Three months into her first term, Wu will now search for a permanent leader to take over atop the city's public schools at the same time that she is engaged in the process of appointing the Boston Police Department's next commissioner. She said her Emerald Necklace concept wasnt a plan but a prop or visioning tool. She was also a finalist for a state superintendent job in Michigan. Santoro: Meg, it seems clear that parents want and actually need a level of stability considering the pandemic, the turnover of superintendents. September 8, 2018 Will new reporting & school support systems help students? This is not a new problem in Boston, having a superintendent leave. It wasnt long before the principals made their dismay painfully public. '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. Dr. Cassellius wrote she will transition out of her role as superintendent at the end of the 2021/2022 school year. Despite Casselliuss public victories, though, BPS officials were alarmed by the mounting evidence that she was an ineffective administrator. Yes, she is still wearing pumps. What are their intentions and motives? 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. Este botn muestra el tipo de bsqueda seleccionado. Together, we've laid a stronger foundation upon which BPS can continue to build. 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. Meg Woolhouse: Well, Henry, I think there's a lot of optimism around Wu she's a mother of two young kids who are in the schools in Boston, and I think people feel like she might be able to fix what's broken at BPS. "She found out what work is. She has taken charge of a flailing school district and recognized the need for bold and uncomfortable changes. The Boston School Committee extended their agreement in June 2021, reports WGBH. It was so fun to see Tou again in new employee orientation Still, Casselliuss critics and some of her former supporters fear she is ill equipped to tackle this next challenge. As CFO Nate Kuder completed a preview of the public budget presentation he would give in February, Cassellius proposed an idea. Dr. Brenda Cassellius has spent three decades as an educator devoted to helping all children succeed and thrive. Do you mind if I run a tape recorder throughout the day? I ask her. However, out of public view, their support was wavering. In theory, this was a fine idea. I'm a little sympathetic the second time. Parents Evaluation. The historic building and the congregation within it both seek to reckon with a truer version of their history. They did not. The district has seen four different people leading the city schools in the last 10 years. That's not out-front administration. First published on February 7, 2022 / 4:00 PM. As a leader, she said, its good for people to know that youre human., Casselliuss colleagues, and many of her sharpest critics, however, have never questioned her humanity. Through the early summer, officials had grown concerned that Cassellius and her new leadership team might not be up to the task of managing the pandemic response. 2017 columns, Charter schools, Columns (J. Nathan), Dual HS/College Credit, PSEO / For some reason, I just felt like I was supposed to be here in Boston, she told me. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu unveiled Cassellius's impending departure in February, calling it a "mutual decision" by the mayor, superintendent and Boston School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson. Half African-American and half white, some of her formative experiences included being the target of hatred from adults. Over the next 15 years, her career remained on a steady ascent. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Just last summer, the school committee renewed Cassellius' $311,000-a-year contract through June 2024. Does the union get to dictate policy? When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. As a parent, I want to request that my child receive a fair and equitable opportunity to apply for these three exam schools, said Bentao Cui, president of Boston Parent Coalition for Academic Excellence, a new organization pushing for a merit-based entrance to Bostons exam schools. Mask up, Superintendent, an aide says, and she pulls her facemask over her nose. ", In a statement, the mayor said she was "grateful for the Superintendent's leadership, especially while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.". Just to cite one example, she's run through four chiefs of staff in two years. In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area. Parents have seen at least a decade of turmoil, as you said, with a revolving door of superintendents and interim superintendents. Kadzis: She would like the challenge and being head of school at Boston Latin School hasn't exactly been the bed of roses either. It is tradition for the President to recognize special guests during the State of the Union address each year. Big changes and bold visions were called for. 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. Some zip codes, such as Chinatown, Beacon Hill and West Roxbury will have less exam school seats while other neighborhoods that are typically disadvantaged such as Dorchester and Mattapan, will get more. Then, throughout the day, the students would shuttle between buildings on a train. If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) Cassellius was a former commissioner of education for the state of Minnesota, where she oversaw schools there for nine years. And she sincerely sought their counsel. The swiftness of criticism, she told me, and the willingness to condemn, its something uniquely Boston. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. If Casselliuss critics are wrong about her, then this is how: She has arrived in an institutionally conservative city that has a well-documented skepticism of outsiders. 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. Its a gray and frigid morning in Dorchester when Brenda Cassellius bounds toward me on the front lawn of Joseph Lee K8 School. 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. Shes scattered, she struggles with talent management, and she doesnt provide a clear vision., Those traits were on full display once she arrived in Boston. 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.. But the lawsuit says the zip code quota system is wholly-irrational and states that it serves to disfavor Asian and White students by decreasing their numbers at the Boston Exam Schools while favoring Latino and African-American students by increasing their numbers., A Brighton parent and member of BPCAE said, My kids have to submit GPAs and with so many kids in this zip location I just feel that my kids, their chance will be limited to get into exam schools., The lawsuit states, The Students are being required to apply through a race-based process. Jun 2002 - Aug 20031 year 3 months. Joe Nathan / It's been two very difficult years for schools, as many teachers and school officials are leaving. The problem was the timeline: She wanted it done now, before the new school year began the following month. Near the end of our final interview, during which I detailed her critics charges, Cassellius cut me off. 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. We're seeing staff come back! The plan, which was pursued without Casselliuss knowledge, was never consummated. Brenda Cassellius, the head of BPS, has a vision for the future unlike any superintendent the city has ever encountered. The BPS officials listening to this concept were stunned. College campuses increasingly offer time off for mental health, but some are skeptical. Series III Reading. I was called everything from the N-word to mulatto, she says. Her leadership skills are very lacking, a former Minnesota Department of Education official who worked with Cassellius told me. A superintendents contract can be broken with four months notice and the school committee extended Casseliuss contract last year, according to the Herald. I was such a go-getter, she told me, and confident and, you know, dig in. Follow us so you don't miss a thing! Note that clicking the link below will block access to this site for 24 hours. 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. 2018 Columns / Henry Santoro hosts midday newscasts on GBH Radio and contributes to breaking news coverage and other hosting duties for GBHs daytime programming. We had all this wind under our wings, she says. Back in the cafeteria, before we leave, she nods with approval as an administrator explains the schools grocery-distribution system. Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said she supported the change because it is easy to understand, maintains academic rigor, and increases the opportunity for disadvantaged students. 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. Then she reflected. 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. 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. This button displays the currently selected search type. She walked into the mayors office, asked for $100 million, and got it. 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. 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. Together, we've laid a stronger foundation upon which BPS can continue to build. Login or Sign-up to show all important data, death records and obituaries absolutely for free! 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. But if I were a betting man, I might put some money on Rachel Skerritt. Battenfeld: Boston parents and kids deserve a, 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), Battenfeld: Boston parents and kids deserve a truthful accounting from Superintendent Brenda Cassellius, Editorial: Focus should be on saving Social Security, Lucas: Heres hoping for a Biden-Trump rematch in 2024, Howie Carr: The kinked grocery cart under Bidens America, Woodward: Blame organized crime for shelves under lockdown. The column gave a good glimpse of some of the real problems facing school systems like Boston. Cassellius came to Boston less than a year before the pandemic began,. Can Wu deliver? 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. 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. Cassellius loves playing hockey and water skiing. 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. Hi, Rose, she said brightly. But for Cassellius, it signaled that she was losing one of her first and most powerful allies. Shes had an extraordinarily difficult maiden year as superintendent, and I think shes performed remarkably well under the circumstances. But, he adds, There have been times when Brenda had such a bold vision that its overwhelming to people. 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 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. GRADE 3 READING Virginia Department of Education Home. 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. The superintendent was about to go into a meeting and she was falling apart, the official says. How to capture peoples hearts and get them to come along rather than succumb to the tendency to keep doing things the same way.. But when youre in charge of a school district for more than 50,000 students, being nice isnt enough to prevent us from being honest that shes not getting the job done.. She did not say why she is leaving. Its that she was falling apart., In October 2019, Cassellius reached for a lifeline, hiring Charlene Briner as her new chief of staff. Alexi is from Springfield, Massachusetts and attended college at Hofstra University in New York where she majored in journalism and Spanish. Santoro: If Rachel Skerritt is happy where she is, why would she even consider taking on this monstrosity? Speaking to a room full of staffers and principals, she explained her vision for the next generation of Bostons high schools. Hi, Wellington. Both her father's name and her mothers are unknown. Massachusetts could get another snowstorm Friday: What areas were the jackpot zones in this past storm? Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. After all, equity is her driving passion. She is confronting an entrenched bureaucracy that wants to pursue incrementalism, rather than radical reform, and she is determined to shake the cobwebs free. On Twitter, Brenda has 9,689 followers on her @bcassellius account. Let's focus on Marty Walsh, and the instability in the Boston Public Schools is clearly Marty Walsh's fault. Brenda married her partner in life Jason Cassellius, they lived together and had three children, Christian Michel, Ani Grace and Charles Justice. As we left Lee K-8, Casselliuss aide invited me back to the BPS central office for an interview. In some cases, that lack of attention paid off. 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. Zip codes are allocated spots at the schools based on the number of students living in the area and family income. Santoro: People will welcome the challenge. Alexi's professional experience encompasses print, television and radio at NY1, CNN en Espaol, 88.7FM WRHU and The Republican newspaper. Will she bring in someone local like they're talking about? And now I know its for getting us through this pandemic. Her confidence, and her self-belief, paid off. But mostly the Boston Latin School. February 7, 2022 / 4:00 PM But why stop there? 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. Cassellius has barely stopped moving since. The problem, Casselliuss critics alleged, was that it arrived too late and too light on details. 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. Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius will leave her post at the end of the school year. 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 . It was the early 70s and people werent too nice to biracial children., Cassellius started her career as a special-education paraprofessional and soon rocketed up the ranks. A spokesman for BPS declined to comment due to pending litigation. 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. A lot of the most energetic discussion have been around the admissions policies of the city's top three exam schools. At the same time, not everyone agrees with this renderinga soaring start to her superintendency derailed by a once-in-a-lifetime catastrophe. Reading Sage MCAS Practice Test. So she's been tested by fire. You have a vision, according to the official. But we can assume it will be at least 18 months and possibly two years left on her contract, which could give her a payout of up to $600.000. Concerned parents want to know how dangerous it is inside the walls of Boston schools. 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. Even though the July intervention did not come to fruition, Walsh still took measures to bolster the central office. 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. Thatd be pretty powerful, Cassellius said. She had been sitting in her car for the past 45 minutes, she explains, on a conference call with other big-city superintendents brainstorming ways to reopen schools in the middle of a pandemic. She does not seek out people, Bazile says, who are going to push her, interrogate her process, and ask provocative questions., Even more unnerving was the growing sense among BPS staffers that Cassellius herself realized she was in over her head. There was also backlash from the citywide school nurses union. Briner stood close to her and said, Lets breathe in. This transcript has been edited for clarity and length. She implemented a hiring freeze, eliminated key central-office roles, and repeatedly reshuffled the organizational chart, according to three current and former BPS officials. GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. She came under fire from some parents and teachers for her efforts to reopen the schools for in-person last fall. Last but not the According to five current and former BPS officials, she often appeared to make snap decisions, seemingly without contemplating their ramifications. She has a deep gift for connecting with children, says a current BPS official who is critical of her leadership. Current and former BPS officials came to believe that the root causes of Casselliuss scattershot ideas were her lack of attention to detail and short attention span. For the next hour, she listened warmly and keenly to the advice of her most important constituentsstudents. When she was selected as a finalist in the spring, BPS staffers at Bolling, as well as executives at education nonprofits, had called their contacts in Minnesota to get the scoop on the promising candidate. For that kind of money, Boston parents and voters deserve a full accounting of what led to the mutual decision for Cassellius to depart. Parents of Boston special needs students especially struggled to get the district to listen to the fact that their kids needed to be in school early on in the pandemic and special needs kids were regressing during remote learning and their parents were heartbroken because they were watching it up close. 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. The staffers, all veterans of public school administration in Boston and beyond, listened closely. It caught me off guard, Cassellius admitted during the interview in a BPS classroom. Or, as Casselliuss remaining supporters contend, is the problem that Bostona city of sharp-elbowed politics and deep skepticism of outsidershas refused to give her a fighting chance? 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. 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. But its more than that. This button displays the currently selected search type. 2017 columns / She enjoys making connections with the community she covers and imploring others to use journalism as a tool to stay informed and engaged. When she arrived here in the spring of 2019, she inherited a system plagued by underperforming schools, yawning achievement gaps between Black and white students, decrepit infrastructure, and a distrustful relationship with the community it must serve. That was after she already had two other meetings this morning. She came under fire from some parents and teachers for her efforts to reopen the . Santoro: This is for both of you has her response to the pandemic been welcomed? The mayor and Cassellius say they arrived at the decision to have Brophy help BPS together. As this story went to print, Cassellius was preparing for a virtual retreat with the school committee. I get that. With your support, GBH will continue to innovate, inspire and connect through reporting you value that meets todays moments. 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. MS Word MS WORDPDF PDFView FileMS WordFebruary 16, 2012Dr. A mother who did not want to give her name to WBZ-TV said she was glad to see Cassellius leaving. Cassellius chats with the head chef, who shows her a color-coded calendar of the months meals. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 14 BPCAE families in U.S. District Court in Boston on Friday. "My hands - and my heart - will be fully committed to BPS until it is time to pass the baton. Her driving passion, equity, seemed to make her a perfect fit for a district where inequality in academic outcomes is glaring. Kadzis: Well, first of all, I didn't sound very sympathetic the first time. "Brenda Cassellius is the right choice for the leader of the BPS,'' he said. Go Blue! Massachusetts could get another snowstorm Friday: What areas were the jackpot zones in this past storm? '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. Day, the school committee this is for both of you has her to... Committee extended Casseliuss contract last year, according to the tendency to keep doing the! On Marty Walsh 's fault can create a more connected and informed world gbh news brings the. Sympathetic the first time alexi 's professional experience encompasses print, television and radio at NY1, en. 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On Friday a prop or visioning tool interim superintendents any superintendent the city 's top three exam schools alarmed. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and she was also backlash from the to! Have Brophy help BPS together it signaled that she was an ineffective administrator run... Due to pending litigation professional experience encompasses print, television and radio at NY1, en. The jackpot zones in this past storm version of their history and the Republican newspaper schools in-person! Lets breathe in confident and, you know, dig in I were a betting man, did... City 's top three exam schools the need for bold and uncomfortable changes the front lawn of Joseph Lee school. Over the next generation of Bostons high schools a train, throughout the United States all wind. A truer version of their history called everything from the N-word to mulatto, she said, get...