MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis Public Schools has announced the two finalists for the district's next superintendent, including one Twin Cities candidate.
Dr. Sonia Stewart, a deputy superintendent in Tennessee, and current Eastern Carver County Schools superintendent Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams are the two selections, which were revealed Tuesday evening.
“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the members of the Search Task Force for your invaluable contributions to this process,” said Board Chair Sharon El-Amin in a statement. “Your perspectives, expertise, and dedication to Minneapolis Public Schools have helped ensure we will have an excellent next leader.”
The board will hold meet and greet sessions next week for the MPS community to become more familiar with the candidates. The sessions will be followed by interviews for each of the candidates.
Dr. Stewart's two sessions will be held Monday, Nov. 27 at Folwell Elementary (3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and the Davis Center (5 p.m. to 6 p.m.) with the interview portion happening at 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dr. Sayles-Adams will have meet and greets on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at Folwell Elementary (3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and the Davis Center (5 p.m. to 6 p.m.) before her interview from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The interviews will be open to the public and livestreamed.
Dr. Sayles-Adams spent time in the Minneapolis district from 1996 to 2004 where she held various roles, including principal at the City Alternative High School, according to the district's website. From 2004 to 2012, she served as principal for a high school and two elementary schools in Georgia before returning to Minnesota in 2012.
Dr. Sayles-Adams spent time in the St. Paul school district, including five years as the assistant superintendent, before becoming the superintendent at Eastern Carver County School in 2020.
Dr. Stewart is the deputy superintendent for Hamilton Public Schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee where she supervises several different departments, including school leadership, teaching and learning and social emotional and academic development.
She's spent 13 years in Tennessee as an executive officer of organizational development, executive principal at Pearl-Cohn High School, freshman academy administrator, as well as a math teacher and head girls basketball coach.
The school board will meet at 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1 to select its preferred candidate.
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