Academic Lightweights Ty Thompson and Melissa Sonnek Have No Prospect for Establishing a Viable Academic Program at the Minneapolis Public Schools
Tia Clasen, herself an academically insubstantial leader of the Academic Division, Is out as Senior Academic Officer at the Minneapolis Public Schools.
Typically, Classen has been replaced by Melissa Sonnek, most recently an associate superintendent at the Roseville, Minnesota, school district.
Sonnek tenure as associate superintendent in the Roseville district prevailed from 2021 until summer 2025. Before becoming an associate superintendent, Sonnek led the district’s Teaching and Learning Department during 2019-2021; before taking the central office positions, she served as elementary principal from 2013-2019. Sonnek, who has identified as a reading recovery and literacy specialist, has also held positions in the North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District.
Sonnek, though, did little to raise reading achievement in the Roseville School District, as indicated by the brutal figures given in the following compilation >>>>>
>>>>>
Roseville School District Student Reading Proficiency Rates
(Spring 2024 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment)
School Reading Proficiency
Central Park 28.6%
Elementary
Harambee 25.7%
Elementary
Brimhall 50.0%
Elementary
Roseville 36.6%
Middle School
Roseville 48.8%
High School
<<<<<
Such abysmal academic performance, though, is to expected in a district whose head of Teaching and Learning is the typical academically non-substantive teacher-administrator produced by departments, colleges, and schools of education.
Note that Sonnek has no degree in a key academic area (e.g., mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, history, government, economics, geography, English/world literature)
>>>>>
Melissa Sonnek (Senior Academic Officer)
Academic Credentials
M.S., Education
(Winona State University)
Superintendent Licensure
(University of Minnesota/Twin Cities)
B.A., Early Childhood Education
The lack of any degree also holds true for Ty Thompson, the Deputy Superintendent who is the only other cabinet member to have notable influence on academic programming.
Ty Thompson (Deputy Superintendent)
Academic Degree/Credentials
M. E.D., Leadership in Education
(University of Minnesota/Twin Cities University, 2013)
Elementary Education Licensure
(California State University/Dominguez Hills, 2003-2004)
B. A.
(Occidental College, 1999-2003)
Given that Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams also has no graduate degree in a key academic area (e.g., mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, history, government, economics, English/world literature), and that this is true, too, of the entire 25-member staff of the Academic Core and Instruction Department, no foundation exists for having any confidence that any changes will be made so as to implement a viable academic program at the Minneapolis Public Schools.
No comments:
Post a Comment