The Special Administrative Board of St. Louis Public Schools has selected a firm to head the search for district superintendent. At its regular board meeting Thursday night, the SAB approved the hiring of ProAct Search Inc., a Milwaukee-based company.

Back in February, the Special Administrative Board announced that it would conduct a search for a new superintendent of schools. The current superintendent, Diana Bourisaw, said she would not re-apply for her position, but will continue in her job during the search process.

Before tonight’s meeting of the Special Administrative Board, supporters of outgoing Superintendent Diana Bourisaw will be gathering outside the school district’s administrative building to show support for the woman who was as expectedly pushed out of her job as she was unexpectedly appointed to it just over a year and a half ago.

The event will be part rally and part candle light vigil. Supporers are scheduled gather at 801 North 11th Street tonight starting at 5:30 PM. Candles will signify the loss the district is suffering with Bourisaw’s exit, says organizers. Close to 7:00, statements of support from parents and legislators will be read.

While Bourisaw’s supporters are outside, Bourisaw will be inside with the three-member board the state put in charge of the city schools just months after she was hired.

Here is the agenda for tonight’s SAB meeting, part of which will be closed to the public:

OPEN SESSION AGENDA

1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Pledge of Allegiance
4. Student Recognition
5. Public Comments
6. Approval of Minutes
7. Superintendent’s Report
a) Information Items
b) Action Items
8. Board Member Updates
9. Adjournment

EXECUTIVE SESSION AGENDA

1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Motion to go into Closed Session
4. Approval of Minutes
5. Legal Matters
6. Real Estate Matters
7. Personnel Matters
8. Adjournment

Apparently administrators at St. Louis Public Schools were the last to hear that the we’re in the middle of a winter ice storm. Less than two hours after school started this morning, they’ve announced kids will be sent home two hours from now, possibly making a dangerous situation even worse.

St. Louis Public Schools

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 21, 2008
Media Contact: Deborah Sistrunk, 314-345-2254 office

SLPS Announces Early Release Day for February 21

St. Louis – Due to inclement winter weather, all of the St. Louis Public Schools will dismiss classes early today. Schools will follow normal early release procedures.

The dismissal time for schools will vary, depending upon each school’s start time.

Start Time……………Dismissal Time

7:20 a.m………………10:50 a.m.

8:15 a.m………………11:45 a.m.

9:10 a.m………………12:40 p.m.

All after-school activities and tonight’s town hall meeting are also cancelled. The district will continue to monitor weather conditions in regards to Friday’s schedule.

UPDATE: Officials say that St. Louis Public Schools will be making accommodations the parents of For the parents of elementary school students who cannot be at home when their children are dismissed.

Students who are not picked up within one hour of dismissal will be transported to one of two schools:

Sigel Elementary, 2039 Russell Avenue (63104), 314-865-5050
Yeatman-Liddell Middle, 4265 Athlone Ave (63115), 314-261-8132

Parents must pick up their children by 6 p.m. Many students will be transported to Sigel. However, it is strongly suggested that parents call to confirm which school is caring for their children. Students are being provided with a meal.

There is a crisis in public education in America, in Missouri, and especially in St. Louis. With 2008 being both an election year and, because of term-limits, the final legislative session for many legislators, it should come as little surprise that several bills have been filed recently taking stabs at the causes and symptoms of an undereducated population of young people.

State Representative Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis) filed legislation this week that seeks to hold schools accountable for the academic success rates of their students. The bill would require the district’s accountability officer to ensure schools within the district are raised to an acceptable level of academic performance within two years.

“Right now we have far too many children in our district who are reading below grade level and the only way we can change this disturbing trend is by holding our schools accountable for the academic success rate among these children,” said Rep. Nasheed.

It’s not clear where additional funding for Nasheed’s mandate would come from or how districts would be penalized for failing to meet the requirements.

State Rep. Rodney Hubbard* (D-St. Louis) has introduced a bill aimed at reducing the number of dropouts by tying school attendance to something most teenagers value more than homework — the privilege of driving.

Hubbard’s House Bill 2078 makes eligibility for a driver’s license for 15-18 year-olds contingent upon proof that they have complied with certain school-related standards, including attendance and passing grades.

Though it has fallen in recent months, the dropout rate in St. Louis Public Schools remains high. Just as high are tensions between the two boards leading the district — one elected, and one appointed. Legislation has been introduced to put the power to run the city schools back into the hands of the elected board.

Senate Bill 1129, sponsored by State Senator Maida Coleman (D-St. Louis), seeks to repeal the law which authorized the creation of the Special Administrative Board led by real estate developer Rick Sullivan, who Governor Matt Blunt appointed to run the city schools. Just this week, Sullivan and the SAB surprised many, including Superintendent Diana Bourisaw, when the asked her to reapply for her job, effectively firing her after just 19 months.

“I have little confidence that the governor’s handpicked henchman will do the right thing for our students when he chooses a new superintendent,” said Senator Coleman.

*Hubbard is a client of A D French & Associates

State Senator Maida Coleman was not happy when she heard that St. Louis Public Schools was about to start looking for its seventh superintendent in five years.

“I believe the [Special Administrative Board] just put the final nail in the coffin of the St. Louis Public School district,” said the St. Louis Democrat. She also hinted that this new instability may be intentional.

“It may be by design in an effort to continue the attack on the public school system in St. Louis in favor of marginally efficient and questionable outcomes of charter schools,” said Coleman.

The district’s governor-appointed CEO, Rick Sullivan, said the move was not about the record of Superintendent Diana Bourisaw, who was quickly appointed in July 2006 following the sudden firing of Superintendent Creg Williams, but rather about getting in place a superintendent that can meet the long-term needs of the district.

“I don’t know if they have a favored candidate waiting in the wings to take over our city’s school system,” said Coleman, “but this decision flies in the face of assurances we had received recently that Superintendent Bourisaw would continue to serve as the leader of our school district.”

Coleman defended Bourisaw as having proven herself to be an effective leader “who cares about our students.”

“I have little confidence that the governor’s handpicked henchman will do the right thing for our students when he chooses a new superintendent,” said the senator.

Coleman also noted the timing of Bourisaw’s firing, less than a week after the Senate confirmed Sullivan’s appointment to the SAB.

“The assurances of CEO Rick Sullivan meant nothing as he completely misled his Senate sponsor, Joan Bray of St. Louis,” Coleman said.

In response to SAB’s action, Coleman has filed legislation to dissolve the Board and return local control of the St. Louis Public Schools. Senate Bill 1129 simply repeals the statute which created the transitional school district.