How was Starr?

[Anonymous]

You either get someone the teachers/admin like, or someone the politicians like, rarely do you get someone good with both. Starr was great for the teachers and staff, amd parents as well. The Board ditched him around contract renewal with no feedback prior - just decided they wouldn't renew his contract. Smith was a disaster, expanded Central Office, including McNight, signed a new contract that said he'd get his no matter what, then he bailed (BTW, Smith pulled the same move in Calvert County before Montgomery County), and we got stuck with McNight.

Starr was a good guy who was ambushed by a lousy Board of Education

[Anonymous]

I really liked Starr. I was school-based and he cared about kids and teachers. I think a lot of the mcps principals ended up wishing he had never left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You either get someone the teachers/admin like, or someone the politicians like, rarely do you get someone good with both. Starr was great for the teachers and staff, amd parents as well. The Board ditched him around contract renewal with no feedback prior - just decided they wouldn't renew his contract. Smith was a disaster, expanded Central Office, including McNight, signed a new contract that said he'd get his no matter what, then he bailed (BTW, Smith pulled the same move in Calvert County before Montgomery County), and we got stuck with McNight.

Starr was a good guy who was ambushed by a lousy Board of Education

Thanks Mrs. Starr. Bless your heart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really liked Starr. I was school-based and he cared about kids and teachers. I think a lot of the mcps principals ended up wishing he had never left.

Not so. They knew Starr was lost in the woods. Immediately after he was hired.

[Anonymous]

Starr is a finalist for the Milwaukee superintendent position:

https://mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/en/District/About-MPS/School-Board/MPS-Superintendent-Search/Dr.-Joshua-Starr.htm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really liked Starr. I was school-based and he cared about kids and teachers. I think a lot of the mcps principals ended up wishing he had never left.

That's not accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in a school district that is considering hiring Joshua Starr as its new superintendent. I know he was in MCPS for awhile - what were the overall feelings about him?

What Taylor is leaving??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You either get someone the teachers/admin like, or someone the politicians like, rarely do you get someone good with both. Starr was great for the teachers and staff, amd parents as well. The Board ditched him around contract renewal with no feedback prior - just decided they wouldn't renew his contract. Smith was a disaster, expanded Central Office, including McNight, signed a new contract that said he'd get his no matter what, then he bailed (BTW, Smith pulled the same move in Calvert County before Montgomery County), and we got stuck with McNight.

Starr was a good guy who was ambushed by a lousy Board of Education

Thanks Mrs. Starr. Bless your heart.

Aren't you a peach. Not Mrs. Starr, and happily married to someone else for 26 years. Our kids lived through so many Sups, Starr was what we needed for teachers and in-school administrators after Weast. Weast was good at the politics, but made everyone in the school buildings miserable, whereas Starr was the reverse

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You either get someone the teachers/admin like, or someone the politicians like, rarely do you get someone good with both. Starr was great for the teachers and staff, amd parents as well. The Board ditched him around contract renewal with no feedback prior - just decided they wouldn't renew his contract. Smith was a disaster, expanded Central Office, including McNight, signed a new contract that said he'd get his no matter what, then he bailed (BTW, Smith pulled the same move in Calvert County before Montgomery County), and we got stuck with McNight.

Starr was a good guy who was ambushed by a lousy Board of Education

Thanks Mrs. Starr. Bless your heart.

Aren't you a peach. Not Mrs. Starr, and happily married to someone else for 26 years. Our kids lived through so many Sups, Starr was what we needed for teachers and in-school administrators after Weast. Weast was good at the politics, but made everyone in the school buildings miserable, whereas Starr was the reverse

Starr was not well liked by most administrators. He started out as a refreshing change and then there continued to be no real substance nor action behind the theories so the like turned to significant dislike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My educated opinion:
Starr focused on THEORY of action but took no action.
Total waste of our districts time and resources.

This is the most accurate response. He had good theories and intent, but could never put them into action. He provided little direction for schools and principals and that was frustrating for administrators. He was loose on data and was more "pie in the sky" than he was into the details.

But, he was a nice person and cares about people and students. He has likely reflected and learned a lot over the past decade since he has been superintendent and can hopefully see where he fell short and is more results focused then he was 10 years ago.

That said, I'd pick Andrae Townsel over Starr. And Dr. Cassellius seems like a great pick too but I don't have any first hand knowledge of her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My educated opinion:
Starr focused on THEORY of action but took no action.
Total waste of our districts time and resources.

This is the most accurate response. He had good theories and intent, but could never put them into action. He provided little direction for schools and principals and that was frustrating for administrators. He was loose on data and was more "pie in the sky" than he was into the details.

But, he was a nice person and cares about people and students. He has likely reflected and learned a lot over the past decade since he has been superintendent and can hopefully see where he fell short and is more results focused then he was 10 years ago.

That said, I'd pick Andrae Townsel over Starr. And Dr. Cassellius seems like a great pick too but I don't have any first hand knowledge of her.

My concern with Cassellius is that a lot of her achievements are things that can be easily "manipulated". Not saying that's the case with her necessarily but I'm always leery-
Increased graduation rates? Just lower the bar so it's impossible NOT to graduate.
"New pathway to the adult diploma"? If that means some junk online program like Edgenuity...meh.
"Historic admissions policies increasing access and opportunity to Boston’s three exam schools"? Milwaukee's schools are already crap with the exception of a handful of (excellent) application high schools...every formerly selective high school/middle school that they opened up to everyone went down the tubes almost instantly. No clue what "historic admissions policies" means but it reads like making the schools more open enrollment and that concerns me

[Anonymous]

adding, ^^ what's appealing about Townsel is that many of his achievements are objective. Not that test scores are everything, but they can't be "massaged" to improve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My educated opinion:
Starr focused on THEORY of action but took no action.
Total waste of our districts time and resources.

This is the most accurate response. He had good theories and intent, but could never put them into action. He provided little direction for schools and principals and that was frustrating for administrators. He was loose on data and was more "pie in the sky" than he was into the details.

But, he was a nice person and cares about people and students. He has likely reflected and learned a lot over the past decade since he has been superintendent and can hopefully see where he fell short and is more results focused then he was 10 years ago.

That said, I'd pick Andrae Townsel over Starr. And Dr. Cassellius seems like a great pick too but I don't have any first hand knowledge of her.

Agree 💯.

Starr has probably reflected quite a bit since he was last a superintendent. It will be interesting to see if he gets this or a different superintendent position, how he can actually bring about true action and change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My educated opinion:
Starr focused on THEORY of action but took no action.
Total waste of our districts time and resources.

This is the most accurate response. He had good theories and intent, but could never put them into action. He provided little direction for schools and principals and that was frustrating for administrators. He was loose on data and was more "pie in the sky" than he was into the details.

But, he was a nice person and cares about people and students. He has likely reflected and learned a lot over the past decade since he has been superintendent and can hopefully see where he fell short and is more results focused then he was 10 years ago.

That said, I'd pick Andrae Townsel over Starr. And Dr. Cassellius seems like a great pick too but I don't have any first hand knowledge of her.

Agree 💯.

Starr has probably reflected quite a bit since he was last a superintendent. It will be interesting to see if he gets this or a different superintendent position, how he can actually bring about true action and change.

Starr is someone who stays busy, but is not particularly productive.

[Anonymous]

In Milwaukee, Starr was filmed dodging the media, while the other two superintendent candidates responded to questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kDwR6DA__8