schools
Skipper previously worked for public schools in Boston as a teacher and administrator, and most recently worked as Somerville’s superintendent.
Somerville Head of Public Schools Mary Skipper poses for a portrait at the Edgerly Education Center in Somerville. Craig F. Walker / Globe’s Staff
Somerville Superintendent Mary Skipper has been elected by the Boston School Committee to be appointed headmaster of public schools in Boston pending a contract agreement Wednesday night during a school committee meeting.
Skipper was one of the last two candidates for head of public schools in Boston. The other was Tommy Welch, the superintendent of public schools in Boston.
“I am excited to welcome Superintendent Mary Skipper as the experienced leader and dedicated partner that Boston needs for our young people and families,” Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement.
“In this moment of challenge and opportunity, Mary is uniquely prepared to move forward with the systemic reforms and immediate results that our students deserve.
The vote was close, with Skipper receiving four votes and Welch three votes. Most members of the school commission said they would be happy with each of the candidates, although they were not happy with the search process itself.
President Jerry Robinson, Vice President Michael O’Neill and members Rafaela Polanco Garcia and Kuok Tran voted for Skipper, while members Brandon Cardet-Hernandez, Stephen Alkins and Lorena Lopera voted for Welch.
“The school committee’s decision tonight is a huge step forward for the county,” Robinson said in a statement.
“… Under [Skipper’s] leadership, we will continue to prioritize the needs of our students so that they can receive the support and quality education needed for classroom excellence. I would also like to thank Dr. Tommy Welch for his continued commitment to BPS, our students and our city. ”
School committee members cite Skipper’s experience of achieving equality for people of color and English as well as her experience as a district supervisor as reasons for their support.
During the public comment, both Welch and Skipper received supportive comments, but Skipper’s supporters came out en masse.
Other commenters said they were disappointed with the search process due to the lack of transparency and the fact that it did not lead to finalists who were Hispanic or black. Some even asked for the search process to be extended to find more candidates.
In response, a number of school board members said they thought expanding the search process was unlikely to attract more candidates.
“Given the shortage of candidates across the country for this type of important high-profile job, I am strongly opposed to the resumption of the process. We have to honor the two candidates before us, “Tran said during the meeting.
O’Neill added that other major cities had interviewed between 12 and 20 candidates for superintendent positions, while Boston interviewed 34.
He said he had even turned to qualified bosses he knew from across the country, but said few were interested in job interviews.
“What I’ve heard many times was one of two: either they’re very tired of what they’ve been through, they’re burned out and ready to leave the profession, or they feel called to stay in their area while I’m out of the pandemic,” he said. O’Neill.
Boston public schools are also struggling to attract principals because, by Monday, when the Department of Primary and Secondary Education finally struck a deal with Mayor Wu on the future of the district, the state was considering taking over the district to help improve academic results.
Members also clarified that the search for the superintendent did bring together four candidates, two of whom were colored women, but those two candidates dropped out for “personal reasons” before the final review.
Skipper has extensive experience working in public schools in Boston. She previously taught Latin at the Boston Latin American Academy and helped launch the Tech Boston Academy and was its director until she was the network head of high schools in 2002. Since 2015, she has been head of public schools in Somerville (SPS).
According to Skipper’s autobiography, under her leadership, the SPS has taken steps to achieve equality for minority students and special education.
During her tenure, Skipper said, the district has adopted new equity policies, hired a capital director, added equity teams with specialists to each school, expanded its multilingual program for students with new academies and specialized programs, and reduced internships outside. the district by developing specialized programs and services to meet the needs of students.
Under her leadership, the county also created its own data insight system for students and increased the presence of counselors and social workers in schools.
In 2019, four years after Skipper’s term, Somerville High School achieved a low dropout rate of .5% and a high dropout rate of 92.5%.
“I am honored and humbled to have been elected to lead the district, which raised me as a teacher and reinforced my passion to change students’ lives,” Skipper said in a statement. “This is a key moment in the history of Boston and BPS, and nothing less than the future of our students and our city is at stake.”
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