Angela Carter, the new chief of staff for the Akron Public Schools, was the only applicant for the newly created position that acts as part government liaison, part right hand of the district’s new superintendent.
It’s the first time that Akron has had the role that’s common in many school systems across the country. Carter, who makes $162,000 annually, won the job in November. Superintendent Michael Robinson said he knew he had made a good decision when a “significant” supporter of the district told him Carter had been the right choice.
“I believe Ms. Carter is going to do a phenomenal job,” he said after members of the Board of Education approved her appointment.
Robinson did not respond to repeated requests for comment about his decision to place Carter in the role, and he did not make Carter available for interviews. A 22-year veteran of the district, she was most recently the district’s recruitment and retention manager. She also acted as the interim executive director of elementary education this spring. Carter has also served as a principal in the district, at both Crouse Elementary School and Mason Community Learning Center.
In a statement, she said she has dedicated herself to fostering an environment where success is achieved through a shared commitment to meaningful goals.
“My decision to accept this position is rooted in my dedication to the community, families and students,” she said.
In her role, Carter is expected to maintain a close working relationship with the 17 senior staff members who report to the superintendent, district spokesperson Mark Williamson said in an email. He said Carter will facilitate better communication and help with project management in the district.
“The most significant part of the job will be the rigor of keeping up with an ambitious superintendent with an aggressive plan to bring the district to where he would like to see it in terms of academic achievement,” Williamson said.
Robinson earlier this month unveiled a new strategic plan for the district that pushes for academic improvement.
Superintendents need trusted partners to keep the work on track
While the job was posted for two weeks, no applications besides Carter’s were received. Williamson said hiring a chief of staff “can be a highly personal decision” for a leader.
“Dr. Robinson selected Angela based on his observations of her on the job for the last three months,” he said.
Robinson said it’s not typical for a superintendent to come in without bringing someone with them who will support their vision.
“I chose to work with the talent that we have here in Akron, and we have a great deal of talent,” he said at the Board of Education meeting.
David James, a former district superintendent who is now the executive director of the Summit Education Initiative, said he had worked with Carter when she was a principal. She had done a “great job” in that role, he said, and was particularly skilled at making connections with parents.
James said Robinson was smart to pick a chief of staff who already worked for the district. He expects her to help smooth the way as Robinson acclimates to Akron.
The demands on a superintendent are many, James said, and while he didn’t have a chief of staff, he said it’s helpful to have a trusted partner to help keep the work on track.
“So many things come at you at once, you need someone who can be like a traffic cop,” he said.
AJ Crabill, the director of governance for the Council of Great City Schools, said deputy superintendents often play a similar role to a chief of staff in smaller districts. James had a deputy superintendent who focused on academics, he said, while he focused on facilities and construction.
Akron has about 20,000 students in the district, and WIlliamson said the elimination of an assistant superintendent position helped fund the chief of staff role, as did the decision not to fill the chief operations officer position and executive director roles for secondary education and teaching and learning.
A chief of staff is most useful, Crabill said, when they help free up the superintendent to focus more on his vision, taking him out of the day-to-day district operations. He said the job can vary widely based on the skillset of the individual in the role.
Akron’s job description runs several pages and states Carter, in the role, will be responsible for “prioritizing and facilitating the resolution of critical issues on behalf of the Superintendent and ensuring that the Superintendent is informed and engaged appropriately in key organizational decisions.” She’ll be a liaison to the Board of Education, city leaders and external partners.
The position description expects her to have thorough knowledge of school policies and education laws, be skilled at working with people of diverse backgrounds, committed to improving diversity and adept at both problem-solving and relationship building.
Carter’s job responsibilities include coordinating academic operations and long-range planning, representing the superintendent at a slew of functions, and managing projects related to the strategic plan. She also acts as an advocate for the district.
‘Chief of stuff’
Crabill said he refers to the role as “chief of stuff.”
“The question is, what do you want them to be responsible for?” he said. “How do you help them juggle all those things?”
The chief of staff often ends up acting as a utility player, he said, stepping in to address a need that shouldn’t be put on the superintendent’s plate.
“Ideally, this role frees up the superintendent to focus on other activities,” he said.
Williamson said Akron lags behind many other districts that have had the role for years. The Cleveland Metropolitan School District recently hired a new chief of staff, J.R. Tomkinson, who came from College Possible, where he was the national vice president of site leadership.
Robinson, in announcing Carter’s new position, said she’ll provide “much needed” support. Carter will take a “tremendous load” off of his assistant, Robinson said, and will be helpful when it comes to interacting with legislators.
“Some may ask, ‘What do you need a chief of staff for?’” Robinson said when Carter’s hiring was announced. “A chief of staff serves as a major pillar and major role in the organization of the work that I have to do as superintendent. It’s a lot of work that she’s going to have to do.”
