BOSTON (WHDH) - The new superintendent of Boston Public Schools Mary Skipper began her first day on the job meeting with students and staff.
Skipper said she’s excited to lead the district and bring much-needed change knowing she has a tough road ahead as the Boston School District recently avoided being designated as underperforming and being taken over by the state.
Before she started as the superintendent of Somerville Public Schools in July 2015, Skipper worked in the Boston School District as its network superintendent of high schools and helped launch the Tech Boston Academy. The School Committee said the deciding factor in narrowly choosing her was her experience working as a superintendent and working with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
“I feel well prepared, I can’t say enough how the team has done such an excellent job with the transition ensuring I have the information that I need, I’m briefed on everything, been part of decision-making,” Skipper said. “So I come in today just nervous and excited, very hopeful.”
Skipper said that leaving Somerville Public Schools was an emotional time for her, but now her main priority is to make sure that BPS does better.
Skipper replaced Brenda Cassellius, who served as the head of the city’s school system since 2019. Cassellius announced in February she would step down from the role at the end of the school year.
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