Today, Baltimore City schools CEO Andrés Alonso, who has led the school system since 2007, announced that he will resign. His last day is June 30. School Board Chairman Neil Duke told the Baltimore Sun that Alonso wants to spend more time with his aging parents, who live in New Jersey. He will also teach at Harvard University, where he is a graduate. Alonso’s chief-of-staff Tisha Edwards will be the interim superintendent until a replacement is hired.
Here are Alonso’s words in a piece from Erica L. Green in The Baltimore Sun:
"I have loved this job and the people here deeply," said Alonso, who is leaving two years into his four year contract, in a statement to The Baltimore Sun. "It's been incredibly rewarding. So often people would approach me and tell me about how hard it must be and I had to say, 'It's been the best job there is.'
Regarding Alonso’s replacement, Joanna Sullivan of The Baltimore Business Journal has this from Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake:
“I am confident that there are several qualified candidates across the country that would jump at the chance to be part of an historic school reconstruction effort,” Rawlings-Blake said in a statement. “The next school CEO has a unique opportunity to build upon the progress made and make Baltimore home to the best system of urban public schools in America.”
Ashley Michelle Williams and Steve Fermier at WBAL have more from the Mayor’s statement:
"Last night, I urged School Board Chair, Mr. Neil Duke to immediately begin a national search process with the goal of naming a permanent CEO by the next school year. I'd like to personally thank City Schools Chief of Staff, Ms. Tisha Edwards for stepping-up during this interim period while the Board conducts its national search for a permanent CEO.”
The Baltimore Sun published this statement from Alonso.