PHILADELPHIA – Today, Mayor Kenney appointed Temple University Associate Professor Dr. Christopher McGinley to serve on the Philadelphia School Reform Commission (SRC) effective as of January 18, 2017. Dr. McGinley will replace Sylvia Simms whose term ended on January 13, 2017. Dr. McGinley’s first Action Meeting as Commissioner will be on Thursday, January 19, 2017.
“Dr. McGinley will bring a wealth of educational experience to the School Reform Commission,” said Mayor Kenney. “His educator lens is exactly what the SRC needs in order to build on the District’s gains in recent years. Dr. McGinley’s passion for public education and reducing the achievement gap, coupled with his background as an administrator for various school districts, will also help the District prepare for a smooth transition to greater local control.”
“I am honored that Mayor Kenney appointed me to serve on the School Reform Commission. As a Philadelphia native who attended public schools, a parent, educator, principal and superintendent, I bring thirty-five years of educational service to this role. Public education is the single most important issue facing our city and I look forward to working on behalf of the children and families of Philadelphia to strengthen our public schools,” said Dr. Christopher McGinley.
Council President Darrell L. Clarke said, “I welcome the presence of a career educator on the School Reform Commission. I look forward to meeting Dr. McGinley and establishing a productive working relationship with him. I’m especially interested in learning how Dr. McGinley will apply his experiences working in wealthy school districts that are so often compared with Philadelphia public schools in discussions about inequities in public education.”
“Dr. McGinley is a great addition to the School Reform Commission. His experience as an educator, Philadelphia Principal, and as a School Superintendent along with his lifetime commitment to a student first focus are second to none,” said Dr. William Hite, Superintendent of The School District of Philadelphia. “I also want to thank outgoing Commissioner Sylvia Simms for her service on the School Reform Commission. She served with distinction and provided a passionate voice for parents during her term.”
“Dr. Chris McGinley is a top-notch educator who understands that school transformation is not only necessary but also attainable—and that it requires the efforts and commitment of the entire community. I commend Mayor Kenney on this smart appointment. I look forward to Dr. McGinley’s leadership on addressing issues of equity within the district and returning Philadelphia’s schools to local control,” said Councilmember At Large Helen Gym.
Jerry Jordan, President of Philadelphia Federation of Teachers added, “Mayor Kenney’s appointment of Chris McGinley to the SRC is extremely prudent, and I commend the Mayor and his team for recognizing the importance of having a Philadelphia educator on the panel. I have known and worked with Chris over a number of years. His experience as a classroom teacher and respected administrator will serve him well in this new role. With this appointment, Mayor Kenney has further demonstrated his commitment to public schools. I look forward to working with Dr. McGinley towards the resolution of a fair and equitable contract for Philadelphia’s educators, the return of our schools to local control, and most importantly towards our shared vision of the promise of public education in Philadelphia.”
Dr. Christopher McGinley’s Biography:
Christopher McGinley’s perspectives on leadership and learning have been shaped significantly by the roles that he has played as a teacher, school principal, district level administrator and superintendent. He currently serves as coordinator for the Educational Leadership Program at Temple University College of Education where he holds the post of associate professor. From 2008 to 2014, he served as the Superintendent of Schools at the Lower Merion School District. He is also the former Executive Director of the Delaware County Intermediate Unit and former Superintendent for the District of Cheltenham Township.
For the first eighteen years of his career, Dr. McGinley served in the School District of Philadelphia. His passion for education and advocacy began as a special education teacher at the middle school and high school levels. His involvement in leadership activities lead him to become an elementary school principal at Adaire School at age thirty. While working in Philadelphia, he was promoted to the positions of middle school principal at Austin Meehan, Cluster Leader, and Executive Director of Leadership Development. In this role he was responsible for planning professional development and for preparing new principals.
While serving as superintendent in Cheltenham, Dr. McGinley partnered with the University of Pennsylvania to form the Delaware Valley Consortium for Equity and Excellence, an organization that now includes more than thirty school districts dedicated to closing the achievement gap. Dr. McGinley earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Temple University in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Special Education from Antioch University. He earned his doctorate in Organizational Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania.
In his personal life he has been an advocate for the adoption of older children and he has served on the Board of the National Adoption Center. Dr. McGinley is a native of Philadelphia who attended Disston Elementary School, Thomas Holme School and Lincoln High School. He resides in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia with his wife, Grace, is a father of five children, and has two granddaughters.