Interview with Great Hearts Texas Superintendent Brendan Miniter

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Great Hearts Texas Superintendent Brendan Miniter

On December 7, 2021, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to interview Brendan Miniter, the new Superintendent and Managing Director of Great Hearts Texas. He just started in that role on December 1, 2021. Most recently, he worked at the Dallas Morning News as Editorial Page Editor and General Manager of the Dallas Morning News’ ePaper. He began his career at The Wall Street Journal serving as Assistant Editor of the editorial page. After a decade at The Wall Street Journal, he moved to Texas in 2011 to join the George W. Bush Presidential center as Senior Editorial Director and then Director of Historical Scholarship. There he led the team that created the Presidential Museum. In addition to his history degree from George Mason University, Miniter holds an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.

We live streamed the interview with Great Hearts Texas Superintendent Brendan Miniter on YouTube and on the Facebook pages for San Antonio Charter Moms and Great Hearts Texas.

Questions for the Interview with Brendan Miniter

Here are the questions and topics that we covered in the interview about his new role as Great Hearts Texas Superintendent.

  • When you were growing up, what were some of your positive experiences in education, and what were some circumstances where you didn’t have the opportunities you needed?
  • What was your first encounter with classical education? How did you first learn about Great Hearts Texas?
  • When you were working at the Bush Center and setting up the museum, what was the story you wanted to tell about the history of education reform?
  • Why is it important that Texas families have access to a robust system of charter schools and education options?
  • At your most recent job at the Dallas Morning News, you had a front row seat for many controversies in education; what have you learned from that experience that you will apply to your new role at Great Hearts Texas?
  • How do you communicate the importance of classical education to different constituencies, such as prospective Great Hearts families and community members who are less familiar with it and perhaps a little skeptical?
  • Based on what you know so far about Great Hearts Texas, what are some things that the academies are currently doing well to serve the educational needs of students?
  • As you have been visiting Great Hearts campuses, what are some details that have stood out to you that demonstrate the school culture in action?
  • How will you manage a leadership role that covers multiple regions in Texas, and stay connected with Great Hearts campus communities in San Antonio and North Texas?
  • How will the Great Hearts Texas leadership team support morale, retention, and training of teachers and headmasters, in a competitive job market, while the school network is growing?
  • What is your perspective on the dialogue between schools and parents—how they can learn from each other, help each other to improve, and support a positive environment for students and teachers?

Mr. Miniter expressed that he is looking forward to meeting and getting to know more Great Hearts Texas parents.

Read More About Great Hearts Texas

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Inga Cotton

Parent activist and founder of San Antonio Charter Moms. Raising two children to be independent adults who do good in the world.

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