A town hall was held at Weaver High School on Monday night to gather input from the community on the search for a new superintendent of Hartford Public Schools.
Current superintendent Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez has served since 2017, and while her contract was extended through June of 2026, she’s opted to leave at the end of this school year.
Stream Connecticut News for free, 24/7, wherever you are.
WATCH HEREJG Consulting is leading the search for candidates and hosted the town hall where a few dozen people, from parents to teachers and school board members, attended.
“A superintendent now for Hartford, has to knit this community back together, because we are so fractured,” parent Nyesha McCauley said. “The biggest challenge for me facing this superintendent is that they have to repair and restore and knit us back together.”
Get top local Connecticut stories delivered to you every morning with the News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP “I need to feel like the person is on the front line with us, addressing all of the issues that we have,” Rashaunda Tyson, a former student and current administrator, said.
Issues raised ranged from teachers not feeling valued and worried for their jobs, with hundreds of positions cut each year, to a lack of funding at the local and state level.
“In all the years that I have been involved with Hartford schools, which is more than 40 years, there has never been a time when the schools actually had everything that they need,” parent and former student Rachel Taylor said. “So my hope and aspiration would be that the students and the teachers actually have what they need.”
Local
The district is facing a $30 million deficit, and a $6.7 million funding gap, which could lead to more cuts.
“We need someone who will come in, truly understand all that is great, and also really dig in…to what is happening between students and staff, teachers every day, and do they have what they need to thrive,” Taylor said.
“Hartford is a very poor city in resources, not in people, not in culture, not in beauty, not in wisdom. But we need money. That superintendent needs to be an effective fighter…because this is the richest state in the country, so why are we always begging for what we need?” she continued.
The head of the teacher’s union shared what members would like to see from a new leader.
“One, is a superintendent that has classroom experience,” Carol Gale, president of the Hartford Federation of Teachers, said. “The second thing that we’re looking for is somebody who is either an internal candidate, or someone who is very familiar with the Hartford community. I think we want somebody who’s a true leader, a visionary. Somebody who can really help move the district and the school system in a positive direction, given the tough constraints we’re under.”
Gale said members overall feel positive about the process, and they’re hopeful for the district’s next chapter.
“What teachers want to see is greater stability, which is what kids need,” Gale said. “I think most people are seeing this change as hopefully something for the better. Something that will help us move in the direction we need to be moving in.”
The consulting firm said the job posting will go live later this week and applications will close on May 23. The new leader will start in time for the 2025-26 school year.
