Last night, Dr. Kriner Cash took part in his public interview for the vacant superintendent position in New Bedford.
Ladies and gentlemen, I think we’ve found the winner.
Cash was not as dynamic as advertised (at least in the interview) — we didn’t get to see much of the “rockstar” persona that was advertised in last Sunday’s ST feature. Perhaps this was by design, as the seemingly subdued Cash presented himself as articulate and knowledgeable. He answered the school committee’s questions with confidence but never came off as arrogant, which was a common complaint of his former district.
Cash was able to charm the school committee with engaging answers. He gave some insight into how he would transition from being the “CEO” of a very large district in Memphis to being more hands-on in the much smaller New Bedford schools. He talked of comprehensive solutions to issues like the dropout rate, which he explained could not be fixed by targeting 11th and 12th graders, but should be addressed with fixes in early education to improve the whole “pipeline.” He was also strong when it came to discussing business management, providing the best approach of the three candidates. Cash described a strong relationship with the Memphis (and would be New Bedford) community as well as positive relations with the union.
I noticed more engaging, more practical follow-up questions from the committee, which I would take as a sign of confidence in Cash.
It was not all positive (from my perspective). While Cash was strong and engaging, he mentioned his affinity for the Teach for America program, of which I’m not a fan. He also talked at length about value incentives, aka merit pay for teacher performance. Additionally, he explained the “accomplishment” of opening a STEM virtual high school in Memphis. While these aren’t the type of infractions that would dismiss him as a candidate, they are speed-bumps and deserve some consideration.
While I’m disappointed no one asked the question I wanted to hear answered (How do you feel about leaving Memphis, where you made upwards of $300,000 annually and had a personal driver for New Bedford, where you’ll be lucky to get half as much?), I found that Cash communicated more than either of the previous candidates.
If I had to guess, I would anticipate Cash gets the job by a pretty wide margin. If I had to make the decision myself, it would be a close call between him and Durkin, with Durkin likely getting the nod from me.
For what it’s worth, many of the people I spoke to were pleased by Cash and terrified of Durkin. They worry that Durkin may be a Bonner 2.0. I have the same reservations about Cash. He’s an outsider potentially entering a very insular school district that’s resistant to the kind of change he may want to implement, and he’s no stranger to criticism and divisiveness. Just ask Memphis.
That said — we need a superintendent to get New Bedford where it needs to be and the candidates interviewed have the qualifications to do so. We should rid ourselves of Bonner Disorder (in which we automatically think every candidate that interviews well is going to end up being a wolf in sheep’s clothing) and select the best candidate based on the interviews and next week’s site visits. After the choice is made, community leaders, committee members and various other factions need to throw full support behind that person and get off on the right foot.
If not, we may have to face the reality that the common denominator in our district’s issues isn’t uncooperative superintendents, but an uncooperative district.
Thanks again for the scoop Josh…So he was your favorite huh? I read a story where he did not change anything in Memphis while he was in office…meaning none of the plans he put forth had a positive outcome…that’s why they want him out…He looks to be very educated and experienced though…Probably explains why he did so well interviewing…My preference is still Zrike and again, that’s based on me reading their History & background and has nothing to do with these interviews so it could be different if I was actually there for them…
By the way, I’d like to hear more about your perspectives on Teach for America…Maybe you can delve into that a little more in one of your future posts…I knew someone who went through the program and was a highly trained individual as they trained her in one of the worse districts in America…I think that’s how their model works if I’m not mistaking…Which from my experience working at a Boys & Girls Club, teaching kids from disadvantaged lower income backgrounds is the BIGGEST challenge for teachers and not all teachers are cut out for it…so from what I knew about her training and the program, she had dealt with unique issues and how to handle them effectively as a teacher…and I know the training was pretty strenuous for her…
I liked him and Durkin quite a bit. I’d say it’s a toss-up between those two. I think Durkin’s projected salary range and existing connections in MA put her over the top.
Your friend sounds to have a good experience with Teach for America but the program has been known to train teachers for six weeks and then unleash them on vulnerable disadvantaged classrooms in urban settings. Your friend seem to have functioned well in that capacity but I think the program is negative overall. That is a job that requires a person with years of training and experience and a commitment to the career. Teach for America is more of a temp job.
I hear ya…
Did not know that about TFA…This was a little while ago that she trained with them…probably back 10 years ago? I wonder if things changed…Thanks again for your insight!