New Harrisburg superintendent outlines roadmap to close achievement gaps, expand interventions and recruit staff

Dr. Benjamin Henry, superintendent of Harrisburg School District, presented a first‑year update to Harrisburg City Council outlining priorities to close student achievement gaps, expand interventions and rebuild community trust.

Henry said he arrived Nov. 1 and has spent his first months meeting community members and stakeholders. He presented a “roadmap to success” built on five pillars: academic success, continued improvement, student and staff voice, accountability via data, and partnership with the community. Henry said the district recently exited state receivership but remains academically underperforming and that closing the education gap is a central focus.

As a near‑term instructional intervention, Henry described a spring pilot of a reading intervention (referred to in the presentation as a corrective reading program) at Ben Franklin and Roland schools that, he said, showed measurable gains. The district plans a staggered rollout: four elementary schools will onboard the program in the fall, the remainder of elementary and middle schools in the spring, and high schools the following year. Henry emphasized the district will not rush implementation and wants to ensure proper support for each school.

Henry also described workforce strategies to address teacher shortages — with professional development intended to “grow our own” teachers, principals and administrators — and plans to redesign kindergarten classrooms to encourage collaboration and 21st‑century learning. He said the district will expand multi‑tiered systems of support (MTSS), positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS), and social‑emotional learning programs to address post‑COVID learning gaps and behavioral needs.

Council members asked about school safety and parent engagement. Councilman Jones, who chairs public safety, said safety is a prerequisite for instructional progress and urged collaboration between the district and public safety partners. Henry said PBIS and SEL are part of the district’s approach to safety and that if students do not feel safe, schools cannot teach.

Council members also encouraged more civics education and stronger parent involvement; Jones and others suggested incentives and paid roles for parents to increase presence in schools. Henry said the district wants to be visible and build trust and that business partnerships and cooperative opportunities for students will be expanded.

Council members praised the return of after‑school programs and a recent musical, and several members offered continued assistance and collaboration. Henry said the district will post the three‑ and five‑year plans on its website and welcomed continued council engagement.