Hey, there! Log in / Register
Another exam school also losing its headmaster
By adamg on Wed, 06/22/2016 - 11:51pm
Nicole Gittens, headmaster at the O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science, is leaving Boston to become deputy superintendent of teaching and learning in neighboring Brookline, Brookline Schools announced today.
Gittens became O'Bryant headmaster in 2014; her last day is June. 30.
Before the O'Bryant, she was headmaster at the Urban Science Academy.
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Headmaster search
I hope the O'Bryant headmaster search is given the same attention as the one for BLS. BLS is getting mayoral input (NOT the mayor's job!) and a national search. All other BPS high schools must choose from a vetted pool of candidates, and cannot conduct a national search. Last year the Boston Latin Academy community was clearly told it had to choose from the BPS pool and could not conduct a national search even though Boston Latin School was permitted to do previously. Talk about inequity. Fortunately BLA appointed a headmaster who has had a strong transition year and appears to handle issues of bullying/racism quickly and according to protocol this year. He seems well received by students, parents and faculty and demonstrates true leadership skills.
The O'Bryant deserves the same attention and commitment to appointing a headmaster as BLS. BPS screwed it up previously when it appointed the headmaster who had been charged with domestic violence, known to Superintendent Johnson.
If the O'Bryant doesn't receive the same attention to detail/candidate search, on the heels of BPS refusing to allow BLA the same attention in a headmaster search, then BPS, the Mayor, and the community should start asking why? Personally, I think it perpetuates the issues of alleged racism and lack of cultural competency supposedly present in the BLS culture and reinforces the elitism.
Well put overall.
Well put overall.
What the heck are you talking about?
You make it sound like the BLS community somehow had a hand in the 'national search' for a headmaster - when in fact, Court Street collected and reviewed all the applicants and then presented a 'final' group of a half-dozen candidates or so to the BLS search committee (made up of admins, teachers and a small minority of parents). Just as happened at the O'Bryant and the BLA.
(And, for that matter, at other BPS schools - I was on the SSC of my daughter's K-5 and we did not get to search for teacher/admin candidates when staff openings occurred - we had to pick from a slate presented to us by Court Street).
Wrt that BLS search - by at least one first-hand account, most of the candidates were pretty thinly qualified, with the exception of one gentleman from out of state who was quite elderly and the then-assistant BLS headmaster, Ms. Mooney Teta. Just as at other BPS schools, it wasn't the school community who determined the scope of the search, it was the BPS Superintendent and the mayor.
BPS tweeted Tuesday they would conduct nat'l search
for new headmaster at BLS: https://twitter.com/BostonSchools/status/745361534675738624
I assume "a" is referring to that
But that's not how anon is framing it
The wording of the post strongly implies special, preferential treatment of BLS, when the exact opposite is the case.
"BLS is getting mayoral input...and a national search" - No, Chang and Walsh's people are doing the search. BLS SSC gets to choose from a small pre-screened set. (I agree with A that the mayor should NOT be directly involved in this, btw.)
"Other BPS high schools...cannot conduct a national search." - neither can BLS.
"Talk about inequity." - an implication that is unfair and inaccurate. BLS gets fewer resources and less support from the BPS and the City than other schools (which I think, by-and-large, is how it should be).
"If the O'Bryant doesn't...then BPS, the Mayor, and the community should start asking why?" - again, repeating the falsehood that the BLS is somehow in charge of the search process, when it's actually the Superintendent's and Mayor's office who conduct them!
"Personally, I think it perpetuates the issues...and reinforces the elitism." - imo misdirection in A's post is what's doing the 'perpetuation'. School vs school rhetoric takes the heat off the people actually making all the choices here - the Superintendent and his boss, the Mayor.
Headmasters
The troubling thing about this is supposedly the BPS knew that Gittens was leaving months ago, BPS claims they were broadsided by her resignation. The O'Bryant has had 5 headmasters in what, 10 years? There is a definite disparity in the attention and urgency that BLS is receiving now. The only STEM exam school and we haven't had a clear instructional focus from a real instructional leader in years!
The O'Bryant will be left behind again as the city's focus will be on finding the best leader for BLS, O'B be damned.
If the kids can get you fired then they should
do the hiring too.