Philly’s schools HQ now ‘Constance E. Clayton Education Center’ and other takeaways from this board’s final meeting

It’s official: The Philadelphia School District’s headquarters has been renamed in honor of its longest-tenured superintendent.

The school board moved Thursday night to change the name of the building at 440 N. Broad St. to the “Constance E. Clayton Education Center,” after the Philadelphia native and district graduate who led the system from 1982 until 1993.

Clayton died in September. She was the first woman and the first African American to lead the school system.

» READ MORE: Constance Clayton, Philadelphia’s first Black and female schools superintendent, has died at 89

“Renaming the School District of Philadelphia headquarters in perpetuity to the Constance E. Clayton Education Center would forever highlight the impact Dr. Clayton had on the city of Philadelphia,” said Deirdre Farmbry, who worked as a special assistant to Clayton and later as interim superintendent of the district.

Jerry Jordan, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers president, said Clayton’s superintendency was “firm but fair,” and that changing the name of the building currently informally known as 440, for its North Broad Street address, is “something I know my friend and colleague Dr. Clayton would have loved.”

Thursday felt in some ways like the last day of school: It was the final meeting for the current iteration of the school board, all of whom were named by former Mayor Jim Kenney.

Four sitting members — board president Reginald Streater and members Sarah-Ashley Andrews, ChauWing Lam and Joyce Wilkerson were renominated by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker to serve on her school board.

City Council on Thursday confirmed the appointments of Streater, Andrews and Lam, as well as new members Crystal Cubbage, Cheryl Harper, Whitney Jones, Wanda Novales, and Joan Stern. But it did not consider or advance the nomination of Wilkerson, who has earned the ire of some Council members. Some charter school supporters have also lobbied against Wilkerson.

The eight confirmed board members are expected to be sworn in May 1.

Outgoing board member Julia Danzy, who did not apply for a term on Parker’s board, said she “sat and watched in horror” at Council’s hearing on school board members last week.

“If the litmus test is ‘Would you let the charter schools have what they want?’ there is something wrong with that,” said Danzy.

Danzy, clearly moved and angry, praised Wilkerson, who, Danzy said, educated a new board that entered “dumb as heck.”

“You set the example of what we want all of us to be: Stand tall and be, for children, what is right,” Danzy said

Wilkerson herself said she “could not be prouder of where we are in Philadelphia when we made the transition from state control to local control,” but she has not addressed the Council holdup.

Most of the eight board members — former vice president Mallory Fix-Lopez resigned a few weeks early to deal with a medical matter — highlighted issues important to them in farewell remarks.

Lisa Salley asked the incoming board to “hold the district accountable,” and charged it with helping Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. “getting the train back on the track.”

And, Salley said, “include all types of schools in your work — the legacy public schools, charter schools, and cyber charter schools.” Salley, who was seen as a charter supporter, often clashed with Streater. She sought reappointment but was not chosen by Parker to serve again.

Cecelia Thompson and Leticia Egea-Hinton also raised their hands to serve on the Parker board but were passed over.

Danzy spoke plainly about the charter-versus-traditional-public-school debate that often plagues the city.

“Stop fighting each other and come together,” said Danzy. She added a parting exhortation to those who criticize the district.

“We’ve started a movement,” Danzy said. “You can come with us, or you can sit back and complain.”