Tuesday, February 4, 2025
The three finalists for the position of Milwaukee Public Schools superintendent will take questions from the public at community sessions on Thursday, February 6.
Families, staff, and other community members will have two opportunities to hear from each of the candidates on that day, from 1:00 to 3:45 p.m. and 5:30 to 8:15 p.m. at MPS Central Services, 5225 W. Vliet St.
The finalists, announced by the Milwaukee Board of School Directors on January 31, will spend two days in the district, on Thursday and Friday, to take part in interviews with the board, visit schools, and meet with stakeholders.
The three final candidates for superintendent are:
Dr. Brenda Cassellius, former superintendent for Boston Public Schools
Dr. Joshua Starr, former superintendent for Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland
Dr. Andraé Townsel, current superintendent for Calvert County Public Schools in Maryland
Community meetings with the finalists will be held in the auditorium at Central Services, located on the first floor near the front entry. The schedule follows:
February 6 Community Forums with the Finalists
1:00 – 1:45 p.m.: Dr. Brenda Cassellius
2:00 – 2:45 p.m.: Dr. Joshua Starr
3:00 – 3:45 p.m.: Dr. Andraé Townsel
Break
5:30 – 6:15 p.m.: Dr. Brenda Cassellius
6:30 – 7:15 p.m.: Dr. Joshua Starr
7:30 – 8:15 p.m.: Dr. Andraé Townsel
Board Clerk Dr. Tina Owen-Moore will introduce the candidates. The finalists will provide their vision and goals for the district. Leaders from HYA, the superintendent search firm, will moderate questions from the community.
After each presentation, community members will be able to provide feedback on the candidate for the board's consideration by using a QR code, which will be provided in the auditorium.
The evening sessions also will be livestreamed on the Milwaukee Public Schools YouTube channel.
For more information, please contact the MPS Office of Board Governance at (414) 475-8284 or at governance@milwaukee.k12.wi.us.
The board plans to announce Milwaukee's next superintendent in late February or early March. The board received more than 50 applications for the role and considered 48 candidates before selecting the final three.