Philly schools losing another key administrator
Grace Cannon, executive director of the Office of New School Models, leaves after she helped launch three new schools last year.
ONE YEAR after getting three new high schools off the ground, the Philadelphia School District's head of new school models is hitting the road.
Grace Cannon, who was hired in 2013 to direct the newly-created Office of New School Models, left the district yesterday, a spokesman said. She will become the head of corporate and foundation relations at Settlement Music School, one of the country's oldest arts schools, based in Philadelphia.
Cannon helped launch Building 21, The U School and LINC, all project-based citywide admission high schools which opened last September.
Her departure is the latest in a series of changes at the district's central office. Since the school year ended, the embattled district has said goodbye to its deputy superintendent, chief financial officer and chief academic supports officer. It has also hired four new executives and six new assistant superintendents.
One of those new assistant superintendents - Chris Lehmann - will be charged with filling Cannon's role while a search is conducted for her replacement. Lehmann, who oversees all of the district's so-called innovation schools, will also serve as co-principal of Science Leadership Academy, the school he founded.
"Grace did incredible work," Lehmann said yesterday. "She's been a wonderful colleague, and I wish her all the best."
-Solomon Leach