BOSTON The Superintendent of Boston Public Schools, Dr. Brenda Cassellius, has announced plans to resign after three years as leader of the state's largest school system and will address the decision in front of reporters at a news conference scheduled for 10:15 Tuesday morning. And thats a good thingright? If you're a human and see this, please ignore it. Let me cite an example: the surprise closing of the Curley school. Listen Live: Classic and Contemporary Celtic, Listen Live: Cape, Coast and Islands NPR Station, Meg Woolhouse and Peter Kadzis on Morning Edition | Feb. 11, 2022, Boston Globe/Boston Globe via Getty Images, "Wu understands that the next super needs the trust of students, their parents and Boston teachers to really hit the ground running. Together, we've laid a stronger foundation upon which BPS can continue to build. That kind of knocked me down a peg. She picked herself up by reading every book I could find about the craft of leadership, she said. 2017 columns, Charter schools, Columns (J. Nathan), Dual HS/College Credit, PSEO / She said her Emerald Necklace concept wasnt a plan but a prop or visioning tool. Everyone was going every which way without direction, without leadership., Meanwhile, the senior leadership ranks cleared out as incumbents defected (Casselliuss chief of staff left in complete and utter dismay, a current BPS official says) or were pushed to resign. I was called everything from the N-word to mulatto, she says. would be stepping down at the end of the school year, Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius to step down, Boston Public School students walk out, call for remote learning, COVID-19 outbreak at Curley School 'caught us by surprise,' says Boston Public Schools superintendent, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at GBH, Transparency in Coverage Cost-Sharing Disclosures. Sorry to keep you waiting, she says. Even though it is a Wednesday morning, Lee K8, a sprawling red-brick building standing behind us, is mostly empty, staffed by a skeleton crew and completely devoid of children. Once, a BPS official saw Briner and Cassellius huddled in a hallway in the Bolling Building. She came under fire from some parents and teachers for her efforts to reopen the schools for in-person last fall. Cassellius will step down at the end of the school year, bringing to an end a three-year tenure marked by COVID-19 upheaval and leaving Boston's new mayor with major decisions on the education and policing fronts. Will new reporting & school support systems help students? School officials under Walsh tightly controlled the search process when Cassellius was hired and now the school committee says it wont divulge details of the separation agreement until next month. MCA Reading Test Vocabulary Flashcards Quizlet. COVID was an incredible challenge. It has been this way since March, when Cassellius and Mayor Marty Walsh decided to shut down every school in the district. But why stop there? Cassellius, who was pursuing several jobs at the time, said she felt especially drawn to the Hub. Seven, or eight, or nine superintendents in a relatively short period of time? The swiftness of criticism, she told me, and the willingness to condemn, its something uniquely Boston. You can do this. She succeeded Tommy Chang who resigned after three years. It was like out of a movie, the official says, like she was propping up the queen who you know is not up to the task., Briner said she did not recall this specific episode but that the comments sounded like something she would say to any colleague going through a difficult moment., In an interview in a BPS classroom, Cassellius dismissed her critics as disgruntled employees. I want you to run academics for Memphis middle schools, Johnson told Cassellius, assuring her she could handle the job overseeing 31 principals, many of them decades older than her. The plan, which was pursued without Casselliuss knowledge, was never consummated. To say that Casselliuss daily life in Boston has not been smooth is something of an understatement. Secretary Cardona to Visit Los Angeles High School of the Arts, Join Roundtable with Parents to Discuss the Importance of Mental Health Services for Students On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona will continue touring schools in Southern California with a visit to Los Angeles High School of the Arts at Robert F. Kennedy . As she traveled the city on her listening tour, Cassellius issued a flurry of staffing directives that often went unannounced and unexplained. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Campbell Brown (journalist) Alma Dale Campbell Brown (born June 14, 1968) is the head of global news partnerships at Facebook and a former American television news reporter and anchorwoman. Massachusetts could get another snowstorm Friday: What areas were the jackpot zones in this past storm? At the Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, for instance, she wowed teachers and parents when she started communicating with children in American Sign Language. And Ms. Cassellius has proven to be not a good administrator. Midday, I say. [], Joe Nathan / Does the union get to dictate policy? Back in the cafeteria, before we leave, she nods with approval as an administrator explains the schools grocery-distribution system. She was also a finalist for a state superintendent job in Michigan. Yet even by the standards of a city that has had five superintendents in the past decade, Casselliuss first year and a half on the job since arriving from Minnesota, where she served as the commissioner of the Department of Education, has been tumultuous. In Minnesota, he explained, he and Cassellius shared a frustration that an entrenched bureaucracy stood in the way of bold change. Superintendent Brenda Cassellius: "Working alongside so many people - parents, educators, community and faith leaders, and philanthropic partners - all dedicated to helping our children achieve their dreams has given new meaning to my vision of all hands on deck. Students in the zip code with the lowest family income will be placed first. Her husband Jason is a stay-at-home dad. Cassellius's name on the list is no surprise, since she has publicly shared her interest in the job. When you are really smart and your mind is moving a lot, sometimes you have to take the time to pause and hear from others., Carol Johnson saw both promise and room for growth in Cassellius. She even briefly served as a classroom teacher . Brenda Cassellius, the head of BPS, has a vision for the future unlike any superintendent the city has ever encountered. Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius will resign at the end of the school year, bringing to an end a three-year tenure marked by COVID-19 upheaval and leaving Boston's new mayor with major decisions on the education and policing fronts. Superintendent Skipper and her husband Peter, a retired BC High School religion teacher, have three children of whom they are very proud, and two amazing son-in-laws: Kassie, a teacher in the Denver Public Schools and her husband Joseph Montoya who is Senior Director of Residential at Namast Solar; Lihlani, who is the Associate Director at We had all this wind under our wings, she says. Its that she was falling apart., In October 2019, Cassellius reached for a lifeline, hiring Charlene Briner as her new chief of staff. "I will be working in close partnership with the School Committee to move forward the search process for a permanent Superintendent. She sees something and she does it. Casselliuss decisiveness and big ideas, however, sometimes ruffled the feathers of more traditional colleagues, Johnson says. Concerned parents want to know how dangerous it is inside the walls of Boston schools. When the new system was approved, many city leaders and school advocates hailed it as an outstanding vote that helps to address longstanding equity issues within the district. For this Herculean challenge, leadership will matter. Join us. Before working with . But BPS staffers and observers perceived Brophys work as an emergency rescue mission. Boston schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius will step down at the end of the school year, following a turbulent tenure marked by major disruptions in learning caused by the pandemic as well. In many ways, this was classic Cassellius, BPS insiders say. Kadzis: Henry, let me make an educated guess, and this is based on calling around yesterday and talking to people. Previous superintendents had done deep dives into the details of how the district ran. A spokesman for BPS declined to comment due to pending litigation. Cassellius chats with the head chef, who shows her a color-coded calendar of the months meals. We have $36 million outside of the normal cost.. And I started to do things where it wasnt just my idea, but everybodys idea.. Brenda's parents have consistently encouraged her career goals. Still, Casselliuss critics and some of her former supporters fear she is ill equipped to tackle this next challenge. Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius will step down from her position as the district's chief executive in June a decision that Mayor Michelle Wu described on Monday as. As CFO Nate Kuder completed a preview of the public budget presentation he would give in February, Cassellius proposed an idea. Photo By Matt Stone/ MediaNews Group/Boston Herald. Charlene has a way of coaching Brenda, says the former Minnesota Department of Education official. Bill would see benefits restored by Seth Moulton bill, 98.5 employees had their sensitivity training after Tony Massarotti suspension, Mike Felger rants about people getting fired over a 'bad comment', Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment. Cassellius has faced criticism for allowing her administrator's license to lapse. "It does make for a difficult start to the day," she said. For people with disabilities needing assistance with the Public Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268. Most recently as Boston Public School Superintendent. How much influence and interference did they really have on her and how the schools are run? Shes a quick problem solver, says Bernadeia Johnson (no relation to Carol), a former superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools. According to five current and former BPS officials, she often appeared to make snap decisions, seemingly without contemplating their ramifications. There was also backlash from the citywide school nurses union. Its unclear if Wu approved of the column but it could be viewed as a little shot at the mayor and school committee. When Cassellius arrived in Boston to vie for the BPS top job, she pitched herself as a deft political operator laser-focused on equity. Casselliuss staffers were stunned that she believed it was possible to shut down two school buildings in a matter of weeks, when that process normally took years. Covered spot news and enterprise stories, primarily in education, crime, human services . Publicly, at least, Cassellius still had the backing of the two allies she needed most: the school committee and City Hall. She came under fire from some parents and teachers for her efforts to reopen the schools for in-person last fall. She also served as a principal in the states of Minnesota and Georgia. Sensing the COVID-induced hesitation in my voice, the superintendent, who spends a lot of time in the field and knows every school building in the district inside and out, quickly offered another option. Santoro: If Rachel Skerritt is happy where she is, why would she even consider taking on this monstrosity? They did not. You know what would be kind of cool, Nate, is having a youth portion of the presentation. Kuder said he loved the idea. Even with her facemask on, her expression made clear that the episode had been painful. Near the end of our final interview, during which I detailed her critics charges, Cassellius cut me off. When I asked Mayor Walsh about this effort, he said it would be false to characterize the role explored over the summer as a checkmate to Brenda. However, he said that as of December, Cassellius was seeking to hire a new operations director. This button displays the currently selected search type. In some cases, that lack of attention paid off. In a letter to "the BPS community" this morning, Mayor Wu said she, School Committee Chairwoman Jeri Robinson and Cassellius decided it was time for Cassellius to move on. A mother who did not want to give her name to WBZ-TV said she was glad to see Cassellius leaving. She did not say why she is leaving. Thanks to passionate, practical parents, students and educators, Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs, MDE offers great opportunities to help develop education plans, School Safety Technical Assistance Center, US Department of Education Office of Safe and Healthy Students, Massive misunderstanding or classic bait and switch. On an unseasonably warm day in October 2019, Brenda Cassellius took the floor during a meeting at the Bolling Building, BPSs headquarters in Nubian Square. The pandemic impacted us all, including our workforce. OK, you didn't have all your credentials right in the first place!". But for Cassellius, it signaled that she was losing one of her first and most powerful allies. She does view her job in terms of improving equity, says Keri Rodrigues, a prominent Massachusetts education activist, but wanting it and being able to make it happen are two different things., Edith Bazile, a vocal supporter of Cassellius during the superintendent selection process, has since concluded that Cassellius doesnt have what it takes to lead the district as it emerges from the pandemic. She even briefly served as a classroom teacher in January when roughly 1,200 teachers and staff members called out sick during the omicron surge. The combination of all of these measures made principals heads spin. Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius will resign at the end of the school year, bringing to an end a three-year tenure marked by COVID-19 upheaval and leaving Boston's new. Subordinates would scramble to respond to her proposals, pulling staff away from the business of running the school district. Once, in August 2019, Cassellius returned to the Bolling Building in tears from a visit to the McKinley South End Academy, which was housed in a decrepit building. This new official will be more senior than Casselliuss chief operations officer, the mayor said, and will have a broad scope of operations duties, including school facilities, transportation, and food. Walsh added he is confident in Cassellius and always has been. Thats exactly what Boston needed, says Tanisha Sullivan, president of the Boston chapter of the NAACP. Earlier this week, Boston Public Schools announced that Superintendent Brenda Cassellius would be stepping down at the end of the school year. Her driving passion, equity, seemed to make her a perfect fit for a district where inequality in academic outcomes is glaring. And she sincerely sought their counsel. Give us details on her relationship with former Mayor Marty Walsh and current Mayor Michelle Wu. If we heard this plan two or three months ago, we may have said, Lets all work toward this, said Shah Family Foundation executive director Ross Wilson, whose organization works closely with BPS, on a podcast the next day. People felt heard. And now I know its for getting us through this pandemic. Her confidence, and her self-belief, paid off. She paralyzes the organization through her incoherence, another former official says. Cassellius loves playing hockey and water skiing. Over the next 15 years, her career remained on a steady ascent. When Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius resigns at the end of the school year, she'll take with her hundreds of thousands of dollars from a separation agreement. A group of Boston parents has filed a lawsuit against the school committee and Superintendent Brenda Cassellius for what they call a "wholly-irrational" exam school admissions process, which. "We have come to this decision after careful deliberation, with mutual respect for all involved and an acknowledgment that there is much work still to be done this school year and beyond," Boston Mayor Michelle Wu wrote in a letter to the school community. Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius will leave her post at the end of the school year. The historic building and the congregation within it both seek to reckon with a truer version of their history. Cassellius has barely stopped moving since. Yes, she is still wearing pumps. 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Boston parent group suing school committee for, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Boston parent group suing school committee for new exam school admissions process, Boston looks to continue remote testimony for public meetings, Special Olympics grant brings the magic of inclusive sports to BPS schools, 98.5 employees had their sensitivity training after Tony Massarotti suspension, Mike Felger rants about people getting fired over a bad comment, Heres what Maura Healeys $55.5 billion budget buys, Boston Parent Coalition for Academic Excellence. Thats my style, and I think people are getting used to that now. She said that ultimately it was not possible to close McKinley and Jackson/Mann before the 2019 school year began, but that if she could have done it, she would have. Before she even started the job, when she was still a candidate for the position, she had already seemed to achieve the impossible: winning the support of the community, the school committee, the teachers union, and the mayor. This letter is intended to provide information about AYP, Minnesota's waiver request and what an AYP designation may mean for the school their son or daughter attends. That left Brenda Cassellius as the default candidate and the darling of the teachers union. Unfortunately, Superintendent Cassellius did not meet it. Reading Sage MCAS Practice Test. In a couple of hours, Boston Public Schools families will begin lining up at the door of the school, which has been turned into a food-distribution site. She walked into the mayors office, asked for $100 million, and got it. There was a moment when I thought, Maybe shes this madcap genius, the former official says. Kadzis: That's what I might say, but she's a very accomplished woman. According to four current and former BPS officials, she has offered multiple BPS employees significant promotions seemingly on a whim, with little knowledge of their track records. The school committee approved her plan and Walsh agreed to the budget increase. . And that's really taken up all the air in the room, so to speak. Cassellius took the top job in Boston eight months before the pandemic prompted a shift to remote learning that has since transmuted into staffing shortages, mask mandates and other complicated issues. Minnesota education commissioner, Brenda Cassellius, and former Anchorage, Alaska superintendent, Ed Graff, are the two finalists for Minneapolis's school superintendent position, according a May 13 press release. Can Wu deliver? Cassellius, the former Minnesota Commissioner of Education, was selected superintendent in 2019 by the Boston School Committee. 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