No more regional heads, Tribune reports

This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.

The District is getting rid of its regional superintendents and plans to reuse its regional offices as "Parent and Family Resource Centers," according to a exclusive report in the Philadelphia Tribune this weekend.

The Tribune article, by Eric Mayes, says its information is from a District statement, including staff changes, released on Friday. The Notebook is awaiting comment from the District on the reported changes.

The Tribune says that in lieu of regional superintendents, who now supervise principals in their geographic area, there will be three assistant superintendents for elementary education, one for middle schools, one for high schools, one for alternative schools, and one for Promise Academies. All will report to Penny Nixon, whose new role is associate superintendent of schools. Nixon had served as interim regional superintendent for the Northwest region since last fall, and before that as principal of Wagner Middle School.

Along with Nixon, other associate superintendents will include Tomas Hanna, whose new post is associate superintendent of academic support, and David Weiner, now associate superintendent of academics and curriculum.

A District spokesperson did confirm one new hire from the outside: a new communications chief, Lisa Mastoon, appointed chief public information officer.

Two members of Superintendent Arlene Ackerman’s old leadership team appear to be demoted in this latest round of shakeups. Former Chief of School Operations John Frangipani will now report to Nixon as assistant superintendent for middle schools. A new job title for former Chief Communications Officer Evelyn Sample-Oates has not been announced, but news reports say that she will be responsible for District communications organs including PSTV.