Excitement was high as Temple University celebrated the launch of a long-awaited collaboration at the Tanner G. Duckrey School in North Philadelphia. 

Temple has joined with the School District of Philadelphia to form the Temple Partnership Schools Network (TPSN). The collaboration is aimed at improving student outcomes, supporting families, and strengthening community ties. 

This initiative enables Temple’s College of Education and Human Development to integrate educator preparation, faculty expertise, professional development and research directly into participating schools, with Duckrey—located just blocks from Main Campus—serving as the first. 

“This partnership is just the latest example of the College of Education and Human Development’s historic mission of preparing educators, school leaders and researchers to be strongly invested in equity, justice and community engagement,” John Fry, president of Temple University, said during the launch event held Aug. 21 at Duckrey School. 

“I think we could argue today that mission has never been more important to our country than it is right now and we are standard bearers for that,” Fry added. “We are very excited to demonstrate our commitment to place-based impact through this partnership.” 

Located near Temple’s Main Campus, Duckrey became the first school to join TPSN. Mary McLeod Bethune School and Paul Dunbar School are slated to come on board in the future. 

As this collaboration grows, Temple and the school district seek to accomplish five goals: enhance pre-K–12 student success, advance educator preparation, strengthen learning for school-based professionals, deepen family and community engagement, and generate research that impacts practice. 

TPSN’s overall effort aligns with Temple’s strategic plan, Forward with Purpose. The plan outlines a path for strengthening student success, advancing research with public impact and deepening Temple’s role in Philadelphia. 

The partnership was championed by Monika Williams Shealey, dean of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). 

“Tanner Duckrey School, now a part of the Temple Partnership Schools Network, is the site for research to practice innovation,” she said. “It is the place where we put the research into action. 

“At Temple’s College of Education and Human Development we believe that Philadelphia is our classroom,” Shealey continued. “That means our work does not end at the boundaries of our campus.” 

Temple will have a strong presence at Duckrey this year, with students and staff coming from CEHD, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, and other schools and colleges across campus. 

Shealey addressed Temple’s role in partnering with the school. “Let’s be clear. This is not Temple coming to Duckrey to save Duckrey,” she said. “We are here to learn, to listen, to contribute and build together.” 

For Duckrey Principal David Cohen, partnering with Temple University represents the realization of a dream that was 14 years in the making. 

“It has been a dream from the first day I stepped foot at Duckrey, looking and seeing that T everywhere. We are living that dream now,” Cohen said. 

School district staff, Temple staff, elected officials and community members turned out for the launch event, which featured performances by the Temple Spirit Squad and the Murrell Dobbins Career and Technical High School Drumline. 

Event speakers applauded the new initiative and thanked Temple for investing resources at Duckrey School. 

Brenda Elliott, deputy superintendent for the School District of Philadelphia, expressed her excitement for Temple’s investment in the partnership. Elliott said she is excited about this investment because not only are there substantial resources being invested in this school to support children, there is also significant support for the teaching staff and other professionals in this building, as well as for growing and training future educators through Temple University. 

“This is truly, for me and the school district, a historic moment,” she said. “We look forward to many other schools coming on board to be a part of this partnership. We look forward to the incredible outcomes that it will create in the city.” 

Debora Carrera, chief education officer for the City of Philadelphia, spoke about the network becoming something to be replicated. 

“The Temple Partnership Schools Network is going to be a model for the city of Philadelphia that we will have to replicate,” she said. 

City Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr. hailed Temple for launching this partnership. 

“Temple is stepping up to the plate,” he said. “They are putting their resources where their mouth is and we’re going to continue to make sure these programs like this expand and grow across North Philadelphia and across the city.”