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New Leaders Named in Milwaukee, St. Paul, and St. Louis; Permanent Leader in Fort Worth

  • Interim Appointed in Memphis, Chicago Leader to Step Down

    Changes at the top are underway in Milwaukee, St. Paul, St. Louis, Memphis, and Chicago.

    Milwaukee

    Milwaukee Public Schools has selected Brenda Cassellius, former superintendent of Boston Public Schools, as the new schools chief. The district of 69,115 students is the largest in Wisconsin.

    “I am a leader who has a purpose and [who] is driven by working with our poorest and most vulnerable children,” Cassellius told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “That’s what gets me up every day.”

    Prior to her three-year Boston stint, Cassellius served eight years as Minnesota state commissioner of education. She will succeed Eduardo Galvan, who has been serving as interim.

    Saint Paul
    In Saint Paul, veteran educator Stacie Stanley returns to her hometown as superintendent of the 32,000-student district.

    “The opportunity we have now is to lead with compassion,” Saint Paul Public Schools board chair Halla Henderson told the Minnesota Star Tribune. “I think that’s who Dr. Stanley is.”

    Stanley first worked in the Saint Paul school district as an occupational therapist and said she moved to teaching after a student asked “whether or not you could be brown and you could [also] be smart,” according to the Tribune. Stanley recalled that being “a pretty profound experience.” She then led 8,600 students in the Edina Public Schools, south of Minneapolis, for three years.

    Saint Paul’s previous superintendent, Joe Gothard, served for seven years and now heads the school system in Madison, Wis., his hometown. Gothard was named 2024 National Superintendent of the year by AASA, the School Superintendents Association.

    St. Louis
    Millicent Borishade has been selected to lead Saint Louis Public Schools, with approximately 20,000-students. Borishade has served as interim superintendent since July 2024. She previously was the district’s chief of schools and deputy superintendent.

    “Dr. Borishade has demonstrated strong, thoughtful leadership during her time as Interim Superintendent,” said school board president Antoinette Cousins in a news release. “Her focus on student achievement, operational excellence and building strong community partnerships has been invaluable. We’re excited to continue working with her as she leads SLPS forward.”

    Interim in Fort Worth Selected as Superintendent 

    Karen Molinar has been named the lone finalist for the position of superintendent of Texas’ Fort Worth Independent School District. Molinar has been serving as interim superintendent of the nearly 75,000-student school system since October.

    In accordance with Texas law, the school district must wait 21 days before finalizing its decision. The school board is expected to confirm Molinar’s hiring at a special meeting on March 11.

    Molinar began her career in the Fort Worth school district as a teacher and has held several leadership positions, including deputy superintendent, chief of staff, chief of elementary leadership, principal and assistant principal.

    “I am honored to be selected as the lone finalist for Fort Worth ISD superintendent,” said Molinar in a news statement. “Fort Worth ISD is my home, and I look forward to working alongside our talented educators and staff to ensure every student receives a high-quality education that prepares them for future success.”

    Interim Named in Memphis

    Roderick Richmond has been named interim superintendent of Memphis-Shelby County Schools, stepping in for Marie Feagins, who has left the 110,000-student school district. Richmond is a longtime administrator and the district’s transformation officer. Feagins previously served in the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

    Chicago Leader to Step Down

    Pedro Martinez, CEO of Chicago Public Schools, will be leaving the district at the end of the school year. CEO since 2021, Martinez, a graduate of Chicago Public Schools, served as the district’s CFO from 2003 to 2009. Before coming to Chicago, he led the San Antonio system for over a decade. Chicago Public Schools is the nation’s third-largest school district, educating 325,000 students.