Keisha Redd-Hannans.
The school district has chosen New Haven native Keisha Redd Hannans, who has been with the district for 14 years, as the replacement for departing assistant superintendent Ivelise Velazquez.
Hannans, currently the assistant superintendent for instructional leadership, will transfer to Velazquez’s role of assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction, and assessment after the school year starts, officials announced at Monday’s regular Board of Education meeting.
The departure of Velazquez came unexpectedly in the last week as conversations continue about the nationwide teacher shortage’s impact on school districts like New Haven, which struggled last year to keep its classrooms operating. The district worked to combat the shortages through amped up retention and recruitment efforts, even as neighboring districts preyed on the district’s non-competitive teacher salaries by poaching veteran and potential educators.
Velazquez, who has worked with the district for four years, will begin work as deputy superintendent of New Britain’s public schools in two months.
Because Redd-Hannans is already appointed to an administrative role, the Board of Education did not need to vote to approve her transfer. The executive team as a group will handle her previous responsibilities until a successor is found for that position.
Superintendent Iline Tracey said she selected Redd-Hannans with the goal of hiring from within the district’s current ranks.
Tracey added that Velazquez had many plans for the district and in the few years of work has led work on equity and on the literacy curriculum.
In addition, the board voted unanimously to approve the appointment of a new coordinator of recruitment & retention for the district’s Human Resources department. The role previously covered only recruitment.
The appointee, Sarah Diggs, will start at a salary of $139,723.
Board member Darnell Goldson suggested ideas for both recruitment and retention, like forming a district partnership with the housing authority or managers of other city developments to provide free or low-cost housing to educators, starting a board task force with community members, and offering more bonuses and certification program assistance.
Diggs thanked the board for the appointment and highlighted some solutions offered during the meeting’s public comment portion. “It’s so evident that this is not a one-size-fits all approach,” Diggs said.
During public comment, New Haven Federation of Teachers President Leslie Blatteau said the district must tackle its shortages by addressing educators’ working conditions and requesting that the state and Yale University aid the district with funding to make salaries competitive.
Board secretary Ed Joyner agreed that the district must push for more state funding to attract and retain teachers. “The solution is beyond our capacity as a district,” he said.
ESUMS teacher Toni Criscuolo added that teachers aren’t leaving the district only in hopes of more money. “The most important thing is the treatment of teachers,” she said.
She said the district must spend more time respecting teachers’ time, responding to their concerns, supporting them in the classroom, and recognizing their hard work. “The praise is like money to me,” she said.
Diggs said that in her new role she plans to “ensure all teachers feel New Haven is a place where they can stay and grow.”
Student representative Dave Cruz Bustamante declared the shortages a crisis and requested the topic be put on the meeting agenda to be discussed more often and for the board to make a plan. He added that one step towards getting and keeping educators in New Haven requires an investment in social-emotional learning to address student and staff behavioral concerns.
While it would have been great to do a national search, it would be tough to find someone as committed to the district as Keisha Hannans. I'm sure that the curriculum coordinators are thrilled to have a leader who listens, is honest, cares about kids, is a product of New Haven Schools, is approachable, and has a sense of humor. All of these traits were missing in Velazquez. The logic, common sense, street smarts, and intelligence that Hannans brings to the job will be invaluable. It feels like she will emulate with a no nonsense approach the qualities of past NHPS Central Office leaders who were successful and loved.
Perhaps new blood can be brought in to replace Ms. Hannans. We do not need a former NHPS principal who left the district for the gold coast and proudly sports the sorority letters.
Best of luck Ms. Hannans, so many of us are rooting for you to bring up scores and return the joy of learning and teaching.