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Brookins emphasizes ‘inspect what you expect,’ immediate presence and 24-hour communication standard in leadership approach
Summary
Brookins told District 191 board members he expects regular check-ins, project plans with timelines, and prompt communication with the board and community; he described responding to crises by contacting legal counsel, involving city leaders and holding in-person meetings with families and staff.
Tyrone Brookins told the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 board that accountability and transparency are central to his leadership style.
He said he expects project plans with timelines, steering teams and regular supervisory check-ins. “Inspect what you expect,” Brookins said, describing the use of guiding-change documents that list current reality, expected results and what is unacceptable during a project rollout.
On communication, Brookins said weekly board bulletins, regular staff communications and publishing summaries of board meetings to the district’s 5,000 employees are part of his approach. He said the superintendent in his current district requires staff to acknowledge outreach within 24 hours, even if an answer will take longer.
Brookins described a real-world example in which a substitute teacher reenacted a harmful restraint and the district chose to “get in front of it” by calling legal counsel, walking the substitute out, notifying parents, and holding multiple meetings with city and community leaders. He said the principal’s culture of approachability led students to report the incident quickly.
On personnel issues, Brookins said he first checks the well-being of a struggling administrator or teacher, reviews observed data, then creates an improvement plan with supports, coaching and timelines. If progress does not occur, he said the process moves to human resources and follows legal and contract procedures.
He emphasized partnership with the school board: if the board challenges a recommendation, he said he would respond with curiosity and engage in dialogue to seek better outcomes for students.
