WHEREAS, Arlene Ackerman served as the Superintendent of the Philadelphia School District from 2008 until 2011; and
WHEREAS, Superintendent Ackerman established the Philadelphia School District's Parent University to bridge the academic gap that disproportionately affects lower income families; and
WHEREAS,
Philadelphia establishing Parent University garnered national attention including write ups in the Huffington Post and stories on CNN; and
WHEREAS, Parent University provides an educational platform to build strong parent- teaching community that increase student success in all of the District public schools; and
WHEREAS, Parent University offers training in life skills such as character development and financial literacy and equips families with tools that can encourage their children to become successful; and
WHEREAS, Parent University collaborates with adult literacy programs and higher education institutions to fulfill the commitment to the City of Philadelphia's education initiative to increase the number of residents going to college; and
WHEREAS,
Parent University provides resources and collaborative opportunities for adults who wish to achieve their own personal academic and non-academic goals; and
WHEREAS, Parent University has allowed parents to reach new goals and by increasing their involvement in their child's education, has created a more nurturing environment for their child's academic success; and
WHEREAS, Without Superintendent Ackerman's vision and forward thinking, Parent University would have never been established; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, That we hereby call on the School District of Philadelphia to rename Parent University after the late Arlene C. Ackerman.
End