Dr. Astein Osei and his journey in education is a testament to his unwavering dedication to fairness and transformative leadership. Growing up on the football field, Osei honed his appetite for discipline and success, traits that would shape his illustrious career.
During his time at the University of Minnesota, not only did Osei excel on the football field, but he also discovered a deep-seated passion for education. This passion was ignited during his senior year when he was invited to substitute teach, sparking a fervor for education that has continued to burn brightly for over two decades.
From those initial steps into the classroom to his recent tenure as a distinguished school superintendent and now as the owner of his consulting firm,
Progress Partners – Dr.
Astein Osei has passionately and purposefully shaped young minds and empowered business professionals for over 20 years.
In a recent interview, Osei delved into the inspirations, challenges, and pivotal moments that defined his career in education.
Beginning as a health and physical education teacher at Cretin-Derham Hall High School, Osei's dedication to enhancing education propelled him into leadership positions, including assistant principal and director of educational equity in the Osseo Area School District.
Dr. Astein Osei and his career has been marked by significant leadership roles, notably as the Superintendent of St. Louis Park Public Schools. In this capacity, he spearheaded successful initiatives, including bond referendums and innovative student talent development programs, leaving a lasting impact on the district.
Osei's dedication to education extends beyond the school walls. He actively participates in community groups and has been recognized for his contributions, including the esteemed Minnesota Association of School Administrators Region 9 Administrator of Excellence award in 2023.
At the core of Dr. Astein Osei's work lies a steadfast commitment to ensuring fairness and equity in education for all students. From his early days as a teacher to his leadership and administration roles in various school districts, he has been a relentless advocate for creating equal opportunities for every student, underlining his mission and values in the field of education.
Osei's leadership is characterized by a forward-thinking vision to empower students academically and socially.
His dedication to creating inclusive educational environments, where every student feels valued, empowered, and capable of success, instills a sense of hope and optimism in the future of education.
An Interview with Dr. Astein Osei
What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
There were a number of things that inspired me to go into the field of education. First and foremost, I am a firm believer that nothing happens by chance or luck and that everything happens for a reason. I believe that God has ordered my steps and the field of education for me is not a job but a vocation. It was not an accident that I was invited to substitute teach in the spring of 2002. I believe that is the calling that God has put on my life, which is why I was so drawn to the students, and the students were drawn to me during my substitute teaching experience.
I also recall, as a K-12 student, having teachers and administrators of color. Growing up in Illinois in the 80s and 90s, there were teachers and administrators of color, and I have fond memories of the positive impact that they had on my life. These teachers held high expectations for me and saw brilliance in me that I didn’t even see in myself. As a Black male, I want to create educational environments for all students, especially students of color, where there are high expectations for their academic performance, where they are loved, and have the opportunity to explore their gifts just as I was able to do as a student growing up in the suburbs of Chicago.Lastly, I pursued a career in education because I believe that pre-k schooling, especially public schooling, is critical to the success of our democracy. If our great nation is going not only to survive but thrive, we will need everyone to be educated in a manner that gives them access to grade-level standards, allows them to understand who they are, and begin to learn about people who are different from them, and creates opportunities for critical thinking and dialogue.
I want to contribute to the development of a generation of Americans who can solve some of our countries and the world’s toughest challenges.
Could you describe a pivotal moment in your early career that shaped your path?
When I entered this profession, I never had any intention of going into leadership/administration. Early in my career, I had a principal who believed in me more than I believed in myself.
This person encouraged me to pursue my principal license and superintendent license and gave me opportunities for leadership when maybe my resume did not have the credentials to justify my leadership in those areas. I believe this person’s belief in me and support of my development shaped my path because I was put into positions where I had access to experiences and relationships that later turned into career opportunities down the road. This experience also influences how I see my responsibility to provide mentorship and opportunities to aspiring leaders and educators who might not see themselves as leaders, but have the capacity to impact the profession through leadership positively.
How have your roles prior to becoming a superintendent prepared you for this position?
I feel like every role I had was important foundationally for becoming a superintendent. After serving in the position for 6+ years, I do not believe that anything can truly prepare you for the role. For the role of superintendent, I believe the best preparation is experience.
Every school district, community, and staff is unique. As a superintendent you have to intimately understand every aspect of the community you serve so that you are able to influence and facilitate the strategic priorities of the district. My prior roles gave me an understanding of important technical aspects of school leadership, but my best teacher was making a mistake and learning from it.
Whether it be poor timing of communication with families or the pace at which we implemented priority work, those experiences helped me to better understand the community I was serving and the needs and expectations of that community. If I had to pick one role it would be the role of assistant superintendent.
Working in such close proximity to the superintendent in that role gave me insight into strategy, process, and implementation of strategic priority work that I had never experienced in other positions. As an assistant superintendent, I began to see and understand the importance of the superintendent/school board relationship. Having an effective school board/superintendent relationship modeled for me was extremely important for my leadership.
Current Outlook on the Profession
What are your core values as a superintendent?
As a superintendent, the following core values have been foundational for me.
Collective Responsibility – I believe that as educators, we all must work together to support the healthy development of our learners.
I often lean into the South African term of Ubuntu, “I am because we are,” in my leadership because collectivism is a critical aspect of improving educational outcomes for students. I know often in films about educators (e.g. Dangerous Minds, Lean on Me, The Great Debaters, etc.) that there is a hero who overcomes all odds to help a student or a group of students. Still, that type of individualism does not lead to sustained system change.
Advocacy for Equity – As educators, I believe that we have a responsibility to develop citizens who will help create an anti-racist democracy. With that being the case, I know that we have to create learning environments that are welcoming and inclusive for all students regardless of their race, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, religion, etc.
Creating that type of environment is necessary to ensure that all students have access to grade-level standards, that all students understand who they are racially and culturally and work towards proficiency in other races and cultures, and that all students have an opportunity to develop a socio-political consciousness.
Simply put, students have the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills and get practice at identifying problems and coming up with solutions for those problems.
Trust is Essential – in order to successfully lead school districts trust is an essential aspect to develop effective relationships with students, staff, families, and community. I am always assessing the sincerity, reliability, competence, and care in the professional relationships I establish.
High Expectations – I believe that every learner I come in contact with possesses gifts and talents, and it is my responsibility as an educator to nurture the gifts and talents that they have been blessed with. In order to do that, I believe that I have to have high expectations for those learners and not provide them with remedial educational experiences because of the mental models that I or others may hold about their ability to learn.
By Chris Bates
