WORCESTER – The Worcester School Committee announced four finalists for the next Superintendent of Worcester Public Schools on Tuesday, April 19.
Committee members will travel to the home districts of each of the candidates this week as part of the selection process. The final selection is due to be announced on Thursday, April 28. The new superintendent will start on July 1.
The four finalist candidates are:
Charles Grandson IV, Ed. D., has served Boston Public Schools since 2017, first as Chief Academic Officer and Deputy Chief Operating Officer for BPS and most recently as Chief Equity and Strategy Officer.
Grandson’s previous experience includes:
- Interim superintendent of Malden Public Schools;
- Deputy Superintendent of public schools in Poughkeepsie, New York;
- School Redesign Officer of Springfield Public Schools,
- Principal of the High School of Commerce in Springfield;
- History teacher at Brook Farm Academy in Boston Public Schools.
Grandson holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, a Master’s in Education, and a Bachelor of Arts in History, all from Boston College.
Rachel Monárrez, Ph.D., has served as Deputy Superintendent of the San Bernardino (CA) City Unified School District since 2016.
Monárrez’s previous experience includes:
- Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for City Schools in Santa Rosa, California;
- A principal in the Unified School District of Pamona, California;
- Senior Director of the English Learner Program in the Unified School District of Rialo, CA;
- Bilingual/English immersion and special education teacher in the Unified School District of Pomona, California.
Monárrez holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Education with an emphasis on urban education and a Masters of Arts in Education from Claremont Graduate University. She earned a Bachelor of Art in History from the University of California, Irvine.
Malika Savoy-Brooks, Ed.D., has served as Chief Academic Supports Officer for the School District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 2018.
Savoy-Brooks’ previous experience includes:
- Assistant Superintendent and the Director of Instructional Resources for the School District of Philadelphia;
- Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Chester Upland District in Pennsylvania;
- A principal, a Director of Instruction, a Prevention and Intervention Coach, a Curriculum Content Academic Coach and a teacher for the Philadelphia School District.
Savoy-Brooks holds a Doctorate of Educational Leadership from the University of Phoenix, a Master’s of Science in Educational leadership and a Master’s of Science in Elementary Education from St. Joseph’s University, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Food Science and Management from Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture. She is also part of the Urban Superintendents Academy of the American Association of School Administrators/Howard University.
Sonya E. Somerville Harrison, Ed.D., is an Assistant Superintendent for the School District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Network Lead for the Penn Educational Leadership Simulations at the University of Pennsylvania.
Somerville Harrison’s previous experience includes:
- Principal and assistant principal within the schools of Philadelphia;
- A special education teacher for Hall-Mercer of Pennsylvania Hospital and within the New York City Public Schools.
Somerville Harrison holds a Doctorate of Education in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master’s of Education in Special Education from Temple University, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Spelman College.
