Principals announced for four city turnaround schools

The principals of two city elementary schools slated for academic overhauls will remain to lead the efforts, the School District of Philadelphia announced Monday.

Two other elementary schools targeted for district-run turnarounds will get new leaders.

"We are excited to welcome two new school leaders and retain two veteran principals in support of our new turnaround model," Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. said in the announcement.

"Effective school leadership is key to this work," he said. "We could not be more pleased to have found administrators who share our vision for student progress, staff collaboration, parent engagement, and community involvement."

Stephanie Andrewlevich will remain at S. Weir Mitchell in Kingsessing. Andrea Coleman-Hill will continue as the top administrator at E.W. Rhodes in North Philadelphia.

Mitchell was the subject of a recent newspaper article that described how Andrewlevich and the school's many staffers go out of their way to find resources and help for students, who all live below the poverty line.

The district said that in her first year at Mitchell, Andrewlevich had improved the school's climate by emphasizing collaborative instruction and developing bonds with parents and the community.

Coleman-Hill, who has been principal of Rhodes since 2013, was credited with working with a leadership team to improve instruction and create a culture that fosters learning.

The district said Ariel Lajara, an assistant principal at Olney Charter High School in Olney, will become the principal of Munoz-Marin in North Philadelphia.

Matthew Hayes, an assistant principal in Lancaster's Manheim Township School District, was tapped to be the principal at Roosevelt Elementary in East Germantown. Hayes is a former science teacher and dean of students at Roosevelt.

The district said the two new principals were selected from more than 60 applicants.

National and local politicians and union officials recently announced they opposed Hite's turnaround plans for all four schools after touring Rhodes.

martha.woodall@phillynews.com215-854-2789@marwooda