School district
does some restructuring

By Diane Prokop
Times Staff Writer

Former North Region education superintendent Wendy Shapiro, whom Oxford Circle residents know from meetings about construction of the new Fels High School, has been named principal of the W. B. Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences in the city’s Roxborough section.
Lucy Rodriguez Feria takes over Shapiro’s position.
Albert Bichner, deputy chief academic officer for the School District of Philadelphia, said Rodriguez Feria has experience as Central East superintendent and most recently worked with him in the academic office. Bichner described her as a skilled veteran administrator and outstanding leader.
"Wendy was a wonderful regional superintendent. In a previous life, she was also a wonderful high school principal at Mastbaum," Bichner said.
In another move, the former East Region superintendent, Marylouise DeNicola, was transferred to the school district’s office of curriculum and instruction, according to district spokesman Fernando Gallard. She is being replaced by Wilfredo Ortiz, who was superintendent of the Central East region.
Lissa Johnson remains as the Northeast Region superintendent.
The personnel shifts are part of a larger budget-cutting reorganization of the district’s administration. These moves, as well as reducing the number of regions in the school district from 11 to eight, will save the district about $1.4 million. In all, 13 positions have been shifted. Additionally, two to four positions eliminated.
"We have reorganized as part of our budget," said Bichner.
The tightening of the administrative budget was planned before former chief executive officer Paul Vallas left the school district this summer.
Seven of the regions are geographic, in addition to the CEO/EMO region, which includes schools targeted by the school district’s Chief Executive Officer that have unique challenges and are supervised by Educational Management Organizations, according to Bichner.
The seven current geographical regions are the South, Central City, East, West, North, Northwest and Northeast.
The Southwest region was eliminated and the Center City, Central East and Central regions were combined to create the Central City region.
Reporter Diane Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dprokop@phillynews.com