St. Louis Public Schools installs interim Myra Berry as permanent superintendent

The St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to install Myra Berry as the district’s permanent superintendent on Thursday.

Berry became interim superintendent in October after the school board voted to fire former Superintendent Millicent Borishade without cause.

Berry has been with the district for over 20 years and previously served as the interim chief of human resources.

“Berry has already shown us what strong, responsive leadership looks like in action,” said board President Karen Collins-Adams in a statement. “She understands this district, she understands our community, and she has delivered results during one of the most complex periods in recent history. We are confident she is the right leader to move Saint Louis Public Schools forward.”

The decision comes as the district navigates increased scrutiny from Missouri officials, including an upcoming state auditor’s report that examines the district’s operations. This will be the second part of the district’s audit.

Berry said she wanted to focus on improving literacy, attendance and the district’s financial position, adding that one of her goals was a balanced budget in the next few years.

“We have already begun the important work of rebuilding trust, strengthening our community and reestablishing partnerships,” she said. “We know that strong schools are built through strong relationships with families, community organizations, city partners and those who believe in the success of our children.”

Berry said the next few years may also include “consolidation and restructuring” as the district deals with vacant buildings and low enrollment.

Since 2022, several people have churned in and out of the district’s top job. Berry’s predecessor Borishade took over the role after the board fired Superintendent Keisha Scarlett for violating hiring protocols — including offering high-paying salaries to employees without board approval. 

Scarlett has denied wrongdoing.

Collins-Adams said the board made the decision to move Berry into a permanent role because of her success in stabilizing key areas of the district, including reopening some tornado-damaged schools in January.

“When you look at a leader that’s able to take all of the things that we are currently doing, the things that are currently either hurting us or holding us back, and can move those things out of the way or push them forward, then you go with that leader,” Collins-Adams said. “Right now, the morale of the district has been lifted so greatly.”

The St. Louis chapter of the American Federation of Teachers threw its support behind Berry’s appointment, with union President Ray Cummings calling it “an excellent decision.”

“This decision keeps us on a path of stability and clear accountability, transparency and good governance,” he said in a statement. ”It’s time to turn the page.”

In the fall, Collins-Adams said the district would incorporate community feedback into the search for the new superintendent, whom they were hoping to install by July, when the district’s new fiscal year begins.

She also said a national search would be conducted, but some board members have pushed back, saying they favored keeping Berry on a permanent basis. Earlier this year, school board members failed to approve a proposal to allow them to bring on a recruiting agency to conduct a superintendent search.

Collins-Adams said working with national recruiters has been expensive and has not yielded impressive results in the past.

The school board will create a Superintendent Transition Advisory Committee, which will invite community members to provide feedback on the district’s work moving forward.

Berry begins her contract as permanent superintendent on July 1.

This story originally appeared here.

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