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click to enlarge Keisha Scarlett A Seattle native, Keisha Scarlett takes over as superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools on July 1.

On Wednesday, Keisha Scarlett, chief academic officer and assistant superintendent of academics for Seattle Public Schools, was announced as the newest superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools. It will mark a major change for Scarlett, 48, who grew up in Seattle and spent 24 years there as a teacher, principal and administrator. Chosen from 49 applicants, Scarlett assumes her new post on July 1 as Kelvin Adams retires. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

What has it been like for you since you got the news?

Well, I got the call on Monday at 11:08 a.m. my time. I remember the moment that I got the call on speakerphone –– the consultant and the school board were there. And they told me that I’ve been unanimously selected for this position, and of course, I was absolutely overjoyed and filled with emotion and all the things that you can imagine for something that you want a whole lot.

Did you celebrate?

No [laughs]. No. I am my mother’s daughter, so I’m pretty practical. So I’m always waiting to have a paper in my hand that says that this is a go, even though I have full assurance. I’m just practical that way. But I am going to celebrate. Something is coming.

You’ve been with the Seattle Public Schools for 24 years, and you grew up there. How did this opportunity come up on your radar? Why was moving from Seattle, all the way to St. Louis appealing to you?

I knew that it was time for a superintendency for me. I decided that I would start really looking and looking at opportunities. Then a shift came in me being willing to leave Washington state, which was really big for me.

Honestly, it wasn’t until October that I really paid attention to St. Louis. It was after the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School violence situation. I watched the staff and the superintendent and the school board –– for some reason, I was really glued to the television. I always believe that all of our districts are inextricably connected with each other. If it can happen there, it can happen here. I looked at the grace and the strength and the partnership across the city from that and how everyone rallied together. And fifteen days later, Seattle Public Schools had our own school shooting in a high school that resulted in a fatality. It became so salient. 

Around that time I noticed that there was a posting for the position of superintendent. My heart was touched, honestly, just watching the school system online, but also paying attention to other things that were happening in the city that I really thought it would be great to be a part of.

What did you think of St. Louis when you visited?

Well, I stayed in a really nice hotel right there connected to the stadium. Of course, we’re always mesmerized when we see the Arch because you always think it’s something really skinny and it holds people in elevators and observation decks. …That was something that really was beautiful. 

On my visit day, I spent time visiting six schools, ranging from elementary and middle school and high school. I thoroughly enjoyed the visits. I enjoyed meeting school leaders, school teams, parents. I really loved meeting with the students at Vashon High School and meeting their wonderful principal there, and I was inspired by their hopes and dreams. What they wanted to be narrated about them as scholars in their schools deeply resonated with me. 

Then I got a chance to see the city through the eyes of two residents, lifelong residents, who shared with me what was special about their city. Driving through different parts of the neighborhoods — it was a really beautiful time for me, something that I treasure.

What are some of the biggest challenges facing St. Louis Public Schools?

I think the challenges that are facing St. Louis public schools are the same challenges that are being faced across urban school districts. 

Student achievement, with the pandemic –– everyone has lost some footing in that, and I believe the school teams are working really hard on that. As I think about my priorities, really understanding the root causes of student achievement and what is and isn’t happening is important.

I will say school safety, both in making sure that schools are safe and caring and welcoming environments. But also the safety of ensuring that, internally, the school is safe, and then the external school communities are safe, so students are having safe passage. 

Lastly, I would say overall the decline in enrollment, and people’s perceptions of school quality, and what I believe is a deserved counter-narrative about what’s happening in schools, is something that stands out for me as opportunities.

How do you plan to reverse declining enrollment?

I know that there are a number of issues that are happening in cities –– the displacement of families because of financial reasons and people moving out into some of the suburban areas is happening nationally. Lower birth rates. We do also understand how school choice is impacting some cities. 

My plan in the first 100 days is to engage, explore and empower. So, engage –– that means listen to internal and external stakeholders, understand their values and interests and priorities. Explore our existing school data, those things that we collect as a school system, and do sense-making along with the voices and the data collected from families. Then also how we create a shared vision and empower people to act.

Many of the issues that we face in public education and St. Louis Public Schools are community issues because the value proposition for high-quality public education ties all of us into that. I know that the city of St. Louis is a city that wants schools to do well. I believe that they want St. Louis public schools to win, and so I’m excited about the opportunity.

You helped improve early literacy rates for African American boys in Seattle. How did you do this?

In Seattle Public Schools, we have the Seattle Excellence strategic plan, which centers the thriving of Black boys and young male teens in the system as an example of students who are furthest from educational justice. It’s not about Black boys getting something that other students don’t get –– it is about making sure that we center their thriving and think about all of the dimensions that surround a whole child for their mind, body and spirit and ensure that we create what I call a “conspiracy of care” around students. 

Our flagship goal in our strategic plan is around early literacy and ensuring that we increase the rates of literacy. So in partnership with our office of African American male achievement, we have convened Black families and students, and held over 700 interviews, to hear about the values and interests and priorities of those families. That has translated into a call to action plan.

What do you do outside of work for fun?

I cycle on the bike that goes nowhere. I’m pretty active on my Peloton cycle. I’m my best self when I’m able to cycle. I loved that the hotel that St. Louis had had two Peloton cycles in it, so I was able to get on those cycles two times while I was there. 

I have a large extended family and friends. So spending time with my family and friends is important, and participating in the community. I love the community that I’ve had a chance to grow up in. Seattle is a great place to be –– I love to go to cultural events. I’m looking forward to learning about the unique culture of St. Louis and being able to participate in opportunities like that there. 

I like to be out and visible and see people and connect. I’m definitely an extrovert, and I draw my energy from being in community with people.

I saw that you’re a big hip-hop fan, too.

I do love hip-hop. I am known to frequent a concert. I love live music.

I read that you jumped up onto a 2Pac stage.

So 2Pac came to my college [Clark Atlanta University] for homecoming. It was Halloween, I want to say 1993. I stood in line so I could be one of the first people, and I was really close to the stage. You haven’t met me, but I’m about six feet tall. So it wasn’t too hard for me to jump up on stage when they allowed some people to jump up there. So I took my chance. I tried to be my very best backup dancer at age 19. He didn’t take me on tour with him after that. That was my moment. [laughs]

Who are your favorite artists?

I love soul music. I love old soul music. I love jazz. I love Afrobeats music –– it’s something that I’m coming into right now. It’s hard for me to pin down a favorite. I love Sade –– I’ll name her.

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