Angella Katrise Perera announced on Monday she had withdrawn her name as a finalist for school chief, leaving acting Superintendent of Schools Aresta Johnson the lone candidate to lead the district. Board of Education member Maria Pereira (posted in the OIB comment section) shares why Perera would not have received her vote over Johnson.
Ms. Perera has a pattern of consistently looking for the next best thing. She would have not made a long-term investment to our children and Bridgeport.
She filled out the online application for BPS stating by in part writing “The opportunities are abundant in BELLEVUE Public Schools …” She is a finalist in Bellevue, Nevada and another school district which informs me she cut and pasted the exact same comments from her Bellevue application and did not so much as check it for accuracy. Applying for a Superintendent position responsible for 21,000 students earning upwards of $260,000 and something as basic as this was incorrect.She submitted a draft plan for Bridgeport which stated she would address the “consent decree” and upon being hired she would meet with our “military leaders.” We are not dealing with a consent decree and have no military bases which means she simply edits this plan by changing the name of the school district.
She worked in Houston for one year, then she went to VA for four years, then she went to work for McGraw Hill in November 2015 but became unemployed this past December. She has never lived in New England and is a true southerner.
She has been a finalist five times since late 2013, and withdrew from a finalist position in Florida. She was never hired as Superintendent in any of these districts.
She was one of two finalists in Alabama in January and lost the position on a 3 to 2 vote.
Our Public Hearing is Wednesday from 6 – 8 pm, however she is one of three finalists for Bellevue, Nevada in which she must be at their community forum at 7:15 am on Thursday.
If Mrs. Perera left Bridgeport at 8:30 pm on Wednesday, arrived at LaGuardia or JFK by 10:00 pm, arrived in Nevada by 2:00 am, checked into a hotel, showered, changed, and had to commute to her Nevada Forum by 7:00 am; she would have probably passed out and not been her very best.
There you have the real reason as to why she withdrew.
She definitely has a presence, flash, is articulate and intelligent. She was in my personal final three and two, but I would not have voted for her due to all of the above.
Any wonder why she withdrew her name from consideration? Obviously money was never a consideration for acceptance so one is left wondering who said what and what was said.
Donald Day, the fix was in from the beginning. You heard of Move.org? Move.org was running a Facebook petition on behalf of the now-remaining candidate. You just read what Maria said, not what she and others had been doing and saying behind closed doors. Maria Pereira probably has never been on a plane. She conveniently ignores the possibility Perera could sleep for 3 or 4 hours on the way to Nevada; another one and a half hours while her husband drove to the airport, etc. Maria Pereira, your plane theory just crashed and burned.
They live in Texas, therefore I doubt her husband would drive to the airport in Nevada to pick her up from the airport. Unbelievable.
More power to her, escaping while she had the chance.
Bridgeport is in the horrible position of seeking a School Superintendent at the same time as New Haven and Hartford.
Candidates such as Ms. Perera who apply everywhere submitting the same application, are just hoping some BOE is tired of the search and will pay her the big bucks.
The attitude in the BPS (staff and students) has improved a great deal under the current Acting Superintendent. Bpt knows what they have in her, why chance $260K on an unknown?
Marshall, you may have just about summed it up!
Lisa Parziale, please don’t encourage Marshall Law Marcus. He doesn’t live in Bridgeport and doesn’t have two girls in the district like I do. My wife and I can tell you MLM’s comment: “The attitude in the BPS (staff and students) has improved a great deal under the current Acting Superintendent” is just not true.
Joel,
I don’t live in Bridgeport, but Mrs. Marcus and I own property and pay taxes in Bridgeport.
I am in the Bridgeport Public Schools more than 150 days each year including every single school day since the Interim Superintendent started her job. How many full school days have you spent in the BPS this year?
Sounds like the Interim Superintendent or your BOE connection are aligning you for a job in the future. Many teachers and administrators, etc., don’t spend that many days and time in school or in class. Despite having a lot of personal things to do, I do my share in regards to my girls’ schooling. My wife spends too much time in my opinion and she isn’t asking or expecting a job. We don’t and have never tried to make connections with bosses or so-called leaders. If you and your wife are doing all you do, simply because it’s the right thing to do and there is desperate need of volunteers and parent involvement, Thanks to the both of you.
Joel,
I am retired in my 60s, not looking for a job. To the best of my knowledge I have never met the Interim Superintendent or any member of the BOE.
I grew up in New Haven and attended city public schools through the worst of the race riots and white flight to the suburbs. My parents remained in the city until their retirement to Florida after mom taught in inner city schools for 40 years.
I moved to Trumbull, because that is where Mrs. Marcus was raised and we live in a home she owned before we wed. I could put my efforts into suburban education, but believe city children should get the best education possible.
I am 100% against spending one cent of tax dollars for Charter Schools or vouchers.
Marshal Marcus, I know you much better now. I think we can both agree on ending Marshall Law and moving forward. Thank you and your wife for your volunteer time and kudos to your mom for her service as a teacher.
She didn’t have her titles straight.
Besides, what would you call Mario Testa if you weren’t too sure? Dictator?
Bob,
The consultant selected seven finalists from 52 applicants. We viewed all their videos, however their applications and resumes were not provided until we arrived, therefore there was little time for an in-depth review.
The finalists were selected from an objective rating system. The consultant wanted everything turned back in, but I refused. I read all their applications, resumes, and conducted my own research.
We interviewed all three finalists in person, I shared all my findings with the members present BEFORE we rated the three finalists. Out of a possible 24 points, the third finalist only received 1 point which automatically placed Dr. Johnson and Dr. Perera into the position as the finalists who rose to the top.
LOL.
Maria, I was laughing at Bubba’s remark, not your comments. I congratulate you for taking the time to do your own due diligence, and sharing the results with the rest of the members.
Pardon me ladies and gentlemen, but aren’t you spending a lot of time voicing your opinions on this lady based on what the BBOE says; hell no, based on what Maria has said? Are you now taking everything Maria says as the gospel without remembering how she has twisted the truth in the past to the detriment of others and for her benefit? I’m not saying she’s lying, I’m just saying.
I suggest you look amongst yourself and your closest friends for any “liars.”
Conduct your own research because everything I found was in the public domain. Her name is Dr. Katrise Perera.
Some of us do our homework, and many of us just post baseless unsupported comments on OIB.
Just left our meeting and now Perera wants back in, but requested tomorrow’s forum be canceled because she is a finalist in the Bellevue School District and has to participate in a Community Forum at 7:15 am on Thursday.
Eight of the BOE members agreed to cancel tomorrow’s Community Forum for the second time, and reschedule it for next Tuesday so she can attend. I am not joking.
Apparently two/three residents of Bridgeport sent her “harassing and threatening” messages. I don’t have twitter. How can you tell what city someone is from based on their twitter account?
She told Linda Lambeck there was another district that was a “better fit” and her husband would have better opportunities.
We are all dealing with Trump’s crazy tweets, has that caused anyone to withdraw from an employment opportunity? If it were so traumatic when you withdrew on Sunday, why is everything okay now?
If you want to serve an urban community as a public official leading 3,000 employees and 21,000 students, you need to have strength and perseverance. If you can’t handle three twitter followers, get out now.
Larcheveque, who voted to stop the Superintendent Search and extend Rabinowitz TWO contract extensions, had the audacity to state we should start the entire search from scratch. I am not kidding.
Why are we arranging our Community Forums so you can attend Community Forums as finalist in another school district?
Why are we less important than the Bellevue School District?
Please come out to the Community Forum on Tuesday, March 14th at Geraldine Johnson School at 6:00 pm.
People need to be held accountable.
“If you can’t handle three twitter followers, get out now.”
Maria Pereira, if you can’t handle the fact eight colleagues of yours disagreed with you, get out yesterday.
I can handle it, I just don’t agree with it.
I take these poor decisions by board members and use them to educate voters as I knock on over one thousand doors each campaign.
You don’t repeatedly cancel community forums because one of the candidates is busy interviewing in other districts. If Bridgeport isn’t your priority and we have a highly qualified candidate who is 100% committed and dedicated to Bridgeport; allow members of our community to move forward with that candidate.
This is disrespectful to Dr. Johnson, parents, and members of the community.
www .ctpost.com/local/article/Perera-is-back-in-the-race-for-Bridgeport-schools-10984869.php
*** From someone who’s not exactly a voice of reason on the BOE, why would anyone really interested in the advancement of the Bpt Public school system care about whom Ms. Pereira is supporting for Superintendent or not? ***
Well, the answer is simple. There is no Board of Education member who knows more about national, state and local education policy, puts in as much time, conducts more research, is more prepared, and has a better attendance record.
If you believe my statements, please feel free to debate me on the topic of public education.
I don’t believe you attend any BOE meetings, therefore a better question is why would anyone be interested in your opinions regarding anything to do with public education.
Don’t need to attend those non-productive meetings that most times end up the same! “Nothing Accomplished” as usual, just political arguments over old business that most times had nothing to do with what was on the meeting’s agenda. Yeah, you’re more than qualified to argue about nonsense that’s not on the BOE agenda! *** Wake Up ***
And I believe Mojo is a taxpayer who has the right and duty to stay informed as to how his tax dollars are spent.
Maria, if Ms. Perera gets the job, think of all the arguments/protests you can have! It would be heaven for you!