Arlene Ackerman

ONE THING about Arlene Ackerman: You knew she was here. Arlene had a way of generating strong feelings one way or another; loved by many parents and educational advocates, often scorned by politicians, unions and government leaders. Her three-year tenure as Philadelphia's superintendent of public schools that ended in 2011 was a lively one. She seemed to have a knack for annoying the wrong people and being not particularly concerned about it, while endearing herself to many others with her unswerving commitment to the education of children - especially children she felt had long been neglected.

IN A EULOGY that inspired practically everyone inside Bright Hope Baptist Church to jump up and cheer, the Rev. Kevin R. Johnson described Arlene Ackerman as "a woman who dared to dream. " Ackerman, who died at 66 last month of pancreatic cancer, was a lifelong educator whose three-year tenure as head of the Philadelphia School District was rife with controversy. Hundreds of supporters, including politicians, parents and educators, filled the pews Sunday afternoon to memorialize a spirited woman who they said was criticized for not playing politics instead of praised for having a "just-get-it-done" attitude.

A FUNNY thing happened last week: People got angry at Arlene Ackerman for righting a wrong. That followed the superintendent's announcement that the school district had come up with money to preserve full-day kindergarten. The district previously said kindergarten would have to be cut if the city or state didn't pony up more dough. The announcement was awkward because Mayor Nutter had already called for new taxes for those very items. It was made more awkward by Ackerman's telling the mayor she had found the money only an hour before taking the podium.

In advance of the natural disaster called Irene, Arlene Ackerman battered our shores and stormed the ramparts while exhibiting no signs of dissipating after the weekend. She's not blowing out of town. The newly ousted school superintendent was not salved by her almost $1 million payout. Some civil servants joked that Tuesday's earthquake was caused by Ackerman's dropping her wallet. She is Arlene, hear her roar! In the aftermath of her departure, she left a wide swath of devastation, sliming almost everyone in her path.

AS I sifted through my Facebook account, I couldn't help but notice the outpouring of updates on the controversy that ultimately led to School Superintendent Ackerman's highly publicized buyout. Several of my public-school colleagues appeared to be thrilled about Ackerman's departure. There was an overall sense of enthusiasm regarding the possibility of a fresh start in the district. But many were angered by the $905,000 payoff that it took to solidify "The Queen's" grand exit.

Where is Arlene Ackerman? The embattled school superintendent, widely rumored to be at the end of her tenure in Philadelphia, did not attend the School Reform Commission meeting last week. She was not at a Monday news conference on possible state exam cheating in the Philadelphia School District. And she was noticeably absent from Tuesday's Superintendent's 2011 Leadership Conference, an annual meeting that serves as a start to the school year. The event's agenda listed Ackerman as a speaker from 8:45 to 9:10 a.m., but officials told the hundreds of principals and others gathered at Abraham Lincoln High School that she was absent because of circumstances beyond her control.

After trying to get the interview for months, I'm finally sitting with Arlene Ackerman, the superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. We'll get to her own hard-knock Philadelphia story in a minute. But for the moment, we're talking movies. Because these days, you can't have a discussion about urban education without talking about Waiting for "Superman," the acclaimed documentary that chronicles school reform in Washington, New York, and Los Angeles - and the heartbreaking hurdles that students and parents must overcome.

Call it Arlene Ackerman's opening salvo. More than 200 Philadelphia School District staffers received layoff notices this week, a move the new schools chief hopes will begin to de-centralize the district and move resources into classrooms. The employees were all academic coaches, mostly veteran educators who supported teachers in a variety of roles, from technology to mentoring new teachers. The 218 coaches will be eligible to apply for other jobs within the district, and Ackerman said she did not expect anyone to be laid off completely.

Should city schools chief Arlene Ackerman go?

Arlene C. Ackerman, who died of pancreatic cancer at 66 last month, didn't want a Philadelphia memorial service. Her tenure in the city was often a struggle, its final months a bitter public battle. But although the colorful, controversial former school chief had her detractors, there were also many who loved her. More than 200 gathered at Bright Hope Baptist Church in North Philadelphia on Sunday to hail her "warrior heart," as former School Reform Commission Chairwoman Sandra Dungee Glenn put it. Dungee Glenn fought hard to lure Ackerman away from Columbia University, where the longtime teacher, principal, and big-city superintendent was a professor of education until 2008, when she signed a deal to come to Philadelphia.

IN A EULOGY that inspired practically everyone inside Bright Hope Baptist Church to jump up and cheer, the Rev. Kevin R. Johnson described Arlene Ackerman as "a woman who dared to dream. " Ackerman, who died at 66 last month of pancreatic cancer, was a lifelong educator whose three-year tenure as head of the Philadelphia School District was rife with controversy. Hundreds of supporters, including politicians, parents and educators, filled the pews Sunday afternoon to memorialize a spirited woman who they said was criticized for not playing politics instead of praised for having a "just-get-it-done" attitude.

Memorial services have been scheduled for Arlene C. Ackerman, the former superintendent of the Philadelphia School District, in Philadelphia and Albuquerque, N.M. In Philadelphia, a memorial service is set for 3 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at Bright Hope Baptist Church, 1601 N. 12th St. A memorial service in Albuquerque is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, at Fellowship Baptist Church, 8550 Saul Bell Rd. Dr. Ackerman, 66, who was superintendent in...

ONE THING about Arlene Ackerman: You knew she was here. Arlene had a way of generating strong feelings one way or another; loved by many parents and educational advocates, often scorned by politicians, unions and government leaders. Her three-year tenure as Philadelphia's superintendent of public schools that ended in 2011 was a lively one. She seemed to have a knack for annoying the wrong people and being not particularly concerned about it, while endearing herself to many others with her unswerving commitment to the education of children - especially children she felt had long been neglected.

Arlene C. Ackerman, 66, a lifelong educator who led the Philadelphia School District for three years, died Saturday, Feb. 2, of pancreatic cancer at her home in Albuquerque, N.M. Dr. Ackerman was a colorful, controversial figure during her Philadelphia tenure, which lasted until August 2011. She called it her "last stand for kids. " She was a firm believer that all children could achieve, and pushed an agenda that focused on funneling resources to the neediest students. Though her superintendency ended bitterly, Dr. Ackerman won praise - even from those she publicly battled - for her strong personal commitment to children.

THE PHILADELPHIA public schools have finally ended the disastrous Arlene Ackerman era with the announcement of the hiring of Dr. William Hite Jr. from Prince George's County, Md. Hite takes over a district burdened with a huge budget deficit, labor strife and a mediocre record, at best, in educating kids. Hite makes $250,000 in salary and has an array of other perks in his current position. So how much should he be paid to run the Philadelphia schools? Should he have a driver?

Further into privatization abyss The School Reform Commission, after a decade of mismanagement, has finally admitted what those who know something about education have claimed for 10 years: The SRC's model doesn't work ("Students deserve radical reform," Sunday). Instead of finally listening to what will work, the SRC has jumped off the deep end, going even further into the abyss of privatization. The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers is blameless. At the last contract negotiation, then-Superintendent Arlene Ackerman was so pleased that she said she wanted to kiss Jerry Jordan, the president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.

The type of leader who will be hired to become Philadelphia's next superintendent of schools became clearer Tuesday with the district's announcement of a five-year plan to erase a massive budget deficit. The city's two previous superintendents — Arlene Ackerman and, before her, Paul Vallas — were visionaries who brought with them their own master plans to restructure the system and make it more successful academically, if not economically. But by implementing a new road map to the future before replacing Ackerman, who stepped down eight months ago, the School Reform Commission appears to be saying the next superintendent will be expected to follow a path already set for him, or her. That is unless the SRC expects to give the superintendent's job to either the district's interim chief recovery officer, Thomas Knudsen, or chief academic officer Penny Nixon, who together devised the five-year plan.

There will be no $573 weekly check for Arlene Ackerman, whose attempt to collect Pennsylvania unemployment benefits has been denied. Ackerman, the controversial former superintendent of schools, left the Philadelphia School District in August after a bitter public battle over leadership and finances. She told The Inquirer Wednesday night that the state notified her in January that it had rejected her unemployment claim. "Though encouraged to do so, I decided not to appeal the decision," Ackerman wrote in an e-mail.

ARLENE Ackerman is finally done taking from the taxpayers of Pennsylvania. Ackerman, who left her job last year as superintendent of the Philadelphia School District with a $905,000 public buyout, has been rejected in her bid to collect unemployment compensation, district spokesman Fernando Gallard confirmed yesterday. Ackerman told NBC 10 yesterday that she has decided not to fight the denial. "I'm not fighting anymore," she said. "I'm moving on with my life, and I pray for the children of Philadelphia.