DENVER — Denver Public Schools on Friday announced three finalists for the district's open superintendent position.
Alex Marrero, Stephanie Soliven and Andre Wright will now interview with students, teachers and other district staff
Marrero is an assistant superintendent in the New Rochelle district in New York. Soliven is an assistant superintendent in the Brevard County district in Florida. Wright is the chief academic officer for Aurora Public Schools.
The three finalists were selected from a pool of 85 applicants. About 20 interviewed with the district, and 15 interviewed with the board of education.
“This is a moment for optimism and excitement about Denver’s future,” Board President Carrie Olson said in a statement. “We have reached an important milestone in finding a visionary leader for our district.”
Elizabeth Burciaga, a youth organizer with Padres Y Jóvenes Unidos, said students and families will feel encouraged seeing finalists for the DPS superintendent are both Latinx and Black. Key issues she wants the next superintendent to address include, "implementing ethnic and cultural studies, curriculum that represents the student body and also committing to protecting immigrant and refugee students and their family, as well as continuing to have a police-free school."
Denver has been on the search for a superintendent for months, following the departure last semester of Susana Cordova, who took an assistant superintendent job with the Dallas Independent School District in Texas.
