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CPS releases the names of its superintendent candidates

headshots of Tianay Amat; Iranetta Wright; and Marlon Styles
Courtesy
Clockwise from left: Tianay Amat; Iranetta Wright; and Marlon Styles.

The Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education unveiled a list of finalists for the superintendent position Thursday. The new superintendent is expected to be selected by early March.

They include CPS Interim Superintendent Tianay Amat, Middletown City Schools Superintendent Marlon Styles, and Detroit Public Schools Community District Deputy Superintendent Iranetta Wright.

Amat has been serving as CPS's interim superintendent since June 2021, after former superintendent Laura Mitchell resigned to become president and CEO of Beech Acres Learning Center. Prior to this, she served as CPS deputy superintendent. She has more than 20 years of experience in education, including five years as principal of Hyde Park School.

Styles has been the Middletown City Schools superintendent since 2017. With 20 years of experience in education under his belt, including teaching middle school math and serving as a high school principal, he was also the executive director of Curriculum & Instruction in the Lakota Local School District.

Wright has been the deputy superintendent of schools for Detroit Public Schools Community District since 2017. The district has 53,000 students, 7,200 employees, and an operating budget of $785 million. Previously, she worked for over 25 years in Duval County Public Schools in Florida. She served as a teacher, assistant principal, middle and high school principal, regional superintendent, and the chief of schools for roughly 117,000 students and 13,000 employees.

Four CPS board members unveiled the list of three finalists for the superintendent search. Pictured from left to right are Mary Wineberg, Kareem Moncree-Moffett, Ph.D., Eve Bolton, and Board President Ben Lindy.
Cory Sharber
/
WVXU
Four CPS board members unveiled the list of three finalists for the superintendent search. Pictured from left to right are Mary Wineberg, Kareem Moncree-Moffett, Ph.D., Eve Bolton, and Board President Ben Lindy.

CPS Board President Ben Lindy says over 90 people applied for the position. He says the search has been centered around what parents, staff and students are looking for.

"What's stood out to me with these three finalists is these are the people who I think speak to those things, whether it is an unwavering commitment to doing what's right for kids or the ability to build very strong partnerships, these are the people that I think can do what our community is asking us for," Lindy said.

The board is seeking community input for the final interview round. CPS staff, students, parents, partners, and community members may nominate themselves or someone else to participate in interview panels which will occur on Feb. 10. Interview panelists will be chosen next week.

More than 200 parents, students, teachers and community leaders have participated in 40 meetings during the search process. Roughly 3,600 people participated in a survey conducted by Alma Advisory Group. The group was selected to assist in creating a transparent search process guided with input from the community. The results indicate a shared desire for the next superintendent to be an effective communicator who understands the needs of the district.

You can view the slideshow presented during Thursday's event below:

https://www.scribd.com/document/555371851/Cps-Finalist-Announcement-01272022-f-2

Cory Sharber attended Murray State University majoring in journalism and political science and comes to Cincinnati Public Radio from NPR Member station WKMS.