The School District of Philadelphia has officially launched a transition office to help guide families, students and staff through its $3 billion Facilities Master Plan, a 10-year effort that includes school closures, mergers and modernization projects across the city.
District leaders announced the opening of the School Transition Office during an event at John M. Patterson Elementary School in Southwest Philadelphia.
“We’re sure pleased to kick this process off with our Transition Office for our Facilities Master Plan,” Superintendent Tony Watlington said.
The facilities plan includes closing 17 schools, modernizing 169 campuses and merging others. District officials say the goal is to update aging school buildings and better serve students for decades to come.
The district selected longtime Philadelphia educator Shakeera Warthen-Canty to lead the School Transition Office.
“One of the first things that the school transition office will do is to establish a transition team in each school,” Warthen-Canty said.
District officials describe the office as a one-stop shop where families can stay informed and track progress throughout the project. According to Warthen-Canty, schools undergoing changes will have stakeholder groups that can provide input from the planning stages through completion.
“Our main focus is to make sure school communities know who to call to get answers, that they get the support. We want to offer red carpet treatment,” Warthen-Canty said.
Patterson Elementary is among the first schools slated for modernization under the plan.
The 105-year-old school building remains in the planning phase. The district’s proposed $45 million project is expected to include 13 new classrooms, a new gymnasium, an elevator and a cafeteria. Construction is not expected to begin until 2028 and is projected to take two years.
District officials acknowledged that disruptions are expected during construction, though the specific impacts on students and staff have not yet been determined.
“Whatever the school’s transition committee decides would be best for this community, we have the expertise and we know how to do it right,” Deputy Superintendent of Operations Oz Hill said.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.