Adams described as focused and child-dedicated

Kelvin Adams signed a three-year contract Friday to be the next superintendent of the St. Louis Public Schools.

The Special Administrative Board of the district has agreed to pay Adams a base salary of $225,000. He also could receive bonuses based on the number of schools in the district that make adequate yearly progress under Missouri assessment standards and based on increases in student enrollment.

The SAB selected him from three finalists chosen during a national search conducted over the summer.SAB member Melanie Adams, who headed the search committee, said Kelvin Adams’ colleagues described him as child-focused, dedicated, ethical, honest and someone who can build and motivate a team. Kelvin Adams served as the director of human resources for the St. Louis Public Schools from 2006 to 2007. Since then he has been serving as chief of staff of the Recovery School District in New Orleans.

SAB president Rick Sullivan said Adams is known in New Orleans as a hard worker and he is respected there.“We can document Dr. Adams’ hands-on role in improving student achievement, as well as his commitment to students,” Sullivan said.

Adams said student achievement will be his foremost priority and he looks forward to working with the SAB to change how the district is managed.“I am excited because I know they are committed to public education in this area and they are committed to student achievement,” Adams said.

Adams will wrap up business in New Orleans before starting here as superintendent in mid-October. He said he will spend some time evaluating the resources of the district and he recognizes in addressing a master plan there could be some downsizing of the district. However, he rebuffed the idea that the administration should focus on operating a smaller district. He said he believes that focusing on student achievement could create a school system that would attract students back from charter schools and other schools, which would increase enrollment. Adams said he would institute many of the reforms used in New Orleans schools in seeking to improve St. Louis schools. He said he expects the task of improving the district to be more like a marathon than a sprint. He committed to stay through the three-year contract.“I bring a commitment and a mission focus to student achievement and I bring a temperament I believe will work well with the community and the SAB board,” he said. Courtesy of Shawn Clubb, South Side Journal.


SLPS Parents Movement to Support Dr. Kelvin Adams.