Neubauer Fellows Community

Alexa Dunn

Educational Consultant
North Star Collaborative, LLC
2020 Neubauer Fellow
Sector
Consultant
Education
M.A. English Education, Teachers College Columbia University
Principal Certification, Drexel University
B.A., Colgate University
“Every student has amazing power and potential. We are responsible for nurturing student voice and leadership. To this end, I build the capacity of my staff to create relevant, meaningful, connected, and innovative educational experiences for students and families. I serve to prepare students for the best college and career outcomes possible and give them the tools to lead productive, civically-engaged lives.”

Alexa is an educational consultant with North Star Collaborative, LLC. In this role, with a commitment to equity-based practices, she seeks to empower leaders to be the best authentic versions of themselves, to hold students at the center, and to effect positive change in their schools.

Previously, Alexa served as the principal of Walter B. Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences, a Career and Technical Education school in the School District of Philadelphia (2018-2022). Under her leadership, Saul achieved a 17% increase in students attending 95% or more of scheduled time, along with an 11% decrease in truancy and lateness. Students also achieved a 65% increase in proficient and a 75% increase in advanced Biology Benchmark scores. Saul also became an Agriculture and Youth Organization Grant Recipient, Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Recipient, and winner of the Philadelphia Insectarium’s Eco-Sculpture Contest. In 2021, Saul was awarded a Silver Medal at the PHS Flower Show for its Horticulture program’s exhibit. Saul was one of two high schools to exhibit at the show, and the only School District of Philadelphia school.

Over Alexa’s four-year tenure, Walter B. Saul High School decreased suspensions for fighting from 21 suspensions in 2018-19 to 11 suspensions in 2021-2022, or about 50%, and overall suspensions went from 40 to 15. Alexa attributes the dramatic decrease to a focus on socio-emotional wellbeing, advisory programming, relationship building, restorative practices, and mediations, with particular focus in the tumultuous year returning from COVID.

In the 2021-2022 year, Saul enrolled 25 students in a dual enrollment program with West Chester University and Steppingstones Scholars; in 2022, the program will increase by 100% to serve 50 students. Additionally, Saul has a 9th grade On Track rate of 79%, up about 40% in four years and up about 15% since last year.

Alexa has been an educator since 2000. Prior to becoming a principal, Alexa served as a teacher, founding faculty member of Science Leadership Academy (SLA), academic coach, professional learning specialist, and adjunct faculty at University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education’s Urban Teaching Program. Alexa grew up in Philadelphia and attended Germantown Friends School.

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