Superintendent Search Finalist Interview Schedule

SPPS Superintendent Finalist Interview Schedule

On December 16-18, the three finalists for superintendent will visit Saint Paul Public Schools to meet the community and participate in a public interview with the SPPS Board of Education. Please see the schedule below for more information about the candidate visits.

Date	December 16	December 17	December 18
Candidate	Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed	Dr. Brenda Cassellius	Dr. Stacie Stanley
Morning	Staff - Meet the Candidate virtual session	Staff - Meet the Candidate virtual session	Staff - Meet the Candidate virtual session
Morning	School visits	School visits	School visits
Afternoon	Parents/Guardians - Meet the Candidate virtual session	Parents/Guardians - Meet the Candidate virtual session	Parents/Guardians - Meet the Candidate virtual session
	Community Partners - Meet the Candidate virtual session	Community Partners - Meet the Candidate virtual session	Community Partners - Meet the Candidate virtual session
	School visit	School visit	School visit
Evening	Public interview at 360 S. Colborne St. Watch the meeting recording	Public interview at 360 S. Colborne St. Watch the meeting recording	Public interview at 360 S. Colborne St. Watch the meeting recording

Virtual Meet the Candidates Sessions

SPPS parents and guardians are invited to attend virtual Meet the Candidate sessions on December 16-18 from 12:15-12:45 p.m. each day.

These meetings will be in English; language support will be offered during the public interviews in the evening. Attendees of the virtual sessions will watch a live conversation with each candidate and be asked to share their impressions via an online form. Completed forms will be shared with school board members for review before they select their preferred candidate.

SPPS Superintendent Candidate Impression Forms

Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed

This form will be open from 8 a.m.-7:45 p.m. on Monday, December 16.

Dr. Brenda Cassellius

This form will be open from 8 a.m.-7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, December 17.

Dr. Stacie Stanley

This form will be open from 8 a.m.-7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, December 18.

Public Board Interviews

The Board of Education will interview one finalist each evening, December 16-18 from 6-7:30 p.m., at the SPPS administration building (360 S. Colborne St.). All are welcome to attend or watch the livestream at spps.eduvision.tv/LiveSched.aspx. Attendees will be able to fill out an impression form for each candidate, each evening until 7:45 p.m.

Simultaneous interpretation will be offered in Hmong, Spanish, Karen and Somali at 360 S. Colborne St. To request interpretation in another language, please contact the Office of Family Engagement at 651-744-2769. Childcare will be provided.

Board of Education Deliberations

The Board will deliberate in a public meeting after the final interview on Wednesday, December 18. If the Board does not select their preferred candidate that evening, they will resume deliberation and announce the preferred candidate at the Regular Board of Education meeting on Thursday, December 19, at 5:30 p.m. The new superintendent’s start date will be determined during contract discussions after winter break.

SPPS Superintendent Finalists

We are excited to announce that the Saint Paul Public Schools Board of Education has selected three superintendent finalists. The superintendent finalists all have deep educational experience and meet the values and characteristics our community identified earlier this school year. The Board feels confident in these candidates’ ability to understand the diverse needs of the Saint Paul Public Schools community and their potential to make a positive and lasting impact on our school district. We’re excited for the community to get to know these finalists in the coming weeks.

Dr. Brenda Cassellius

Dr. Brenda Cassellius

Dr. Brenda Cassellius is an experienced educator and public leader in large urban settings with more than 30 years of experience. She is currently CEO of Fresh Energy, a nonprofit organization that shapes bold policy solutions to transition Minnesota to a clean-energy economy.

Dr. Cassellius previously served as superintendent of Boston Public Schools, serving 50,000 students and over 10,000 staff, where she played a pivotal role in implementing a “Quality Guarantee” to ensure all students had access to clean drinking water, air conditioning, and a robust system of support for their well-being and academic achievement.

She served as Minnesota State Commissioner of Education for eight years under Gov. Mark Dayton; held leadership positions at Minneapolis Public Schools, East Metro Integration District, and Memphis City Schools; and started her career as a teacher in Saint Paul Public Schools.

Dr. Cassellius earned her doctorate in organizational leadership and policy from the University of Memphis. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and a master’s in secondary education from the University of St. Thomas.

Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed

Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed

Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed is a committed educational leader who strives to find data-informed solutions to close opportunity gaps. She has been superintendent of Hopkins Public Schools since 2017, serving 6,900 students and over 1,000 staff. Dr. Mhiripiri-Reed has focused on advancing equity-focused programs and implementing the district’s strategic plan, Vision 2031, which includes hiring diverse staff, improving student performance to erase achievement gaps, and preparing students for college and careers.

She began her career as a teacher in Saint Paul Public Schools and has served in several leadership roles including associate superintendent at Monterey Peninsula Unified School District in Monterey, Calif.; director of leadership development at the District of Columbia Public Schools in Washington, D.C.; and the inaugural board chair for the nonprofit Black Men Teach.

Dr. Mhiripiri-Reed holds a doctorate in education leadership from Harvard University. She earned a master’s in education policy and administration from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and a bachelor’s in psychology and teacher preparation from Yale University.

Dr. Stacie Stanley

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.