WCCUSD's Board of Education hired Dr. Hurst on April 14, 2021,making him the first permanent African American superintendent. My dad was in the Army for 30 years and I was in the Marine Corps for 11 years and I loved it. The patient is in the hospital with a mortal stab wound. Your access to this page has been blocked. And as I look at large, urban systems like San Diego or LA or Oakland or Long Beach and even, West Contra Costa Unified School District, these are large systems which for the most part are failing are Black and brown kids. He will succeed Matthew Duffy, who announced in November that he would be. Read More . So my real goal is, and how we define success is going to be dependent upon those teachers working with the students coming up with an individualized learning plan, and then building this plan, all the way from pre-K to 12th grade so they are able to achieve that. At USC, I had a professor that showed me how to challenge the system, and that you cant just go on to public education and accept the condition that its in, that we have to literally rewrite the script. So we really want to do both. And how do we get them to understand that students are bringing in differences? He brings 23 years of education experience to the table, and is committed to closing achievement gaps within the district. Hurst is the districts 10th leader and its first non-interim African American superintendent. Contact. Hurst is not just qualified to support our district through these very challenging times, but he has also gone through a successful school reopening in his previous district.. So how do we check in with them during the school day? I'm excited about this partnership.. Dr. Hurst joins WCCUSD after spending the past five years as the Superintendent of the Othello District in Othello, Washington where he significantly increased graduation rates and decreased chronic absenteeism rates for students. I think Ive spent more time in California than any place, because after I got out of the Marine Corps, we kind of settled in Southern California and San Diego. Reading articles, research and more, both academic and not.. Should Richmond shelter unhoused people in hotels during severe weather. So shes going to be working for California School for the Blind in Fremont, and shes going to be working in the tech department, and helping students with technology. So what were doing right now were trying to build a system that allows that to happen, for more and more students to be successful. Everything that Im sharing with you ties to like the graduation rate. The Board voted 5-0 at Wednesday night's board meeting on a three-year contract for Dr. Hurst that begins May 17. Why struggle with bad credits when you can actually get them fixed within a couple of days with, I tried getting a car loan sometime last year but my credit score of about 521 ruined the process. But she actually is very efficient in technology. Prior to his long career in education, he served 12 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He went on to become associate superintendent of educational services at Oceanside Unified, where he oversaw the start of the Oceanside Promise a program with a nonprofit arm intended to ensure all Oceanside students would graduate college or be career ready. Only the JLAC, County COE, or school district can ask for a FCMAT investigation not individuals nor CDE. He and his wife, Crystal, have two grown children. He will succeed Matthew Duffy, who announced in November that he would be leaving the district at the end of the school year after five years in his post. Best to relabel it the Professional Practices Gap. Why is the suspension rate for Black and Latinx students so high in Richmond? The position title is Secondary Teacher. I think also, you will see a teacher that may not be culturally proficient or culturally responsive or not exercising culturally responsive teaching, and they have this bias, say for instance about a Black student or about a Latinx student, and then that translates to that teacher issuing out discipline when they could have done something else. Find Us . In Oceanside, he implemented some of the same strategies he adopted at the small schools in San Diego, he said. He also boosted the districts linked learning programs, which integrate academics with real-world work experiences. One unfortunate issue he has to face is for funding was the union's driven zealous raising of salaries that hurt the district. He spent 6 years as a principal and assistant principal in Oceanside, including the turnaround principal for Jefferson Middle and Oceanside High schools. And sometimes were just like sitting on the couch and she has a book and I have a book and were just kind of reading together in the same room, or Im working on a laptop or something like that. Were not going to let anyone hosannah you in and crucify you out, Smith-Folds told Hurst at the meeting, said, alluding to an often typical pattern of welcoming incoming superintendents as a savior for all the districts problems, before disillusionment sets in, and they are forced out. Californias Community Colleges: At a Crossroads, Adjuncts gig economy at CA community colleges, College And Covid: Freshman Year Disrupted, Education during Covid: California families struggle to learn, Tainted Taps: Lead puts California Students at Risk, Full Circle: California Schools Work To Transform Discipline, Californias Homeless Students: Undercounted, Underfunded And Growing, Eyes on the Early Years Newsletter Archive, California Association for African American Superintendents and Administrators, funded in part by millions of dollars in grants, mostly from the Gates foundation, West Contra Costa Unified School District, Click here for EdSource's Comments Policy. Before his career in education, Dr. Hurst served 12 years in the Marines. Chris Hurst's Phone Number and Email Last Update. Thats why I stayed in education, because there have to be people willing to challenge the system, and to really rewrite the script of education. Here is a Q&A Richmond Confidential did with Hurst last week. But in addition inequitable funding of districts, the bigger issue is that a _familys_ income is the biggest factor in a childs educational success. Dr. Hurst and his wife Crystal have two grown children, a daughter who is a 6th-grade teacher and a son who is a computer scientist. He refused to let it end in Game 7, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Given the number of students of color, I am certain that his presence will be appreciated by students and parents of color, as well as the faculty and staff of the district, Camp said. His acumen in social justice, equity, and focus on accelerating student achievement here is impressive. Before his career in education, Dr. Hurst served 12 years in the Marines. And the research says once kids are behind, they typically stay behind. Dr. Hurst also served as an administrator in the San Diego Unified and Poway Unified school districts. But also were doing whats called a soft start to our school year, which means that were taking this whole social emotional learning piece and trauma that may have happened very seriously. I was born in Germany. Of course the masking. Dr. Hurst becomes WCCUSDs 10th permanent superintendent and its first permanent African American superintendent. Dr. So if there is some trauma thats happening with a child at the home that our teachers know precisely the steps to take to get help or to refer to that child. Chief Business Official: Robert McEntire Interim Associate Superintendent / Chief Business Officer (510) 231-1170 robert.mcentire@wccusd.net. So those are the things that Im going to be bringing from Othello to here. This is an extremely important hire, and it was very important we took the time to do the process right. The district has hired a new superintendent, Kenneth "Chris" Hurst, who will begin May 17. Daryl Camp, superintendent of San Lorenzo Unified near Oakland and president of the California Association for African American Superintendents and Administrators, or CAAASA, agreed. We hired 20 counselors, additional counselors, so the case loads were at 750 per counselor but now weve reduced that down to 350. Improvement in a very few aligned professional practices will go a long way in improving student academic achievement. We are presenting to this community someone who can help and I say help because nobody can do this work alone take us to the next level, board president Mister Phillips said at the school board meeting. He also facilitated instructional rounds for the Oceanside high school network and the LCAP development. That is not to say unions are bad, quite the contrary they just need to focus more on helping protect employees, especially the most vulnerable not raising salaries. CAAASA is pleased that school boards are continuing to recognize the benefits of having a racially diverse administration by selecting persons of color to lead the district.. They showed me how to be a leader in school, a great teacher is well. Michael Littleton Richmond Promise Board Chair, Former Senior Vice President of Finance, Gu Energy Labs. I want to be the type of role model where Im pushing everyone, Im pushing adults and pushing professionals and pushing students to be their best. What the research says is that most of the growth that were going to see over the next several years is going to be from students coming from Spanish-speaking populations, and from Mandarin-speaking populations. He also implemented Othellos K-12 pathway, the Districts Social-Emotional Learning Standards. Because of the professors or because of the teachers. Dr. Chris Hurst Superintendent, West Contra Costa Unified School District. For interview and speaking requests for Dr. Hurst, please contact Communications at communications@wccusd.net. of Schools, Tony Thurmond, to do likewise. Although only 6% of the states student enrollment is Black, an even smaller percentage have been selected to run districts. Its general assembly is made up of elected business leaders and acts to represent and defend the interests of businesses with public authorities, as well as taking positions . This is in addition to sending a letter of demands to the superintendent and being present for public comment at the school board meeting. Superintendent: Dr. Kenneth C. Hurst Superintendent (510) 231-1101 chris.hurst@wccusd.net. So right now were looking at support even at the central office level to make sure that we have the right support in place so we can better support principals and school sites, so that principals can better support the teachers and the teachers can better support the students. I have a lot of rich experiences, so I cant say that I grew up in one single place. This is kind of a lengthy response, but what I will say, first we have to build a healthy system, which means looking at our organization and how we are structured. After a nearly six-month search, the West Contra Costa Unified School District has hired a new superintendent. Superintendent Dr. Kenneth "Chris" Hurst, Sr. is the 10th permanent superintendent in West Contra Costa Unified School District History. I think thats a big concern. To get more reports like this one, click here to sign up for EdSources no-cost daily email on latest developments in education. Kenneth Chris Hurst was chosen as the next superintendent of West Contra Costa Unified. Why are students starting their own businesses right out of high school? Dr. Hurst joins WCCUSD after spending the past five years as the Superintendent of the Othello District in Othello, Washington where he significantly increased graduation rates and decreased chronic absenteeism rates for students. I think that even our system of education is not as high-performing as some other countries as well. So its almost like if we do this, we can do this and we can better support our students. The systemic inequities that Ive seen in different districts that Ive been in Ive been in high-performing districts and low-performing communities as well it reminds me of my experience kind of growing up being a disenfranchised youth. He Read More. Duffy had served as superintendent since 2016, and his total compensation and benefits last year was about $365,000, according to Transparent California. All Rights Reserved. Despite that, those districts have all been able to creatively offer engaging curriculum and programs like maker-spaces in which students can bring in materials from the house for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) projects. But Hurst doesnt just want to throw things at people, he said in an interview with EdSource. The districts board of trustees voted 5-0 Wednesday to hire Hurst. I took my love for teaching in the Marine Corps and my talent for math and I decided to become a math teacher and computer science teacher as well. Chris is always trying to improve himself and looking for the good in others. Chris Hurst's Phone Number and Email. The patient needs a very limited and focused diet for improvement. 2023 Richmond Confidential. Questions, comments, or suggestions? His approach to collaborative leadership and knowledge of teaching strategies, as well as community involvement, are just what we need here in West Contra Costa.. University of CaliforniaNorth Gate HallBerkeley, CA. Hurst said theres a correlation between students not being in class due to suspensions and expulsion and their academic performance. He collaborated to implement the Future Ready technology initiative, designed to create a shared vision of preparing students for success in college, career, and citizenship. Bill aims to boost salaries 50% by 2030, Future of state housing is at stake in UC ruling, governor says. So, another piece that Ive talked to people about is instituting threat-assessment teams at every level of the organization, at the district level but also at the school level. WCCUSD's Board of Education hired Dr. Hurst on April 14, 2021, making him the first permanent African American superintendent. So thats really our growth. We are thrilled with Dr. Hursts background, experience, and readiness to hit the ground running here in our District and help us to the next level, WCCUSD Board President Mister Phillips said. Hurst is equity-focused, has a background of increasing student academic achievement, is data-driven, works in collaboration with all labor partners and families, and is always student-centered, Board Trustee Demetrio Gonzalez Hoy said. We love to walk. The board of trustees approved a three-year contract that begins May 17 for. Dr. Hurst earned his Doctorate in Education, K-12 Leadership (Magna Cum Laude), at the University of Southern California in 2011, and his Master of Arts Degree in Educational Administration (Magna Cum Laude) in 2008, and his Bachelor of Science, a degree in Mathematics in 1997 at California State University, San Marcos. You cant just change the organizational structure and expect change to happen. Thinking "outside the box" will simply never outweigh the fact that WCCUSD has 9% less purchasing power than its demographic peers elsewhere in California. West Contra Costa Unifieds school board unanimously approved a three-year contract for Hurst with an annual base salary of $270,000 at a school board meeting April 14 when his appointment was announced. Dr. Hurst has served as the Superintendent of the Othello District in Othello, Washington, since 2016. Theres this assessment that comes out on an annual basis, its called the program of International Student Assessment, and it has rankings in English language arts, math and science, and were close to the bottom out of 35 industrial nations. How will you address the systemic inequality that BIPOC students have had to deal with? to be the next of superintendent of San Bernardino City Unified, and will take over there on July 1. I firmly believe that every single person was designed to do something big and to contribute back to society in a big way. So anything that involves her is what I like to be involved in. Dr. Kenneth Hurst Email: chris.hurst@wccusd.net Phone: (510) 231-1103 . As the incoming superintendent, I am eager to work within our learning community to confront and address issues of systemic racism, implicit bias, and ensuring growth mindset at every level of the organization, Dr. Hurst said. Board of Trustees Hires Districts First Permanent African American Superintendent. Dr. Hurst has 23 years of experience teaching and leading equity in urban, suburban, and rural K-12 districts. Linsi Crain Public Affairs Manager, Chevron Richmond Refinery. Prior to his long career in education, he served 12 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. So its my job to really unlock that potential in students Thats what I want to be for students, that person. Smith-Folds added that her biggest reason for choosing Hurst was hearing him speak about his wife, Crystal, a special education teacher who Hurst turns to as a sounding board for major decisions. Improvement in a very few aligned professional practices will go a long way in improving student academic achievement. If your browser is out of date, try updating it. WCCUSD's new Superintendent Dr. Kenneth "Chris" Hurst's first official day was May 17. If we develop our teachers and our principals, then theyre going to provide quality instruction, because theres a lot of research between a good teacher, an average teacher and an expert teacher. Ervin has just been selected to be the next of superintendent of San Bernardino City Unified, and will take over there on July 1. A soft start just means that instead of just jumping right into the academics, were really going to have our teachers be really intentional about checking in with families calling, texting, and even doing home visits, of course, taking the necessary safety precautions. Agreed. Its about accumulating these skills so I can use these skills to make the United States or the globe a better place, and to really tackle pressing economic issues and global issues like COVID. He is committed to promoting restorative practices and social-emotional learning that will change students behavior without taking them out of class. Kenneth Chris Hurst, who will take over as the first permanent African American superintendent of West Contra Costa Unified School District within a few weeks, has his sights set on closing longstanding achievement gaps between Black, Latino and white students at the 30,000-student district. He also implemented Othellos K-12 pathway, the Districts Social-Emotional Learning Standards. Its really a framework Im using and its called Central Office Transformation Toolkit and its out of the University of Washington. There are some other pieces that are priorities for me but I would say those are the top two priorities. So whenever you have all this diversity coming in, and you have a teaching force that really is not equipped and prepared to engage with the language barriers and the cultural diversity, thats when you see as some of these issues that are happening. In Oceanside, Dr. Hurst collaborated with ConnectEd California, implementing Linked Learning to establish K-12 industry-aligned pathways to prepare students to succeed in college and career. Email. She wasnt always blind. West Contra Costa Unified has had two African American interim superintendents in the past. Dr. Hurst has served as the Superintendent of the Othello District in Othello, Washington, since 2016. What is your biggest concern heading into the school year? Diablo Unified, Kyla Johnson-Trammell of Oakland Unified, Vincent Matthews of San Francisco Unified and Harry Doc Ervin of Bakersfield City School District. She is visually impaired, she is blind. Sylvester Greenwood and Dr. Cynthia LeBlanc each served one-year terms as interim superintendents. Thurmonds leadership? I grew up all over the place. Hurst got his start in the education field in San Diego County, after serving 12 years in the Marines; he served combat duty in Desert Storm and was a drill instructor, communications specialist and maintenance supervisor at Camp Pendleton. Hurst should identify a few professional practices such as Explicit Instruction or Formative Assessment with Descriptive Feedback and develop a plan to implement, monitor, and hold everyone accountable for the execution of these aligned practices at very high performance levels. The state has such a large influx of revenue this year due overwhelmingly to very high taxes paid in Contra Costa and the Bay Area that it may have to give some back. When the federal firehose of Covid spending suddenly stops next year, do Legislators Hicks and Skinner really want Dr. Hurst to be the latest superintendent of color to fall, in the face of economic realities? Hurst got his start in the education field in San Diego County, after serving 12 years in the Marines; he served combat duty in Desert Storm and was a drill instructor, communications specialist and maintenance supervisor at Camp Pendleton. And I really am now interested in making sure that that doesnt happen to kids, which is why Im really invested in education but especially in systemic inequities and vertical inequities within the system. I really believe in developing skills on a continuum, because I know that skills are transferable. Planning and implementing project-based learning would be expecting a team that is still at the T-ball level to perform at the major league level. Email. I have an unwavering commitment and dedication to supporting a culture of inclusion and equity throughout the district and community, and what excites me is that we have a board and learning community interested in educational equity for all students.. Thats the kind of role model I want to be. First day of school. Hurst said he assisted in Bersins effort to transform three schools whose students were lagging significantly in test scores and other measures San Diego, Kearny and Crawford high schools. Really, we love to read. Your wife, Crystal Hurst, is also in education? Were able to hire more counselors as well. Categorical Instructional Support Services (CISS), Early Learning Pre-K to Adult Educational Operations, Office of African American Student Achievement (OAASA), Teacher Support and Assistance Program (TSAP), Community Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC), Research, Assessment, Accountability & Data (RAAD), West Contra Costa Unified School District, I am excited to join the WCCUSD Community, Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). Hurst said he was drawn to West Contra Costa for a similar reason he was drawn to Othello: wanting to improve educational systems to ensure student success. We request that commenters consistently use the same login name. In 2004, Bersin divided the three schools into 14 smaller 500-student academies, funded in part by millions of dollars in grants, mostly from the Gates foundation. Its an unhealthy system. I think we took the time we needed, Phillips said. So its going to look different for every single student. If it needed to be longer, it would have been. Marvin Parker, 99th Logistics Readiness Squadron superintendent, Chief Master Sgt. College and Covid: Freshman Year Disrupted, Education During Covid: Families Struggle to Learn. Watching superintendents fail in LCFF-funded districts in high-cost counties has become routine. We have to look at our training for our principals, because our principals have responsibility of going into the classrooms and being able to identify what are the elements of culturally responsive teaching, what does great teaching look like, and ensuring that theyre providing really good authentic feedback to those teachers as well, thats going to build their capacity. Chief Master Sgt. Board president Mister Phillips noted in an interview that West Contra Costa Unified is a mid-sized district relative to others in California, saying Hursts transition to the Bay Area is a natural progression. As Superintendent of the 4,500 student District located about 3 hours southeast of Seattle, Dr. Hurst increased graduation rates by 16 percent from 71 percent to 87 percent and reduced absences by 33 percent. The Vancouver Public Schools board of directors narrowed the selection for superintendent to two candidates after meeting in executive session on Tue., Feb. 23. Our kids need to see positive influences that resemble their cultures, their ethnic background and ethnic makeup.. So I would say COVID safety and overall safety is a big component. He will have a three-year contract still pending final approval by the board with a starting salary of $270,000 per year (and 2% increases each year). Currently, only four of the states 30 largest school districts have Black superintendents. Ive been to France and Italy and Austria. In a release, a district spokesman detailed Hursts accomplishments at Othello School District in Othello, Washington, including implementing social-emotional learning standards, which train students to manage their emotions and relationships. Please look for Dr. Hurst's e. Hurst said he assisted in Bersins, From San Diego, he became a principal in Oceanside in. Vancouver Public Schools superintendent candidates, from left, Dr. Karen Cheser, Dr. Kenneth "Chris" Hurst, Dr. Hector Rico and Dr. Jeff Snell (Provided photos) Educators, students and. Students will return to campuses for instructional hubs for several hours a day. Yeah, I did address this a little bit. File photo Finalists for superintendent are: Dr. Kenneth (Chris) Hurst, superintendent, Othello School District, Othello, WA Watching superintendents fail in LCFF-funded districts in high-cost counties has become routine. He needs to acknowledge or review the abuse of the lowest performing students not given lunches, substitutes and other such things I witnessed myself. Thats a serious issue. Dr. Chris Hurst, Superintendent of WCCUSD and the Office of African American Student Achievement (OAASA) led the effort to raise the Pan-African flag at all schools and at the district office for . We had the opportunity to serve the WCCUSD community in the highest way by hiring a new superintendent, Board Clerk Jamela Smith-Folds said. Its about giving back, and giving ourselves to the community of West Contra Costa, Hurst said of he and his wife. And then also building in that classroom time and space, like I shared, to really check in with students. Comments from the same user posted under multiple aliases may be deleted. From San Diego, he became a principal in Oceanside in North San Diego County, turning around Jefferson Middle School and Oceanside High, he said. Kenneth Chris Hurst, 60, who served as a superintendent at a school district in Washington state, will be West Contra Costa Unifieds first permanent Black superintendent. Hurst is apparently just another neoliberal, protecting the wealthy by betraying his students and their families, when he asserts that his out of the box ideas (in fact, common buzzwords for years now) can change change educational outcomes without addressing wealth inequality. They want to come to school because attendance matters as well, and that plays into graduation rate. More than half of the districts students are Latino, 14% are Black, 10% are white, and 8% are Asian. But I also knew that in my growing up in high school expressly, there was not a lot of encouragement for me, being a Black male, an African American male, from my teachers and my counselors. One unfortunate issue he has to face is for funding was the unions driven zealous raising of salaries that hurt the district. He said his drawn to central Washington in part because of the beautiful countryside his parents had lived in Yakima, and he and his wife always dreamed of living there. The district was able to close a very large deficit this year, but at the cost of eliminating positions, reining in expenses and borrowing from reserves. When you engage students, whether its K through 12 or college students, in processes like design thinking, or problem-based learning, or project-based learning, or learning by doing, then that changes everything. Superintendent Dr. Kenneth "Chris" Hurst, Sr. is the 10th permanent superintendent in West Contra Costa Unified School District History. Superintendent Superintendent Dr. Pete Perez, Superintendent email Pete Perez Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Marissa Garza Click here to email Marissa ext. And I always had a talent in mathematics. That is not to say unions are bad, quite the contrary they just need to focus more on helping protect employees, especially the most vulnerable not raising salaries. Following that, he received his doctorate in education at the University of Southern California in 2011. 2/22/2023 4:33 PM. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? I think those are the big pieces that Im really focusing on coming back for fall. But that means a lot of work needs to happen within the district, because right now, as I look at our district, West Contra Costa Unified School District, were not set up for success. Robert Hurst is an employee working in Thames Valley District School Board, according to Province of Ontario, Treasury Board Secretariat. Hurst is apparently just another neoliberal, protecting the wealthy by betraying his students and their families, when he asserts that his "out of the Read More. Dr. Chris Hurst, Superintendent of WCCUSD and the Office of African American Student Achievement (OAASA) led the effort to raise the Pan-African flag at all schools and at the district office for. So thats the conversation that were going to actually have. 2023 EdSource. Comments post automatically without review from our staff, but we reserve the right to delete material that is libelous, a personal attack, or spam. We hired a leader who will lead WCCUSD teachers, administrators, and staff with a united vision, transparency, and accountability. Dr. Hurst, who will leave his role as superintendent of the Othello School District in Othello, Wash. to lead the WCCUSD, will commence his three-year contract May 17.

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