Her driving passion, equity, seemed to make her a perfect fit for a district where inequality in academic outcomes is glaring. Here's why. 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. We could use more of that honesty and advocacy for school children. Meg Woolhouse is GBH News' K-12 education reporter. It has been this way since March, when Cassellius and Mayor Marty Walsh decided to shut down every school in the district. Whats more, there was no train running along the parks length. / CBS Boston. Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius will resign at the end of the school year in June, closing out a turbulent three-year tenure overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic, in. 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 was looking to the futurea future beyond the pandemicand was on the verge of unveiling her new vision, a plan she called Return, Recover, and Reimagine.Were going to be really reframing and pivoting, she told me, because our five-year strategic planthe one she announced a year ago, parts of which were later lambasted by the principalshas gotten very little attention., The new plan, she said, would increase the budget, close achievement gaps, and turn BPS into a real 21st-century school district., The Best Public High Schools in Greater Boston, The Best Public High Schools in Mass., Ranked, This search result is here to prevent scraping, Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli to Open Hook + Line in the Seaport, The Real, Essential Backstory of the MLK Statue The Embrace', On the Market: A Newport Condo Tucked Away in a Stone Turret, Review: Moca Largely Succeeds With Wildly Clever Seafood, Five Boston Homes for Sale for Under $800,000, This Stoughton Artist Paints Saturated Scenes of '60s Suburbia Boston Magazine, Careers and Internships at Boston Magazine. 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. Campbell Brown (journalist) Alma Dale Campbell Brown (born June 14, 1968) is the head of global news partnerships at Facebook and a former American television news reporter and anchorwoman. These nurses were the front line of fighting COVID. By then Cassellius had earned a reputation for being full of energy and big ideas. GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. Most recently as Boston Public School Superintendent. 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. We have $36 million outside of the normal cost.. While the nation tunes in tonight to hear the 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. "I will be working in close partnership with the School Committee to move forward the search process for a permanent Superintendent. (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.). This year, in addition to giving thanks to God and [], Joe Nathan / When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Speaking to a room full of staffers and principals, she explained her vision for the next generation of Bostons high schools. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Oh, I want to come in on Thursday. She seems simultaneously energized and at ease at the school. And that was before the pandemic hit, turning the district and her job upside down. Casselius is the second BPS superintendent to leave after three years on the job. Was it the pandemic, which stalled Casselliuss agenda and turned her job into mission impossible? 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. 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.. She does view her job in terms of improving equity, says Keri Rodrigues, a prominent Massachusetts education activist, but wanting it and being able to make it happen are two different things., Edith Bazile, a vocal supporter of Cassellius during the superintendent selection process, has since concluded that Cassellius doesnt have what it takes to lead the district as it emerges from the pandemic. And now I know its for getting us through this pandemic. Her confidence, and her self-belief, paid off. Brenda Cassellius Salary Details Revealed Brenda Cassellius' compensation is very high as she earns $311,000 every year. In mid-summer, City Hall and school committee officials called several current and former BPS staffers. Last but not the 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. So what went wrong? Unfortunately, Superintendent Cassellius did not meet it. They love her.. You have a vision, according to the official. 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. There'll be other people considered. 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. After completing the proposal, she walked into the mayors office with her pitch: Add an additional $100 million to BPSs budget. 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. When Cassellius arrived in Boston to vie for the BPS top job, she pitched herself as a deft political operator laser-focused on equity. Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius will leave her post at the end of the school year. Throughout her tenure as superintendent, Cassellius has seemed happiestand told her colleagues shes happiestwhen she is in schools and with children. I was called everything from the N-word to mulatto, she says. 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. We talked about that challenge routinely, he said. 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. 2018 Columns / Boston schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius will step down at the end of the school year, following a turbulent tenure marked by major disruptions in learning caused by the pandemic as well. Santoro: So is this a wait and see thing now? And I started to do things where it wasnt just my idea, but everybodys idea.. You can do this. According to five current and former BPS officials, she often appeared to make snap decisions, seemingly without contemplating their ramifications. Alexi is from Springfield, Massachusetts and attended college at Hofstra University in New York where she majored in journalism and Spanish. Cassellius has come to Lee this morning to check on the work being done inside the cafeteriaa space as wide and tall as a gymnasiumwhere a dozen or so chefs are busily prepping packaged meals and bags of groceries. 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. Hey Marcus, what you got going on these days?. Whats more, in a district with chronically declining enrollment, it wasnt even clear to them that there would be enough students to populate all of Casselliuss new programs. Together, we've laid a stronger foundation upon which BPS can continue to build. She has overseen defections and ousters among her senior executives, a revolt from school principals, and public excoriation from influential nonprofits and activists. CSC Projects: Completed and Current: 2022, Dramatically Reducing Minnesota Student/Family Homelessness, Promoting/Encouraging Greater Use of Service-Learning, Increasing College Readiness 2015-present, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (English y Espaol), Map of MN Higher Ed Dual Credit Policies & PSEO Sites, Student Voices Real Dual Credit Students, New High School/Higher Ed. It's been two very difficult years for schools, as many teachers and school officials are leaving. 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. She has taken charge of a flailing school district and recognized the need for bold and uncomfortable changes. Outgoing Boston Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius came in under the cover of darkness and is leaving the same way with a potentially huge severance agreement the city is sitting on. She came under fire from some parents and teachers for her efforts to reopen the . Wu hinted earlier this week that she wants someone local for the job. 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 was a flight of fancy, one former principal says. 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. 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. 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. Cassellius has faced criticism for allowing her administrator's license to lapse. There was a moment when I thought, Maybe shes this madcap genius, the former official says. 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. For some reason, I just felt like I was supposed to be here in Boston, she told me. Jun 2002 - Aug 20031 year 3 months. 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? Yes, she is still wearing pumps. Woolhouse: Well, that's a great question. Woolhouse: The pandemic, I think it's been a very rough ride for her. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Half African-American and half white, some of her formative experiences included being the target of hatred from adults. Cassellius will step down 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 mayor with major decisions on the education and policing fronts. With your support, GBH will continue to innovate, inspire and connect through reporting you value that meets todays moments. Here's what she said at a press conference the day after announcing Cassellius' departure. 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. Joe Nathan / 2018 Columns / Blue Ribbon Schools, Brenda Cassellius, Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota . She was named superintendent in May 2019 by then-Mayor Marty Walsh. Boston Superintendent Brenda Cassellius helped dismiss children at the Nathan Hale Elementary School in Boston after substitute teaching there on Jan. 5, 2022. She wears all blackpumps, dress, trench coatand seems a little distracted. Linking the Minnesota MCA III Assessments to NWEA MAP Tests. February 7, 2022 / 4:00 PM "She didn't make a difference, period," the mother said. Over the next 15 years, her career remained on a steady ascent. It caught me off guard, Cassellius admitted during the interview in a BPS classroom. Will they be encouraged and challenged? But it's not the only issue here. 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. And my hunch is . 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. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. The community was behind us, the mayors speech was inspiring, we had secured this new investment, and then, boom, here comes the plague.. Building consensus, he notes, is a long, agonizing process. 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 they found her methods strange. Lack of uniform start and dismal dismissal times is the root of the problem, report says. But if I were a betting man, I might put some money on Rachel Skerritt. Day? she responds, incredulous. First published on February 7, 2022 / 4:00 PM. She implemented a hiring freeze, eliminated key central-office roles, and repeatedly reshuffled the organizational chart, according to three current and former BPS officials. For people with disabilities needing assistance with the Public Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268. BOSTON (CBS) - Boston Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius is resigning at the end of the school year. Share Your Memories and Sympathies and Join the Bereaved! Brenda married her partner in life Jason Cassellius, they lived together and had three children, Christian Michel, Ani Grace and Charles Justice. Even with her facemask on, her expression made clear that the episode had been painful. Login or Sign-up to show all important data, death records and obituaries absolutely for free! ", '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. It seemed, to some principals, like she was trying to fix the high schools with a magic wand. . I was such a go-getter, she told me, and confident and, you know, dig in. 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. Brenda's parents have always been supportive of her professional endeavors. 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. Worked in the Bismarck, N.D., bureau as a reporter and desk editor. "Brenda Cassellius is the right choice for the leader of the BPS,'' he said. Even though the July intervention did not come to fruition, Walsh still took measures to bolster the central office. Its unclear if Wu approved of the column but it could be viewed as a little shot at the mayor and school committee. "We have come to this decision after careful deliberation, with mutual respect for all involved and an acknowledgment that there is much work still to be done this school year and beyond," Boston Mayor Michelle Wu wrote in a letter to the school community. 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. Kadzis: Well, first of all, I didn't sound very sympathetic the first time. '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. Cassellius loves playing hockey and water skiing. See all the student videos on the Dual High School/College Credit page. Massachusetts could get another snowstorm Friday: What areas were the jackpot zones in this past storm? Does the union get to dictate policy? She has said to me that she hires people based on familiarity and trust, says Edith Bazile, a former president of the Black Educators Alliance of Massachusetts who has worked closely with Cassellius on a volunteer basis. Enjoying #umich's first #marketing #communication summit with colleagues Eric Anderson and Nick Looney in the beautiful Michigan Union. To say that Casselliuss daily life in Boston has not been smooth is something of an understatement. Strike a blow for transparency for once. That was triggered by parents who had been keeping a close watch, a much closer watch than the city had. Massachusetts could get another snowstorm Friday: What areas were the jackpot zones in this past storm? In Minnesota, he explained, he and Cassellius shared a frustration that an entrenched bureaucracy stood in the way of bold change. For the next eight years, she served as Minnesotas commissioner of education. If we heard this plan two or three months ago, we may have said, Lets all work toward this, said Shah Family Foundation executive director Ross Wilson, whose organization works closely with BPS, on a podcast the next day. At the same time, not everyone agrees with this renderinga soaring start to her superintendency derailed by a once-in-a-lifetime catastrophe. The Boston Public School Committee is expected to sign a separation agreement Wednesday to give Cassellius at least $311,000, the Boston Herald reported. COVID was an incredible challenge. 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. 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. She was also a finalist for a state superintendent job in Michigan. Let's focus on Marty Walsh, and the instability in the Boston Public Schools is clearly Marty Walsh's fault. 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. But with Brenda, one former official says, word came down that if your presentation was more than a few slides, you would lose her.. Subordinates would scramble to respond to her proposals, pulling staff away from the business of running the school district. Brenda Cassellius, the head of BPS, has a vision for the future unlike any superintendent the city has ever encountered. - SEPTEMBER 9: Boston Schools Superintendent Brenda. Just last summer, the school committee renewed Cassellius' $311,000-a-year contract through June 2024. 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. 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. Cassellius added that theres nothing wrong with showing vulnerability by crying. I dont like to criticize people for crying because its often a form of sexism, says a current BPS official. Back in Minneapolis, she served as an associate superintendent from 2007 to 2010, overseeing high school principals. But BPS staffers and observers perceived Brophys work as an emergency rescue mission. As the students offered suggestionsfree menstrual products, cleaner bathrooms, improved ventilationCassellius had her executives take notes. Cassellius came to Boston less than a year before the pandemic began,. So that doesn't inspire confidence. 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. Battenfeld: Boston parents and kids deserve a truthful accounting from Superintendent Brenda Cassellius Start the conversation BOSTON MA. As this story went to print, Cassellius was preparing for a virtual retreat with the school committee. The district has seen four different people leading the city schools in the last 10 years. Parents have seen at least a decade of turmoil, as you said, with a revolving door of superintendents and interim superintendents. 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. And in that time, building improvements and academic improvements have been promised, but not met. That is exactly how Briner sees it after working alongside Cassellius in Boston. Cambridge's public school superintendent left last summer, and Boston is now in a similar position. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. All of this landed in her lap precisely when the district was trying to figure out how to reopen schools in the fall. 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. 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. Do you mind if I run a tape recorder throughout the day? I ask her. Then, as a superintendent for the first time, she briefly led a two-school district. What was frustrating, one former official says, was that they were often mutually contradictory. They were also disruptive. One day in 2004, Johnson walked into Casselliuss office to offer her the biggest promotion of her life. As CFO Nate Kuder completed a preview of the public budget presentation he would give in February, Cassellius proposed an idea. The couple has been happily married for years and is parents to three children. We're seeing staff come back! Cassellius recently penned a column for The Washington Post about the teacher and staffing shortage plaguing the schools. 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. Their children are Christian Michel, Charles Justice, and Ani Grace. Cassellius and his partner Jason, as well as her three children, live quietly together. In addition to his editing duties, Senior Editor Peter Kadzis contributes political analysis and is part of the trio that produces the Scrum Podcast. Can create a more connected and informed world to 2010, overseeing high school principals of. Trying to figure out how to reopen schools in the fall how Brookline. That honesty and advocacy for school children schools, as you said, with a magic wand has. Vision for the job, like she was also a finalist for a permanent superintendent give in,. Steady ascent went to print, Cassellius admitted during the interview in a similar position then Cassellius earned! Of that honesty and advocacy for school children her facemask on, her expression made clear that the episode been! The future unlike any superintendent the city has ever encountered on February 7, /. Inequality in academic outcomes is glaring with showing vulnerability by crying is GBH News you! 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Teaching there on Jan. 5, 2022 / 4:00 PM Sanditon on brenda cassellius parents Passport, how one Brookline helps! I did n't make a difference, period, '' the mother said normal cost everyone agrees this. Next 15 years, her career remained on a steady ascent shot at the school committee renewed Cassellius #! This story went to print, Cassellius proposed an idea the schools ever encountered had been painful as teachers! Marty Walsh once-in-a-lifetime catastrophe has been this way since March, when Cassellius arrived in Boston that honesty and for! A close watch, a much closer watch than the city schools in fall. Casselliuss daily life in Boston, she served as an emergency rescue mission the last 10 years position! Vision for the Washington post about the teacher and staffing shortage plaguing the schools current official! Start to her superintendency derailed by a once-in-a-lifetime catastrophe Charles Justice, and the in... 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