In today's Montgomery Gazette the public learns about Superintendent Starr's "transition team." Thanks to Gazette reporter Andrew Ujifusa the public now knows who is on this "team." Why didn't Superintendent Starr tell the public that this team was formed and who was on it? From out of state news sources we know that the "team" has been in existence since before Superintendent Starr's July 1st start date.
The next question is who is PAYING for this team? Anyone want to take a guess since Superintendent Starr hasn't been interested in being transparent about this? Did the Board of Education trade after-school sports for this entourage?
And the final question is, why didn't the Board of Education hire someone who could come in and start to work immediately without outside consultants?
Montgomery’s schools chief turns to New England brainpower on advisory teamTwo-thirds work or worked with county school systemby Andrew Ujifusa, Staff Writer
The transition team for Montgomery County schools’ new superintendent includes the former director of a Harvard graduate school program, the executive director of a corporate foundation dedicated to schools and a former top official with the school system...
...Larry Leverett
Since 2006, Leverett has been executive director of the Panasonic Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Secaucaus, N.J. The organization’s mission, as stated on its website, is “to break the links between race, poverty, and educational outcomes,” echoing the key themes of Peterkin’s Urban Superintendents Program.
Like Starr, Marks and Peterkin, Leverett has education leadership experience in the Northeast, having worked as superintendent of Plainfield, N.J., and Greenwich, Conn., public schools prior to joining the Panasonic Foundation, a Grantmakers for Education biography states. Starr has worked in public schools in Connecticut and New Jersey, as well as New York City.
Leverett has his own connection to another member of the transition team. He also has served on the advisory committee to Peterkin’s Urban Superintendents Program...
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Wednesday August 10, 2011
The transition team for Montgomery County schools’ new
superintendent includes the former director of a Harvard graduate school
program, the executive director of a corporate foundation dedicated to
schools and a former top official with the school system. A group of 15
people is helping Superintendent of Schools Joshua P. Starr take over
the reins of Montgomery County Public Schools. Ten of them work or
formerly worked in the school system, including long-time Weast deputies
Larry Bowers, chief operating officer, and Frieda K. Lacey, deputy
superintendent. A focus on educational equity is a major theme among the
non-school system team members, one highlighted during former
superintendent Jerry D. Weast’s tenure. There also are several links to
the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Several of the members also
have backgrounds in education leadership in the Northeast.
Those employed or formerly employed by the school system include Kathy Gemberling, former deputy superintendent; Vera Gaines, co-lead consulting teacher; Susan Marks, superintendent of schools in Norwalk, Conn. and a former community superintendent in Montgomery County; Ruth Musicante, a professional growth consultant with the school system; Frank Stetson, chief school performance officer; LaVerne Kimball, community superintendent; Scott Murphy, principal; and Brian Edwards, chief of staff.
Rebecca Thessin Thessin has strong ties to Starr, having worked for him as director of school performance and professional development when he was Stamford Public Schools superintendent. She authored an article earlier this year with him about the development of Professional Learning Communities at Stamford. Thessin is an assistant professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She specializes in preparing students to be school principals and other leaders in educational settings. She is an academic adviser in the university’s master of arts in Education and Human Development program. She holds an educational doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Urban Superintendents Program. Thessin previously worked as an aide to a deputy superintendent in Boston Public Schools, and has classroom teaching experience.
Robert Peterkin From 1991 until last year, Robert Peterkin was director of the Urban Superintendents Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where Starr was one of his students. The program focuses on producing school leaders who strive for educational equity across racial and socioeconomic lines. Peterkin previously served as superintendent in Cambridge, Mass., and Milwaukee public schools.In an April 2010 interview with the graduate school’s magazine, Peterkin described what makes a good superintendent. “First, someone has to commit to a vision of equitable education for all. And I mean a real commitment, like, ‘I’m willing to get fired over this.’ The second is theory of change. It’s not enough to talk a good game and inspire a community. You have to have the wherewithal to get it done.”He added that both of these qualities required courage to work. Starr specifically thanked Peterkin for his help during his first Board of Education meeting last month.
Larry Leverett Since 2006, Leverett has been executive director of the Panasonic Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Secaucaus, N.J. The organization’s mission, as stated on its website, is “to break the links between race, poverty, and educational outcomes,” echoing the key themes of Peterkin’s Urban Superintendents Program.Like Starr, Marks and Peterkin, Leverett has education leadership experience in the Northeast, having worked as superintendent of Plainfield, N.J., and Greenwich, Conn., public schools prior to joining the Panasonic Foundation, a Grantmakers for Education biography states. Starr has worked in public schools in Connecticut and New Jersey, as well as New York City. Leverett has his own connection to another member of the transition team. He also has served on the advisory committee to Peterkin’s Urban Superintendents Program. The transition team also includes Brian Osborne, superintendent of schools, School District of South Orange and Maplewood, N.J.; and John Kim, chief executive officer, District Management Council.aujifusa@gazette.net
Wednesday August 10, 2011
Montgomery's schools chief turns to New England brainpower on advisory team
Those employed or formerly employed by the school system include Kathy Gemberling, former deputy superintendent; Vera Gaines, co-lead consulting teacher; Susan Marks, superintendent of schools in Norwalk, Conn. and a former community superintendent in Montgomery County; Ruth Musicante, a professional growth consultant with the school system; Frank Stetson, chief school performance officer; LaVerne Kimball, community superintendent; Scott Murphy, principal; and Brian Edwards, chief of staff.
Rebecca Thessin Thessin has strong ties to Starr, having worked for him as director of school performance and professional development when he was Stamford Public Schools superintendent. She authored an article earlier this year with him about the development of Professional Learning Communities at Stamford. Thessin is an assistant professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She specializes in preparing students to be school principals and other leaders in educational settings. She is an academic adviser in the university’s master of arts in Education and Human Development program. She holds an educational doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Urban Superintendents Program. Thessin previously worked as an aide to a deputy superintendent in Boston Public Schools, and has classroom teaching experience.
Robert Peterkin From 1991 until last year, Robert Peterkin was director of the Urban Superintendents Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where Starr was one of his students. The program focuses on producing school leaders who strive for educational equity across racial and socioeconomic lines. Peterkin previously served as superintendent in Cambridge, Mass., and Milwaukee public schools.In an April 2010 interview with the graduate school’s magazine, Peterkin described what makes a good superintendent. “First, someone has to commit to a vision of equitable education for all. And I mean a real commitment, like, ‘I’m willing to get fired over this.’ The second is theory of change. It’s not enough to talk a good game and inspire a community. You have to have the wherewithal to get it done.”He added that both of these qualities required courage to work. Starr specifically thanked Peterkin for his help during his first Board of Education meeting last month.
Larry Leverett Since 2006, Leverett has been executive director of the Panasonic Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Secaucaus, N.J. The organization’s mission, as stated on its website, is “to break the links between race, poverty, and educational outcomes,” echoing the key themes of Peterkin’s Urban Superintendents Program.Like Starr, Marks and Peterkin, Leverett has education leadership experience in the Northeast, having worked as superintendent of Plainfield, N.J., and Greenwich, Conn., public schools prior to joining the Panasonic Foundation, a Grantmakers for Education biography states. Starr has worked in public schools in Connecticut and New Jersey, as well as New York City. Leverett has his own connection to another member of the transition team. He also has served on the advisory committee to Peterkin’s Urban Superintendents Program. The transition team also includes Brian Osborne, superintendent of schools, School District of South Orange and Maplewood, N.J.; and John Kim, chief executive officer, District Management Council.aujifusa@gazette.net
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