Declaring a need to continue the “momentum” of New Haven’s school reform drive, the school board Monday night tapped Garth Harries as its next superintendent.
The selection was made by a unanimous vote at a regular school board meeting at 54 Meadow St. Monday night.
Despite being an internal candidate, Harries “is the candidate of change — the one who is best positioned to make dramatic impact,” said board member Alex Johnston, who led the search process along with the Illinois-based firm, PROACT Search.
Melissa Bailey File Photo
Harries at Saturday’s superintendent forum.
Harries (pictured) starts Tuesday as superintendent — a position he has spent four years preparing for as deputy superintendent in charge of New Haven’s nascent school-reform drive. He’ll serve in the job in an interim capacity until he negotiates a one-year contract with the board. Contract negotiations begin Tuesday, according to board President Carlos Torre.
“This city has nothing more precious than its students,” said Harries after the vote. “That responsibility is humbling and exciting and intimidating and wonderful.”
He replaces Reggie Mayo, who has run the school system for 21 years. (Click here for a story about Mayo’s reflections on his tenure.)
The school board chose from among three finalists for the superintendent’s job. The three finalists — Harries; Dred Scott, deputy superintendent of Independence, Missouri; and Kriner Cash, until recently the superintendent of Memphis school — pitched their candidacies in a day-long public session that drew over 150 people to Gateway Community College. Read about that session in detail here; click on the play arrow to watch Harries make his pitch.
Harries was not present at Monday’s meeting; Torre said he asked all the finalists not to attend.
Reached by phone at Co-op High School, Harries said he felt the “city’s confidence” behind him in his appearance Saturday and plans to continue to earn it.
“We’ve done great things here,” Harries said. “And we all know we have so much further we can go.” He deferred conversations about his specific plans for the district for upcoming days.
Harries beat out 65 competitors in the search. Board member Mike Nast said he was struck by the “passion” Harries showed in his speech Saturday.
Harries, who is 40, first came to New Haven to attend Yale University, graduating in 1995. He got a law degree from Stanford, taught for one year at a private school in Vail, Colorado, worked in politics and economic development in Philadelphia; then got hired by the high-powered consulting firm McKinsey & Company, where he worked for three years. He then took the leap into public education, joining the New York City Public Schools in 2003. He rose to be Chancellor Joel Klein’s senior cabinet member in charge of special education as well as portfolio development, which meant closing 15 – 20 schools per year and opening 300 new ones. He joined New Haven public schools in 2009 as deputy superintendent, in charge of the city’s school-reform drive. It is widely believed that he was being groomed to take over New Haven’s superintendency after spending a few years building relationships, knowledge of the city, and trust. (Click here to read his resume.)