Courtesy of Tiffany Besse

Dr. Tiffany Besse presents at Principal Lab Day at Halls Ferry Intermediate School in February of 2020. Besse has worked in Francis Howell, Rockwood and Pattonville before joining Parkway. “One of the things that has always been a focus in my previous districts has been how do we keep pushing for those who are ready to move forward and then how do we grab the kiddos who might need a little bit more and how do we pull them along to get them where they deserve to [be]. So that is definitely some of the work that I would like to bring here and some of the equity work here [that] is already going on,” Besse said.

As the school year begins to approach its end, Parkway will see several administrators step down from their roles, including Principal Jeremy Mitchell. District-level administration is no different. Next year, as students prepare for another year of school, they will be led by a new deputy superintendent, Dr. Tiffany Besse.

The role of the deputy superintendent involves working across the district with principals at every level. Besse will also work closely with the board of education and help lead Project Parkway, the district’s group of over 400 volunteers developing Parkway’s Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan. The hiring process for Besse included many rounds of screenings and interviews with several groups, including with Superintendent Dr. Keith Marty.

“There were a lot of really good people that were talented, but [we have to consider who is] also the best fit. You may have really strong leaders but [we have to think about] who is the person that you really feel is going to work best with me, the board and all the rest of the people? Dr. Besse, we felt, is going to fulfill that role. So it’s not just looking at the skills but it’s also what interpersonal skills does this person bring to the table that really would be valuable to the system,” Marty said.

As both of Besse’s parents were educators, Besse has witnessed the life of an administrator from a young age. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Biology from St. Louis University, a master’s degree in secondary education and administration from Lindenwood University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Maryville University.

“My dad’s a retired superintendent, so I’ve been around it my whole life. He was a social studies teacher and a P.E. teacher in our hometown in Vandalia, Mo. We’re from a very small town. My mom’s also retired from education. So I’ve been around it my whole life,” Besse said. “There is a part of me that will always live inside of K-12. I needed to feed that back and be with kids and in a space where I know, not only are great things happening but great things still get to come here in Parkway, and I’ve spent most of my career in St. Louis County, and so it’s been nice learning and growing with Parkway counterparts in my different roles.”

Before coming to Parkway, Besse held positions in education for over 20 years as a science teacher in the Francis Howell School District, an assistant principal in the Rockwood School District, and an assistant principal and director of secondary education in the Pattonville School District.

“I have been very fortunate in my career working in good districts across St. Louis County. I will say that sometimes being next door to Parkway when you’re in another district is hard. We always felt like we were trying to catch up, not that things were bad. Every district is unique, so I would not put down any of my previous experiences,” Besse said. “I would say that Parkway has sustained growth and excellence and has been a forerunner and managed to grow through tough times, and all districts figure out a way to do that. But I think what has been unique about Parkway is that the community has continued to stay together through really tough times. No matter how long it has taken to get through that tough time, you don’t see anybody in Parkway ebbing away or flowing away from the mission and the vision.”

Approved in a unanimous board of education vote, Besse will replace Chelsea Watson, who has been in the position for five years, taking on her role in an ever-changing environment as education evolves across the country throughout the pandemic. Besse enters her new role as deputy superintendent on the heels of the introduction of virtual school and COVID-19 protocol, both of which have brought on complaints across the country.

“[Education] changed and has become public, at home with families. [We are trying to] understand all of the pieces, not just the academics, but the social-emotional [aspects], and not just for the kids, but for the adults. So it’s just important to keep an open mind,” Besse said. “One of the things that I’ve learned is that change is inevitable. So it’s really good for me to keep my eyes wide open and not be afraid to fail and fail forward and surround myself with supportive people.”

Complaints around COVID-19 protocols have heightened in schools across the country, who are also witnessing a rise of groups targeting specific aspects of education, such as racism education. These criticisms can challenge administrators and teachers like Besse and Marty, who must balance both curriculum and parent concerns.

“I’ve seen a lot of pendulums. We went through this a little bit back in the 80s and 90s, and we’re kind of there again about what’s the role of public education. The role of public education is to make sure we have a literate, well-informed citizenry that will carry on our democratic principles and treat people well, and this is what we need. We don’t need an education system that exempts history,” Marty said. “I think people need to be respectful that we’re a diverse community, with families from different backgrounds, religions, cultures and various experiences. My job is to make sure I’m treating people as equitably and fairly as possible. And I think sometimes people believe that when they call me, I should be responding to their demands. So I’m just trying to do my best for the community and all students.”

Besse will also manage several new relationships during her time as deputy superintendent, as many other positions across the district are experiencing turnover. Nationwide, high rates of teachers and administrators are leaving their jobs for various reasons, including backlash over pandemic policies and rising political pressure. As a result, the number of educators in America has dropped by 567,000 since the pandemic started.

“As I’m stepping into the role and learning and through my transition time, the goal there is to learn and respect the history and the work, and try to understand the culture [of teachers in Parkway]. Adults across the nation, but teachers in particular have experienced  real personal trauma. We often talk about the trauma that students have experienced from the pandemic, and the reality is all of us have had some sort of second-hand or first-hand trauma going through COVID,” Besse said. “I think one of the things that probably all of us missed early on as we were just trying to figure out the pandemic was what was happening for teachers because they were teaching from home with their own families at home and trying to navigate a lot and since we’ve returned to school, I think those concerns are still there for teachers.”

As Besse, Marty and the rest of the Parkway administration prepare for the next school year, they will continue to deal with various concerns regarding COVID-19, curriculum and more. Besse will start her role July 1.

“One thing that sets Parkway apart is that no matter what it is, Parkway has figured out how to get the job done, maintained its integrity and truthfulness to its mission and vision. Kids have continued to excel here at times where in other districts we were struggling, and it’s okay to struggle, but Parkway has definitely been a leader of the pack,” Besse said. “I do know that the leadership here understands that when the whole county does well, we all move forward together. There’s never been a time across St. Louis County where Parkway has not been at the table to help move the region forward. I knew when Parkway was at the table, we were all going to be fine. We could push forward together.”