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APS board postpones decision on next superintendent
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After about 10½ hours behind closed doors, the Albuquerque Public Schools board on Wednesday postponed its decision on who it would name as the district’s next superintendent.
Board members went into executive session at about 10 a.m. and emerged around 8:30 p.m. to table the decision to “allow the board time for due diligence.” The board plans to meet again Monday.
The board’s choices are former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Ahart and the district’s current chief operations officer, Gabriella Blakey.
The board had planned to start the meeting with 1½-hour interviews for each candidate, then was slated to move on to deliberation on its selection and then discussion of the contract.
The board had signaled a possible postponement. While the panel’s goal was to have a decision on Wednesday, it had a contingency plan in case it needed more time in the form of an item on next week’s agenda.
It’s not clear where the board stalled in its plan. When asked, board President Danielle Gonzales declined to comment.
Whoever the board ultimately chooses will succeed current Superintendent Scott Elder, who is set to leave the post June 30. He has led the district for about 3½ years.
Q&A with Albuquerque Public Schools superintendent finalist Thomas Ahart
Q&A with Albuquerque Public Schools superintendent finalist Gabriella Blakey
That person will be responsible for overseeing instruction and services for the district’s more than 68,000 students, and will manage implementation of the district’s strategic plan to better APS student outcomes.
Blakey has been with APS on and off for some two decades. Ahart has been in education for over three decades, and led Des Moines Public Schools, Iowa’s largest district, for one.
