Paper | Leadership Voices

FEATURES

Meet the leaders shaping the future of our students—and communities

In these personal interviews, superintendents share their backgrounds, leadership philosophies, and main priorities for the now and next in public education.

Dr. Monica Goldson

Prince George’s County Public Schools, MD
Chief Executive Officer

“What we have found is that our students learn best when it's hands-on experiences and there are real-world connections."

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Mr. Scott Elder

Albuquerque Public Schools, NM
Superintendent

“As far as social services in New Mexico, public schools have become the main space for young people to receive help.”

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Dr. Melvin J. Brown

Montgomery Public Schools, AL
Superintendent

“I want to be able to navigate spaces where, historically, someone who looks like me may not have been welcome—and show that to kids. They can do anything and more than I've done."

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Dr. Andi Fourlis

Mesa Public Schools, AZ
Superintendent

“I started my career as a kindergartener in Mesa Public Schools, and I'm proud to be able to lead the largest school district in Arizona."

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Dr. Anthony Rossetti

Webb City R-7 School District, MO
Superintendent

“We've all asked the question, 'Why am I learning this?' When you think about ChatGPT and content being available at your fingertips, we need to stay relevant."

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Dr. Angélica Ramsey

Fort Worth Independent School District, TX
SUPERINTENDENT

"There isn’t one classroom I’ve been into where the teacher isn’t phenomenal, and the students aren’t learning. So we’re going to continue to see growth. We just aren’t miracle workers."

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Mr. Trent North

Douglas County School System, GA
SUPERINTENDENT

"We in education do a great job at taking care of the core curriculum. Sometimes we are not masterful at connecting that with what’s required to be successful after graduation."

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Dr. Calvin Watts

Gwinnett County Public Schools, GA
SUPERINTENDENT

"We have 182,000 unique individuals with varying needs. It takes a village—maybe two or three."

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Dr. Kimberley Cantu

Mansfield Independent School District, TX
SUPERINTENDENT

"Everybody's operating shorter-staffed. So those that are with us, boy, they are with us."

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Dr. Marvin J. Connelly, Jr.

Cumberland County Schools, NC
SUPERINTENDENT

"Teachers are very resilient. They [are part of] the best profession in the world—not always recognized as such, but they are."

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Dr. Monifa McKnight

Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
SUPERINTENDENT

"As we build teacher salary, as we build paying for dual enrollment, we're going to have to think about what's being funded."

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Dr. John Craft

Killeen Independent School District, TX
FORMER SUPERINTENDENT

"We try to meet the needs of not only our, our community but also really the businesses and the industries that are in our backyard predominantly."

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Dr. Christopher Bernier

Lee County Schools, FL
SUPERINTENDENT

"I can't tell a second grade family that I'm going to get it right in 10 years. We need to get things right now so that when their children are seniors, they're fully prepared to go out into the world."

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Dr. Stephanie Elizalde

Dallas Independent School District, TX
Superintendent

"One of the main areas that has contributed to [student success] has been mental health. Students can communicate what they're thinking or feeling because of some of those practices."

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Mr. Addison Davis

Hillsborough County Public Schools, FL
Former Superintendent

"It's probably the hardest time to be an educator with all the social and political complexities that penetrate the classroom. My job as superintendent is try to be that downhill blocker."

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