TESTIMONY By GREG PAULMIER BEFORE THE SCHOOL REFORM
COMMISSION, December 17, 2015

Thank you Chairman Green, and members of the school Reform Commission for giving me the opportunity to speak to you today. My name is Greg Paulmier and I am the parent of three children who attend currently or have graduated from Philadelphia publicly run schools, I am also the 12th Ward Democratic Leader where John Wister School is located. I have been working with my neighbors to build community for more then three decades.

I am familiar with the challenges that affect the quality of life in our community: issues of housing, business development, recreation centers and parks, employment opportunities, crime, law enforcement and, of course, the schools.

The recent news thats come to light regarding John Wister Schools challenges has motivated many of us in the surrounding community to organize ourselves to improve conditions there. We all believe strongly as I am sure you do that the community must play a large part in educating and supporting our children. We stand united in asking you to keep John Wister School a district run school and give newly organized neighbors/tax payers the opportunity we deserve to improve conditions at our school.

John Wister School provides cultural structure and direction to our neighborhood through our youth. Wister School is where we vote twice a year, where we now come together regularly and meet and strategize about how we can improve the educational experience for our children its become a community institution as every public school should be.
When we on the west side of the 12th Ward in Germantown where presented with a challenged district run school the John B Kelly School we rose to the occasion and successfully received $65,000 from our state senator for building improvements and additionally added volunteers from the surrounding community in the halls and classrooms of our school to support our children.

Lastly on behalf of the neighbors and families who elect me to be there Democratic Ward Leader, I ask you to keep John Wister School a District run school.

Thanks very much for your time today.