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Philadelphia School District CEO Paul Vallas will address largest graduating class ever at Manor College annual Commencement Exercises

Philadelphia School District CEO Paul Vallas will be the commencement speaker when Manor College, Jenkintown, graduates its largest class ever on Thursday, May 17, 2007.

Of the 189 students scheduled to graduate, 38 will receive Associate in Arts degrees, 133 are receiving Associate in Science degrees and 18 will receive certificates. Graduation will be held in the college gymnasium at 700 Fox Chase Road, Jenkintown, beginning at 6:45 pm. The Commencement Liturgy begins at 5:00 pm.

Willow Grove resident and Manor College student Joe Speziale will deliver the commencement oration. A Computer Science major, Speziale graduates with a 4.08 grade point average and is a member of Phi Theta Kapa, the international Honor Society for two-year colleges and Alpha Beta Gamma, the Honor Society for business students at two-year colleges.

Appointed chief executive officer for the Philadelphia School District in 2002, Vallas has implemented sweeping district-wide reforms in Philadelphia, duplicating many of the approaches that changed Chicago’s public school system from one of the worst in the nation to a nationally recognized model for education reform. His reforms have created safer schools, better trained teachers, a unified curriculum, more support for students of special needs and a fiscal plan that improves the financial health of the district. After July 1, 2007, Vallas will become the superintendent of the New Orleans Recovery School District.

Ten dollar t-shirts will be sold before and after graduation as part of Manor College’s participation in Pennsylvania United, a Pennsylvania-Wide solidarity project involving 33 Pennsylvania colleges and universities banding together to raise money to establish scholarships in the name of each victim of the tragedy at Virginia Tech.
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Paul G. Vallas was appointed in July of 2002 as Chief Executive Officer for the School District of Philadelphia. He is implementing sweeping District-wide reforms in Philadelphia, duplicating many of the approaches that changed Chicago’s Public School system from one of the worst in the nation to a nationally recognized model for education reform.

In Philadelphia, Vallas’ reforms are creating safer schools, better-trained teachers, a unified curriculum, more support for students with special needs and a fiscal plan that improves the financial health of the District. His approach to reforming the District is one of inclusion because parents, staff, community organizations, religious institutions and the City of Philadelphia all deserve a say in their schools.

In his first year at the helm of the Philadelphia public school system, Vallas put in place new initiatives that included: after school and summer school programs, a transitional program for students returning from court-appointed placements, a Saturday program for chronically disruptive students and a parent truancy officer program. He installed a new Code of Conduct for students and a “zero tolerance” policy for infractions. His administration also launched a comprehensive academic overhaul of the system’s high schools as well as a five-year, $1.5 billion capital program that is building an unprecedented number of new schools and accomplishing major renovations to many existing ones.

Since then, the Vallas administration has brought new programs to scale, reduced class size in kindergarten through third grade, implemented new, system-wide math and literacy curriculums and distributed $18 million in textbooks and other materials to support them.

Under Vallas’ leadership, on May 25, 2004, the School District of Philadelphia adopted its first balanced budget in seven years. This $1.9 billion operating budget funds programs that further strengthen early childhood education and literacy, build academic achievement, create safer, more orderly schools, enhance community collaborations and make Philadelphia’s public schools more equitable.

Before coming to Philadelphia, Vallas served as the Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools from 1995 to 2001. While there, he transformed the nation’s third largest school system from what was thought of as “the worst in the country” to “a model for the nation.” Vallas initiated a broad series of educational reforms to reverse the system’s persistent failure. He eliminated a projected four-year shortfall of $1.3 billion within two years and balanced the system’s budget each year thereafter. Vallas fully restored financial stability to the Chicago Public Schools, which earned thirteen bond rating upgrades within a six year period.

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Delivering the commencement oration at this year's annual Graduation Ceremony is Willow Grove resident Joe Speziale. A Business Administration/Computer Science major, Joe graduates with a grade point average of 4.08.

Joe began at Manor in the fall of 2004 as a part-time student before going full-time for the last two years. This year, Joe has served as vice-president of the Honor Society for two-year colleges, Phi Theta Kappa, and has also been a member of the Alpha Beta Gamma the honor society for business students at two-year colleges.

In addition to serving as a work study student in the IT department for the last two years, Joe has been very involved in other campus activities, including Rotaract, a student club sponsored by Rotary International.

After graduating from Manor College, Joe plans to transfer to a four-year institution to receive his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, after which he hopes to land a job in a, “nice stable company as an MIS or IT Director.”

Joe speaks highly of his Manor experience and has particularly enjoyed the small, intimate environment and personal attention he has received at Manor, stating that, “Everyone on campus is so genuine; everyone is here to help.

“Not just with academics,” he continued, “but with personal stuff. You really aren’t just a number at Manor.”

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Please Join Us in Supporting PENNSYLVANIA UNITED A Pennsylvania –Wide Solidarity Project for VIRGINIA TECH

Please join Manor College and 33 other Pennsylvania Colleges and Universities who have banded together to raise money to establish scholarships in the name of each of the victims of the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BUY A $10 T-SHIRT

The t-shirts will be on sale in the Bookstore
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