A Message from Dr. Wilson, Interim Principal
Dear Mary McLeod Bethune School Community,
It is with humility, great excitement, and a deep sense of responsibility that I introduce myself as your new Interim Principal. As a proud graduate of John Bartram High School, a third-generation educator, and a lifelong Philadelphia native with 29 years of service in our district, I am honored to join you. My path in education—from studying English at East Stroudsburg University and secondary education at Saint Joseph’s University to earning my doctorate at Gwynedd Mercy University—has always been driven by a desire to serve. I am eager to listen to your stories, learn from your experiences, and work alongside you to build upon the beautiful traditions already in place at Bethune.
I approach leadership through a lens of listening, partnership, and service. This is why I am deeply committed to a Shared Governance Model—a philosophy rooted in the belief that a school thrives when leadership is collaborative rather than top-down. To me, shared governance means that every teacher, counselor, and staff member has a voice in our mission and a stake in our decisions. I view my role as a partner to our faculty, here to lift up your expertise and ensure your insights drive our next chapter. You will see me actively present in our hallways, cafeteria, and play areas every day, because I believe real leadership happens out in the open. I am here to serve as a steady anchor for our school community, working side-by-side with you to ensure our classrooms are joyful and our entire team feels valued, heard, and supported.
A thriving school community relies on open, honest, and humble collaboration between the school, the home, and the neighborhood. I am fully committed to working closely with our School Advisory Council (SAC) and our Family and Community Engagement (FACE) staff. My goal is to listen closely to your feedback, lift up parent voices, and invite our local partners to join us in supporting our classrooms.
As we step into this next chapter together, our team will focus on these core commitments to support our children:
- A Safe, Nurturing Climate: We want every child to feel safe, known, and valued. We will focus on positive, predictable routines and support our staff with trauma-informed and restorative practices so that our school remains a peaceful, joy-filled place to learn.
- Support for Teachers and Growth: Drawing on my 16 years as a school leader, my primary focus will be supporting our teachers through hands-on mentoring and teamwork. Together, we will look at student data honestly to make sure we are meeting every child’s reading and math needs.
- Guiding Student Transitions: Every stage from Pre K to 8th grade brings unique changes. Having worked closely with district transition data, I want to ensure our youngest learners build strong roots early, and our middle schoolers are gently guided and prepared for their next steps into high school.
- Enriching Academics: We will continue to offer strong academic foundations in ELA and Math, caring early childhood spaces, and wonderful opportunities in our Dance, STEM, and African American Studies programs.
- Care for Every Learner: Having recently worked with the district’s Office of Special Education and Diverse Learners, my heart is in making sure our Special Education and English Learner (EL) programs are deeply integrated. Grounded in my personal research on student belonging, I believe every single child belongs here and deserves the right tools to grow.
Real progress only happens when we work together. In alignment with the School District of Philadelphia’s goals, I am here to build a transparent, trusting partnership with Bethune families and our North Philadelphia Community. Thank you so much for welcoming me into your community. I look forward to meeting you all and working together for our students.
Warmly,
Michele L. Wilson, Ed.D.
Interim Principal
Mary McLeod Bethune School
A Message from Assistant Principal Frye-Thompson
Dear Bethune Family,
My name is Assistant Principal Frye-Thompson. I am excited for the upcoming school year. My core values as an educator are providing high-quality and equitable learning experiences for scholars in Philadelphia. I believe
the Bethune community is committed to building a firm educational foundation that will enable scholars to become life-long learners prepared to serve local and global communities.
I feel privileged to continue the legacy of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune by supporting our scholars’ learning and encouraging them to become empowered servants.
Let’s lean on each other and get into the work!
Assistant Principal Frye-Thompson