001Today, Hey, hey, hey. Good afternoon. Gonna get started here. Uh the special meeting of the board is now called to order at 4:31 p.m. Um please note that the public portion of today's meeting is being recorded. Um, we would like to acknowledge that we are on ancestral lands and the traditional territories of the Puet Sound Coast Salish people. For the record, I'll call the role. Vice President Briggs >> here. >> Director Clark >> present. Director Hersy >> you. >> Director Misrai >> present. >> Director Ranken here. >> Director Sarju. I don't see director Sarju. Um and this is President Topp. Um so I want to start off just with a totally off-topic subject. A congratulations to director Hersy on the new addition to his family. He and his wife recently welcomed baby Avery Solomon Hersy.
002Um and both mom and baby are doing great. So congratulations Director Hersy. I don't Director Ranken. >> Oh, I was just going to say something silly. I was going to say thank you for supporting um boosting SPS enrollment. >> So >> hopefully my son's school is open when he's ready to go. >> But huge congratulations. That's really exciting. >> Thank you very much. Uh we are very excited. Um everything went well and I am uh getting increasingly excited to hold my son at the podium when I come back and give y'all public comment. >> I love it. Thank you so much, Director Hersy. Um so now getting to down to business. Uh this afternoon we'll be discussing which candidate we will move forward as the superintendent finalist. We will have an executive session to evaluate
003the qualifications of each candidate. Um we will then return to the public meeting to discuss which individual we will name in a board action authorizing contract in a board action authorizing contract negotiations. We will continue to discuss the candidates via their candidate number this evening. So I'll say that again. We will continue to discuss the candidates via their candidate number this evening. The vote to select the finalists and to authorize contract negotiations will take place on November 5th, one week from today. I want to take a moment to reflect on this process and thank board members and community for your investment in this process. From late spring through summer 2025, the board partnered with our community to build a superintendent leadership profile report grounded in input from more than 3,000 students, staff, families, community members.
004Through 29 focus groups, seven general community sessions, a district-wide survey, we heard clearly what Seattle wants in its next education leader. Um we then went back out to uh these community with the report to make sure it was in alignment with what we heard. Um board uh this profile really became the foundation for every step of our process from initial vetting to interview questions to candidate evaluation. I think the community's message was clear. Seattle needs a thoughtful student focused, visible, and dedicated superintendent who can build strong relationships. In addition, we're seeking someone with experience, a clear voice, a commitment to equity, and the courage to lead with vision and accountability. To attract such leaders, the process has remained confidential. This approach allowed us to build a diverse and highly qualified pool of 41 applicants, including
005candidates recruited nationally and those who uh applied independently. After review, the board selected eight candidates for interviews. We then narrowed the pool further to two candidates. Uh last Wednesday, we conducted final interviews with those two candidates and they shared with us their 100day plan. This morning uh we engaged our labor part labor partner leadership in a discussion on questions they submitted to the candidates and the written responses uh unidentified for each candidate. This allowed sea and pass to participate in the process in recognition of their employee employer relationship with the superintendent. Um, every step of this process has provided uh critical information for the board and we will now we will now go into executive session here shortly to uh discuss the qualifications of the candidates. Again, after executive session um to evaluate the qualification
006of each candidate, we will return to the public meeting to discuss which individual we will name in a board action report authorizing contract negotiations, but we will continue to discuss the candidates via their candidate number um in or uh candidate number. Are there any questions from board directors? Director Ranken, >> just reaffirming. So the candidate is the candidate number until we vote to authorize contract negotiations. >> Yes. And that is uh in consideration to both alert the candidate who will be named the ability for them to alert their sending district as well and out of respect to this process. >> Thank you. Director Clark, >> thanks. Um, I know you said this, but also just reaffirming um that this is a closed process and that is why we haven't been able to do community engagement
007during this interview period. um but have been using the communityinformed um leadership profile to guide our search process. I think one of the things that one of the reasons I think we took an extra month at the start here was to make sure that we properly engaged with our community in our to get what the information we needed to build this leadership profile report that we've relied on through this process. And I think one thing that was very clear in the leadership profile report is that we're looking for someone with experience. Um, and so to do that and to colle get the candidates that we are looking for, this has been a a close process. Um, but we've heavily relied on that report um to to make decisions. >> Thank you, President C. >> Others.
008Okay. Um well the board is now immediately recessing the special meeting into executive session to evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for public employment per RCW4230 1101G. The schedule the session is scheduled for 1 hour with an anticipated end time of 539 p.m. Thank you. Heat. Heat. Heat up here. down. Hey Hello. Hey. Hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Great. Oh yeah. Heat. Heat. N. la. Hey Heat. Heat. Grand Heat. Heat. Hey everybody. Hey, honey. Heat. Heat. Oh yeah. Heat. Heat. Everything. la. N Hey. Heat. Heat. I feel everybody. Heat. Heat. Oh yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Hello. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Hey. Hey. Hey. Heat. Heat. N. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. N. Daddy. Hey. Hey. Heat. Heat. la. Nom. That's the trick. board directors a five
009minute break coming [music] out of executive session. So they have 1 minute left to get here and then we'll start The board recessed out of executive ive session at [music] 5:17 p.m. and the special meeting of the board is now reconvened at 5:24 p.m. So, just to kind of say some things I said at the start of the meeting um but uh and then we'll we'll go into a little bit of a discussion. At our next meeting on November 5th, I will bring forward a board action report to select our preferred candidate for superintendent and authorized contract negotiations. Um we have held multiple executive sessions to hear directly from um the finalists and to evaluate both finalists uh both through initial interviews, hearing from their 100 day plan. I am very excited and hopeful and
010I feel prepared to make a selection and would like to seek feedback on which candidate we should include in the board action report. So I'll say this, this is not a vote to select the superintendent. That will require a formal motion and a roll call vote which is not scheduled for today. However, I invite discussion to determine whether there is a consensus around a preferred candidate. Um that is in consideration of the candidates's need to alert their employer to alert them to alert their employer and community that they may be selected. Uh we will still be discussing uh via candidate number tonight and we have number seven and number eight. uh the candidates's name will be made public on the date of the vote. So, with that being said, I'm going to um open it
011up for feedback from directors. I'll just kick it off by saying I am so excited by this process. I I think that we have h we had um a pool of candidates that were highly qualified that um I am excited and hopeful for whoever we select and the job that they will do here at Seattle Public Schools. but hearing from board directors about sort of a preferred candidate. Who wants to start us off? >> Director Miseri. [clears throat] >> Yeah. So, um we we use the candidate profile, the leadership profile, uh as really the the throughine for how we ask questions, how we evaluate it. and I want to go through just the five traits that were identified and and where I think each candidate uh lies on them. So, well, I'll just start by
012saying that my preference is for candidate seven and I'll go through why. So, you know, one of the things that of the five traits was experienced and accountable. I think both candidates have good experience and I think what we heard from a lot of the community was that they wanted someone who could really hit the ground running and I think both candidates check that box very well. It's why this is a different process because we're interviewing people who have a lot of experience and uh therefore need to remain confidential. But I think that we heard that loud and clear from the community and uh both candidates I think fit that bill. Equity driven and student focus. I think both candidates gave very good examples of uh times in their career where they've even made hard
013decisions to keep um the focus of of their work on equity and on students. And so I think both really fit that very well. where um I think candidate seven stood out to me is on the next three. So on financial and operational expertise, I thought that the uh my preferred candidate spoke with a specificity and clarity on the budget that I think will be very helpful for us in the coming year on communicative rationale and authentic. I think this candidate uh candidate 7 speaks with a blunt nature that I think will be uh very helpful for us and I think uh the clarity once again will just be um very refreshing for our district. Uh and lastly visionary and courageous changemaker. I think once again uh the clarity of vision and the ability to
014communicate that vision just really stood out for me for candidate 7 and that is my preference. >> Thank you Director Ms. Director Clark. >> Yeah. Um so I agree with um the points that um director Miss Rahi raised. Um, you know, I'm grateful that we attracted such high quality candidates with the depth of experience um and expertise um that I think were we were all hoping for. Um similarly, I felt that candidate 7 um you know stood out to me um a little bit more than candidate 8. Um and you know really um the top two um reasons in my mind um are you know related to the the budget financial expertise that you know community has called for in the leadership profile. I felt that candidate 7 um not only spoke to with specificity
015to what short-term um options um could could be in front of us um if they were to take this role. Um but also um had a vision for um long-term financial health um that just felt a little bit more clear to me than than candidate 8. Um and then also I really appreciated how you know candidate 7 um has held so many um different leadership positions within public school districts um beyond um and so I don't I'm trying to be mindful of what I say because this is a closed process but I think the diversity of their um background ground um will really help them um be successful in bringing I think the bringing our district together, the board and staff um and also helping us you know repair relationships with community and doing the
016important partnership work with our labor partners, nonprofits and just you know um the the the depth of of our work. >> Thank you so much, Director Clark. Director Hersy. [clears throat] >> Hello. So, yes. Um, you know, I was pretty taken with both of the top two candidates. Um, what really excites me, or rather, let me back up a little bit. Uh I I really look at this district in terms of leadership and its needs in phases. Um, when I first got here, we were just two months away from being plunged into the pandemic. And following Superintendent Juno, what we really needed was someone who had the operational expertise and the community relationships to uh help stabilize and actuate um not only our district but our our strategic plan. And in many ways, you know,
017going from an educational institution to a public health institution in many ways, uh, I believe we did that incredibly well. Um, but as time passed, we are we quickly discovered that we were no longer in a situation where we needed stability. We are now in a situation where we need um a catalyst for growth and a catalyst for change. Um and and that being said, the two key areas in which I believe that growth and change are necessitated are in the area of academics and in the area of financial responsibility and fiscal solveny. Um, and I want to say like very clearly, we had two candidates that were very strong in both. as um as an educator myself and as one of the board directors who is preparing to move on to um somewhat greener
018pastures, I would say. Uh, it keeps me up at night thinking about, well, how is the district going to fare in a situation where we will have a very new board, a new superintendent, a new set of problems, and and even more worrying, an old set of problems that have played this district for decades at this point. Um, so yeah, that caused me a lot of stress, right? uh even more so than trying to figure out how I'm going to get another hour of sleep uh with this newborn. But what I can say is that my preference for candidate number seven >> [clears throat] >> um has given me a level of solace uh that I have not experienced um in a long time uh around the leadership of Seattle public schools. I I I
019feel excited. I feel energized. Um, and and quite frankly, I'm I'm kind of bummed that if that particular candidate doesn't proceed, that that I won't get the chance to work with them and solve some of these really big problems. Um, there is no one coming to save us. There are no black helicopters that are coming to drop bags of money out of the sky. The legislature is not going to give us what we need in order to deliver education at the level and and value quite frankly that will not only give our students the educations that they deserve but also convince the ones that have chosen other educational environments to come back. We need something new and different. And at the same time, we need someone who has the knowledge and expertise specifically around funding
020and financial acumen that is going to help us deliver not only on our strategic plan, but meet the goals that we've set for ourselves. And we do not have any time to waste. Um, my son will be five in 5 years. Um, and I [clears throat] really want him to go to his neighborhood school and that might not have been a possibility a couple of months ago. I love my neighborhood in South Seattle. Um, and I'm sure that Avery will as well. I love the school that he is, you know, transitioned into. And I know for a fact that whether that school building is physically there or not, he is going to have a home in Seattle public schools and Seattle public schools has a very far way to go before I am comfortable completely
021allowing it to be my thumb. So I'm looking at y'all who are going to be here and whoever metriculates in this process. you got 5 years before um you're really going to be hearing from me on the other end of the dice. That being said, I am incredibly excited about both candidates, but particularly excited about candidate number seven because I believe that candidate will bring our district as close as possible to where we need to be to be prepared for not only my son, but so many children that are being born right now. I've met so many families. I don't know if y'all have noticed, but there is a baby boom happening at this moment >> and it is in both an exciting time and a time where we should really feel the fire lit
022up under us to get a lot of this figured out because we want to provide the best educational worldclass experience for our students as possible so that we can maintain a level of enrollment necessary to do that. So, I'm going to leave it at that. Uh, I'm really excited about candidate seven and I will pass it on to whoever is next. >> Amen. >> Thank you, Director Hersy. >> Director Sarju. >> Okay. Director Ranken. Um, well, let's see. First off, um, it has been a rough it's been a rough time. It's been a rough time for me as a schoolboard director. It's been a rough time for a lot of people in our districts. It's been a rough time for me as a Seattle public schools parent with two kids that do not fit the
023mold. Um and um something uh well and then also the uh a culture that that is ingrained in the school district of deny, delay, defend, retaliation, blame. Um, and it's really easy to forget that that's actually not normal. It's really not. And we also don't have to take it. And so part of um this interview, this whole interview process actually helped me remember that it doesn't have to be their way. [laughter] It's okay to want more. Um, even though I've been punched down as many times as can be for demanding more, um, all the candidates that we interviewed were unequivocally focused on students. And it seems like that should be a given. It's not. So all of the the or the candidates that we interviewed were 100% focused on students, 100% capable and competent, 100%
024understood and were passionate about doing the job of being a superintendent and especially and this is something that gave me a lot of needed boost um given that these were folks from different parts of the country, an unequivocal commitment to public education. And so knowing that this was just a sampling of the people who are out there doing this work alongside us if we'll let them because we we don't really like to interact with other districts even within our own state but that there are other we're not alone. there are other people who are committed to students who are committed to public education who are figuring out how to work together, how to make this work and do better by kids. And so, um, that's just I mean we could we could draw any of
025them out of a hat at random and have a have somebody who could do the job that we would feel good about. What's really exciting is that we had two that were phenomenal um that were standouts and um I I also um am leaning or would would select I guess uh candidate seven for this moment in time. Um our community has a really clear vision for what they want for kids, at least for what they say they want for kids. Um, [clears throat] you know, we saw very consistent feedback during goal and guardrail development, during the superintendent search. Our city as a whole wants a school system where every student, regardless of race, neighborhood, income, language, ability, gender identity, um, uh, country of origin, um, can thrive in a highquality school, public school. And we
026have accepted a reality for decades where not everybody has that. And it's really Yeah. So incremental change and talking about the good things that we want to do and talking about how and putting up our yard signs about in this house we believe and talk and saying, you know, that certain kids matter, but we don't treat we don't actually treat them that way. And so we it it's no it's no longer about saying the right things and assuring each other that we're good well-meaning people. We actually have to put our money where our mouth is and make the changes. And that requires courage and much more than I'm just going to say 2% growth annually for student outcomes. And it dem it demands that we align our system with our goals. It's and make the
027decisions that are uncomfortable. It means everybody doesn't get everything they want, but the kids can get what they need. And so while I believe that both of these candidates can deliver a system that does those things, there's a sense of urgency and immediiacy um that I think is needed right now um from candidate 7 and uh their understanding of policy, the relationship with the board, what the role of the board is. um what their responsibility is, how to work with community groups, legislators, all the different players um is is what we need um right now. And so um yeah, again, it was it was really uplifting to have a sampling of of people who could all do this job and are doing this job. Um and so yeah, district seven is my pick or district
028seven um candidate seven is my pick. Uh, and I also want to before I close, thank President Top. Being the board president comes with an enormously additional amount of time to an already time-consuming job. And this process being that we did it in a slightly unorthodox way, demanded a lot more time of of her. And um, some states actually pay their board president and their legislative chair more than other directors. Just saying. Um but that President Topp did a phenomenal job staying the course, keeping um a level of integrity that was needed for this uh process and um so I just wanted to thank you for that and I know that it took a lot of additional time. Um and I think it's going to be worth it. >> Thank you, Director Ranken. I really
029appreciate those kind words. It has taken a lot of time and I'm excited for where we're at. Uh, director Vice President Briggs, >> I just saw um, director Yun had raised her hand. I don't know if we want to. >> Yeah. >> So, we do have director Yun here um, and her she's unable to unmute. So, we'll work on that and then we'll go to Director Yun. Okay, I can go in the meantime. Um, sorry. Um, I'm in a hallway. Um, I I'm going to keep mine short because everybody has my colleagues have already spoken very eloquently. Um, there's not much more to say. Um, I just want to echo uh a few things in particular. One is just um gratitude to the two finalists for restoring my hope and faith in the possibility that
030um real change could be possible for this district. Um both of them have demonstrated a a level of leadership that I actually didn't know was even possible in this sphere, frankly. Um, so I'm just grateful to both of them for their leadership and um their commitment to their work and it was a genuine honor to to meet them both. Um, I I also am going to um express a preference for candidate 7. Um, that's that was a hard choice because again I think they were both absolutely outstanding. Um, but I do think Candidate 7, for reasons that have already been articulated by my colleagues, is the right person for right now. Um, and I also want to echo Director Rankin's um, acknowledgement of how much extra work it was for President Topp to preside over
031the board during this time. It was a lot. It was just a lot on top of what is already a bigger job than it should be. um given that we're all expected to do this in the margins of our lives and do it completely unpaid. Um so I really appreciate that President Top and um I'm very excited for the future. I think I think we're in a good place [snorts] and I I think that there's a lot of hope right now that I have for for the future of our district. >> Thank you so much, Vice President Briggs. I appreciate the kind words as well. Uh uh I'm going to go to director Yun and then I'm going to go back to director Miss Rahi. >> Uh thank you president. Uh I also um want
032to just add on to what everyone else has said. Both candidates were outstanding, but candidate seven really showed that he can create a transparent organizational structure with clearly defined roles, um, responsibility for outcomes and measurable accountability. So, everyone in this district is aligned and working towards a common goal, which is students success. Um, and what stood out to me the most is how he how he is coming in with a mindset to learn from others like our teachers, students, and families who are most affected by the decisions we make every day. And he was frankly okay with not knowing everything upfront because he understands that listening, asking questions, and learning from the people on the ground is the only way to make decisions that truly work for everyone. Um, and also he he's a doer.
033He can get things done efficiently and with purpose, which is what we re what we need right now in SPS. Um, so yeah, thank you so much. >> Thank you, Director Yun. Director Miseri, >> I planned to say and then got so wrapped up in what I was saying, I forgot. I wanted to also um express gratitude to pass and sea who um figured out with us a way to be involved in the process and um and consider the candidates while also um uh you know working with this confidential process and I'm happy I won't speak for either organization but that um that many of the things that we've listed that we like about candidate 7 they also felt very good about with candidate 7. So appreciated that feedback and also um glad that the
034candidate that we're all talking about is someone that they also liked. >> Thank you. Um do you want me to say my piece first? >> Sure. >> All right. So we'll let Director Sarju go last, but I I I will also state a a preference for candidate seven, but I will say the uh interviews for all the candidates that we did um I was extremely impressed with all of them. and they all brought uh phenomenal um qualities with them and really did align with our leadership profile report, but I think that there were two that just stood out beyond the rest very clearly. Um and this was I think that they would both do a phenomenal job. I think my my preference for candidate seven is uh I'll I'm going to do similar to director
035miseri based off of some of the leadership profile uh qualities that we're looking for. I think the uh budget expertise was already brought up but I think uh I think on the equitydriven and student focus there was this real strong student first mentality. Um I think candidate 7 brings a very authentic um way authentic and clear way to communicate that uh will help rebuild trust but be transparent and honest with our city and that's exciting. Um I also think that uh that ability to communicate really leads to being um a visionary and courageous change maker. Um, but also I would describe candidate seven as bold and innovative um, in a way that uh, I'm very excited for for our district. And then lastly uh, brings that experience to the table. So with that, I am
036excited, hopeful, and energized and excited where we're at in this process, but have a preference towards candidate seven. Uh, director Sarju So, I don't know if you all know Saturday Night Live and uh Kate McKinnon was one of the former cast members and she had a a a skit that she did. Her character was Rafferty. Um if you haven't watched Rafferty, I suggest you watch Rafferty, especially in these times when you need a good laugh. But she was always the one to go. Rafferty always went last and she started with similar concept, different execution. So I'm going to have a different execution. It's a similar concept and I will get to that at the end. Um so I'm going to read my comments because this is something that I wrote some time ago. Um, this
037hire for me personally is critically important for all the reasons that Director Hersy spoke of. When I think of kids in this district, I think of Avery. And I want that boy to be able to stand a chance in this district. I don't want his skin color to be the prevention from that happening. We're so close to hiring a new superintendent. And I'll be honest, I'm eggshell optimistic. When we hire well, and I believe we're we're actually going to hire well, our next superintendent is going to bring their own superpower. But it will take authentic collaboration and authentic support from us, not performative politics. Why? Because the biggest threat to our success to finally hiring and keeping a long-term leader is sitting right here also online. these seven voting chairs on the deis since well
038before 1998 that eighth chair the superintendent's chair has been a revolving door leader after leader coming in full of promise and leaving exhausted and if you've been paying attention you know one of the biggest reasons for that churn is us the board our job is simple. Hire the best leader we can and then govern. Lead through policy. Lead through trust. Lead with integrity. But too often these chairs have been filled by people leading with self-interest first. Siding up with liars and cheaters or with conit constituents throwing toddler fits about endorsements. Driven by personal attacks, by fear of equity that their kid is actually going to lose something if we focused on those who are most marginalized and by outrage over potential changes that threaten their unearned privilege instead of centering kids and community. That's the
039opposite of leadership. These chairs are not for auditioning for the next gig or building a personal brand. So to my colleagues, I'm asking you, show our next leader why they should choose Seattle. Show that we're not about the loudest voices, but all voices. Show that we're adults modeling what we want for our kids. love, integrity, and courage. In just a few weeks, these seven chairs will look different. And there's an article I can send you if you want to know about the disappearing black board member happening nationally. And that is likely happening right here in Seattle. In just a few weeks, these seven chairs will look different. And for anyone eyeing these seats, know this. We see who is and who is not about kids. If you're coming here for ego, for noise, for power,
040this is the wrong place. But if you're coming here for kids, all kids, and yes, that means the marginalized kids, not just the kids who have the parents with the loudest voices, then let's get to work. We have a chance right now to show this city that we are serious. Serious about loving kids into literacy, not illiteracy. Let me repeat that in case the the the knot and the the knot gets confusing. Serious about loving kids into literacy, not illiteracy. serious about ending decades of failure for our most marginalized students. Serious about proving that Seattle can finally deliver equitable outcomes for all. Are you ready? I am. I also want to acknowledge uh President Top. I don't think it's a secret that um I'm different. That to some people is annoying and it's a bad
041thing. But one thing I've never done in four years is assimilate. And I asked President Top to let me come up to the line. I made a promise to you that I wouldn't cross the line and I never did. But as a board director, I need to be authentically me. I didn't I didn't run to assimilate. I ran for marginalized kids. And you know what? I've been speaking for four years about those same kids. And I'm going to exit those doors speaking the same thing about those same kids. And when I come back in and I'm at that podium, I'm going be speaking the same thing about the same kids. And my hope is that before I die, because I too have a grand bean who right now I would not send to Seattle public
042schools because I don't trust that this district even cares about that little brilliant soon to be 5-year-old who's going to come in with his vivaciousness, his difference, and not be eaten alive, not be drowned out by the loudest voices. I want him. I want Avery. He and Avery are going to be best buds. They're only two years apart. Hallelujah. They're going to be good friends. They're going to be good friends. We're going to play dates. I'm gonna come over. I'm gonna send Brandon and Elizabeth out and it's just going to be me and the kids and I'm going to spoil them rotten. >> Spoil them rotten. That's my goal. So to this group here, we had 100%, like Liza said, there wasn't a single candidate that wasn't about kids. I was I said I'm eggshell
043optimistic. The reason why I'm eggshell optimistic is is the board going to do what they need to do so we can keep the leader that we need to keep? That's a question that's for them to answer because you know what? They're going to show you whether they're serious by their votes. It's going to be real clear as it already has been. As it already has been. So, I want I I don't want to be eggshell optimistic about the board governing. I don't want to be eggshell optimistic about this next leader who is going to come in here with an an incredible superpower. Either one of these candidates have incredible superpowers. They've done incredible things in the districts they're currently in. They've led with integrity. They've led with honesty. And they've led with a singular focus
044on kids. It's so evident in everything that they presented to us and in doing our own research. You know, Googling. Google, thank God for Google, right? Because it'll show you stuff that people don't want you to see if it's out there to exist. So far, nothing. I I think that says a lot about our our search firm actually. Hya. They did an incredible job of recruiting candidates. There's not a single candidate that I was disappointed about. And we are fortunate at this at this time trying to hire a superintendent at this stage of the game. The school year's just starting. People are settling in. We have two really incredible finalists, both with superpowers, different superpowers, but superpowers. And I wish we could have a co-s superintendent because I would recommend hiring both of them, but
045we can't. And so, like my colleagues, I am leaning more towards candidate 7 for some for different reasons. Um, which they know because I've already articulated it in close session. But I do believe that candidate seven, I believe, I believe the parents are going to be hippity skippity hoppity excited. I think Seattle is going to be like, "Ah, I found it. I finally found it." Right? You all know that commercial. I see. I'm not auditioning for anything, right? Because I'm done. I ain't running for nothing ever again. No audition necessary unless my director uh Liza Rankin uh writes a play called Red Hat Blue Decal, a modern-day version of what's Marvin Gay's What's Going On. I would audition for that. All kinds of meanings in that title. I made it up. I think you should
046produce it. It's a good title. Red Hat, Blue Decal. Good title. [snorts] Back to seriousness. The only thing I want for this district is to have a leader that's going to deliver for kids. That's the only thing I want. Everything else, it might be accessory benefits, but the number one job for this superintendent is to figure out how to deliver for all kids in this district. to finally figure it out and then execute on that plan. Been a lot of rhetoric. No action. You can't have action when the chair keeps turning over. Thank God for Superintendent Podesta stepping in. Nobody better. I was at a uh I was at a a candidate party and your name came up. Oh, Fred. He's at the district now. You know what I remember about Fred? He is the
047only effective bureaucrat that I know. Government bureaucrat that I know. And I'm like, absolutely. They don't make them like Fred. Lot of compliments at this place about you because you've built a reputation of action and I think you stepped into this role as acting superintendent. action, going to schools, sitting down with kids, talking with them. This superintendent that comes in, they already know they got to be about the action. If they don't want me up in their office, I'm going to be up in their office anyway cuz somebody's got to represent for black kids in this city. And I don't plan to stop doing that. Director Hersy gets a little break till his kid goes to school. then he needs to be up in the office, too. So, let's go Seattle. We really have an
048opportunity. Don't you think our kids deserve it? So, I appreciate everyone's comments. Uh what I will say hearing from folks um is that my intention would be to move candidate seven uh forward. If directors agree, I will include candidate seven in the motion language for the board action report for our next meeting. I will invite candidate 7 to attend that meeting. Um, and I will notify candidate 8 that we while we appreciate their qualifications, all that they do for students every single day, I I intend to recommend another candidate. Do durers have any questions about those steps or concerns? I'm not seeing any questions or concerns. Any further comments from board directors because that concludes our business here. Okay. So, directors, thank you so much. I will bring a board action report with candidate seven
049to you on November 5th for a roll call vote to select them as our superintendent and authorize contract negotiations. I'm going to repeat that one more time just [laughter] so we're all clear. Thank you so much, directors. I will bring a board action report with candidate seven to you on November 5th for a roll call vote to select them as our superintendent and authorize contract negotiations. There being no further business to come before the board, the special meeting of the board is now adjourned at 6:05. Thank you everyone.