Honoring and congratulating the Philadelphia High School for Girls Principal Lisa Mesi on winning a 2021 Lindback Award for Distinguished Principals.

WHEREAS, Lisa Mesi has been honored by receiving the Lindback Award for her exceptional work as the Principal of the Philadelphia High School for Girls; and

WHEREAS, For the 2020-2021 year, the Lindback Foundation will award 60 distinguished teachers and seven principals from Philadelphia public schools who demonstrate excellence in promoting learning at the highest levels; and

WHEREAS, The Lindback Distinguished Principal Award recognizes and rewards school principals who have made significant leadership and humanitarian contributions to his/her school community; and

WHEREAS, Lisa has served as principal of the Philadelphia High School for Girls (Girls’ High) since 2019; and

WHEREAS, Over the summer of 2020, Lisa, along with community partners, designed a transition program for over 100 incoming students who did not meet the traditional academic admission standards but showed the promise to be a Girls’ High student. This was the first program of its kind in the school’s history; and

WHEREAS, Through this program, the participants scores in math improved by 32%, improved over 70% in English, and by an astounding 221% in science; and

WHEREAS, This summer transition program focused on the social and emotional wellbeing of these students, and taught and encouraged them to ask and advocate for themselves, instilling in them the confidence they needed as they progress in their academic careers; and

WHEREAS, Prior to her current work, Lisa served as Director of the New Principals’ Academy at the School District of Philadelphia, transitioning novice leaders into their new roles as School District of Philadelphia principals through two years of ongoing coaching and professional development; and

WHEREAS, Lisa has also served as the principal of Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin from 2013 - 2016; and

WHEREAS, Under her leadership, AMY at James Martin moved from the 12th to the 3rd ranked middle school overall in one year according to the School District of Philadelphia’s School Progress Report. Additional highlights from her leadership at AMY at James Martin include increasing the school’s “Overall” score by 19%, increasing the “Progress” score by 35%, and receiving the 2015-16 “Peer Leader” award (out of 14 schools); and

WHERERAS, Prior to becoming principal at AMY at James Martin, Lisa was principal at Sheridan West Academy (2011 - 2013) where she led the school to a 9% increase in both Math and English Language Arts PSSA achievement scores; and

WHEREAS, Lisa has been an educator since 1996. Prior to becoming a principal, Lisa served as assistant principal, a Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) representative, student-teacher mentor, leadership/safety/distributed leadership team member, and middle school literacy teacher; and

WHEREAS, Since 2011, Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation of Philadelphia has been recognizing and rewarding school principals and teachers who have made significant leadership and humanitarian contributions to his/her school community; and

WHEREAS, The Lindback Award is particularly critical in this year of the pandemic, where leadership is even more important; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby honor and congratulate the Philadelphia High School for Girls Principal Lisa Mesi on winning a 2021 Lindback Award for Distinguished Principals.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Lisa Mesi, further evidencing the sincere respect of this legislative body.

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