There was a moment when I thought, Maybe shes this madcap genius, the former official says. Once we got settled in a classroom at the school, Cassellius told me about her life. 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. But if I were a betting man, I might put some money on Rachel Skerritt. Both her father's name and her mothers are unknown. That left Brenda Cassellius as the default candidate and the darling of the teachers union. 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. She has worked arduously to reach her dream of becoming a successful teacher. She quickly won jobs as a teacher, assistant principal, and then principal of a middle school, after Carol Johnson (who would later serve as BPS superintendent) hired Cassellius to work in the Memphis school district where she was superintendent. Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments ? 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. The staffers, all veterans of public school administration in Boston and beyond, listened closely. Even with her facemask on, her expression made clear that the episode had been painful. I had never met with a school superintendent, says Matthew Thompson, pastor of Jubilee Christian Church in Mattapan, the biggest Protestant church in New England. 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. 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. This year, in addition to giving thanks to God and [], Joe Nathan / 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. And we want to see all the dirty details including money figures of the separation agreement Cassellius now must sign. BOSTON (CBS) - Boston Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius is resigning at the end of the school year. 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. Cassellius, the former Minnesota Commissioner of Education, was selected superintendent in 2019 by the Boston School Committee. 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. Somebody who's passionate about helping inner city kids," said Yonathan Fassil, whose child goes to Boston Latin School. Zip codes are allocated spots at the schools based on the number of students living in the area and family income. The swiftness of criticism, she told me, and the willingness to condemn, its something uniquely Boston. 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. Santoro: This is for both of you has her response to the pandemic been welcomed? If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) Transitions are difficult for kids and adults alike. 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. Massachusetts could get another snowstorm Friday: What areas were the jackpot zones in this past storm? We could use more of that honesty and advocacy for school children. 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. GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. 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.. 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. Briner stood close to her and said, Lets breathe in. Follow us so you don't miss a thing! 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. They cant see how to get it done, and she hasnt shown them the steps along the way.. 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. However, out of public view, their support was wavering. And my hunch is . 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. You can do this. Joe Nathan / Let me cite an example: the surprise closing of the Curley school. She fell afoul of the powers that be when she made it clear that she thought they had to close schools to make running the system more efficient. The move would have rendered Cassellius virtually a figurehead, still nominally in control of the district, but with many core responsibilities removed from her portfolio. The superintendent was about to go into a meeting and she was falling apart, the official says. OK, you didn't have all your credentials right in the first place!". In a 5-2 vote, the Boston School Committee selected to appoint former Minnesota's Commissioner of Education Dr. Brenda Cassellius as their next Superintendent Wednesday. And Ms. Cassellius has proven to be not a good administrator. Anything you think we should spend money on, you guys? she asked. BOSTON (CBS) - Boston Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius is resigning at the end of the school year. 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. She walked into the mayors office, asked for $100 million, and got it. 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. "Dr. Cassellius articulated an inspiring, yet practical, vision of how she has been . "Brenda Cassellius is the right choice for the leader of the BPS,'' he said. Cassellius made the announcement in a letter to parents, students and. . On Twitter, Brenda has 9,689 followers on her @bcassellius account. Lets go to TechBoston, she suggested. Then there was a second better search and there was a superb candidate, Marie Izquierdo, from Miami. Tell us what she really thinks of the joke of a school committee and the oversized influence of the powerful teachers union. Kadzis: She would like the challenge and being head of school at Boston Latin School hasn't exactly been the bed of roses either. 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. In one light, Cassellius looks like the ideal person for that mission. Brenda Cassellius's husband is Jason Cassellius. - SEPTEMBER 9: Boston Schools Superintendent Brenda. . We're seeing staff come back! Then, in late July, Walsh sent Patrick Brophy, the citys chief of operations, to help with BPSs reopening effort. 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. The Boston School Committee announced last week that Dr. Brenda Cassellius will serve as Boston's next superintendent. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. We got Tommy Chang, who relatively quickly washed out. Brenda ignored all of that, a former official says. 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. The daughter of a young single mother who later became a young single mother herself, Cassellius grew up on food stamps in the projects of Minneapolis and participated in a Head Start program. But it's not the only issue here. Shes a quick problem solver, says Bernadeia Johnson (no relation to Carol), a former superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools. Her colleagues found her leadership erratic in other ways as well. A spokesman for BPS declined to comment due to pending litigation. The new schools, she said, would be built alongor on top of, it wasnt exactly clearthe Emerald Necklace, the winding park running through central Boston. Then she reflected. 2016 columns / Kadzis: Henry, let me make an educated guess, and this is based on calling around yesterday and talking to people. Oh, I want to come in on Thursday. She seems simultaneously energized and at ease at the school. Perhaps that is why she seemed so buoyant when I visited Lee K8 with her and why she meets regularly with her student cabinet, and with BPSs student advisory council. See all the student videos on the Dual High School/College Credit page. These nurses were the front line of fighting COVID. But its more than that. By winter of the 20192020 school year, concern over Casselliuss leadership had extended beyond the central office and reached BPSs principalssome of the districts most important employees. The community was behind us, the mayors speech was inspiring, we had secured this new investment, and then, boom, here comes the plague.. Brenda Cassellius was born in Minnesota on September 9, 1967, and she will turn 54 in 2022. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 14 BPCAE families in U.S. District Court in Boston on Friday. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. All of this landed in her lap precisely when the district was trying to figure out how to reopen schools in the fall. 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. 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.. Thats exactly what Boston needed, says Tanisha Sullivan, president of the Boston chapter of the NAACP. The plaintiffs are asking the court to prevent admissions decisions from being made under the new system and to prohibit the district from using a zip code system as a factor in future admissions decisions. She even briefly served as a classroom teacher . Woolhouse: Well, that's a great question. Publicly, at least, Cassellius still had the backing of the two allies she needed most: the school committee and City Hall. In many ways, this was classic Cassellius, BPS insiders say. She came under fire from some parents and teachers for her efforts to reopen the . Big changes and bold visions were called for. 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. It is tradition for the President to recognize special guests during the State of the Union address each year. The Boston School Committee extended their agreement in June 2021, reports WGBH. The. Woolhouse: The pandemic, I think it's been a very rough ride for her. 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. Brenda Cassellius, David Esquith, Minnesota State University Mankato, PACER Center, School Safety Technical Assistance Center, US Department of Education Office of Safe and Healthy Students, Walter Roberts / 0 Comments, The following column originally was published by ECM Publications Helping students be safer at school By Joe Nathan on February 10, 2016 at 2:03 pm Joe Nathan David Esquith shares one of the deepest concerns parents have: I worry about a call from the school that my kid got hurt. Its important that Esquith understands, [], Joe Nathan / The daughter of a young single mother who later became a young single mother herself, Cassellius grew up on food stamps in the projects of Minneapolis and participated in a Head Start program.. Before working with . I paused. 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. But that's my best guess. It seemed, to some principals, like she was trying to fix the high schools with a magic wand. Back in Minneapolis, she served as an associate superintendent from 2007 to 2010, overseeing high school principals. parents, and others. 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. Charlene has a way of coaching Brenda, says the former Minnesota Department of Education official. When BPS faced a lack of staff, Brenda took a substitute teacher position at Nathan Hale Elementary School, Roxbury. 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. So I would say, keep an eye on Rachel Skerritt. "I don't have any further thoughts on that at this time," she said. Brenda Cassellius, ESSA, Hue Hguyen, Minnesota Department of Education / 0 Comments, originally published by www.hometownsource.com, March 22, 2017http://hometownsource.com/2017/03/22/joe-nathan-column-mde-offers-great-opportunities-to-help-create-education-plans/ MDE offers great opportunities to help develop education plans Give Minnesota Commissioner of Education Brenda Cassellius and her colleagues at the Minnesota Department of Education some credit. The windows open there. Before her aide could object, she was off. It was so fun to see Tou again in new employee orientation 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. September 8, 2018 Will new reporting & school support systems help students? Reading Sage MCAS Practice Test. How much influence and interference did they really have on her and how the schools are run? In meetings, she often broke down in tears and said she felt overwhelmed, according to three people who witnessed these episodes. A new wave of trouble began with another of Casselliuss bold ideas, her so-called High School Redesign Plan. 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. "It does make for a difficult start to the day," she said. And now I know its for getting us through this pandemic. Her confidence, and her self-belief, paid off. That was after she already had two other meetings this morning. For the next hour, she listened warmly and keenly to the advice of her most important constituentsstudents. She is too focused on big-picture plans, Bazile says, and she does not have the leadership tools to put in place policies that are going to make those plans actually occur in reality. It creates a level of desperation, Bazile adds, because we cant lose this generation., On the afternoon of November 13, I joined a Zoom call with Cassellius, her chief financial officer, her chief operations officer, and some of her favorite people in the district: her cabinet of student advisers. Her heart is in the right place and I believe deeply she is a good person, says a former BPS official. Cassellius will likely be muzzled under a non-disclosure agreement when she leaves, but it would be nice if she spilled details of her brief time as superintendent on the way out. No further reasoning was given. You know what would be kind of cool, Nate, is having a youth portion of the presentation. Kuder said he loved the idea. Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams is the current superintendent of Eastern Carver County Schools in Chaska, MN. Cassellius made the announcement in a letter to parents, students and staff Monday. Alexi's professional experience encompasses print, television and radio at NY1, CNN en Espaol, 88.7FM WRHU and The Republican newspaper. Her husband Jason is a stay-at-home dad. 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. There'll be other people considered. Parents Evaluation. 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. 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. For that kind of money, Boston parents and voters deserve a full accounting of what led to the mutual decision for Cassellius to depart. 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 The mayor and Cassellius say they arrived at the decision to have Brophy help BPS together. 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