The Boston College Committee ranked BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper “effective” in an total efficiency analysis of her second college 12 months within the job.
“I think I speak for all of our School Committee members when I say that we do have confidence in your ability to lead this district,” mentioned College Committee member Stephen Alkins. “We do believe you are turning this district in the right direction and that we want to do what we can to support that.”
In a self-evaluation, Skipper gave herself an “effective” score in classes of Educational Management, Household and Neighborhood Engagement, and Skilled Tradition, and “highly effective” in Administration and Operations.
Total, the superintendent ranked her efficiency “effective” or 3.75 on a scale of 4, citing wins for inclusive schooling, amenities planning, neighborhood outreach, and extra. This marks the same rating to her first self-evaluation final 12 months.
College Committee members gave a extra blended overview, rating her inside the “effective” vary inside all classes. Skipper’s highest scores remained in Educational Management and Skilled Tradition, rating 4.0 and three.9 respectively. Scores dipped barely for Administration and Operations, 3.7, and Household and Neighborhood Engagement, 3.4.
Member Brandon Cardet-Hernandez was the one member to present Skipper her lowest marks, rating her “minimally effective,” or a 1, in each Administration and Operations and Household and Neighborhood Engagement.
In Administration and Operations, Cardet-Hernandez acknowledged the district does “not have a facilities plan,” there was “gaslighting” on facility planning points, and there’s a scarcity of readability on the “untenable” way forward for the price range. Cardet-Hernandez additionally critiqued a scarcity of implementation of household engagement methods however complimented the enlargement of language entry and the BPS Helpline.
A number of members highlighted household and neighborhood engagement. Member Chantal Lima Barbosa spoke to the “anxiety” college communities might really feel because the district churns out massive tasks and laborious choices impacting them and their households and the significance of continuous to develop communication from “a place of care” and accountability.
Skipper acquired “highly effective” rankings from particular person committee members in Educational Management, Skilled Tradition, and Administration and Operations.
Members praised many massive initiatives taken underneath the superintendent’s tenure, together with the rollout of Equitable Literacy; the enterprise of extra present capital tasks, 11, than within the final 40 years mixed; improved recruitment and hiring practices; transportation enchancment marked by a 2.4% improve in on-time bus efficiency from final 12 months; and a number of other extra.
In areas for enchancment, members highlighted improvement of neighborhood and household engagement practices, implementation of precedence packages just like the long-term amenities plan and inclusive schooling, employees hiring and retention with an emphasis on employees of coloration and multilingual educators, and ironing out the price range course of.
College Committee Chair Jeri Robinson acknowledged BPS is “not where we want to be by a long shot,” however the committee and superintendent are dedicated to “steady progress on so many issues that have been stunting our district for decades.”
“While we as a district must work with urgency, we must also ensure that our work creates a solid foundation to build upon,” mentioned Skipper. “Band aid solutions work for a period of time, but are also the reason that we’re in such need of better systems and structures in BPS. Serving BPS and the community I love and I live in every day is an honor and privilege.”
