Robbinsdale names Sicoli to lead its school district

Come July 1, the Robbinsdale School District will have a new superintendent.

Aldo Sicoli, currently assistant superintendent in the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage schools, was offered and accepted the job late Thursday.

The Robbinsdale school board had narrowed its list of candidates for superintendent to Sicoli and Carlton Jenkins, executive director of secondary schools in Beloit, Wis., after interviewing them last week.

"We're very excited that he's accepted our offer," said Tom Walsh, chairman of the school board. "We feel he matches the attributes of a superintendent that were developed with the help of our community. He's committed to the success of all learners and to improving student achievement."

Each candidate spent a day this week touring the district, meeting with staff and community members, and participating in a round of interviews with the school board.

An applicant pool of 27 was whittled down to four at the end of March.

The Robbinsdale district has 12,500 students. It comprises all or parts of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Robbinsdale, Golden Valley, New Hope and Plymouth.

Among those School Exec Connect officials involved in the Robbinsdale search were Kenneth Dragseth, School Exec Connect partner for Minnesota and former Edina schools superintendent, and former Twin Cities schools superintendents Antoinette Johns and Robert Oslund.

The company was paid $19,500 plus a much smaller amount for expenses to conduct the search. School Exec Connect also conducted the recent superintendent searches in the Anoka-Hennepin and South Washington County districts.

Of the initial 27 applicants for the Robbinsdale post, 12 were from Minnesota, Dragseth said.

Outgoing superintendent Stan Mack will retire at the end of June. Mack has served as Robbinsdale superintendent since 2000. During his tenure, there was a contentious referendum fight in 2007, successful referendums in 2001 and 2008, a strike in 2000 by bus drivers and maintenance workers, and a district reorganization in 2004.

Also, the district board earlier this year voted to close three district schools -- one middle and two elementary -- next year to save $2 million.

"He's a superb communicator and an excellent listener," Walsh said. "He'll be able to hit the ground running."