Educator. Civic Leader.  Arts Advocate

Educated in Philadelphia public schools, Dr. Clayton attended the prestigious Philadelphia High School for Girls, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Temple University, and a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. Dr. Clayton eventually became the first Black woman superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. A hands-on administrator who spoke clearly and forthrightly about the issues facing Philadelphia schools, Dr. Clayton was a strong force in the community and respected the opinions of teachers and others on the front lines of excellence. Reflecting on her tenure and accomplishments over a thirty-seven-year career, Dr. Clayton recalled, “I made every decision based on what was good for our kids’. We had no strikes and we did not have a single deficit. We did not delete music or art.”