School panel could see dramatic changes

The Philadelphia School Reform Commission could change dramatically in the new year as four of its five members' terms expire Jan. 18.

But three of the four are hoping to be reappointed to their unpaid positions governing the 167,000-student school district, according to sources.

SRC Chairwoman Sandra Dungee Glenn and Martin Bednarek, both appointed by former Mayor John F. Street, have told Mayor Nutter that they would like to remain, Nutter confirmed during an interview.

"I've had meetings and discussions with both. We've talked about their service, their interest, their commitment to the School Reform Commission. Beyond that, I'm not going to talk about our private conversations," Nutter said.

Glenn, president of the nonprofit American Cities Foundation, and Bednarek, CEO of the Washington Savings Association, did not return Daily News phone calls seeking comment.

Heidi Ramirez, who was appointed by Gov. Rendell in March 2008 to complete the term of businessman James Nevels, also wants to remain, according to several sources.

Ramirez, director of Temple University's Urban Education Collaborative, declined to comment through a district spokesman.

James Gallagher, who, like Glenn, has served on the commission for its entire seven-year existence, is said to be planning to move on, sources said.

Gallagher, who did not return a phone call seeking comment, retired as president of Philadelphia University in 2007. He was appointed to an initial seven-year term on the commission by then-Gov. Mark Schweiker, a Republican.

If Gallagher leaves, it would mean that for the first time the commission would have no members who were appointed by a Republican governor. The initial commission in 2002 had three Republicans appointed by Schweiker and two Democrats appointed by Street.

The fifth member of the commission, Denise McGregor Armbrister, was appointed by Gov. Rendell in 2007 to a term that expires in 2012. Armbrister is executive director of the Wachovia Regional Foundation.

The commission was created following the December 2001 state takeover of the school district, after years of financial turmoil and poor academic performance.

Since then, student scores on state math and reading exams have steadily climbed but still lag behind the state's average scores.

Although state law gives the governor four appointments to the commission and the mayor one, in the spirit of cooperation Rendell - and Schweiker before him - allowed the mayor to make two appointments.

Appointees of the governor serve five-year renewal terms; the mayor's appointees serve four-year terms, according to state law.

"We will forward our nominees to the Senate on or about January 18 and will have no further comment prior to that," said Chuck Ardo, a spokesman for Rendell.

Of Glenn and Bednarek, Mayor Nutter said: "I've worked with both, obviously, during the course of the year, and I think the School Reform Commission as a body has made some progress."

Among the year's highlights, he said, was the hiring of Superintendent Arlene Ackerman and the contract agreement reached with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.

"There's still work to be done, but when I think of where we started six months ago, we were facing a $35 million deficit. That's all but closed now," Ackerman said after a December commission meeting.

"My administrative team has come together, but I believe we have a really strong governance team," she said.

"Even when there are disagreements about how to get there, where we're going, there is no disagreement. I think that makes it a lot easier within the staff to focus and get the work done."