Wendell Pritchett, the newest member to join the School Reform Commission, has risen up the ranks - at least temporarily.

Gov. Corbett appointed Pritchett, placed on the board by his former boss Mayor Nutter, interim chairman. Pritchett, a former aide to Mayor Nutter, will preside over the meetings until Corbett nominee Pedro Ramos is confirmed by the state Senate.

Ramos, who was chosen by Corbett on June 16 to fill the vancancy of David Girard Di-Carlo, will then become chairman of the board.

Pritchett was sworn in as an SRC member last month by Nutter.

His appointment, one of two seats filled by the mayor, follows the dramatic departures of Commissioner Johnny Irizarry and former Chairman Robert Archie, one of the main subjects of a scathing report by the city's chief integrity officer that detailed the backroom deal surrounding a charter school company.

Nutter expects to make his second appointment soon.

Tomorrow's School Reform Commission meeting has been postponed due to the recent departures of two of its members, according to a statement by Commissioners Denise McGregor Armbrister and Joe Dworetzky.

A new date has not been announced. This latest move pushes the SRC two weeks behind schedule. Last week's meeting was delayed until tomorrow due to a lack of quorum. 

Nonetheless, the board members said the work will be done.

"We have discussed what was scheduled to be acted on by the Commission in September and are confident that the District will stay on track while building on the momentum of a successful opening of schools," they said.

Also in the statement, Dworetzky and McGregor Armbrister, we

As promised, Mayor Nutter today made the first of his two appointments to the School Reform Commission by giving the job to his former staffer, Dr. Wendell Pritchett, the Chancellor of Rutgers University-Camden.  

In a statement, Nutter described Pritchett as "a respected scholar in urban history and an experienced government policy-maker."

His appointment comes a day after the resignations of SRC Chairman Robert Archie and Commissioner Johnny Irizarry.   

“I am very pleased to appoint someone with the qualifications, the imagination and the commitment to public education of Wendell Pritchett,” Nutter said. “He has demonstrated real leadership in the areas of education, local government and sustainable community development for many years.”

Pritchett, who served as deputy chief of staff and director of policy for Nutter, was responsible for writing the city’s Five-Year Plan and Budget, reorganizing the city’s anti-poverty programs and supervising the operations of the mayor’s office, according to Nutter's statement.

“I am honored by this invitation to serve on the School Reform Commission and look forward to working with a committed group of commissioners and educators who are also dedicated to the students in Philadelphia schools,” Pritchett said.

Stay tuned for more on this developing story.

George Richezza, president of 32BJ SEIU District 1201, issued a statement today in response to the district's plan to layoff 848 facilities and transportation workers.

The union, which is comprised of more than 3,000 public school aides, bus drivers, attendants, mechanics, building engineers, cleaners and maintenance workers, rejected to making concessions. The union is seeking to save $75 million in givebacks from its unions.

“By putting more than 1,100 men and women out of work, the Philadelphia School District will not just make life more difficult for these workers and their families, but will inflict harm on our schools and our struggling economy. Eliminating nearly half of the workforce that supports our school system – including all school bus drivers -- would decimate our schools’ ability to function and ensure our kids safety. Philadelphia students are already paying the price after the Ackerman administration turned our schools’ finances upside down, and they deserve better than this.”

“We call on the District to rescind this unconscionable and reckless move, and meet with us in the best interests of our city to avoid what would amount to a devastating blow to our school system.”

Updated 6:12p.m.: About two weeks after rejecting a proposal by the district, principal union members voted in favor of the same concessions just minutes ago.

Accepting the deal by a landslide - 173 to 64 - principals have avoided losing 27 assistant principals who were issued notices last week. But layoffs could still come down the pike.

No word yet from union president Robert McGrogan.

Updated 6:07p.m.: Still waiting on results. The votes are being tallied by union members and officials. Three-hundred principals and assistant principals showed up to vote, about 50 left of them after the vote was taken.  

Updated 6:00p.m.: A motion to vote has been made, but no word yet on the results.

Updated 5:48p.m.: Even with a favorable vote, principals could still face layoffs, said a principal from inside a union meeting at the Franklin Learning Center.

CASA members are being asked to consider the same concessions they voted down earlier this month. But now principals are faced with the threat of possible furloughs, the source said.

"That was never mentioned before, but now the district is saying if we agree, then they won't furlough for the duration of the contract," said the principal. 

Something else members have also taken issue with is the district's promise to rescind its threat to layoff 27 assistant principals who received notices last week, but offered no safeguard against future layoffs.  

Union officials are now fielding questions from members.

___________

Principals across the district are scheduled to meet this afternoon to vote on a second draft of contract amendments. A source within the union alerted me in an email of the meeting, which will take place at the Franklin Learning Center, at 5p.m. 

This isn't the first time members of the Commonwealth Association of School Administrators have had to vote on making concessions. Earlier this month, they shot down the first tentative deal brokered between district and union leaders. The proposal called for a delay in a 3 percent raise, and changes to healthcare contributions.

The following week, district officials issued 30 layoff notices to assistant principals and warned that if members continue to reject the givebacks, more reductions will occur. That day, officials from both sides met to discuss ways to spare these positions. 

The source, a principal at a North Philadelphia middle school, said that tonight's vote will determine whether the layoffs are certain. But it has also left many principals sour over what some believe is a ploy by the district to use the threat of layoffs as a bargaining chip. The district is looking to save $75 million in concessions from its five unions.  

"The sentiment among most of my colleagues is that we are merely pawns in the District's game of chess, just like half-day kindergarten," the source wrote in the email.

Later on in a phone conversation, the principal noted that members still don't want to take a chance.

"How do you take that risk?" the source asked. "I believe they might get the vote because we don't want our colleagues to lose their jobs."

No word yet from CASA president Robert McGrogan.

Although he could not provide details, district spokesman Fernando Gallard said "e put together a proposal that we really hope works for CASA and its members."

Meanwhile, the principal also lamented the union's failure to properly notify its members. Although there's a post about the meeting on CASA's website, most members were informed of the meeting through word of mouth.  

"That's not a good process of catching the people you need to make such an important decision," the principal said. "We should have a listserv."

I know many of you were looking forward to attending tomorrow's School Reform Commission meeting. But you will have to wait until next week.

A lack of quorum has forced officials to reschedule tomorrow's planning meeting.

But no worries, those fresh-faced Commissioners should be present at the next scheduled meeting, on Sept. 21, 2011, at 2:00 p.m., inside district HQ.

In case you want to testify before the board, you must register by calling 215-400-4180, no later than 4:30 p.m. on the business day before the meeting. You could also go to this site for more information.

Although district officials say they hope to save up to $75 million in concessions from its unions to close a multi-million gap, it doesn't look too promising after yet another one of its union voted to turn down proposed amendments.

The union representing district maintenance workers is the latest union to strike down a tentative deal brokered by the district, a union official with Local 1201 confirmed today. In a vote of 849 to 594, members shot down the deal that included foregoing a 3 percent raise in January. 

Union president George Richezza declined to comment. District spokesman Fernando Gallard said the district will not stop communicating with all of the district's unions.

"We will continue to work with the leadership at 32BJ and its members to meet our goal of savings," he said.

The district seeks to collect $75 million from its unions.

Other unions had also rejected proposals. By a difference of four votes, the principals' union last week rejected a contract proposal with givebacks that included delaying a 3 percent raise and a clause that would require principals to contribute to their health care if the teachers' and maintenance workers' unions did the same.  

Unions for teachers and school police had flat-out refused to renegotiate.

Several blue collar workers in the union, which include district building engineers, mechanics and general cleaners as members, say they're happy the contract didn't go through and hope Richezza does not return to the table.

Read more on this story in tomorrow's Daily News.  

Beginning today, parents and guardians of children entering kindergarten, Head Start and Bright Futures will meet with their pupils' teachers today.

Parent-teacher conferences will last until Sept. 12, across the city. To find out the hours, contact your local school. These meet-and-greets are crucial for everyone involved. Parents, this is the best time to pass on to your student's teacher important information about your child’s likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses and any concerns that you may have. Read more tips from education.com about transitioning to kindergarten.

Kindergarten is such an exciting time for both parents and students. Gone are the days of perpetual play. It's a time of transition from home to the start of more formal schooling.

My five-year-old cousin, who lives in Massachusetts, called me last night (even though she should have been in bed) to remind me about her first day of kindergarten, which is today. I was bubbling with pride and excitement.

This is the beginning of a long journey for her, as it will be for the many other tikes who begin kindergarten in Philadelphia on Sept. 13. 

So, parents do you want to share any first-day-at-kindergarten stories with us? If so, shoot me an email at talesd@phillynews.com. Names do not have to be used. Also, follow me on Twitter @DNSchools.

The summer of Arlene Ackerman-inspired discontent comes to a close Tuesday as students across Philadelphia return to school.

We want to hear about the first day back - whether you're a student, teacher, parent, principal or interested observer.

Are things going well? Are there big problems keeping things from running smoothly? Let us know in the comment section below or by sending an email to Dafney Tales at talesd@phillynews.com.

Or, find Dafney on Twitter @DNSchools