Dismayed by the prospect of sending kids to school there, she asked her staff to find a way to close italong with another dilapidated school, the Jackson/Mannand send the students elsewhere. College campuses increasingly offer time off for mental health, but some are skeptical. It is tradition for the President to recognize special guests during the State of the Union address each year. If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) During the second half of 2019, she visited every school in the district and met privately with parents, religious leaders, activist groups, and politicians. . 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. Who is giving that criticism? she asked me. COVID was an incredible challenge. She has overseen defections and ousters among her senior executives, a revolt from school principals, and public excoriation from influential nonprofits and activists. "Dr. Cassellius articulated an inspiring, yet practical, vision of how she has been . "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. Share Your Memories and Sympathies and Join the Bereaved! She envisioned that when students arrived in the morning, they would receive a playlist of programs available at each of the schools, according to BPS officials with knowledge of the plan. In some cases, that lack of attention paid off. She came under fire from some parents and teachers for her efforts to reopen the schools for in-person last fall. 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. During her early tenure, staffers at the central office found the new superintendent to be more drawn to splashy proposals than to the grinding back-office work they believed was required to solve the districts problems. Here's why. Boston Public School Superintendent Brenda Cassellius will walk away with more than $300,000 as part of a separation agreement that she reached last week with the Boston School Committee. BPS was a troubled district; that was no secret. When I told Josh Collins, Casselliuss former spokesman at the Minnesota Department of Education, about Casselliuss troubles in Boston, he said some of the dynamics sounded familiar. "She found out what work is. Will she bring in someone local like they're talking about? Unfortunately, Superintendent Cassellius did not meet it. Support GBH. In a statement, Cassellius said, "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. 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 didn't make a difference, period," the mother said. In districts that were well managed and in those that were not, the results have been largely the same: learning loss for students and hardship for parents and teachers. Wu hinted earlier this week that she wants someone local for the job. Alexi is from Springfield, Massachusetts and attended college at Hofstra University in New York where she majored in journalism and Spanish. Its been, what? Many times over a career great humans cross your path that bring an almost indescribable energy, however every time the person is in the room you feel their No further reasoning was given. Its unclear if Wu approved of the column but it could be viewed as a little shot at the mayor and school committee. One day in 2004, Johnson walked into Casselliuss office to offer her the biggest promotion of her life. That's not out-front administration. Charlene has a way of coaching Brenda, says the former Minnesota Department of Education official. 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. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. I feel like I am put in places where I need to be for that reason. Cassellius had been on the job less than a year when schools closed, but I don't think Cassellius' response helped build trust among parents in the district. Cassellius made the announcement in a letter to parents, students and staff Monday. Still, Casselliuss critics and some of her former supporters fear she is ill equipped to tackle this next challenge. Was it the pandemic, which stalled Casselliuss agenda and turned her job into mission impossible? Without Charlene, I dont think Brenda would have survived., In the months that followed, Briner helped prop Cassellius up, sometimes almost literally. However, on Tuesday Dr. Cassellius sent her letter of resignation to Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson. Trying to keep the union appeased and keeping the schools open during the coronavirus pandemic had to be a difficult job for Cassellius. 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 . Do the windows open at the central office? I asked. Brenda CasselliusCommissionerMinnesota Department of Education1500 Highway 36 WestRoseville, Minnesota . They cant see how to get it done, and she hasnt shown them the steps along the way.. On July 22, less than a week after the principals letter was made public, Cassellius appeared, via Zoom, before the school committee to present a draft of BPSs reopening plan. She was named superintendent in May 2019 by then-Mayor Marty Walsh. Meg Woolhouse is GBH News' K-12 education reporter. Este botn muestra el tipo de bsqueda seleccionado. Even though the July intervention did not come to fruition, Walsh still took measures to bolster the central office. There wasnt anything particularly unusual about the planit called for rotating cohorts of students to attend school two days a week while teachers used a combination of Web-based and in-person instruction. Santoro: Meg, it seems clear that parents want and actually need a level of stability considering the pandemic, the turnover of superintendents. I need to come hang out here more often, she says. Brenda Cassellius has been criticized for her job thus far as superintendent of Boston Public Schools, though her supporters say she deserves time and a chance to implement her vision. Brenda Cassellius's husband is Jason Cassellius. Day? she responds, incredulous. But plans and strategies have to be tethered to reality, says one former BPS official, and that just doesnt include an imaginary train taking kids around a city to schools that dont exist.. 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. Last but not the Its a very bold vision, she said, to get people to stretch their thinking. Of her big ideas, she said, The good ones stick and the bad ones fall away. Boston Superintendent Brenda Cassellius helped dismiss children at the Nathan Hale Elementary School in Boston after substitute teaching there on Jan. 5, 2022. According to a person who spoke with him multiple times in August, the COO said, in colorful language, that Casselliuss teams preparations were so far behind schedule that it would require drastic measures to open school buildings in time. The pandemic impacted us all, including our workforce. "The Boston Teachers Union is thankful to Dr. Brenda Cassellius for her contributions to our public schools during what have been incredibly trying and unprecedented times," union president Jessica Tang said in a statement. The district is primarily Black and Latino, and parents have been promised much over the years and bore the brunt of the pandemic illnesses and job losses. The warnings that a recession may occur continues but fears that it will happen in 2023 are fading. Parents Evaluation. Most employees who leave companies get an exit interview thats how most businesses operate. She's super smart. Hi, Wellington. As she traveled the city on her listening tour, Cassellius issued a flurry of staffing directives that often went unannounced and unexplained. She served as co-anchor of the NBC news program Weekend Today from 2003 to 2007, and hosted the series Campbell Brown on CNN from 2008 to 2010. 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. Brenda Cassellius, Carlton Jenkins, Equal Opportunity Schools, Higher Ground Academy, Hopkins Public Schools, Minnesota Department of Education, Steve Massey, Zena Stenvik / 0 Comments, http://hometownsource.com/2016/03/09/joe-nathan-column-massive-misunderstanding-or-classic-bait-and-switch/ The following column originally was published by ECM Publications Massive misunderstanding or classic bait and switch By Joe Nathan on March 9, 2016 at 5:27 pm Joe Nathan The Minnesota Department of Education wisely passed on an offer recently that represented, in part, a massive misunderstanding and, in part, a classic bait and switch. []. Dr. Brenda Cassellius has spent three decades as an educator devoted to helping all children succeed and thrive. Her heart is in the right place and I believe deeply she is a good person, says a former BPS official. Lets go to TechBoston, she suggested. Near the end of our final interview, during which I detailed her critics charges, Cassellius cut me off. They began considering an intervention. They love her.. 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. She is confronting an entrenched bureaucracy that wants to pursue incrementalism, rather than radical reform, and she is determined to shake the cobwebs free. For that kind of money, Boston parents and voters deserve a full accounting of what led to the mutual decision for Cassellius to depart. By the fall, when students returned to school, BPS officials were having trouble keeping track of who reported to whom and what responsibilities belonged to each department. Brenda's parents have consistently encouraged her career goals. Joe Nathan / Seven, or eight, or nine superintendents in a relatively short period of time? "I will be working in close partnership with the School Committee to move forward the search process for a permanent Superintendent. Enjoying #umich's first #marketing #communication summit with colleagues Eric Anderson and Nick Looney in the beautiful Michigan Union. On Wednesday, when asked whether she's still thinking about changes to the admissions process for exam schools, Cassellius indicated she is no longer considering changes. It is not hard to imagine how a person with this gift, as well as Casselliuss taste for disruptive, visionary thinking, could be a good fit for superintendent of BPS, a district thats long had a broken relationship with the community. And she sincerely sought their counsel. The Boston School Committee extended their agreement in June 2021, reports WGBH. The combination of all of these measures made principals heads spin. 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. Interpretive Guide for Minnesota Assessment Reports 2015 2016. "Under the circumstances, she's done a great job. Josh Collins, Education Evolving, Education Minnesota, EdVisions Schools, Friendship Academy of the Arts, Jensen family, Julene Oxton, Kenneth Eban, Larry Pogemiller, Lars Esdal, Lisa Snyder, Lynn Nordgren, MAAP STARS Conference, Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs, Minnesota Office of Higher Education, Nell Collier, Patti Haasch, Rep Roz Peterson, Rep. Carlos Mariani, Rep. Jenifer Loon, Rep. Linda Slocum, Rep. Sondra Erickson, Sam Fredrickson, Sandy Connoly, Sen. Greg Clausen, Steve Allen, Students for Education Reform-Minnesota, Westra family / 1 Comment, This column originally was published by a series of ECM/Sun/Current Newspapers in late November, 2017 Thanks to passionate, practical families, students and educators Joe Nathan One of Americas finest traditions encourages us to pause late in the year, regardless of current controversies, to offer thanks. Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said she supported the change because it is easy to understand, maintains academic rigor, and increases the opportunity for disadvantaged students. At the same time, not everyone agrees with this renderinga soaring start to her superintendency derailed by a once-in-a-lifetime catastrophe. Anything you think we should spend money on, you guys? she asked. Boston School Superintendent Brenda Cassellius, right, spoke to the media after she helped dismiss children at the Nathan Hale Elementary School after substitute teaching there in January. 'Nothing Is Pushing Me Out': Boston Superintendent Brenda Cassellius Says Of Resignation February 8, 2022 / 12:14 PM / CBS Boston BOSTON (CBS) -- After three years on the job, Dr. Brenda. Woolhouse: The pandemic, I think it's been a very rough ride for her. The community was behind us, the mayors speech was inspiring, we had secured this new investment, and then, boom, here comes the plague.. A bitter irony of 2020 is that even if you believe, as Casselliuss critics do, that she mismanaged the coronavirus response, it is not clear how much it mattered. To some, the practical barriers to implementing the plan seemed nearly insurmountable. A mother who did not want to give her name to WBZ-TV said she was glad to see Cassellius leaving. So I would say, keep an eye on Rachel Skerritt. That was after she already had two other meetings this morning. 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