Third Jamaican appointed school superintendent in NYC

Jamaica-born educator Dr Rushell White has been promoted to interim acting superintendent in the New York City (NYC) school system.

White becomes the third Jamaican to rise to and currently hold the position, with 47 superintendents now in the school system.

In NYC, an individual is first appointed interim acting superintendent before being made a full superintendent. The interim tag lasts around six months.

White, who previously served as deputy superintendent in the city’s education department, will oversee some 47 schools in northern Brooklyn with a student population of about 27,000. In her new position, she will also oversee approximately 6,000 deputy superintendents, principals, assistant principals, teachers and other professionals in the district.

White described her rise to the position as “pure joy”.

She told The Gleaner that she was blessed to have worked with the retired superintendent who allowed her to put her ideas into practice.

“She allowed me the freedom to put forward ideas and programmes, some of which were implemented for the benefit of the student population. I really enjoyed working with her,” she said.

White said she would meet regularly with principals, teachers and students to discuss the best practices to ensure that students get the best education.

“I intend to be a support to the school community,” she told The Gleaner.

Her journey began in Yallahs, St Thomas, where she was born. She attended Yallahs Primary School before migrating to the United States at age 8. She landed in Bushwick, Brooklyn, at a time when that community was not considered one of the safest in New York City.

She attended elementary school 377 but was accepted into the gifted programme. She attended IS 383 for the gifted and talented in 1985 and John Dewey High School in Brooklyn in 1990.

White earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees along with her Advanced Certificate in Supervision and Administration from Brooklyn College after nine years of studies. In December, 2018, she earned her doctorate in educational leadership at the Russell Sage College in Albany, New York, and published her dissertation entitled ‘Psychological Safety and English Speaking Caribbean Students in New York City Public Schools’.

CAREER IN EDUCATION

She has been in education for 27 years, beginning as an English teacher before becoming a dean, assistant principal and serving nine years as principal of MS 226.

White has had success turning around failing schools and is considered one of the outstanding educational leaders in the New York City school system

“Over 27 years, I served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, director of continuous improvement, and deputy superintendent of Brooklyn North high schools. Each step has prepared me to lead with both head and heart to build on the momentum of progress, innovation, and equity for our extraordinary students, families, and communities,” she said.

According to her, her leadership is shaped by research in pursuit of her doctorate in educational leadership during which she examined the benefits of creating psychologically safe school environments for immigrant students in NYC public schools, a work rooted in her own lived experience and which continues to fuel her unwavering belief that every child deserves to feel seen, safe, and supported as they unlock their full potential.

In an email announcing her appointment to the school community, White said that for the 2025-2026 school year, she looks forward to “advancing our shared goals in amplifying student voice, strengthening partnerships with parents and communities, and expanding college and career pathways so that every student has a strong plan toward economic security”.

She said: “Together, we will deepen culturally responsive instruction, strengthen literacy and math outcomes through targeted interventions and professional development, and widen business partnerships that give students real-world learning opportunities.”

editorial@gleanerjm.com