Incoming Boston school Superintendent Tommy Chang announced on Sunday his first formal steps of getting to know the school system, including the naming of a transition team and the launching of a “listen and learn” tour.
The transition team will consist of more than 30 members who represent a wide cross-section of the education sector, such as high-ranking school officials, teachers, principals, parents, a student, education advocates, and leaders of non-profit education organizations. Most are local, but some are from afar.
The team will begin meeting with various stakeholders next month, as it develops a 100-day plan “to guide the district during the first semester of the 2015-2016 school year and beyond,” according to an advance copy of the announcement provided to the Globe and other media outlets.
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The effort will also include a page on the school system’s website that will be dedicated to the transition.
“These are all folks who care deeply about the people in Boston,” Chang said in an interview Friday. “I’m super excited to get started.”
Chang, who officially takes over as superintendent on July 1, has been in Boston for nearly two weeks so he can get better acquainted with the system. The former Los Angeles school district leader has moved into a home in Roxbury within walking distance of the school system’s new headquarters in Dudley Square.
Education experts, who specialize in leadership changes, said the nearly three-month transition period should help Chang hit the ground running on his first day in charge. So far, Chang has mostly been meeting with central office staff, but did step out last week for two events: EdVestors’ annual showcase on educational innovation and the Boston Scholar Athletes gala.
He said he is looking forward to getting inside some schools soon as part of his outreach.
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The transition team includes some notable names: interim Superintendent John McDonough, former education secretary Paul Reville, the mayor’s chief of education Rahn Dorsey, and the School Committee’s vice chairman Hardin Coleman.
“It is very clear that Dr. Chang will work very hard to build effective coalitions across the district and help them focus on improving the quality of education for all of our students,” Coleman said in a statement.
Heshan Berents-Weeramuni, a parent representative on the transition team, said in an interview Friday said he was honored to have been selected.
“I’m looking forward to make sure all of our parents are able to have a chance to get to know him,” said Berents-Weeramuni, who also is co-chair of the Citywide Parent Council. “We have all of these parents coming together as one voice and advocating for all kids and that is a very powerful and wonderful thing and I hope he taps into that and listens to what we have to say.”
The other transition members are Neema Avashia, teacher, McCormack Middle School; Erik Berg, teacher, Philbrick Elementary School; George Cox of the Black Educator Alliance of Massachusetts; Eileen de los Reyes, deputy superintendent academics; Samuel Ding, student, Boston Latin School; Mary Driscoll, principal, Edison K-8 School; Karla Estrada, executive member of the transition team; Lee Franty, teacher, Murphy K-8 School; Erika Giampietro, interim chief financial officer; Scott Given, chief executive officer, UP Education Network; Nigel Jacob of New Urban Mechanics; Kim Janey, senior project manager, Massachusetts Advocates for Children; Rasheed Meadows, vice president, the New Teacher Project; Donna Muncey, executive member of the transition team; Elaine Ng, director of strategic planning for special education; Alexandra Oliver-Davila, executive director, Sociedad Latina; Chris Osgood of New Urban Mechanics; Myran Parker-Brass, executive director for the arts; Antonio Plascencia, executive member, transition team; Lydia Ramos, executive member, transition team; David Rosenberg, consultant, Education Resource Strategies; Jason Sachs, director of early education; Doug Scott of McKinsey and Company; Jesse Solomon, executive director, BPE; Tanisha Sullivan, chief equity officer; Naia Wilson, headmaster, New Mission High School; and Ross Wilson, chief of staff.
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James Vaznis can be reached at jvaznis@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @globevaznis.