Rosa E. Blackwell, an educator and administrator with Cincinnati Public Schools for more than three decades, is superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools.
The Cincinnati Board of Education offered Mrs. Blackwell the superintendent's post on Friday, April 8, 2005, citing her dedication to the district and ability to carry on the district's reforms and initiatives. Mrs. Blackwell, formerly the district's deputy superintendent, was interim superintendent since January 28, 2005. Mrs. Blackwell's appointment extends through July 31, 2008.
"Rosa demonstrates every day her deep caring for the children of Cincinnati Public Schools," said Florence Newell, Board president in 2005. "She has worked tirelessly for this district as a skilled leader, and we gladly look to her to continue the good work she has started."
Mrs. Blackwell is a widely respected administrator and community leader whose leadership skills and experience include supporting principals, teachers and other employees through quality professional development, holding employees accountable for high performance, directing successful efforts to meet CPS’ financial needs, spearheading development of a highly regarded district strategic plan, and developing partnerships and strong working relationships with diverse stakeholders to support district progress.
Her wide education experience and knowledge resulted in her being one of the first associates of the Mayerson Academy for Human Resource Development, a privately endowed, state-of-the-art training facility with the primary mission of providing first-class professional development for CPS employees.
As interim superintendent, Mrs. Blackwell led implementation of the district's fiscal responsibility efforts, including directing reductions in the current budget and moving closer to rightsizing the staff with the creation of an Employee Severance Plan recently accepted by 673 employees.
Mrs. Blackwell, a graduate of CPS' Hughes High School, joined the district in 1972 as a teacher. She later became supervisor of curriculum and instruction and a principal at elementary, middle and high schools before advancing to the district's second-ranking administrative post. As CPS’ deputy superintendent, Mrs. Blackwell’s responsibilities included developing and executing important district initiatives such as high school restructuring, the Teacher Evaluation System, the Positive School Culture initiative and building schools that serve as Community Learning Centers.
Mrs. Blackwell earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education, and her superintendent’s certificate, at Cincinnati’s Xavier University. She also pursued post-graduate studies in reading, counseling and learning disabilities at Xavier and in political science and educational administration at St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
As an active participant in Cincinnati civic life, Mrs. Blackwell has held or continues to hold numerous memberships on the steering committee of the Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Advocates for Youth Education Inc., and the Woman’s Alliance. She has received Distinguished Service Awards from the Greater Cincinnati Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Cincinnati Islamic Center. She has served on the governing boards of Thomas More College (Crestview Hills, Kentucky) and Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. She is currently a Trustee at Xavier University.
In 1994, Mrs. Blackwell was selected as a Woman of the Year by The Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper, and, in 2001, she was named a YWCA Career Woman of Achievement. She was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by Cincinnati Parents for Public Schools in April 2007.