Sector
District
Grade Levels
K-8
Student Enrollment
620
Neighborhood
Olney
Education
M.S.Ed. Elementary Education,
Administrative Certification,
Cabrini University
M.Ed. Elementary Education,
Chestnut Hill College
B.A. Liberal Arts,
Franklin & Marshall College
April Brown
Principal, Thomas K. Finletter Academics Plus School
School District of Philadelphia
2020 Neubauer Fellow
“I serve as a principal to educate students and families for liberation through an equity and social justice lens.”
April serves as Principal of Thomas K. Finletter School, a role she took on in 2022. Prior to that, she served as Principal of Talent Partner Specialty for the School District of Philadelphia where she worked with principals and talent partners to support talent acquisition and retention with the belief and foundation that principals are the Chief Talent Officer of a school. Previously, April served as the principal of Laura Wheeler Waring Elementary School since 2016. Under her leadership, Waring Elementary School’s K-5th grades achieved an 18.9% increase in the year-over-year AIMSweb Assessment reading scores and a 17% increase of students reading on grade level. Additionally, the school has been recognized for three years of positive growth on the School Progress Report (SPR) for improvements in attendance and climate.
April has been an educator since 2001. Prior to becoming a principal, April served as teacher, professional development specialist, adjunct professor and assistant principal. In 2018-2019 April was a participant in the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders’ Performance Partner program. In 2019, April was a recipient of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Principal Leadership. April grew up in Philadelphia, PA and attended Bodine High School for International Affairs.