Among the schools to see changes are Germantown High, where a student broke a teacher's neck in February, and West Philadelphia High, where the principal was replaced in March after complaints about student assaults on staff.
Also in line for new leadership will be the district's flagship High School of the Future, which saw the surprise resignation of its principal. Shirley Grover, hired by the district in 2005, left for personal reasons this month, officials said.
The district had recruited Grover, a Maine native, from a private school in Italy. She spent her first year in the district preparing for the opening of the West Philadelphia-based school, built in partnership with Microsoft Corp. The school opened in September, attracting international attention with its advanced technology and features.
Her departure was a blow to the district, officials said.
"It's very difficult when resignations come suddenly during the summer. We're going to have to overcome some obstacles for sure," said Albert Bichner, the district's deputy chief academic officer.
The district has started a national search for Grover's replacement. Grover could not be reached for comment.
Another surprise came when longtime Girls High principal Geraldine Myles announced her retirement recently. The magnet school also is searching for a replacement.
Several of the new high school principals have never run large high schools. But two have gone through the district's training program, which was revamped a couple of years ago with a $3.4 million Broad Foundation grant. The trainees, who already have their principal certificates but opt for the extra-intensive experience, spend a year shadowing a top-notch district principal and taking classes on national and local leadership trends.
"I am very confident in these principals," said Karen Kolsky, who heads the training program.
