Boston’s new superintendent of schools, Mary Skipper, and Mayor Michelle Wu are expected to speak about the future of the district Thursday morning following a roundtable discussion with students and school leaders.
The Boston School Committee selected Skipper, the superintendent of Somerville Public Schools, as its new superintendent in a close vote on the two people who were being considered finalists Wednesday evening.
Skipper ousted Dr. Tommy Welch, who oversees 15 BPS schools as the Region 1 superintendent, by one vote. Boston School Committee Chairperson Jeri Robinson cast a fourth vote for Skipper, breaking a 3-3 tie between Skipper and Welch.
In a 4-3 vote Wednesday night, Mary Skipper was selected over Tommy Welch as the next person to lead Boston Public Schools.
“I am honored and humbled to have been selected to lead the district that raised me as an educator and solidified my passion for making a difference in the lives of students,” Skipper said in a statement. “This is a pivotal time in Boston and BPS’ history, and nothing less than our student’s and our City’s future is at stake.”
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said she was thrilled to welcome Skipper as “the experienced leader and dedicated partner that Boston needs for our young people and families.” Wu will hold a press conference at 9 a.m. Thursday with Skipper. Wu will also be holding her long-postponed Inaugural Celebration Thursday at City Hall Plaza from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“In this moment of challenge and opportunity, Mary is uniquely prepared to drive forward the systemic reforms and immediate results our students deserve,” Wu said. “Her knowledge and relationships from serving at every level in BPS–as a classroom teacher, school leader, and longtime district administrator–and as a successful superintendent in the area, will supercharge our work.”
The school committee took the vote during a virtual meeting Wednesday, which was followed immediately by contract negotiations with Skipper in executive session. Skipper was required to formally accept an offer for the position in order to negotiate her contract, including salary, benefits and her starting date.
The Boston School Committee will vote on two finalists for superintendent during a virtual meeting Wednesday night. Whoever gets the job will go into it knowing that the district is facing a number of urgent challenges.
Robinson said Wednesday’s vote by the school committee marked a “huge step forward for the district.”
Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang released a statement Wednesday night, saying the BTU was looking forward to partnering with Skipper “in pursuit of creating the schools our students deserve.”
“Superintendent Skipper has the experience, knowledge and qualities that will be integral to addressing the pressing needs facing our school district,” Tang said.
Community leaders sounded off on the decision ahead of Wednesday night’s vote as the beleaguered district narrowly evaded a state take-over.
Boston Public Schools has come under fire recently for what DESE Commissioner Jeffrey Riley called underperformance as well as what the NAACP described as a lack of representation in the search for a new superintendent.
In a report released last month, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) said Boston Public Schools is struggling to operate on a basic level and is not addressing “systemic barriers” to equitable education. The district reached an agreement with state officials Tuesday to follow a system improvement plan, narrowly avoiding a state take-over in what is known as receivership.
A last-minute deal avoids a state takeover of Boston Public Schools — but that didn’t stop teachers from rallying.
Skipper accepts the position knowing that the district is facing a number of urgent challenges. Her years of experience within the district could help turn around endemic problems that the state has identified at BPS.
Skipper has seven years as Somerville’s superintendent and a lengthy career in Boston, which includes launching TechBoston Academy, under her belt. When Skipper was interviewed publicly for hours last week by the Search Committee, she talked about how they would tackle the issues.
“A big goal here would be reengaging and restructuring in ways that allow our teams to be most effective for our students and their outcomes,” Skipper said.
Brenda Cassellius is leaving the post on June 30, and signed off at the meeting Wednesday night.
Cassellius began as Boston’s school superintendent in the summer of 2019 after serving as Minnesota’s education commissioner, and led the district through the pandemic. She said she arrived in the job “Minnesota Nice” and is departing “Boston Strong.”
“Getting through adversity makes us stronger, but more importantly it builds our character and it guides our sense of purpose,” she said, before receiving warm wishes from members of the school committee.
Wu and Cassellius have called the superintendent’s decision to step down a mutual one and has thanked her for “steadfast leadership, grace and courage.”
Deputy Superintendent of Academics Drew Echelson is acting as superintendent before Cassellius’ replacement takes office.
Skipper and Echelson will work closely together during the leadership transition, as Echelson leads ongoing district initiatives — including the implementation of the Systemic Improvement Plan negotiated with DESE — until Skipper begins her tenure.
“I’m deeply committed to working closely with Ms. Skipper to ensure a smooth transition,” Dr. Echelson said in a statement Wednesday night. “Mary has always been a very empathetic listener who leads with purpose, humility and an unwavering belief in our children. I look forward to strengthening our work and leveraging much-needed reinforcements to accelerate reforms in BPS, especially as it relates to racial equity, Special Education, native language access, and improved transportation systems.”
A new plan was signed Monday by Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson, Superintendent Brenda Cassellius and DESE Commissioner Jeffrey Riley.
Tang, the president of the Boston Teachers Union, said with a new superintendent named and a systemic improvement plan in place, a key next step is for the district to agree to a contract with frontline educators in order to advance “many of the local solutions long advocated for by students, families and educators.”
“Working with the new BPS leadership, our educators will continue to bring their enthusiasm, creativity, and passion for teaching students as well as commitment to equity and inclusion to the table as we welcome Superintendent Skipper back to the Boston Public Schools and work together to build the schools our students — and our communities — deserve,” Tang said.
Education advocates at School Facts Boston had endorsed Welch for the position. Family Advisory Board Director Vernee Wilkinson hopes Skipper can quickly address the current needs.
“We’re already behind the 8-ball with regards to Boston students and families getting what they need. So I hope and trust that the superintendent will indeed hit the ground running,” she said.
Francis Pina, a BPS math teacher, is expecting the new leadership to address issues concerning the lack of quality education for English learners and underserved students, saying, “If we’re trying to keep it student centered and family centered and do the best that we can for those key stakeholders, then we all need to get behind a superintendent who is really good a building those relationships and makes due not only by listening to those stakeholders but makes due in fulfilling the promises that they will say.”
