FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 4, 2002
After 40 years as an educator - 28 with the Madison Schools and 23 as principal at East High School - Milt McPike announced he will retire at the end of the school year.
"Milt McPike is the heart and soul of East High," said Superintendent Art Rainwater. "Milt is East High. Not enough can be said about his influence on the students, staff and the community - especially on the East side of Madison," Rainwater said.
McPike has been showered with accolades during his tenure as East High's principal. In 1989 East was identified as a National High School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education. In 1990 he won the Reader's Digest "National Hero in Education" award; in 1997 he won the Wisconsin Principal of the Year award from his peers in the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators. In 1998 he won the Educator of the Year award from the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state's largest business group.
McPike was nominated for the Educator of the Year award by Vern Hellenbrand with Research Products Corporation. Hellenbrand spent a day shadowing McPike as part of a "Principal for a Day" program. In his nomination letter Hellenbrand wrote, "I observed the love and respect the students had for their principal. He was very visible in the areas of the school from the mall, through the halls on all three floors, in the classroom and on the grounds outside the building.
"He demonstrated his concern for students through expressing words of encouragement, listening to their concerns, preventing disruptive behavior from getting out of hand and helping with the problem solving process. The schools, community, City of Madison and the State of Wisconsin are enhanced by his leadership, his involvement and his accomplishments, " Hellenbrand wrote.
McPike also served as an assistant principal at West High School from 1974-79. He began his education career in Quincy, Illinois where for 11 years he taught Industrial Arts, Physical Education, Health Education and also coached.
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Last Modified: 2002-02-06
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