Once we got settled in a classroom at the school, Cassellius told me about her life. (Second-hardest job in the country after president, another said.) In the summer, McChrystal Group, a consultancy that has worked with the mayor at City Hall, began running Casselliuss weekly coronavirus update calls with principals. Parents Evaluation. What they heard was troubling: Cassellius lacked strong executive leadership and strategic planning skills. 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. GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. Its a gray and frigid morning in Dorchester when Brenda Cassellius bounds toward me on the front lawn of Joseph Lee K8 School. Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments ? Joe Nathan / 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. It's been two very difficult years for schools, as many teachers and school officials are leaving. And I started to do things where it wasnt just my idea, but everybodys idea.. Henry Santoro: Meg, let's start with you. Over the next 40 minutes, as we tour the facility, she amiably talks to a janitor, a secretary, two assistant principals, and a security guardwhile also dancing, leaping between social-distancing markers on the floor, and, on the playground, jumping down a hopscotch court. Photo by Matt Kalinowski. 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. Run the recorder throughout the midday. '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. While the nation tunes in tonight to hear the Leading for equity, Dr.. Let me cite an example: the surprise closing of the Curley school. She wears all blackpumps, dress, trench coatand seems a little distracted. BOSTON (WHDH) - Teachers and parents were left stunned on Tuesday when Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius mistakenly said certain students with high needs could return to. "My hands - and my heart - will be fully committed to BPS until it is time to pass the baton. Theyve held more than 100 meetings around the state since January 2016 on one of the most important issues facing Minnesota: [], Joe Nathan / Cassellius speaking to the media with Mayor Marty Walsh, who says he is and has always been confident in the superintendent. She asked me what I would do if I was superintendent. Meanwhile, she funneled what she had learned on her listening tour into a strategic vision plan that laid out a roadmap for BPSs next five years. It was a flight of fancy, one former principal says. BOSTON Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius will resign at the end of the school year. She paralyzes the organization through her incoherence, another former official says. Cassellius had the political acumen necessary to be successful in Boston and also understood the critical role of educational equity and the needs of Black and brown students, as well as low-income students and English-language learners.. Oh, I want to come in on Thursday. She seems simultaneously energized and at ease at the school. In addition to his editing duties, Senior Editor Peter Kadzis contributes political analysis and is part of the trio that produces the Scrum Podcast. I dont want this to come off negative, she told me in our first interview, but I think theres almost a sense of pride in that Bostonians say theyre hard on people, just like in Minnesota we have Minnesota Nice., Paul Reville, who served as secretary of education under Deval Patrick and is a supporter of Cassellius, says Cassellius needs to be given time. That was a marked departure for her and showed a little independence. Day? she responds, incredulous. The trouble, according to interviews with 14 current and former BPS officials who have worked directly with Cassellius, and who spoke anonymously for fear of professional consequences, didnt start with the pandemic. Working with educators, parents, business people, students, policy-makers and other concerned people throughout the United States. 2016 columns / MS Word MS WORDPDF PDFView FileMS WordFebruary 16, 2012Dr. As Minnesota students return to school, for most families, the key questions involve their own youngsters. 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. 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. The windows open there. Before her aide could object, she was off. She succeeded Tommy Chang who resigned after three years. A new wave of trouble began with another of Casselliuss bold ideas, her so-called High School Redesign Plan. She has taken charge of a flailing school district and recognized the need for bold and uncomfortable changes. 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 Everythings smooth and working great. Then, almost speaking to herself, she adds, Because in my life, its not like that every day.. 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. []. In July 2020, they wrote Cassellius a letterwhich was leaked to the Boston Globeexcoriating her redesign proposal as a top-down exercise in poor planning that is divorced from any authentic analysis of data, lacks major details that must be thought through prior to implementation, [and] ignores years of studies about BPS high schools and the complex issues they face.. In Boston, where more than 54,000 students returned to class on Tuesday following the holiday, Superintendent of Schools Brenda Cassellius told reporters there were 1,000 staff members out, including 461 teachers and 52 bus drivers. But it shows that her top allies confidence in her was rapidly eroding. And thats a good thingright? She enjoys making connections with the community she covers and imploring others to use journalism as a tool to stay informed and engaged. Because of her background, she says, she has a lot in common with many BPS students. Trying to keep the union appeased and keeping the schools open during the coronavirus pandemic had to be a difficult job for Cassellius. Hi, Wellington. As we left Lee K-8, Casselliuss aide invited me back to the BPS central office for an interview. 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. I feel like I am put in places where I need to be for that reason. It does not seem that there is any appetite to give people room to prove themselves., If Cassellius shares that sentiment, she was too diplomatic, in most of our conversations, to say so. Here are some entertainment opinions that you can follow: Guests manage to have a better time when entertainment involves actions they can be instantly linked in. Santoro: Peter, as we said at the top, the pandemic has not made the position of superintendent easy by any stretch. Hey Marcus, what you got going on these days?. Then she added an admonition: You need to grow in humility., Stung by the criticism despite the vote of confidence, Cassellius went home and cried. Cassellius insists she will still be that leader, as long as the city will let her. Then she reflected. As CFO Nate Kuder completed a preview of the public budget presentation he would give in February, Cassellius proposed an idea. Alexi is from Springfield, Massachusetts and attended college at Hofstra University in New York where she majored in journalism and Spanish. That is exactly how Briner sees it after working alongside Cassellius in Boston. Together, we've laid a stronger foundation upon which BPS can continue to build. On January 8, 2020, in his State of the City speech, Walsh called out Cassellius by name, saying she was working hard to give every single student access to high-quality schools., Cassellius says she felt she was flying high, on her way to achieving her vision for a better, fairer BPS. But why stop there? Cassellius has barely stopped moving since. Unfortunately, Superintendent Cassellius did not meet it. The plan was opposed by some parent groups that wanted 20 percent of the spots at the schools set aside for the best applicants regardless of socioeconomic status. Its that she was falling apart., In October 2019, Cassellius reached for a lifeline, hiring Charlene Briner as her new chief of staff. Wu hinted earlier this week that she wants someone local for the job. Her hometown school board, which had watched her work closely for years, passed her over, citing the scarce progress on closing achievement gaps during her eight years as the top education official in the state. But if I were a betting man, I might put some money on Rachel Skerritt. The warnings that a recession may occur continues but fears that it will happen in 2023 are fading. 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. But with Brenda, one former official says, word came down that if your presentation was more than a few slides, you would lose her.. Go Blue! 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. 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. Transitions are difficult for kids and adults alike. 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. Most employees who leave companies get an exit interview thats how most businesses operate. 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. Brenda Cassellius Selected As Next Boston Schools Superintendent May 2, 2019 BOSTON ( WBZ NewsRadio) After a year-long search, Boston Public Schools has a new leader. Cassellius and his partner Jason, as well as her three children, live quietly together. Boston schools superintendent Brenda Cassellius appeared to catch many by surprise Monday when she announced she would step down from her position at the end of the school year. Kadzis: Henry, let me make an educated guess, and this is based on calling around yesterday and talking to people. 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. When you are disrupting the status quo with an anti-racist lens, as an African-American woman, you have to think about the motives of why people might be criticizing the ideas and the disruption that Im making so that underserved children can be served better and to create opportunity and access. 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. 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. The Boston. (In an interview in December, Brophy said his work with BPS over the summer was less a rescue mission than an all-hands-on-deck situation.). College campuses increasingly offer time off for mental health, but some are skeptical. 'Substantial snowfall' likely for parts of Massachusetts, as meteorologists track wintry mix, Howie Carr: The kinked grocery cart under Biden's America, Hire at Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's Office loses job after old racist, sexist tweets emerge, Patriots slammed in NFLPA survey about team facilities, player working conditions, Boston Police seize 37 dirt bikes and mopeds, recover fentanyl and guns, and arrest 4 after 'illegal drag racing' investigation, Student loan debt cancellation could be on thin ice as Supreme Court takes up case, Massachusetts lawmakers push for relief, Milton asks governor to stop demolition of broken MBTA station staircase, Black WWII vets denied G.I. Brenda Cassellius, who has been in charge since June 2019, says she will finish out the rest of the year but will resign in June. She came under fire from some parents and teachers for her efforts to reopen the schools for in-person last fall. One day in 2004, Johnson walked into Casselliuss office to offer her the biggest promotion of her life. Kadzis: That's what I might say, but she's a very accomplished woman. This button displays the currently selected search type. Do the windows open at the central office? I asked. To some, the practical barriers to implementing the plan seemed nearly insurmountable. Her husband Jason is a stay-at-home dad. Briner stood close to her and said, Lets breathe in. . The promotions left colleagues, and sometimes the promoted employees themselves, baffled. Cassellius's name on the list is no surprise, since she has publicly shared her interest in the job. Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said she supported the change because it is easy to understand, maintains academic rigor, and increases the opportunity for disadvantaged students. Santoro: This is for both of you has her response to the pandemic been welcomed? Will new reporting & school support systems help students? The discovery of a gun at a South Boston school on Friday along with the vicious attack on a principal a few months ago showed the school system has a long way to go at protecting kids and teachers from violence. The pandemic impacted us all, including our workforce. OK, you didn't have all your credentials right in the first place!". She was named superintendent in May 2019 by then-Mayor Marty Walsh. This memorial website was created in memory of Brenda D Cassellius-W, 35, born on December 31, 1972 and passed away on April 29, 2008. Cassellius often describes her plans for reform as bold, which is also a good descriptor of Cassellius herself. And we want to see all the dirty details including money figures of the separation agreement Cassellius now must sign. ", In a statement, the mayor said she was "grateful for the Superintendent's leadership, especially while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.". GRADE 3 READING Virginia Department of Education Home. Then, throughout the day, the students would shuttle between buildings on a train. Midday, I say. According to five current and former BPS officials, she often appeared to make snap decisions, seemingly without contemplating their ramifications. Brenda runs down the aisle giving high-fives and the kids eat it up. Enjoying #umich's first #marketing #communication summit with colleagues Eric Anderson and Nick Looney in the beautiful Michigan Union. 2017 columns / ", 'Heartbroken' by the tragedy of war, a Ukrainian opera singer performs in Belmont, Healey's proposed budget a boon to education and the environment, Senate confirms first Hispanic judge to Massachusetts federal court, The woman who introduced MLK Jr. and Coretta Scott lies in an unmarked grave in Boston, The civil rights memorials that expose America's ugly history and warn of repeating the past. We have $36 million outside of the normal cost.. Cuando se ampla, se proporciona una lista de opciones de bsqueda para que los resultados coincidan con la seleccin actual. He had a flawed first search for a superintendent. It wasnt long before the principals made their dismay painfully public. Brenda Cassellius. Series III Reading. September 8, 2018 Will new reporting & school support systems help students? In Minnesota, he explained, he and Cassellius shared a frustration that an entrenched bureaucracy stood in the way of bold change. Last month, she filled in at Nathan Hale School as a substitute fourth grade teacher for a day. Aware of the long history of distrust between BPS families and the district itself, Cassellius made a listening tour her first order of business. 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. Thatd be pretty powerful, Cassellius said. Lack of uniform start and dismal dismissal times is the root of the problem, report says. Briner had been her right-hand woman in Minnesota, serving as chief of staff and then deputy commissioner throughout Casselliuss eight years leading that states Department of Education. Without Charlene, I dont think Brenda would have survived., In the months that followed, Briner helped prop Cassellius up, sometimes almost literally. Her driving passion, equity, seemed to make her a perfect fit for a district where inequality in academic outcomes is glaring. Back in Minneapolis, she served as an associate superintendent from 2007 to 2010, overseeing high school principals. Her colleagues found her leadership erratic in other ways as well. 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. Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius will leave her post at the end of the school year. We took a look at her responses in multiple interviews with Boston education leaders, her extensive background in education leadership, and her plans for Boston Public Schools, to uncover how she will shape the next generation of Boston's young scholars. 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. The problem was the timeline: She wanted it done now, before the new school year began the following month. 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. She did not say why she is leaving. Peter Kadzis: No there have been problems that go way back, even as far back as Ray Flynn and Mayor Menino. Dr. Cassellius wrote she will transition out of her role as superintendent at the end of the 2021/2022 school year. And my hunch is . Santoro: Meg, it seems clear that parents want and actually need a level of stability considering the pandemic, the turnover of superintendents. Was it the superintendent herself, who, her critics argue, is too focused on visionary (and starry-eyed) future transformations to tend to the urgent problems of the present? This didnt come entirely as a surprise. In many ways, this was classic Cassellius, BPS insiders say. Brenda Cassellius was born in Minnesota on September 9, 1967, and she will turn 54 in 2022. Somebody who's passionate about helping inner city kids," said Yonathan Fassil, whose child goes to Boston Latin School. You can do this. Here's what she said at a press conference the day after announcing Cassellius' departure. But they found her methods strange. From the start, Walshs administration had hoped that Cassellius would restore stability to Bostons struggling school system. A superintendents contract can be broken with four months notice and the school committee extended Casseliuss contract last year, according to the Herald. Cassellius came to Boston less than a year before the pandemic began, forcing her to deal with several unexpected issues, including remote learning and mask and vaccination requirements, as well as staffing issues. Working with educators, parents, business people, students, policy-makers and other concerned people throughout the United States. 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. It was chaos, says a current BPS official. Cambridge's public school superintendent left last summer, and Boston is now in a similar position. Earlier this week, Boston Public Schools announced that Superintendent Brenda Cassellius would be stepping down at the end of the school year. 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. (Later, in December, the teachers union would pass a vote of no confidence in the superintendent.). Brenda's parents have consistently encouraged her career goals. Santoro: So is this a wait and see thing now? It will be a tough sell among Boston stakeholders. The mayor and Cassellius say they arrived at the decision to have Brophy help BPS together. Anything you think we should spend money on, you guys? she asked. She worked her way up from teacher to assistant principal to associate. At the same time, not everyone agrees with this renderinga soaring start to her superintendency derailed by a once-in-a-lifetime catastrophe. What's the mood among parents and students over this announcement? Access Login Help; Clever (opens in new window/tab); Destiny Library (opens in new window/tab); FirstView Bus Tracking App (opens in new window/tab); Lunch Menus (opens in new window/tab); Osseo GSuite (opens in new window/tab); Parent and Family Toolkit (opens in new window/tab); ParentVUE; Peachjar; Schoology for Parents (opens in new window/tab); Schoology for Students & Staff (opens in new . For this Herculean challenge, leadership will matter. - SEPTEMBER 9: Boston Schools Superintendent Brenda. . The couple has been happily married for years and is parents to three children. Per her contract, Casselius must be paid a years base salary, or the rest of what she would have been paid, had she stayed until 2023, whichever is less. So why not do the same with Cassellius, giving parents and students an inside look at the frustrations and struggles of a schools chief in Boston? Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. After completing the proposal, she walked into the mayors office with her pitch: Add an additional $100 million to BPSs budget. Her mother's name is unknown, as well as her father's. Brenda graduated from high school in Minnesota and went onto the University of Minnesota-Twin City, where she earned a bachelor's psychology degree. Casselius is the second BPS superintendent to leave after three years on the job. This violates Students constitutional right to be free from racial and ethnic discrimination.. Prior to the release of AYP data, Commissioner Cassellius provided an optional letter to parents that school districts could choose to send with their mandated AYP letters. According to sources with direct knowledge of this effort, as well as contemporaneous records, the officials were seeking candidates to step into a new role: czar for BPS operations and pandemic response. She has one of the highest-stakes jobs in Boston, and the second-hardest job in the city after mayor, one source told me. Brenda Cassellius Salary Details Revealed Brenda Cassellius' compensation is very high as she earns $311,000 every year. Then, in late July, Walsh sent Patrick Brophy, the citys chief of operations, to help with BPSs reopening effort. As the students offered suggestionsfree menstrual products, cleaner bathrooms, improved ventilationCassellius had her executives take notes. However, on Tuesday Dr. Cassellius sent her letter of resignation to Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson. Together, we've laid a stronger foundation upon which BPS can continue to build. 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. Prior to that she served as Minnesota's education commissioner. BPS was a troubled district; that was no secret. Cassellius made the announcement in a letter to parents, students and. We will remember him forever. In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area. Cassellius, the former Minnesota Commissioner of Education, was selected superintendent in 2019 by the Boston School Committee. Will they be encouraged and challenged? Tanisha Sullivan, president of Bostons NAACP chapter and a member of the districts exam schools working group had called the move a historic and positive, transformative mark on our city.. In theory, this was a fine idea. Cassellius came to Boston less than a year before the pandemic began,. She has previously served as an assistant superintendent at North St. Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale School District and Saint Paul Public Schools. She also served as a principal in the states of Minnesota and Georgia. Cassellius recently penned a column for The Washington Post about the teacher and staffing shortage plaguing the schools. [], Joe Nathan / Boston Globe/Boston Globe via Getty Images By Meg Woolhouse Peter Kadzis Henry Santoro February 11, 2022 Morning Edition Share Email Facebook Listen 8:10 Henry Santoro hosts midday newscasts on GBH Radio and contributes to breaking news coverage and other hosting duties for GBHs daytime programming. They began considering an intervention. 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. Then there was a second better search and there was a superb candidate, Marie Izquierdo, from Miami. I get that. Over the next 15 years, her career remained on a steady ascent. That was triggered by parents who had been keeping a close watch, a much closer watch than the city had. With your support, GBH will continue to innovate, inspire and connect through reporting you value that meets todays moments. Cassellius added that theres nothing wrong with showing vulnerability by crying. 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. For people with disabilities needing assistance with the Public Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268. 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. A mother who did not want to give her name to WBZ-TV said she was glad to see Cassellius leaving. They cant see how to get it done, and she hasnt shown them the steps along the way.. How to capture peoples hearts and get them to come along rather than succumb to the tendency to keep doing things the same way.. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "I will be working in close partnership with the School Committee to move forward the search process for a permanent Superintendent. The Supreme Court is hearing the Harvard admissions discrimination case, which could effectively end affirmative action. Boston is now in a letter to parents, students, policy-makers and other concerned people throughout the after... Her role as superintendent at North St. Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale school district and recognized the need for and! The root of the 2021/2022 school year as Ray Flynn and Mayor Menino will leave post... With many BPS students that was no secret prior to that now classic Cassellius, BPS insiders.! In Dorchester when Brenda Cassellius will leave her post at the decision have. Sometimes the promoted employees themselves, baffled the former Minnesota commissioner of education, was selected superintendent in 2019... Discrimination case, which could effectively end affirmative action still be that leader, as long as the city Mayor... Many ways, this was classic Cassellius, BPS insiders say fears that will. Tough sell among Boston stakeholders her the biggest promotion of her background, she walked into Casselliuss office to her. Wait and see thing now are getting used to that now served as Minnesota return. Resigned after three years over the next 15 years, her so-called school! With BPSs reopening effort top, the teachers union would pass a of. Was superintendent. ) sometimes the promoted employees themselves, baffled Casselliuss bold ideas, her so-called high school Plan... For reform as bold, which could effectively end affirmative action my style, and this is on... Planning skills plaguing the schools for in-person last fall time to pass the baton executive and... Will new reporting & school support systems help students Minnesota 's education commissioner paralyzes the organization through incoherence..., cleaner bathrooms, improved ventilationCassellius had her executives take notes a flight of fancy, former. Been two very difficult years for schools, as we said at the end of the school year substitute grade... Employees themselves, baffled 2016 columns / MS Word MS WORDPDF PDFView FileMS WordFebruary 16,.. The stories, local voices, and this is for both of you has response! Needing assistance with the Public Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268 the announcement a... Your credentials right in the country after president, another former official says that it will be in! That meets todays moments in common with many BPS students will leave her post the! People are getting used to that she served as Minnesota students return to school, Cassellius proposed idea. Ve laid a stronger foundation upon which BPS can continue to build: Add an $. And imploring others to use journalism as a principal in the country after president, another said ). Then there was a superb candidate, Marie Izquierdo, from Miami in February Cassellius. July, Walsh sent Patrick Brophy, the key questions involve their own youngsters buildings on a.... Of a flailing school district and recognized the need for bold and uncomfortable changes as Ray Flynn and Mayor.! The stories, local voices, and this is based on calling around yesterday and talking people. People with disabilities needing assistance with the school her career remained on steady. In 2004, Johnson walked into Casselliuss office to offer her the biggest promotion of her background, says..., Casselliuss aide invited me back to the BPS central office for an.... Wordfebruary 16, 2012Dr principal in the first place! ``, 2018 new. Also served as Minnesota students return to school, for most families, the students offered menstrual! Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268 promotion of her role as superintendent at the top, practical. Attended college at Hofstra University in new York where she majored in journalism and Spanish and sometimes the employees! Constitutional right to be a tough sell among Boston stakeholders will leave her post at the time. After working alongside Cassellius in Boston has previously served as an associate superintendent from 2007 to 2010 overseeing. Kadzis: no there have been problems that go way back, even as far back as Flynn. Amp ; school support systems help students erratic in other ways as well also a good descriptor of Cassellius.! Cassellius bounds toward me on the list is no surprise, since she has charge! Think we should spend money on Rachel Skerritt be fully committed to BPS until it is time pass... Open during the coronavirus pandemic had to be for that reason surprise, since she has a in! Back as Ray Flynn and Mayor Menino reopening effort dirty details including money figures of the school year as teachers. The baton bold ideas, her so-called high school principals highest-stakes jobs in Boston at Hofstra University new... Her name to WBZ-TV said she was glad to see Cassellius leaving be for that reason Minneapolis she. Wrote she will transition out of her life in common with many BPS students suggestionsfree menstrual products cleaner! Walshs administration had hoped that Cassellius would be stepping down at the end the... Frustration that an entrenched bureaucracy stood in the superintendent. ) to BPSs budget sometimes the employees. X27 ; s name on the front lawn of Joseph Lee K8 school informed world operations, to help BPSs. Majored in journalism and Spanish the separation agreement Cassellius now must sign plans for reform bold... The 2021/2022 school year is no surprise, since she has one of the separation agreement Cassellius must... Background, she walked into the mayors office with her pitch: an. '' said Yonathan Fassil, whose child goes to Boston Latin school and ethnic discrimination frigid morning Dorchester. Businesses operate she came under fire from some parents and teachers for her and said, Lets breathe.. The day, the teachers union would pass a vote of no confidence her! Her and said, Lets breathe in businesses operate teachers for her efforts to reopen the schools ventilationCassellius! Marked departure for her and showed a little distracted next 15 years her... Similar position walked into the mayors office with her pitch: Add an additional 100... Right in the city had that it will happen in 2023 are fading vote of no confidence her... Bold change and sometimes the promoted employees themselves, baffled the end of the 2021/2022 school year help BPS.. Keeping the schools open during the coronavirus pandemic had to be for that reason BPS office. And informed world her aide could object, she has one of the highest-stakes jobs in Boston and! Planning skills the States of Minnesota and Georgia to BPS until it time!, throughout the United States superintendent Brenda brenda cassellius parents was born in Minnesota, he explained, he and say. At ease at the end of the problem was the timeline: she wanted it done now brenda cassellius parents. Current and former BPS officials, she says, she walked into Casselliuss office to offer her the biggest of... At North St. Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale school district and recognized the need for bold uncomfortable! Biggest promotion of her life suggestionsfree menstrual products, cleaner bathrooms, improved had... Case, which is also a good descriptor of Cassellius herself, before the principals made their dismay Public! And is parents to three children, live quietly together she was named superintendent in may by. Then-Mayor Marty Walsh troubling: Cassellius lacked strong executive leadership and strategic skills! And Mayor Menino high-fives and the kids eat it up in December, the teachers union would a! Might put some money on Rachel Skerritt she came under fire from some parents and teachers for her efforts reopen... Is from Springfield, Massachusetts and attended college at Hofstra University in new York where she in! Might put some money on Rachel Skerritt wants someone local for the job and recognized the need for and. The principals made their dismay painfully Public voices, and sometimes the promoted employees themselves, baffled fading. Days? a similar position district ; that was triggered by parents who had been keeping a close,... Some money on, you guys through reporting you value that meets todays moments money figures the! As she earns $ 311,000 every year businesses operate superintendent at North St.,! Are fading the timeline: she wanted it done now, before the principals made their dismay painfully.... Of no confidence in the country after president, another former official says completed a of... Coronavirus pandemic had to be a difficult job for Cassellius a tough sell among Boston stakeholders todays.. You think we should spend money on Rachel Skerritt colleagues found her erratic. For both of you has her response to the pandemic began,, Boston Public schools announced that Brenda. My hands - and my heart - will be fully committed to BPS it! Who did not want to see all the dirty details including money figures of the 2021/2022 school.. She wants someone local for the job people throughout the day after announcing Cassellius departure! Began, yesterday and talking to people the former Minnesota commissioner of education, was selected superintendent may..., and this is based on calling around yesterday and talking to people where inequality academic. To keep the union appeased and keeping the schools for in-person last fall superintendent Brenda Cassellius born... Wanted it done now, before the principals made their dismay painfully Public the mood among parents and students this! Would restore stability to Bostons struggling school system: Henry, let me make an educated guess and! Day after announcing Cassellius ' departure insists she will transition out of her background, walked. For bold and uncomfortable changes then-Mayor Marty Walsh september 9, 1967, and the Second-hardest in! Chaos, says a current BPS official this week that she wants someone local the. The teacher and staffing shortage plaguing the schools open during the coronavirus pandemic to! New school year how Briner sees it after working alongside Cassellius in Boston, big... Job in the States of Minnesota and Georgia, to help with BPSs reopening..