Candidates for St. Paul school superintendent are interviewed

The St. Paul school board focused on management and leadership issues Friday night in its questioning of three of the candidates to be the district's next superintendent.

[360 Mouse]

"Cut from the list of questions in recent days was one about what has been consistently identified as the district's top issue the past several years: the achievement gap between white students and students of color. That was a deliberate choice, said board chair Kazoua Kong-Thao."

WHAT! The Achievement Gap is the main issue concerning SPPS.

During the last campaign for school board, this was the central issue. We heard from all of the candidates of the need for closing the achievement gap, but now after the election this is a "non-issue" again. Were these school board members just playing lip service again to the citizens of St. Paul?

The two central issues, Achievement Gap and Budget should be at the top of the district's list of questions for the new superintendent of our district.

Anne Carroll's elimination of the word "citizen" from the citizen committees and her lack of veracity to the public and the board's defiance of state law for the past 6 months is very telling as to what goes down at 360.

The two candidates who this question would effect the most are Silva and Stachel. It is their educational policy that has brought us to the large achievement gaps in the history of St. Paul Public Schools.

Maybe the reason for leaving this question on the Achievement Gap out was another power play by the school board to put in place their hand picked candidate (Silva or Stachel) just like they did with Ms. Kelly, an unlicensed superintendent in defiance of state law.

The actions of the board are very telling of a district that is totally out of control.

Belden good reporting.

[Betty]

Some of the other questions that ere asked:

What is your opinion on diversity.

If a Muslim walked in a class room shouting al Quida protest lines, how would you react.

Will you support anything the union and Obama say.

Can you guarantee us that you will stay in St Paul for at least one year.

Will you promise that you will never do anything to lower the budget and keep the "citizens" of St Paul out of the loop on all things negative.

Will you work for $250,000 plus expenses.

[Children in SPPS]

360 Mouse wrote:

"Cut from the list of questions in recent days was one about what has been consistently identified as the district's top issue the past several years: the achievement gap between white students and students of color. That was a deliberate choice, said board chair Kazoua Kong-Thao."
WHAT! The Achievement Gap is the main issue concerning SPPS.
During the last campaign for school board, this was the central issue. We heard from all of the candidates of the need for closing the achievement gap, but now after the election this is a "non-issue" again. Were these school board members just playing lip service again to the citizens of St. Paul?
The two central issues, Achievement Gap and Budget should be at the top of the district's list of questions for the new superintendent of our district.
Anne Carroll's elimination of the word "citizen" from the citizen committees and her lack of veracity to the public and the board's defiance of state law for the past 6 months is very telling as to what goes down at 360.
The two candidates who this question would effect the most are Silva and Stachel. It is their educational policy that has brought us to the large achievement gaps in the history of St. Paul Public Schools.
Maybe the reason for leaving this question on the Achievement Gap out was another power play by the school board to put in place their hand picked candidate (Silva or Stachel) just like they did with Ms. Kelly, an unlicensed superintendent in defiance of state law.
The actions of the board are very telling of a district that is totally out of control.
Belden good reporting.

I serve on site council for SPPS and what you have said is right on the money. Stachel and silve are the two anointed candidates. I also find it hard to believe that the achievement gap question was dropped from the superintendent candidate questions.

I agree, the school board has really dropped the ball on the achievemant gap issue for too many years. Their softball questions favor Ms. Stachel and Ms. Silva.

I agree the school board has made the path for superintendent easier for Stachel and Silva by eliminating the achievemant gap question.

As a parent, I want to know up front what these candidates will do about the achievement gap and not gloss over the issue now that the election is over.

We really need change on the school baord. Stachel and Silva are a sad excuse for candidates for superintendent, but they sure have played kiss up to the school board. One candidate, Silva even had a Jean O'Connell campaign sign up in her yard.

[here we go]

Translation: they are only interviewing out-of-state candidates, preferably a woman and preferably a minority with a chip on their shoulder and whose real asperations is using the twin cities as a stepping stone to further their career in a different city/state and whose main concern is the allotted expense account, taxpayer paid for vehicle, and overall contract.

Been there, done that.

[SPPS Principal]

Stachel and Silva are no better than Dr. Carstarphen, very poor managers, poor communicators and both are divas.

Stachel and Silva's actions have created the issue of "fractured relationships" in the district. Silva is a poor people person who is too hotheaded.

Stachel and Silva are NOT what we want again for St. Paul Public Schools. Thes two are a major part of why we are in the situation we are currently in.

[Gutey]

The joke is the SPPS is an arm of the DFL. They could care less if any kids get educated. And you two white guys, you have no shot of getting the job. Reverse racism is alive and well in this city that is rapidly crumbling.

[ForReal]

here we go wrote:

Translation: they are only interviewing out-of-state candidates, preferably a woman and preferably a minority with a chip on their shoulder and whose real asperations is using the twin cities as a stepping stone to further their career in a different city/state and whose main concern is the allotted expense account, taxpayer paid for vehicle, and overall contract.
Been there, done that.

Translation Part 2: You don't know what you're talking about. 5 of the 6 candidates are local. The rest of your post is basically cut and paste from some edition of garage fumes logic. Thanks for playing.

[ForReal]

SPPS Principal wrote:

Stachel and Silva are no better than Dr. Carstarphen, very poor managers, poor communicators and both are divas.
Stachel and Silva's actions have created the issue of "fractured relationships" in the district. Silva is a poor people person who is too hotheaded.
Stachel and Silva are NOT what we want again for St. Paul Public Schools. Thes two are a major part of why we are in the situation we are currently in.

I've heard the same.

[St Paul Girl]

I am of a different opinion from several of the previous posters. I think Valeria Silva is the best candidate. I have known her in a variety of capacities within SPPS for almost 20 years since my now 25 year old child was a first grader at Adams. She was approachable and knowledgeable then and now. Valeria puts the SPPS students first. She helped make the ELL department one of the best in the nation. She was on the forefront in developing professional development models that have been replicated around the country and service models (collaboration) that have helped closed the achievement gap for second language learners. In my experience as a parent and now teacher in SPPS, Valeria has tackled many tough issues and more importantly she doesn't mince words and tells it like it is. This makes some people uncomfortable. I hope she does become a finalist and then can answer to how she envisions closing the achievement gap.

[Joe Teacher]

SPPS Principal wrote:

Stachel and Silva are no better than Dr. Carstarphen, very poor managers, poor communicators and both are divas.
Stachel and Silva's actions have created the issue of "fractured relationships" in the district. Silva is a poor people person who is too hotheaded.

I agree Stachel and Silva are NOT what we want again for St. Paul Public Schools. Thes two are a major part of why we are in the situation we are currently in.

Valeria Silva and Nancy Stachel are "in" people down at 360 and they are the reason we are in the situation we are in. Dropping the question of the achievement gap only helps Nancy Stachel and Valeria Silva. Nancy is a very poor administrator and the only reason she is in the position she is in is because of Dr. Carstarphen. Nancy was a suck up to Dr. Carstarphen and Valeria is no better. I sat in a meeting with Nancy and I was really taken aback by her lack of knowledge of basic school district issues. Nancy was totally unprepared for our meeting. Maybe she was thinking about that special girl in her life, but she was totally unprepared for our meeting.

Valeria Silva has major anger issues. Just ask anyone who works on the 5th floor with her. Yelling on the phone, throwing things in her office, all very unprofessional behaviors for a woman in her position. Valeria is not up to the job of being superintendent, as she lacks the skills needed to do the job.

[SPPS Principal]

St Paul Girl wrote:

I am of a different opinion from several of the previous posters. I think Valeria Silva is the best candidate. I have known her in a variety of capacities within SPPS for almost 20 years since my now 25 year old child was a first grader at Adams. She was approachable and knowledgeable then and now. Valeria puts the SPPS students first. She helped make the ELL department one of the best in the nation. She was on the forefront in developing professional development models that have been replicated around the country and service models (collaboration) that have helped closed the achievement gap for second language learners. In my experience as a parent and now teacher in SPPS, Valeria has tackled many tough issues and more importantly she doesn't mince words and tells it like it is. This makes some people uncomfortable. I hope she does become a finalist and then can answer to how she envisions closing the achievement gap.

Evidentially you have never worked for her. Hothead, unapproachable, verbally abusive, unprofessional, emotionally unstable all come to mind when I think of Silva.

Should we talk about the many meeting we have been in where she acts like a child, gets into needless power struggles?

You talk about Silva's commitment to ELL, it was Silva that suggested major cuts to the ELL budget last year and Dr. Carstarphen approved of them. It was Silva that proposed these cuts as part of the $10 million budget reduction last year.

The models that you talk about that Silva was at the forefront of developing for closing the achievement gap are laughable when SPPS have one of the largest achievement gaps in the nation. If this is what you call leadership you are very misguided.

Silva is the worst candidate for SPPS.

[cannon58]

They claim that they left the achievement gap question out in order to focus on more big picture issues. Well ladies and gentlemen the achievement gap is the big picture. The big picture is that our school district is not properly eductating a large percentage (mostly non-white and/or poor) of our children. The big picture is that our children are graduating unable to continue their education in college, unable to find jobs, and unable to move forward in life because they can't read and write. Just wait five years and all of these comments will be filled with condemnation for these same students that WE have let down who are being arrested because they were set out to fail the moment they graduated (or all too often didn't even make it there).

[St Paul Girl]

You're right SPPS Principal, I have never worked directly for her. As a parent I never experienced any of the meeting situations that you or Joe Teacher have. It is true there were budget cuts to ELL and throughout SPPS. I didn't realize it was Silva who suggested them, unless all parties were to come to the table with cuts. Where I will disagree with you is that ELL students do achieve at a much higher level in SPPS than in other urban school districts, and many of the programs that Valeria helped initiate are the reason. I would like to hear what Silva and the other candidates have to say about closing the achievement gap. Any ideas about closing the achievement gap(because it has been around for as long as I can remember)? Who do you think would be the best of the 6 finalists SPPS Principal? I hope you don't say Nancy Stachel because I have heard the same things said about her that you have said about Silva. If posters on this board can come up with some ideas and not keep the blame game going, we might get somewhere.

[St Paul Girl]

Joe Teacher wrote:

<quoted text>
Valeria Silva and Nancy Stachel are "in" people down at 360 and they are the reason we are in the situation we are in. Dropping the question of the achievement gap only helps Nancy Stachel and Valeria Silva. Nancy is a very poor administrator and the only reason she is in the position she is in is because of Dr. Carstarphen. Nancy was a suck up to Dr. Carstarphen and Valeria is no better. I sat in a meeting with Nancy and I was really taken aback by her lack of knowledge of basic school district issues. Nancy was totally unprepared for our meeting. Maybe she was thinking about that special girl in her life, but she was totally unprepared for our meeting.
Valeria Silva has major anger issues. Just ask anyone who works on the 5th floor with her. Yelling on the phone, throwing things in her office, all very unprofessional behaviors for a woman in her position. Valeria is not up to the job of being superintendent, as she lacks the skills needed to do the job.

One last thing, Joe Teacher. If you have to bring up someone's personal life in your post that has nothing to do with the topic at hand, it is no wonder all SPPS staff are having to go through many hours of diversity training. I hope you never teach any of my children with that type of attitude.

[SPPS teacher]

If you want to close that achievement gap, how about looking at the current curriculum used in the elementary grades? Everyday Math does not work with the struggling students. Let's get a math series that will teach the students the basics, and make sure that they master them.

Don't even get me started on the newly purchased MONDO series...

[here we go]

ForReal wrote:

<quoted text>
Translation Part 2: You don't know what you're talking about. 5 of the 6 candidates are local. The rest of your post is basically cut and paste from some edition of garage fumes logic. Thanks for playing.

Oh really? Talk about garage fume logic. I've lived in the twin cities my entire life and the only thing cut and paste about my post is the predictablilty of the candidates chosen to fill lead roles in our local govenment.But life is always easier with your head in the sand. Thanks for playing.

[Gubbernator]

6,000 employees for 39,000 students?? This must be a form of government.

[Mondo]

Mondo is horrible, and the math curriculum too. The only places math achievement is increasing is where teachers depart from the curriculum- at the threat of sudden evisceration by Stachel- et. al...

Stachel and Silvia- NO NO NO... is this board stupid? Haven't they learned anything from all the discussion this last election...

You don't put people in the superintendent's seat who have CREATED the achievement gap we have with their policies and lack of management abilities...

Teachers don't want Stachel or Silvia- because they have created the most hostile district imaginable... HOW ABOUT SOME RESEARCH STUDIES AND JOURNAL ARTICLES ON THAT 360?

[MJJ]

We needed an alternative High School on the East Side, because the others are too far away for East Siders...
Silvia was in charge of that and said at a Board meeting this summer that they have been researching it for 3 years... 3 YEARS!!! What have they been researching for three years? She said they were researching the best location...
If it takes this woman 3 YEARS to research a location for an alternative program, and she still isn't done yet with no end in sight- ARE YOU KIDDING? You can't be serious to say that she is a good candidate- not only do most of the teachers think she is mean spirited and nasty, but she can't get anything done- except make the achivement gap larger, it appears...

could stachel and silvia find their hineys with both hands? If that were a question on yesterday and today's interviews, they would have been knocked out of the running.

And I have no idea why Meria Carstarphen keeps commenting on St. Paul school issues on pioneer press message boards... St. Paul Girl? Why do think she would be doing that? Is it she can't let go? She didn't win this fight and is going to see it through to the bitter vengeful end?

[Johnny Yang]

It's unfortunate we couldn't find better candidates from within the district to fill the Superintendent's seat. The locals are probably wonderful educators, but the severe dysfunctions reported by the search consultants probably can only be fixed by somebody not currently in SPPS.

I am hoping for something bold and radical- Boys are outperformed by girls 2 to 1 in testing- and it is the failure of our boys that is driving the huge achievement gap. We could break with tradition here and hire a male superintendent- somebody clearly more in tune to the urgent needs of our boys in the district- the whole direction of the district has just left boys out in the cold and the wild feminism of Board Members that rules candidates out if they are men is both real and embarrassing to St. Paul.