St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent Diana Bouriaw is one of 17 applicants to be the next head of the Cincinnati Public Schools, according to a Cincinnati newspaper.
Bourisaw, who has led SLPS since July 2006, decided not to re-apply for her job after the Special Administrative Board unexpectedly announced they were searching for a new superintendent.
Considering the relatively small group of educators with experience leading urban districts, Bourisaw may have an advantage on her competition for the Cincinnati job. In fact, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer, several school board members there have specifically said experience in a large, urban setting is a high priority for the roughly 34,000-student district. Bourisaw is just one of seven applicants from school systems with more than 20,000 students. Enrollment in SLPS was 32,135 last year.
Report by Special PubDef Correspondent David Chilenski
Friday, Sports4Kids wrapped up its demo week at eight locations in the St. Louis Public Schools. The 12-year-old nonprofit which first started in the San Francisco Bay Area is now looking to bring a unique brand
of recess play to St. Louis and New Orleans next year.
Sports4Kids focuses on reducing conflicts during school recess. “You ask a principal or a teacher and they’ll tell you the bullying, arguments and fights all start at recess,” said Calvet Liburd, a Washington D.C. site coordinator for Sports4Kids. Liburd was in St. Louis this week for the demo.
“Our school staff is impressed with the organization and how they integrate sports and play into the curriculum,” said Principal Carey Cunningham of Simmons-Marshall Elementary School.
Sports4Kids focuses on public elementary schools with at least 50% of the children in free or reduced lunch programs. A trained staff member works at a school every day to provide fun and safe structured activities and conflict resolution strategies during recess and after school.
Sports4Kids is hoping to be in eight St. Louis elementary schools next fall. They are now hiring. Click here for more info.
St. Louis Public Schools’ “elected” Board of Education will meet noon, Saturday at the Gateway Classic Foundation, 2012 Martin Luther King Drive.
The board is in the midst of putting the finishing touches on a plan for city schools.
Their plan, “Better Schools for St. Louis Children,” is seven pages long, detailing changes the board believes should be made. It is the product of nine months of meeting with community members, parents and education experts.
The elected board, which has been in contention with the state over it appointing a new Board of Education, is critical of the state and the management of the district in the report.
One idea was expressed in so many different forms and variations from so many people that it came through loudly and clearly above all the rest: the climate created by the district bureaucracy, the state board of education, and the governors of the school district does not encourage excellence from people in the district, be they staff or students.
There was an overwhelming consensus that if St. Louis Public Schools are going to make any meaningful improvement, the governors of the district and the district bureaucracy must start valuing people over programs. In short, the foundation for improving the school district is to organize operations around the idea that people make the difference, not programs.
Along with handling practical matters like the needs of teachers and administrators, the report also details what assistance is needed from the state.
Or at least the point teachers Jeanine Molloff and Cris Mann of St. Louis Public Schools are making. They’ll be hosting a chat tonight on “In What Ways Can Teachers Be Political?” It’s happening tonight from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Adult Learning Center, 5078 Kensington Ave.
The event will be hosted by the Literacy for Social Justice Teacher Research Group, a grassroots, teacher-led organization committed to literacy education and advocacy for social justice in classrooms and communities.
The discussion will feature other teachers and parent activists sharing their stories about trying to change educational systems for the better while being mired in politics. They will also talk about the “complexities of teacher-activism” including topics like getting involved in Independent political parties, balancing teaching and activism and advocating for educational issues.
They will also host Millie Phillips, a parent in the San Francisco Public School system. She played an active role in anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan’s Congressional campaign.
For more info, check out the Literacy for Social Justice Teacher Research Group Web site at www.umsl.edu/~lsjtrg/.
Sources tell PubDef that the Special Administrative Board of St. Louis Public Schools has fired Superintendent Diana Bourisaw. We do not yet have details on when Bourisaw would be leaving the district or if a replacement has already been identified.
Developing…
UPDATED: Â This comes from St. Louis Public Schools:
The Special Administrative Board (SAB) of the St. Louis Public Schools announced today that it will conduct a search for superintendent of schools. The current superintendent, Diana Bourisaw, will continue in her current position during the search process and has been encouraged to apply.
“The SAB’s mandate is to improve our schools and the superintendent’s role will be critical to the district’s success.†said Rick Sullivan, chief executive officer of the St. Louis Public Schools.
“Our students deserve the best education possible, and it is our intent to confirm that we have the best person to lead them.â€
Bourisaw was appointed superintendent in July 2006 by the elected Board of Education immediately after the removal of then Superintendent Creg Williams. Bourisaw was not selected through a public search process.
“This search is not a reflection on Dr. Bourisaw’s performance. It is our responsibility to make sure the district is on the right track, and an independent superintendent search is part of that process. We hope Dr. Bourisaw applies,†Sullivan said.
Sullivan has asked SAB member Melanie Adams to lead a national search. Currently, there is no firm time table.“Parents, students, staff and interested members of the community will have the opportunity to be involved in our effort to find the best superintendent,†said Adams.
“We hope to have that person in place by Fall 2008.â€The three-member SAB took over governance of the St. Louis Public Schools in June 2007. Rick Sullivan was appointed by Missouri Governor Matt Blunt, Melanie Adams was appointed by the City of St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, and Richard Gaines was appointed by President of the Board of Aldermen Lewis Reed.
