Denver Public Schools Announces New Superintendent

DENVER, CO — Denver Public Schools has announced Wednesday its new superintendent.

Dr. Alex Marrero, of New Rochelle, New York, was chosen by the board to be the next district leader, officials announced at a news conference held at 10 a.m. outside South High School.

Denver Public Schools announced three finalists May 7: Marrero, Andre Wright from Aurora Public Schools, and Dr. Stephanie Soliven of Brevard County, Florida.

None of the candidates have served as full-time superintendents, and some community groups urged the board to delay its search — the groups said the application process was rushed.

But the board said the process took hundreds of hours and included many conversations with the community.

"Among the three outstanding finalists who have been meeting with our staff, students, and community over the past several weeks, Dr. Marrero distinguished himself as a leader of truly exceptional accomplishments and commitment," Denver Public Schools said in a letter to the community.

"His life experiences showed him both what a difference-maker a great education can be, and how shamefully different the opportunities are for Black and Brown students in a system of stark inequities. And he has made it his life’s work to–in his own words–'pursue equity and excellence for all students and help others see the diversity within our schools as a strength.'"

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Read the rest of the board's letter:

As the child of a Cuban refugee and an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, Dr. Marrero prides himself on representing many of the Latinx students in the communities he has served as a school leader and in district leadership positions. He attended New York City public schools, and began his education career there as well, serving as a guidance counselor, assistant principal and principal. Dr. Marrero joined the City School District of New Rochelle in January 2020 as the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. He became the first Latinx head of the city’s school system in September, serving as acting and then interim superintendent. Prior to that, as Assistant Superintendent at the East Ramapo Central School District in New York, Dr. Marrero supported schools into Good Standing — a designation that represents dramatic growth — and increased graduation rates. He has earned numerous awards, including being honored as an outstanding administrator by the Latino Caucus of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators and inducted into the New York Academy of Public Education. Dr. Marrero has earned degrees from Fordham University, Manhattan College and Sage Colleges, where he was the recipient of the Outstanding Student Award.

In announcing Dr. Marrero as our selection for superintendent, we are joined by supporters consisting of DPS and community leaders who were directly involved in the interview and selection process. Sharing his support for the selection, Interim Superintendent Dwight Jones said, “Dr. Marrero brings a tremendous amount of passion, talent, and commitment to DPS. I’m excited to have him lead the team and to connect more closely with our richly diverse community. I look forward to working with and supporting him as I return to my role as Senior Deputy Superintendent of Equity and Engagement.” The Board of Education is scheduled to vote on Dr. Marrero’s official appointment as superintendent at our meeting on Thursday, June 3. And we look forward to then having an opportunity to welcome Dr. Marrero and his family into the DPS community, and for him to get out into every part of the city to meet more of our students, families, and staff.

Throughout the selection process, we knew that we’d be guided to a great new leader by what is our schools’ biggest strength–our people…and their unwavering dedication to Denver’s children. And that’s exactly where we are today. Thank you for your contributions and your commitment. Please stand alongside us in enthusiastically welcoming our new superintendent, Dr. Alex Marrero.

Sincerely,
Carrie A. Olson, PhD, President, Board of Education
Jennifer Bacon, Vice President, Board of Education