MINNEAPOLIS — For the first time Friday, new Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams shared her outlook for the district and took questions about how it will come to fruition.
Sayles-Adams spent decades as an educator, getting her start in the MPS system. She moved around, from St. Paul to Georgia to Eastern Carver County before accepting the head job at MPS.
"It's nice to see how Minneapolis works, I never want to come in with any assumptions," Sayles-Adams said.
There are plenty of things for Sayles-Adams to tackle in this role, a fact she's quite cognizant of.
"I will tell you like public education across the country, we've been through a lot and we're dealing with a lot," she said. "And I know that everyone's trying to ensure that we're moving the right way with staffing shortages that have been a challenge across the state."
Issues like the budget are a huge focus for her and the staff has been working to address it. Just last summer, the district was in a $42,000,000 deficit.
"They have been working on the budget for the past several weeks, so they are going to share some of those recommendations with me," Sayles-Adams said.
Also important – teacher negotiations. They've been walking out on Wednesdays, to protest slow contract talks.
Sayles-Adams says she expects to learn more soon.
"I am getting updated on negotiations as well," she said.
Sayles-Adams says she wants to also hold listening sessions across the district with board members and members of the community, to fully understand what other issues and concerns they may have.
"I believe in public education, I want to be a part of that change," she said. "I want to collaborate and move the district forward. Minneapolis Public Schools is a longstanding institution in the state, and I want to see it thrive."
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