NYC schools chancellor Walcott engages community

Incoming Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott on Sunday pledged more face time with the community as he embarks on a 30-day listening tour, meeting with parents and school administrators.

Walcott, addressing members at Brooklyn’s Church of the Open Door, said he plans to dedicate his tenure to “making sure that parents are fully engaged in the lives of their children,” according to the Daily News.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Thursday that Deputy Mayor Walcott was replacing Cathie Black, a former publishing exec criticized for her inexperience. She served just three months.

Walcott still needs a waiver from the state to become chancellor because he is not a certified superintendent. The New York Civil Rights Commission, which wants an open search conducted, said they plan to challenge the waiver Monday.