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Kansas City, MO – Kansas City's school board unanimously selected a new superintendent this week. It's been 15 months since the previous incumbent Anthony Amato stepped down, at the urging of the board. John Covington (pictured) is currently superintendent of schools in Pueblo, Colorado, and he's worked in some smaller districts in Alabama, where he's from. Covington says he's eager to face the challenges of a large, urban district, and knows he'll be sitting in what's considered a hot seat.
But he's got some back-up, from the Broad Foundation of Los Angeles. Covington recently completed the Broad Superintendent's Academy: it's a prestigious, year-long training program that's trying to prepare both educators and non-educators with executive experience to be effective leaders of large urban school districts. In his first year in Kansas City, Covington will have a regular advisor from Broad, and will have a team of consultants available to analyze district practices, all free to the district. KCUR's Sylvia Maria Gross spoke to Tim Quinn, who's the former managing director of the Broad Superintendents' Academy, and now accompanies the work of its graduates.
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