Kelvin Adams takes helm of 25,000-student district today

Kelvin Adams arrived here a week ago Sunday, the better to get the lay of the land before reporting for work as the 36th superintendent to head the St. Louis Public Schools.

Today, he begins navigating the terrain—sometimes rocky and always unpredictable—that has seen eight of those leaders come and go since 2003.

Adams' arrival from New Orleans, where he served as chief of staff in the Recovery School District restoring that city's education system in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, signals a noteworthy move by the Special Administrative Board to put its imprint on the district it has governed for the past 17 months.

Adams plans to tread cautiously between now and the winter break, evaluating the curriculum and filling three key posts in his administration, most notably that of chief academic officer.

From that point forward, he indicated the St. Louis schools could start to look significantly different. Parents, students and teachers seeking a hint to the direction Adams may take the city schools, need glance no further than New Orleans where, among other reforms, the recovery district tacked an extra 75 minutes onto the school day this year.

"You have to look at extended time to give students an opportunity to achieve," Adams said in an interview Saturday, squeezed around the movers bearing his belongs from Louisiana.

That could mean a longer school day, an academic year that stretches well into summer or even Saturday classes. At this juncture, said Adams, everything is on the table.

Whatever time St. Louis students spend in class will occur in schools supervised by principals granted unprecedented autonomy over what transpires in each building.

The trade-off for shifting responsibility for learning from a central office to the leaders of individual schools will be accountability.

The premise is simple: Principals who elevate student achievement will survive; principals overseeing schools where learning slips or stagnates will not.

The principals will be held to no less a standard than the academic performance benchmarks built into the terms of Adams' three-year, $225,000 annual contract.

"We will give them the support," Adams said. "But once you provide that support, how can they not be held accountable?"

As Adams takes over a 25,000-student district barely hanging onto its status as the largest school system in Missouri, another question hangs in the balance.

Exactly how many principals will be needed in St. Louis come the start of next school year?

Last week, the administrative board awarded a $625,609 contract to a facilities management firm that will determine which of the district's schools could be shuttered when classes end in June.

The evaluation by MGT of America Inc. will focus on the physical condition of the buildings, educational suitability, technological readiness and other factors. MGT will also hold a series of community forums to gather public input. The firm will report its findings to the administrative board — which has estimated that 14 to 22 schools need to be closed.

Just seven years ago, 42,000 students attended city schools. In response to the drastic drop in enrollment, the district has already shuttered 25 buildings since 2003.

"Everyone needs to be open-minded enough to let (MGT) do its work. But I think everyone also needs to understands that more schools need to be closed," said Adams. "The question needs to be: How many more schools? And I think, right now, it's premature to say we're going to close 20 schools. At this point they're just making an educated guess."

After the decision on closings is made, Adams said, he may ask the administrative board to consider breaking some of the remaining properties into "schools within schools."

A version of the "small school movement," such a plan could assign designated sections of a school building to specific grades or specialized "learning communities" (such as students concentrating on health careers).

Adams said he would not rule out St. Louis following the lead of New York City and New Orleans by perhaps integrating a charter school into a building where traditional public education is taking place.

The post-Katrina conditions in New Orleans, he pointed out, made shared charter and traditional schools a necessity. "It works," he said. "But I don't know if can work permanently."

Adams was the director of human resources during a short stint with the St. Louis schools in 2006-07. He said he is returning to the district without preconceived notions.

"We may not see a lot of changes before Christmas," he said, leaving plenty of room for speculation on the shape of the district, in the classroom and at its downtown headquarters, in the new year. Courtesy of Steve Giegerich, St. Louis Post-Dispatch.


SLPS Parents Movement to Support Dr. Kelvin Adams.

Warm Welcome to Dr. Kelvin Adams

We extend warm and heartfelt welcome to the incoming Superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools, Dr. Kelvin Adams. He'll report for duty on October 20, 2008.

We ask all St. Louis Public Schools parents to welcome Dr. Adams, remain involved in our children's education, and give the school chief unswerving support while he tries to tackle the many problems facing the school district.

Dr. Adams will come and work as hard as he did for the Recovery School District (RSD) of New Orleans. He has been praised much by the Louisiana Superintendent of Schools, the RSD Superintendent, and the teachers.

Please post your feedback comments on this blog. Show your support.


SLPS Parents Movement to Support Dr. Kelvin Adams.

Some Facts about Dr. Kelvin Adams

Dr. Kelvin Adams, the incoming St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent:

1. Received a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership in Administration from the University of New Orleans in 2005, M.A. in Elementary Education from Xavier University in 1991 and a B.A. in Elementary Education and Special Education from Northeast Louisiana State University in 1978.
2. Is currently second in charge of the Recovery School District (RSD) in New Orleans (12,500 students vs. 28,000 for St. Louis). He'll assume his duties as Superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools on October 20, 2008.

3. Has held several roles since 1978, including teacher, middle school and high school principal, executive director, area superintendent and associate dean. Since 2007, he has held the position of Chief of Staff for the Recovery School District in New Orleans, Louisiana.

4. Was the only candidate of the final three to have any St. Louis connection or experience. He worked for St. Louis Public Schools as Interim Director of Human Resources in 2006-07.

5. Was slated to be successor of the Recovery School District superintendent, Dr. Vallas. Dr. Vallas strongly expressed confidence in Dr. Adams administrative and leadership skills.

6. Is well liked by the admistrators, staff, and teachers of the RSD as widely reported in the mass media.

7. Was the only candidate to be supported by the St. Louis teachers' union.

Many in New Orleans have expressed regret that the RSD is losing a young promising school administrator. That speaks to the aptitude, leadership style, and special qualities of Dr. Adams.

The Recovery School District of New Orleans Superintendent Vallas and State of Louisina Superintendent Paul Pastorek said "New Orleans will lose a veteran administrator who earned the trust of many educators working in the schools." Vallas often said he hoped Adams would succeed him. Adams' leaving "is going to set me back a little," Vallas said. "Obviously, we want to bring someone in who we really can groom to be superintendent." Pastorek called Adams "a special guy" who is "not easily replaceable."

“We can document Dr. Adams’ hands-on role in improving student achievement, as well as his commitment to students,” said Rick Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of the Special Administrtive Board of St. Louis Public Schools. “He has an unblemished record, works hard, and is well respected for his work in New Orleans.”

Dr. Adams is quoted by the St. Louis press to have said "I am absolutely focused on one thing—student achievement." That is the kind of message we want to hear as St. Louis Public Schools parents and we are delighted to have Dr. Adams as the next Superintendent. He will be a valuable asset to our school district. He has our full and unswerving support.

Welcome Dr. Adams to the beautiful Gateway City and St. Louis Public Schools. We want you to feel at home.


St. Louis Public Schools Parents Movement to Support Dr. Kelvin Adams.

Why we need to support the incoming SLPS Superintendent

The parents and the citizens of St. Louis City need to support Dr. Kelvin Adams to enable him to accomplish the following overarching goals:

1. Put the school district on track to reclaim its accreditation and glorious days.
2. Rein in on the perennial budget problem.
3. Raise the low academic standards by improving student learning and performance outcomes.
4. Introduce rigorous standards-based & data-driven strategies to drive the school district's curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
5. Improve the quality of instruction by providing well coordinated professional development.
6. Strengthen accountability.

We need to give him the chance to do his job. We believe he will make substantial improvement over time if we don't constrain him like the past superintendents. Please let us keep politics out of the classroom.

Let us support our school district and its new superintendent and students and teachers.

St. Louis Public Schools Parents Movement to Support Dr. Kelvin Adams.

Mayor Slay talks about the new school superintendent

Congratulations to Dr. Kelvin Adams, new superintendent to the St. Louis Public Schools. I know that St. Louis was in competition with many other districts for such a talented leader. I wish Dr. Adams well – and I look forward to working with him.

I probably have a thick file of congratulations that I have given to new superintendents of the SLPS. All of them have begun their jobs with firm resolve and great hopes – only to be worn down, lured away, or run off after relatively short tenures. I hope that this time will be different. (And it should be. Dr. Adams has worked in challenging places, including St. Louis, before.)

The arrival of a new superintendent gives us yet another opportunity to focus on the future. I hope that as parents and taxpayers we can take advantage of this opportunity, and that stable governance, coupled with talented and committed management, can deliver on the promise of better educational outcomes for all of our children.

I remain committed to the idea that all children in this city deserve a high quality education, and that all families, regardless of where they live or how much they make, deserve access to free, quality public schools. That is a challenge that I know Dr. Adams understands. Courtesy of Mayor Slay Blog


SLPS Parents Movement to Support Dr. Kelvin Adams.

Dr. Kelvin Adams selected as SLPS Superintendent-St. Louis American

Dr. Kelvin Adams was named the St. Louis Public School District's new superintendent, the district's eighth leader in five years. The state-appointed Special Administrative Board made the announcement Thursday evening, offering Adams a three-year contract with a unanimous vote.

Adams beat out Eric Becoats and Donnie Evans for the position. Adams was the only candidate with St. Louis affiliation. He served as interim Human Resources Director in the district in 2006.

Since 2007, Adams had been Chief of Staff for the Recovery School District in New Orleans.

Courtesy of St. Louis American newspaper


SLPS Parents Movement to Support Dr. Kelvin Adams.

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.