Superintendent Search

The Saint Paul Public Schools Board of Education is conducting a nationwide search for a new superintendent to lead SPPS. The Board hired executive search firm BWP & Associates to assist in hiring the next superintendent and hired Dr. John Thein to serve as Interim Superintendent. The Board is committed to hearing from people across our community throughout the search process.

Dr. Stacie Stanley Selected as Preferred Candidate for Superintendent

We are pleased to announce that the SPPS Board of Education has selected Dr. Stacie Stanley as the preferred candidate for the next superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools.

Dr. Stanley brings strong leadership experience and expertise in building relationships with the community, improving student outcomes and enhancing equity in diverse school districts. As the most diverse and second-largest school district in Minnesota, SPPS needs a leader who understands the power of listening, collaborating, and delivering results for our students and the community. We are confident that Dr. Stanley has the vision and experience needed to move our district forward and ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Tonight’s decision concludes a six-month search process, supported by BWP & Associates, that involved extensive community input gathered through surveys, community meetings and group feedback sessions. We are grateful to the community for providing valuable feedback throughout the superintendent search.

The offer is contingent on contract negotiations between the Board and Dr. Stanley, with plans to finalize an agreement in January. Interim Superintendent Dr. John Thein will continue to serve in his current role and will offer support during Dr. Stanley’s transition.

More information will be available after the superintendent’s contract is finalized. Thank you for your engagement throughout this process, and have a wonderful winter break.

Dr. Stacie Stanley

Dr. Stacie Stanley is a mission-driven leader committed to student and community engagement and educational equity. As superintendent of Edina Public Schools, serving 8,600 students and over 1,300 staff, she led the district’s strategic plan to create accelerated student achievement across all demographic groups, including a comprehensive literacy plan.

Dr. Stanley previously served as an associate superintendent at Eden Prairie Schools and has held school and administrative leadership roles in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191, Roseville Area Schools and East Metro Integration District. She is also the current president-elect of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, the statewide organization of education leaders.

Dr. Stanley earned her bachelor’s degree in K-8 elementary education and her master’s in education at St. Catherine University and holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Bethel University.

Superintendent Search Timeline

*the following dates are subject to change
Date	Update
Feb. 26, 2024	Dr. Joe Gothard was selected as the next leader at Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin.
April 3, 2024	Committee of the Board Meeting: The Board of Education approved an amendment to the end date of Superintendent Gothard's contract and approved a contract with Dr. John Thein to serve as Interim Superintendent .
May 2, 2024	The Board of Education posted a Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit bids from executive search firms. The RFP was open for 30 days.
May 20, 2024	Dr. John Thein began his role as Interim Superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools.
June 4, 2024	Proposals for the executive search firm RFP closed. The Superintendent Search team comprised of Board and district leaders evaluated all bids.
July 9, 2024	Special Meeting of the Board: The Board interviewed three executive search firms and selected BWP & Associates to assist in hiring the next full-time superintendent. A recording of the meeting can be found here.
Aug. 7, 2024	Committee of the Board Meeting: BWP & Associates presented a 6-month search timeline to the Board and discussed community engagement methods. Meeting materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found here.
Sept. 3, 2024	BWP & Associates started recruiting and providing application information to potential superintendent candidates.
Sept. 23-Oct. 2, 2024	Community Engagement Activities: September 23-October 2: An online survey was available to all community members. September 30-October 1: BWP hosted in-person and virtual stakeholder meetings with various staff groups, community organizations, high school students, PACs, and community forums open to the public.
Oct. 8, 2024	Committee of the Board Meeting: BWP & Associates provided a report with the results from the community engagement activities and a draft of the leadership profile. Meeting materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found here.
Oct. 22, 2024	Regular Meeting of the Board: The Board approved the final draft of the leadership profile that includes the characteristics the SPPS community would like to see in the next superintendent. The leadership profile will be used to evaluate all superintendent candidates. Meeting materials and a recording of the meeting can be found here.
Nov. 5, 2024	Deadline for superintendent candidate applications.
Nov. 2024	BWP reviewed all superintendent applicants and conducted preliminary interviews. A task force was formed composed of three Board members, parents and community members from each of SPPS’s Parent Advisory Councils, representatives from three employee labor groups, two high school students and one district administrator.
Dec. 3-4 2024	The Superintendent Search Task Force conducted closed, first-round interviews with candidates. Per Minnesota state statute, applicant names are considered private data unless/until they are named a finalist for a position.
Dec. 5, 2024	Special Meeting of the Board: The Superintendent Search Task Force presented top candidates for Board approval. The Board selected the following finalists: Dr. Brenda Cassellius, CEO of Fresh Energy, St. Paul, MN Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed, Superintendent of Hopkins Public Schools, Hopkins, MN Dr. Stacie Stanley, Superintendent of Edina Public Schools, Edina, MN A recording of the meeting is available here.
Dec. 16-18, 2024	Each finalist visited the district for a full day between December 16-18. They visited schools and participated in virtual Meet the Candidate sessions with staff, parents/guardians and community partners. Public interviews with the Board were held at the SPPS administration building, 360 S. Colborne St., from 6-7:30 p.m. on each finalist's respective day. Recordings of the final interviews are available here. The Board started deliberations in a public meeting after the final interview on Wednesday, December 18.
Dec. 19, 2024	Regular Meeting of the Board: The Board resumed deliberations at the Regular Board of Education meeting and voted unanimously to select Dr. Stacie Stanley as the preferred candidate for superintendent. The offer is contingent on contract negotiations with the Board and Dr. Stanley, with plans to finalize a contract in January. A recording of the meeting can be found here.
Jan. 2025	The Board will approve the new superintendent contract and announce the new superintendent's start date.