide range of Philadelphians to learn and hear about what is needed to help all of our diverse learners flourish."

According to the district, Watlington plans to host more than 80 listening and learning sessions through September in an effort to focus on assessing the well-being of students and staff, engaging the district's stakeholders, assessing teaching and learning, understanding the capacity and alignment of leadership in the district, and a focus on maximizing support for schools through operations.

A detailed plan for his first 100 days was also published for stakeholders to view. 

"During my first 100 days, you will see, hear, and feel my commitment to learning about this city and School District. I will build strong and meaningful relationships with our Board of Education, so we are clearly aligned on our moral purpose and act with focus and intentionality," Watlington wrote on his plan. "We will also expand our engagement with our community so we can all actively contribute to our school system’s success and achieve the Goals and Guardrails."