Former Detroit bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes announced at a press conference on Monday he has named an interim superintendent for the district.
According to Rhodes, Alycia Meriweather will be the interim superintendent and will lead day-to-day operations within school district.
Rhodes said he took the job as Detroit Public Schools transition manager because, "I care about the children of Detroit and I care about the future of Detroit."
When Rhodes took the job, he said he told Gov. Snyder he knew nothing about running a school district and he would have to bring in someone who did to handle the day-to-day operations.
"I am confident we have found that individual in Alycia Meriweather," Rhodes said.
Rhodes said he wanted to look within DPS and the city of Detroit to identify the interim superintendent, and Meriweather is a lifelong resident of Detroit. She is also a DPS graduate and began her career at DPS in 1995 as a science teacher.
For the last several years, she served as the Director for the Detroit Mathematics and Science Center.
“I have been with Detroit Public Schools since I was a four-year-old in the District’s Head Start program. I am a graduate of DPS and a lifelong resident of the City of Detroit. The success of DPS and its students is personal for me,” Meriweather said in a release.
During the press conference, Meriweather became emotional when talking about how much she loves the children and her time attending DPS.
When looking at candidates for the position, Rhodes said they were submitted by a broad range of individuals and groups. Then, according to DPS, they were vetted by both Rhodes and Gov. Snyder's office.
Meriweather did not seek the position initially, according to DPS. Her name was given to Rhodes by teachers and members of the community.
One of her top priorities, according to the district, will be to visit all 97 school buildings and spend time in classrooms with teachers and students to "see what they see, hear what they hear and experience what they experience."
