Chuanika Sanders-Thomas

Chuanika serves as an Executive Leadership Coach for the School District of Philadelphia, where she partners with school leaders and senior executives to strengthen leadership capacity, enhance school culture, and drive student success. In this role, she provides individualized executive leadership coaching and facilitates professional development focused on equity-centered leadership, strategic decision-making, and operational excellence.

Before stepping into this districtwide role, Chuanika served as the principal of James Logan School from 2009 to 2021. Under her leadership, the school experienced significant growth, increasing its School Progress Report rating from Intervene (22%) to Reinforce (63%), with the school receiving official district recognition for this achievement in 2020. This progress was driven by targeted academic interventions and programs that improved instructional quality and student outcomes. Notably, the percentage of students attending 95% of school days or more rose by 7% during the 2017-2018 school year. Student achievement in 5th-grade math and 4th-grade ELA also improved, with reductions in students scoring below basic levels. Logan earned district-wide recognition for excellence in school climate and safety, and consistently won top awards at the district’s annual technology fair. The school was also designated a Community School by Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Office of Education.

Chuanika began her career as an elementary and middle school teacher, advancing to leadership roles as a teacher leader, assistant principal, and principal at Penn Wood Middle School, where she led measurable gains in math and reading achievement. A Philadelphia native and graduate of the Philadelphia High School for Creative & Performing Arts, Chuanika is a proud recipient of the Community School Leader Service Award from the City of Philadelphia, a City Council Citation for Leadership and Service to the Community, and the Senate of Pennsylvania Certificate of Recognition.