Dr. Gothard’s selection is the culmination of a search process, supported by Alma Advisory Group, that began in May 2023 and was hallmarked by community involvement, most recently evidenced by two days of intensive stakeholder-led interviews of the three shortlisted candidates.
Superintendent Search
We are excited to announce that the Board of Education has chosen Dr. Joe Gothard to lead the District as its next Superintendent, pending Board approval of his contract.
Dr. Gothard’s selection is the culmination of a search process, supported by Alma Advisory Group, that began in May 2023 and was hallmarked by community involvement, most recently evidenced by two days of intensive stakeholder-led interviews of the three shortlisted candidates.
It also marks a homecoming for Dr. Gothard, a native Madisonian who attended MMSD schools throughout his elementary, middle, and high school years, before going on to serve as a staff member at Lincoln Elementary School and Principal at both Akira R. Toki Middle School and Robert M. La Follette High School, as well as the District’s Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools.
“Having grown up in Madison, and having attended MMSD from kindergarten through grade 12, I am excited to return home,” said Dr. Gothard. “Thank you to the Board of Education for selecting me to lead the MMSD community. I eagerly anticipate reconnecting with familiar faces, while also building new relationships with staff, students, families, and partners who are dedicated to advancing MMSD's excellence. Together, we will create a shared pride in our efforts to make MMSD the best it can be."
Dr. Gothard’s contract will begin no later than July 1, 2024. Interim Superintendent Lisa Kvistad will continue to serve in her current capacity until that time, offering “her full support during Dr. Gothard’s transition to be our next Superintendent.” She further notes that "we are all eager to have Dr. Gothard here in MMSD with us, and we also acknowledge and respect that he will have details to work through as he finishes the year as St. Paul’s Superintendent.”
We look forward to formally introducing Dr. Gothard to you and the broader MMSD community in the coming weeks, with further details to come.
Thank you for your continued support of the Madison Metropolitan School District!
Sincerely,
Nichelle Nichols
MMSD Board of Education President
Dr. Joe Gothard has been superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) since July 1, 2017, which serves approximately 33,000 students. Dr. Gothard was named the 2024 Minnesota Superintendent of the Year and AASA National Superintendent of the Year. A life-long educator, he began his career as a teacher, coach and principal in Madison before taking on opportunities to lead in Minnesota.
Superintendent search news
Madison Board of Education President Nichelle Nichols held a press conference earlier this week to discuss the superintendent hiring process. The Board is expected to announce the district’s next superintendent by early March.
The seven-member MMSD Board of Education has narrowed its search for superintendent to three finalists.
This is an important time in the search for our next superintendent, and we are eager to keep you informed of our progress. The MMSD Board of Education looks forward to your active participation in one of the most important decisions we will make this year!
Our shared purpose
The shared goal and purpose of the Board of Education and the hired search firm is to recruit, screen and select the next superintendent of the Madison Metropolitan School District. This will be done through a transparent and accessible superintendent search process, guided by the input and needs of the greater Madison communities, and designed to mitigate bias every step of the way.
This page includes news and updates, links to agendas and meeting recordings, as well as ongoing community input through our Let's Talk platform.
Search timeline
Aug. - Oct. 2023
Stakeholder input; early recruitment begins
Nov. 2023
Job profile finalized with Board of Education; position posted
Dec. 2023
Candidates identified; initial screening interviews
Jan. 2024
Board interviews
Feb. 2024
Finalist round and
candidate selection
Late Feb./Early March 2024
Superintendent appointed and introduction to the community
Three Finalist - Jan 29, 2024
Superintendent finalists
Learn more about the finalists
Finalists were asked five questions (submitted by the MMSD community). Watch the videos below to learn more about each candidate.
Mohammed Choudhury
Transcript
Hello Madison community I'm honored to be a finalist serving as superintendent of the Madison
Metropolitan School District. My name is Mohammad Chaudhary. My career dedicated to public education has been driven by a commitment to uphold the promises made to students and families. From my beginnings as a teacher to my role as a state superintendent. My mission has been to create, implement and sustain transformational initiatives that profoundly impact student success. My personal and professional journey is deeply interwoven with the values and objectives of MMSD. As a first generation American hailing from a Bangladeshi family, I navigated the challenges and rewards of high poverty schools in Los Angeles. My upbringing amongst a tapestry of diverse cultures, including black Latinx, and Korean American communities has not only shaped my worldview, but equipped me with the empathy, understanding and skills necessary to thrive in our multifaceted society. Having thoroughly reviewed the Madison strategic framework. I'm invigorated by our shared aspirations. It is a vision that resonates with my own, and one that I'm eager to advance.
Question from:
Parent:
Alexandra Jennelle
"I would love to see a “several years” Superintendent in this position. What attracts you to our school district and area, and what can the community do to keep you?"
Thank you for your question. What excites me most about the Madison Metropolitan School District is the opportunity to create a school system that stands as a beacon of excellence and innovation.
Madison is a unique place with its status as a State Capitol and the presence of a flagship university. It's a forward thinking and progressive community and I believe we can harness that spirit to shape the future of education. My goal is to establish a school system that not only sets exceptionally high standards, but consistently surpasses them. I envision every school in this district as a place where every student, irrespective of their background has an equal opportunity to excel, no zip code in Madison should dictate the life trajectory of our students, we will only be as strong as our most struggling students and we must continually drive to improve against that benchmark. This is the system I aspire to create. As a leader I view this role as a genuine calling and my commitment is dedicated to the success of every child, educator and staff in the district. Building, social and political capital will be crucial for our journey, especially in those moments when we need to make student centered decisions to disrupt ineffective practices. Ultimately, I will need to work to earn and sustain your support to cultivate the necessary social and emotional connections that allow us to make bold changes for students and staff. And quite frankly, I will need to reach a point where you not only support me in this work, but have my back. Collaboration with parents, educators, and community leaders and stakeholders is essential. Balancing work and personal life is something I haven't always excelled at, but it's a priority for me. As a husband and a new dad. I'm looking to put down long term roots in a diverse and integrated community. I want to be part of a community that looks out for our well being and establishes meaningful friendships. I aim to be a leader who is committed to building a system where I'd be proud to select any school in the district for my own daughter's pre K 12 educational experience. This balance will help me be the husband, dad and superintendent I aspire to be enabling me to lead effectively and contribute positively to both the district and the community, I
will need your help to fulfill this journey.
Question from:
Teacher:
Anonymous
"If selected, what would you do to uplift teachers' morale and support teaching and learning?"
Thank you for this very important question. To enhance education in Madison we must challenge the expectation that teachers can be everything to every student all the time. On the first day of school, no teacher should bear the burden of knowing that they can't serve every child adequately or fairly all on their own. Reflecting on my own teaching experience in Los Angeles, where I manage the diverse needs of students, many with IEPs, I recognize that playing multiple roles from educator to social worker, while rewarding is not a sustainable model. Madison's ample resources offer a special chance to create a well connected learning environment. Achieving this vision for educators and students involves linking every Madison School to a robust support system with the district and the broader community. This network is essential for reducing teacher burnout and enhancing educational quality. This transformation begins with reimagining the learning and support system. Instead of expecting teachers to be generalists with many responsibilities, I envisioned them as specialized professionals. This shift aims to reduce their workload and improve educational outcomes and boosts morale, creating innovative career paths that allow teachers to specialize while remaining involved in classroom teaching is essential. This strategy empowers educators and fosters a collaborative environment countering the often experienced professional isolation. We must proactively work to design this collective environment and counteract isolation. A collaborative network involving educators, specialists and community partners is central to this vision. A key element of this vision is the establishment of a central office dedicated to the success of each school, educator and principal. A central office that proactively works hand in hand with school leaders and teachers where every school and its needs are known. Building this supportive ecosystem around our teachers and principals, and leveraging Madison's community assets is crucial.
Question from:
Student:
Rowan Trest
"As superintendent, how will you incorporate students' voices, opinions, and concerns in decision-making processes?"
Thank you for the question. Incorporating students voices is at the core of my mission for Madison.
This includes establishing a robust student advisory council structure with diverse representation
from all levels. I'll actively engage with these councils, listening to their perspectives and ensuring
their voices guide our decisions. This ongoing feedback loop will showcase how their input shapes our decisions. To gain firsthand insights into their challenge and experience I will bring my love of
shadowing students to Madison. I will regularly shadow students as part of my monthly schedule,
immersing myself in their daily lives. No school year will end without me shadowing students at every school and at every grade level. Furthermore, we will make use of digital platforms and open forums throughout the year to provide convenient channels for students to express their thoughts. These platforms will serve as additional avenues for students to share their perspectives and concerns openly. While recognizing potential differences in perspectives will arise between adults and students, I'm committed to fostering productive spaces where the tension of our ideas leads to the best possible decisions and solutions for the challenges we face. Together we'll create a more responsive and student centered school system.
Question from:
School Administrator:
Jackie Gibson
"MMSD has a focus on early literacy and beyond. If selected as our next superintendent, how would you support a continued focus on literacy? How would you support curriculum adoption?"
Thank you for that question. In my vision for district literacy improvement, I stress a holistic approach that extends beyond effective reading instruction. It's important to recognize that literacy involves nurturing content, knowledge and subjects like math, science and social studies, which is vital for students comprehensive development. To achieve this we'll rely on research based practices and culturally responsive curricula that seamlessly integrates various subjects into the broader literacy framework. This approach aims to cultivate not just proficient readers, but also learners who can competently engage with complex subjects. Effective implementation is key to our success. Therefore, I will prioritize a pilot and scale approach allowing us to thoroughly test curriculum options before implementing them district wide. This approach ensures that teachers have the opportunity to master the delivery of instruction rooted in the chosen curriculum. A fundamental aspect of my vision is providing teachers with the necessary support coaching an adequate time to become proficient in using high quality instructional materials. Empowering our educators with the right resources and professional development is central to our success. Literacy in Madison should encompass more than just reading proficiently. It emphasizes the development of content knowledge in our students. This comprehensive approach driven by research and data, prepares students to read and explore, understand and apply knowledge across diverse subjects. This vision is grounded in a commitment to evidence based culturally responsive curriculum, Content Knowledge Building and empowering our teachers with the best instructional resources and professional development. Through these concerted efforts we will continue to enhance literacy in Madison.
Question from:
Teacher, Resident and Community Organization:
Erich Eifler
"How do you plan on engaging partner organizations in the community to broaden learning opportunities for high school Juniors and Seniors?"
Thank you for that question. Engaging community partners to expand learning opportunities for high school juniors and seniors is vital for future ready school systems. My vision centers on establishing strong partnerships with local businesses, nonprofits and higher education institutions to enrich students educational experiences. I envision creating seamless pathways for students blurring the lines between the last two years of high school and the first two years of college and industry. This approach modernizes secondary and post secondary education forging stronger connections to the world of work and careers. My vision encompasses a comprehensive range of opportunities including paid apprenticeships, dual credit and early college programs accessible to all students not only a select few. These pathways will be facilitated by community based intermediaries who play a crucial role in supporting the school system to ensure student success. This empowers students to explore high demand careers and college pathways, while gaining valuable practical experience. Additionally, I see community partners as an integral part of the school day actively participating in high quality tutoring and collaborating with our teachers and school leaders to enrich learning experiences for our students. This community partnership approach aims to create mutually beneficial relationships, broaden opportunities, and prepare high school juniors and seniors for academic success and future careers. We're ensuring Madison's education system aligns with workforce needs, emphasizing the importance of strong connections between students and partners for our city's future.
Thank you for the opportunity to share a little bit more about myself and the vision that I have for the Madison Metropolitan School District. I truly look forward to the in person experiences that I will have on February sixth and seventh getting to meet and engage with stakeholders across the system and in the broader Madison community. It is an opportunity that I do not take lightly and I look forward to it both getting to know about your dreams and aspirations as well as mine, for your community and to hope to see what we can build for our students and staff for the Madison Metropolitan School District. Thank you.
Dr. Joe Gothard
Transcript
Greetings Madison Metropolitan School District. My name is Joe Gotthard the current superintendent of St. Paul Public Schools. And it is so great to spend some time with you. To some of you I'm a familiar face. To many of you, this might be the first time that we're meeting. But I just want to say that I am a born and raised product of Madison, Wisconsin. I grew up on the east side, and attended LVM elementary, Senate middle school and La Follette high school, before having an 18 year career in Madison before I left for the state of Minnesota in 2013. And I'm excited to have this conversation with you about the opportunity to come back and lead the Madison Metropolitan School District.
Question from:
Parent:
Alexandra Jennelle
"I would love to see a “several years” Superintendent in this position. What attracts you to our school district and area, and what can the community do to keep you?"
Well, thank you for the question. Miss Janelle. I think first and foremost, I'm born and raised in
Madison, and spent my entire schooling experience in the Madison Metropolitan School District and
then worked for 18 years in various positions, was also apparent for a time in my career as well. So I have a well rounded view of this district, all of its challenges, but more importantly, all the opportunities. So it excites me to come back. I've been gone for a little over 10 years, and never lost on me was the incredible opportunities I had, in Madison, the tremendous community partners, working with various school communities, and being involved in Madison in many different ways. I think the strength of the superintendent and community relationship is just that, it's based on how we work together. Through times that might be challenging, but through good times as well celebration, the pride I have in Madison has never left me I may have left the state. But certainly my heart and my experiences and my love for my home school district and home city has never left. I talk often about my experiences, my own schooling, and my own professional experiences. And this for me, this stage of my career is all about making meaning and making meaning leading Madison Metropolitan School District is of the utmost importance to me.
Question from:
Teacher:
Anonymous
"If selected, what would you do to uplift teachers' morale and support teaching and learning?"
Thank you for the question. And you know, I'm a former medicine teacher and an principal. So I understand and in many ways, some of the challenges, I certainly will not claim to know all of them. But I know that presence is important. I know that being visible. Being a listener is incredibly important. I know that teachers want to know and understand what the process is going to be and how decisions are made, and what kind of engagement and empowerment they can have, teachers can have with the decision making process. So this is all about a relationship and understanding each other, and being clear about how we're going to work together and collaborate. And again, I often fall back on my experiences as both an educational assistant at Lincoln Elementary, and as a teacher at La Follette high school and principal and Toki and La Follette to really understand what it takes and how it takes a school community to be at our best and working together. At the district level I also think it's important to find venues to engage with teachers. And one of the things that I do currently, is I have staff meetings at schools that are optional attendance at the beginning or end of the day. And I simply asked teachers what's on your mind. And I have been able to take feedback and input from those meetings and make immediate changes back with my team at the senior executive leadership level that shows staff that not only am I listening, but I'm committed to making sure that I follow through on those things that I can.
Question from:
Student:
Rowan Trest
"As superintendent, how will you incorporate students' voices, opinions, and concerns in decision-making processes?"
Hey, Rowan, I'm so glad that you asked this question. In fact, I'll share with you that this morning, I started my day at one of our middle schools. The school a couple of years ago, was getting a lot of feedback that they were having a lot of challenges, people felt unsafe, or people felt like students weren't always doing their best. So I decided to do something about that and form a boys group at this particular school. So every other week, I meet with a group of students. I'm in the second year of that and it's something I look forward to and it's something I always walk away from with new ideas, new perspectives, and always centered on what I heard from our students. Some of the other things I'll share with you is before I left Madison, I remember working very closely with student board reps. I do believe that MMSD continues to have that model in some way, shape or form. Some of the other things that we've tried after going through a series of really high profile incidents, again, I decided this was last year now that I needed to spend some time with students with high school students, and really unpack and understand deeply what they were experiencing. So these days turned into nine full days where we had students bused in to a community center in our community. And I was able to spend the entire day with nine different groups of high school students. And from that process that we called how are the children, I learned that safety wasn't really the issue that young people students wanted to talk about. It was the school experience in general, the connections that they had with teachers and staff and each other, and how many times managing the dynamics of difference, whether it's race, culture, or language really got in the way of students being able to feel like they could show up as their best self or their whole self. And I, you know, from that, how are the children, I took two students this past fall to San Diego, California, and we presented on the series, and it was really a joy for me to watch our students received by a national audience, and something I'm really
proud of. So that's one way that we can communicate with students. Lastly, I'll say that I think I need to ask our students, what ideas do you have for engagement, I don't have all the ideas or the best ideas, I think the best ideas come from understanding one another, and making sure that we can work together in a way that all of us feel respected, heard, and valued.
Question from:
School Administrator:
Jackie Gibson
"MMSD has a focus on early literacy and beyond. If selected as our next superintendent, how would you support a continued focus on literacy? How would you support curriculum adoption?"
Thank you so much for the question. Ms Gibson. You know, we are also engaged in a K through two literacy strategy, an initiative called WIN. WIN stands for what I need now. And thankfully, unfortunately, I guess we were able to invest ARP money to purchase the curriculum to provide professional development, but most importantly, hire 84 reading teachers, teachers who are trained to go in and provide tier one support side by side during our literacy block. And it has been one of the more effective strategies that I've ever been a part of. And from that, we also created a district literacy leadership team. And I've never been part of that, of course, I've been part of focus groups and things like that. But these are subject matter experts that get to gather with me, and provide me great insights in terms of how these strategies are going, what's needed. How can we promote reading to our greater community. And it's led to a wonderful movement and campaign, if you will, in our community about the importance of reading and not just reading, but the science of reading and what we know about the recent shift and many school districts to make sure that we're meeting our students where they're at, and providing them the necessary support. In terms of curriculum adoption, I think it's vitally important that we have an understanding and a clear cycle that we can review curriculum. There may always be national or state standards or, you know, different initiatives that that may force us to go off of that cycle. But nonetheless, it's up to us to monitor that, and work together in a way that everybody understands what might be coming next. Lastly, I'll say that in terms of decision making, no decisions on curriculum are made in my current district without a decision document. And what that means is that information recommendations and engagement and teacher feedback and voice is provided to the senior executive leadership team, before any decision is made. If I don't have feedback, or survey data, or qualitative data from teachers, I will reject any decision document and send it back and say, Have you asked our teachers what they prefer? Or how this will impact their work?
Question from:
Teacher, Resident and Community Organization:
Erich Eifler
"How do you plan on engaging partner organizations in the community to broaden learning opportunities for high school Juniors and Seniors?"
Erich, thank you for this great question Erich. You know, first and foremost, while we certainly must
focus on juniors and seniors, I really think our entire pre K through 12 system should be built on how can we partner with organizations and ready our young people for opportunities that are going to come their way or they're going to be exposed to. When at the junior and senior level in particular, I think it's important to make sure that we're providing our students with the relevant opportunities to bring in career experiences into the classroom to the greatest extent possible. I'm so excited to see the renovations that have taken place in Madison. Of course, these are buildings I know very well, whether it's on their fields or courts in their classrooms, and look forward to seeing what new opportunities there might be in it. It only excites me more to know that we can go to our community and perhaps create some of these 21st century learning opportunities. Two that I'll talk about really quickly. The first is we've partnered with 3M to create advanced Career Pathways center that's located on our two year college campus similar to Madison, college and Madison. And in this space, students are able to spend half of their day there from all of our high schools. They're bused there and we have college partners and career industry experts come into those spaces and it's proven to be a wonderful model with equity at the mind that it's available for all students. Secondly, next year, we're going to become the first school district and Minnesota and one of only about 50 high schools in the country that are implementing a program through junior achievement called 3DE. 3DE is a case based methodology, where students will be exposed to real cases that are happening in industries across the spectrum and across the nation, to make sure that that's embedded in their learning experience each day. And none of these partnerships are available without our community participating. Currently, I'm working on many boards and nonprofits. I spend time with executives from Best Buy, Cargill, Ecolab, Target and some of the largest fortune five hundreds in the country, I've learned a great deal about the power of partnership. And the last thing I'll say about them is it's great to open the doors to partnership, but we have to be disciplined to make sure that we're coming together, that we're looking at the objectives that we set out to create and we're holding each other accountable because our students deserve nothing but the very best of all the partnerships that we spend our time engaging in. Well, Madison, thank you so much for listening and hearing a little bit about me. I look forward to coming on February sixth and seventh, back home to MMSD to share more with you and learn more about what you're looking for in your next superintendent. Thank you very much.
Dr. Yvonne Stokes
Transcript
Well hello wonderful citizens of the Madison Metropolitan School District and community. My name is Dr. Yvonne Stokes, and I am just absolutely thrilled to take this time to talk to you. But I wanted to share just a little bit about myself. I am a mother, a sister, a daughter, a lover and more importantly, I am someone who supports students and I am passionate about creating access and opportunity.
Question from:
Parent:
Alexandra Jennelle
"I would love to see a “several years” Superintendent in this position. What attracts you to our school district and area, and what can the community do to keep you?"
I am attracted to the Madison Metropolitan School District because of the school board, district staff and community leaders are invested in developing supports to reduce the the effects of structural and systemic inequities that negatively impact students. These efforts can be seen in the district strategic plan, which I know was put in place with the help of the community. Your efforts to dismantle inequities in education, they resonate with me because I am passionate about breaking down barriers and creating access and opportunity for all, all of our students to be successful. As a citizen in Madison, I would engage in service in the school district and engage in service to the community. I have a fond love of the arts specifically in the area of music, I love to sing. Also, I would not feel complete without the support of local ministries and higher education. As your new superintendent, I will need your support and creating meaningful engagement opportunities for the district. And additionally, providing me with positive and connected supports will ensure that I feel valued and invested in the community.
Question from:
Teacher:
Anonymous
"If selected, what would you do to uplift teachers' morale and support teaching and learning?"
Hmm, teacher morale. Having been a teacher, I definitely understand that morale is important. To
positively impact teacher morale. Teachers need to experience a sense of belonging, professional and physical safety, and have opportunities to provide voice and insight around employment
expectations. Teachers, I will work with you and district leaders to sustain processes and procedures that support teacher access to welcoming environments where you can share insight regarding teaching and strategies and developing extended leadership opportunities. Specifically, I will meet with teachers during listening and learning sessions to understand your perspective regarding what you believe is essential and promoting positive teacher morale and instructional support you believe are positively impacting teaching and learning. I will continue to support the district's efforts to resonate your voice through surveys. But teachers I must be honest, to accurately support your voice I need to hear from all of you. And doing so together we can promote a positive working environment.
Question from:
Student:
Rowan Trest
"As superintendent, how will you incorporate students' voices, opinions, and concerns in decision-making processes?"
Students, your insight regarding your experiences and opportunities will help us ensure that we have systems in place and structures in place to align your academic, social and emotional needs so that systems in place and structures in place to align your academic, social and emotional needs so that the impact of teaching and learning will be positive. I believe that we must continuously look at what systems are in place that support and or unknowingly hinder your access to school and community resources. And to better understand this, I need to hear from you. I plan to collaborate with your building leaders and meet routinely with a diverse group of students. To learn more about your opinions and concerns regarding a variety of topics. For example, I know safety is important to you, course offerings, school climate and let's just be honest, what we serve in the cafeteria for lunch. So I want to make sure that any topic that is important to you that we give it some boots on the ground supports. I will support the continued use of timely surveys around key indicators that allow building and district staff to better understand how you believe our systems and processes are meeting your needs in the learning environment. We must be strategic and asking you what you want and need and you must be honest and uplifting in your voice so that our goals in providing differentiated opportunities will come to fruition.
Question from:
School Administrator:
Jackie Gibson
"MMSD has a focus on early literacy and beyond. If selected as our next superintendent, how would you support a continued focus on literacy? How would you support curriculum adoption?"
So the gift of literacy is the most important gift we can give a child. Providing evidence based literacy literacy support that work for all our children is our primary focus as educators. As the new leader for MMSD. I will continue to work with the district teachers, administrators, and our community partners in an effort to empower our teachers, students, families, and the greater community with understanding and supporting the science of reading strategies that impact literacy. Teachers and administrative leaders have already begun sharing information with parents and staff regarding literacy supports, and they also have begun adopting resources that support teaching and learning with the focus on supporting diverse student populations. My charge as your new leader will be to go and work alongside our staff to ensure any newly adopted resource is done so from a lens of the impact on students. What do I mean by the impact on students? Well, a few questions. Will the resource and consideration meet the needs of all our learners? Will the resource allow our students to interact with literacy in a way that will be meaningful to their culture and learning style? Will the resource support state and district academic standards? To support our students, we will need an all hands on deck approach. As your new superintendent, I am ready to collaborate with fellow colleagues and community members to ensure that when it comes to learning to read and reading to learn, our students can catch up, keep up and move up.
Question from:
Teacher, Resident and Community Organization:
Erich Eifler
"How do you plan on engaging partner organizations in the community to broaden learning opportunities for high school Juniors and Seniors?"
Community Partnerships are essential and removing barriers to students' hands on learning
experience. And those partnerships are important in helping us continuously redefine what it means to be College, Career and Community ready. It is important to me to continue coordinating programs directly with industry, education, the armed forces and community partners that will provide our soon to be graduates, our juniors and seniors, with skills leading to success during and after high school. During strategic listening and learning sessions, I plan to meet with students, staff, community partners, and others to better understand learning opportunities that we currently provide. And to learn more about experiences we believe are necessary to expand partnerships that create pipelines for skilled and credentialed students. When our students graduate, they will be ready to enroll in a college or university of their choice. They'll be ready to enlist in the armed forces. They'll be ready to have access to meaningful employment and or they'll be ready to seek out entrepreneurial opportunities. Thank you for listening to this video and letting me share a little bit about how I can contribute to the community and the greater Madison School District. I look forward to seeing some of you on February sixth and seventh. Please have a great day.
Candidate bios
Mohammed Choudhury
Mohammed Choudhury, an accomplished strategy and systems leader, and former State Superintendent of Schools at the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), has played a significant role in reshaping education at both state and district levels. His unwavering dedication has been instrumental in addressing historical disparities in educational opportunities.
During his impactful tenure at MSDE, Choudhury led a transformative period marked by innovative and progressive changes, notably the groundbreaking Maryland Leads initiative and the enactment of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future legislation. His leadership extended to the rebuilding, modernization, and expansion of MSDE's operational infrastructure, all with a primary focus on the needs of children, especially those who have been historically underserved. These comprehensive efforts are igniting transformative changes across Maryland's public education system. Under his administration's guidance, Maryland witnessed significant post-pandemic achievement gains, outpacing much of the nation, with nearly all student groups exceeding pre-pandemic growth and proficiency levels in English Language Arts, reaching the highest point in a decade.
In his previous role as the Chief Strategy, Talent, and Innovation Officer for the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD), Choudhury played a pivotal role in the transformation of SAISD. Despite 90% of its students facing socioeconomic disadvantages, his work, including spearheading the Master Teacher Initiative strategic plan to recruit, develop, and retain highly effective teachers districtwide, helped catapult SAISD from one of Texas's lowest-performing districts to one of the fastest-improving. His efforts earned acclaim for dismantling systemic barriers and achieving remarkable progress.
Choudhury's leadership at the Dallas Independent School District, where he co-founded the Office of Transformation and Innovation, has been influential. He spearheaded initiatives that laid the foundation for a powerful engine driving community-driven school design anchored in best practices and deeper learning. To date, this effort has resulted in the creation of over 70 school models, underscoring the effectiveness of the Transformation and Innovation Schools strategy he implemented. This approach played a pivotal role in dismantling the effects of school segregation, promoting socioeconomic integration, and, ultimately, elevating historically marginalized students and families by achieving significant increases in student achievement.
In Texas, Choudhury's pioneering work extended beyond individual districts, influencing pivotal legislation. His dedication to reshaping public school funding and teacher compensation, most notably through the integration of the innovative Socioeconomic Blocks methodology into House Bill 3, has had a profound impact on millions of students statewide. This landmark legislation has fundamentally transformed the allocation of resources, with a specific focus on high-poverty schools, ensuring a more equitable education system.
With a Master of Education in Urban Schooling from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Chicano/a Studies from California State University, Northridge, Choudhury's academic background has shaped his approach to education. Currently, as the Senior Advisor to the Maryland State Board of Education, he continues his mission of transforming educational systems and practices, with a particular focus on working towards alleviating long-standing disparities in educational access and resource allocation.
Dr. Joe Gothard
Dr. Joe Gothard has been superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) since July 1, 2017. He is the educational leader of the school district, which serves approximately 33,000 PreK-12 students and employs over 6,000 staff. SPPS is the second-largest and most diverse school district in Minnesota, with students who speak more than 100 languages and 70% of whom are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
Gothard initiated the SPPS Achieves strategic plan in December 2018, setting ambitious goals for student achievement, guiding decision-making, and focusing on long-term student outcomes. Since March 2020, he has navigated the district's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring decisions prioritize students and families, community well-being, equity, and fiscal sustainability.
Previous Experience:
- Superintendent of Schools, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191, Burnsville, Minn.
- Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Schools, Madison Metropolitan School District, Madison, Wis.
- High School Principal, Robert M. La Follette High School, Madison Metropolitan School District, Madison, Wis.
- Middle School Principal, Akira R. Toki Middle School, Madison Metropolitan School District, Madison, Wis.
- Dean of Students, Robert M. La Follette High School, Madison Metropolitan School District
- Biology Teacher, Robert M. La Follette High School, Madison Metropolitan School District
- Head Football Coach, Robert M. La Follette High School, Madison Metropolitan School District
- Educational Assistant, Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, Madison Metropolitan School District
Recent Awards & Accolades:
- 2024 AASA National Superintendent of the Year Finalist (Winner will be announced 2/15/24)
- 2024 Minnesota Superintendent of the Year
- 2023 Laureate, Junior Achievement North Hall of Fame
- 2022 Green Garner Award Finalist, Council of the Great City Schools
- 2021 MASA Regional Administrator of Excellence Award
- 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award, Edgewood College
Noteworthy accomplishments include students earning seals of biliteracy, acquiring millions in college credit savings, and excelling in State of Minnesota Seals of Biliteracy assessments in 17 languages. In 2021, Gothard was named to the Executive Committee of the Council of the Great City Schools, which comprises leaders from the 78 largest urban public school districts in the United States. Gothard is the Chair of the Task Force on Black and Latino Young Men and Boys. In 2022, Gothard was invited to be part of the Joint Task Force on School Safety and Justice. The Council partnered with the International Association of Chiefs of Police and brought Superintendents and Police Chiefs from the Country’s largest cities and school districts to discuss the issues of crime and violence impacting our schools and communities. The Building Safer Schools and Communities report shared recommendations and approaches to serve as an action plan for our nation's schools.
Dr. Gothard is the current President of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators and sits on the Advisory Board for the Center for Model Schools. He is also a member of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts, Co-Chair of the Generation Next Executive Committee and sits on the Board of Directors for Genesys Works Twin Cities.
Gothard received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in education from Edgewood College in Madison, Wis., and sits on the college's Board of Trustees. He lives in St. Paul with his wife, Mary. They have three grown children.
Dr. Yvonne Stokes
Visionary leader Dr. Yvonne Stokes is a student centered, results driven educator who has committed her professional career to enhancing the lives of students in several urban, suburban and rural communities.
Most recently, Dr. Stokes served as superintendent at Hamilton Southeastern Schools, which is one of the largest school districts in Indiana with nearly 22,000 students. During her time serving the central Indiana suburban school district, she spearheaded efforts to:
• Create a framework for academic success by listening regularly to student feedback;
• Respond to the dynamic challenges of the global pandemic, including advocating for face-to-face instruction;
• Increase hands-on learning via career and technical programming through key partnerships;
• Enhance collaboration with the district’s teacher association;
• Improve relationships with school police and school resource officer;
• Partner with a national organization to transform district systems and build relationships culminating with development of a “Portrait of a Graduate”; and
• Attain academic excellence across the district’s K-12 landscape by engaging teachers, staff and parents.
Prior to her time in central Indiana, Dr. Stokes served as an assistant superintendent in northern Indiana at School Town of Munster. She served in a supervisory capacity for various administrative functions and programs, including, exceptional needs, high ability, building principals, ELL coordinator and district coaches. She oversaw grant budgets and items related to human capital and tangible resources.
A 2018 recipient of the Indiana Governor’s Award for Achievement in Education, Dr. Stokes also worked for three years as an academic improvement officer at Indianapolis Public Schools, the largest school district in Indiana with 33,000 students at the time. In addition to her evaluation of building staff and programs, Dr. Stokes implemented curricula, assessment and instructional programs. She served as a liaison for all research and development partnerships with companies and institutions. Finally, she was the district representative for the Kennedy Center’s “Ensuring the Arts for Any Given Child” program.
As Director of Curriculum and Evaluation at Blackford County (Ind.) Schools, Dr. Stokes provided direct support to students and staff to facilitate implementation of curriculum, assessments, and instructional programs. She also supervised staff responsible for delivery of services for high ability, special education and 504 programming. Dr. Stokes, spearheaded the effort to redevelop the RISE tool for teacher evaluation supports for the district. She also led the district’s effort for the special education cooperative in the area.
Prior to her time in Blackford County, Dr. Stokes was a Special Education Services Coordinator at Marion Community Schools in Marion, Ind. She worked with students, parents and staff to effectively implement individualized educational programs. She also supervised preschool and supported child find services.
Dr. Stokes also served as a building principal early in her career. As Principal at Frances Slocum Elementary, she served as an instructional leader in a high-poverty school where she provided direct support to students and staff to facilitate effective implementation of curriculum, assessments, and instructional programs. She helped the school attain the state status of adequate yearly progress, which the school had not earned before her tenure.
Dr. Stokes’s teaching experience was highlighted by stints at Fort Wayne Community Schools (30,000+ students at the time), where she taught students with individualized education programs. She also coached the school’s cheerleading squads.
Throughout her career in education, Dr. Stokes has maintained several professional affiliations, including:
• President for the Indiana Association of Black School Educators (INABSE)
• National Association of Black School Educators (NABSE)
• Indiana Association of School Business Officials (IASBO)
• Indiana Association of Public-School Superintendents (IAPSS)
• Urban Superintendents Academy- American Association of School Administrators (AASA)
• Association for Supervision and Curriculum (ASCD)
• Rotary Clubs of Fishers and Munster
She earned her doctorate in educational leadership from Purdue University in 2013. She also holds an undergraduate degree from Purdue. Additionally, she earned a master’s degree in special education from University of Saint Francis and a licensure in exceptional needs at Purdue University Calumet.
Dr. Stokes takes pride in creating access and opportunity for families, communities, colleagues and friends, to find their focus in life and to become contributing members of society. A mother, sister, daughter, and friend, Dr. Stokes also has a passion for the Arts, specifically in music and singing.
Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent - Job Profile
About our District
The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is the second largest school district in Wisconsin and serves over 26,000 students in 52 schools. The district covers approximately 74 square miles including all or part of the cities of Madison and Fitchburg, the villages of Maple Bluff and Shorewood Hills, and the towns of Blooming Grove and Burke. Madison is a growing and diversifying community with a thriving network of nonprofit, civic and community based organizations, and higher education institutions. The vision of our school district is to ensure that every school will be a thriving school that prepares every student to graduate ready for college, career and community. MMSD is proud of the work done to support and nurture our current success and we recognize that there is much work to be done, especially as we look at outcomes for students with special needs, multilingual learners, and our Black, Latinx, Asian, including Hmong students. Significant work is already underway to address disparate outcomes, to close opportunity gaps and to ensure appropriate resources are allocated to address these challenges and continue moving us closer to our vision.
About the Superintendent Role
Reporting to the seven-member school board, the Superintendent of MMSD will work diligently to bring forth the vision and mission outlined in the District's Strategic Framework. The strategic framework lifts up and articulates our commitment to anti-racism, inclusion and alliance to all children and their families and is grounded in our core values of excellence, belonging, racial equity and social justice, voice, focus and creativity. Our next Superintendent will be charged with moving forward three ambitious goals outlined in the framework:
- Every child is on track to graduate ready for college, career and community.
- The district and every school in it is a place where children, staff, and families thrive.
- African American children and youth excel in school.
The pillars of the framework articulate how we will continuously move forward these goals and include five major levers for change:
- Empower school communities
- Invest in people
- Streamline priorities
- Plan for the future
- Embrace innovation
The Superintendent will enter the district at a critical time where the foundation has been laid and key challenges have been identified; the new Superintendent will strengthen the systems, structures and framework to fully implement, monitor and sustain this work on behalf of every student in the district.
What You’ll Do (Responsibilities)
Galvanize and unite the MMSD community around the goals and vision of our Strategic Framework
- Partner with the MMSD community to review the district’s Strategic Framework and how it has been supported and implemented over the last 5+ years. Develop a clear and coherent plan moving forward, identifying top priorities, and the systems and supports needed system-wide to allow for the full actualization of the Strategic Framework.
- Ensure that the district's mission, vision, key priorities and the "why" are clearly articulated and well-understood by our staff, partners, and stakeholders.
- Build on MMSD’s track record of whole student support and ensure an immediate focus on providing the resources and training needed to support social emotional learning, mental health supports and safety for students.
- Inspire and galvanize action across the board members, administrators, teachers, parents, students and the broader education, civic, and philanthropic communities in support of the vision and strategy for student success.
Champion bold and unwavering advocacy for each of our students
- Strengthen supports for Black, First Nations and Native American, Latinx, Asian including Hmong students, Students With Disabilities, LGBTQIA+ community, multilingual and multicultural students.
- Advocate for and cultivate safe, engaging learning environments that fully support multilingual learners, students with diverse learning styles and needs.
- Adopt instructional models and structures based on practices that are research based, culturally responsive and demonstrated to be effective and desired by families.
- Prepare each and every one of our students for career and college by strengthening programming from PK-16, beginning with our earliest learners in PK4, all the way to high school graduation, and ensuring that students graduate with credits for college and/or the skills and path to the career of their choice.
- Establish structures that ensure staff have clear guidelines and procedures when advocating for students and community.
Establish coherent plans, systems and structures to ensure clear communication, successful implementation, and desired outcomes of the Strategic Framework
- Translate the Strategic Framework into short- and long-term priorities, strategies, and goals, adjusting as needed as the Board articulates expectations for student results.
- Ensure that programs and services are appropriately resourced to meet the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of the students.
- Use research and data to drive decision making and to hold departments and teams accountable for implementation, ongoing progress, and results.
- Assess and ensure a strategic organizational structure that is optimized to provide efficient service, strategic problem solving and a customer service mindset in support of each school’s success.
Serve as a visible culture builder that strengthens and nurtures environments that are safe, inclusive, and
welcoming for all members of the community
- Communicate and collaborate with all members of the Board, engaging with the Board transparently on new or forthcoming developments, initiatives, and issues in the district; provide guidance that enables the board to function strategically and effectively.
- Welcome students as active partners in the decision-making process ensuring that students' voices and feedback are heard at all levels of the organization.
- Create the conditions for staff to collaborate, seek support, feel valued, and be empowered to demonstrate their best work on behalf of the scholars they serve.
Steward the success, sustainability, and equity of the district’s finances and operations
- Systematize key functions in the district to maximize efficiency, enhance productivity, and increase access to necessary information for all internal and external stakeholders.
- Manage organizational operations and the planning, supervision, and evaluation of the staff, programs, services, and facilities of the district.
- Direct the identification of funding opportunities that enhance the district’s revenues through grants, referendums and legislation.
- Promote equitable and inclusive recruiting, hiring, and onboarding practices to find, grow, and keep a diverse team.
- Develop the leadership pipeline and tap into the potential of current and future leaders.
What Skills You Need to Be Successful (Competencies)
Student-Centered Instructional Leadership
- Track record of improving outcomes for all students, and especially Black, Latinx, and Asian communities.
- Ensures that every aspect of academic and non-academic programming is tailored to meet the needs of our students, with attention to our most vulnerable and marginalized students.
- Challenges assumptions and preconceived notions when needed to avoid distraction from core priorities and goals in the best interest of student success.
Demonstrated Ability to Implement and Manage Equitable Practices
-
Addresses matters of race, equity and bias in how decisions are made with clarity, confidence, humility, historical context, and empathy. Recognizes power dynamics that exist within the organization at all levels and eliminates inequities through honest conversations and purposeful actions.
- Navigates systemic racism and other oppressive systems through intentional analysis and documented action; addresses systemic inequities to improve the experience and outcomes for students, teachers, staff and families of color across the district.
- Fosters, promotes, and drives a culture of inclusion in the organization and commits to strengthen equitable practices in the district’s planning, prioritization and implementation of key initiatives.
- Creates authentic, meaningful relationships across lines of difference (race, ethnicity, gender, age, socioeconomic background, LGBTQIA+ status, etc.) both internally and externally.
Collaboration and Coalition Building
- Builds coalitions and fosters collaborative relationships with others that are impactful and sustainable.
- Views families, students, staff and partners as assets and welcomes input from others.
- Builds trust among Board members, district staff, teachers, and leaders, and core stakeholders to establish a shared vision for the district.
- Navigates politically complex structures, relationships and dynamics to challenge ideas and enable thoughtful decisions and positive outcomes for students.
- Maintains visibility with purpose in our schools, community, and with district partners.
- Demonstrates cultural fluency, responsiveness, and awareness while approaching the work with a strong equity lens to establish a culture of growth and a learning mindset around issues of equity and inclusion.
Team Leadership
- Strengthens the professional climate and culture of our staff so that they are able to do their best work.
- Effectively balances the tension between local site based decision making, school leaders and the vision/need for coherence and equity across all schools.
- Builds, inspires, manages and coaches an effective senior leadership team/Cabinet to achieve ambitious goals aligned with the strategic plan.
- Holds self and others accountable for high standards of performance, communication, collaboration and transparency toward the achievement of key goals and priorities.
Systems Perspective
- Effectively prioritize competing demands.
- Displays the will and skill to interrupt inequitable processes, systems, and practices through honest dialogue; goes beyond recognition of racial disparities to take responsibility and accountability for making things just.
- Analyzes complex situations and data, before making decisions, and then sets clear metrics for success, monitor progress and honestly acknowledge mistakes when something does not go as planned.
- Operates at a micro and macro level, paying acute attention to detail while balancing the overarching goals with detailed steps to achieve the district’s objectives and priorities.
Innovation
- Commits to continuous improvement through analysis, inquiry, and assessment of results and alignment to district strategic priorities.
- Willing to disrupt long-standing patterns in order to find creative solutions. Envisions the possibilities that others may not see and offer innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems.
- Unifies students, parents, board members, education leaders, city and state officials, and other key stakeholders behind a shared vision to inspire and drive investment in the district's programming and operational needs.
Minimum Qualifications
- At least three years of teaching/classroom experience or experience in a direct student-facing role.
- Demonstrated track record of success with improving student and data-driven decision making ideally in an urban public school district setting.
- Administrative experience leading an organization matching the scale and complexity of an urban school system; includes managing a budget and leadership team supporting multiple units or organizations spread over a geographic area.
- Successful experience working in diverse economic, multicultural, and multilingual communities and environments. Proven cultural-competence skills with a history of inclusive and relevant equity practices.
- Knowledgeable about Madison and/or committed to becoming an engaged and longstanding member of the community.
- Deep understanding of the complexity of education systems and evidence of leading large scale change in urban public school contexts.
- Experience and successful track record of collaboration with labor unions and collective bargaining units.
- Experience working in conjunction with a board to identify priorities, establish goals, monitor progress, and produce outcomes in service to stakeholders.
- Exceptional written, oral, and visual communications skills and a desire to develop and maintain deep relationships with a variety of diverse constituents.
- Meets eligibility criteria for a Superintendent’s license in the State of Wisconsin.
Salary and Benefits
Salary for this integral leadership position is competitive, and commensurate with prior experience. In addition, a
comprehensive benefits package will be included in the ultimate offer for the identified sole finalist. We look
forward to discussing details with you as the interview process progresses.
How to Apply
Alma Advisory Group is honored to support the Madison Metropolitan School District on this search. Qualified
candidates for the role of Superintendent should submit a letter of interest tailored to this opportunity and a
resume that clearly demonstrates the aforementioned qualifications at:
https://apply.workable.com/almaadvisorygroup/j/FA079E2A5A/
Date | Update |
---|---|
Feb. 7, 2024 | Special meeting in closed session - discussing employment related matters and interviews associated with the hiring of a new Superintendent |
Feb. 7, 2024 | Special meeting in closed session - interviews of candidates for superintendent |
Feb. 7, 2024 | Finalist interviews |
Feb. 6, 2024 |
Finalist interviews |
Jan. 23, 2024 | Special meeting in closed session - discussing employment related matters and interviews associated with the hiring of a new Superintendent |
Jan. 18, 2024 | Special meeting in closed session - discussing employment related matters and interviews associated with the hiring of a new Superintendent |
Jan. 16, 2024 | Special meeting in closed session - interviews of candidates for superintendent |
Jan. 12, 2024 | Special meeting in closed session - interviews of candidates for superintendent |
Jan. 4, 2024 | Special meeting in closed session (agenda) - interview preparation associated with the hiring of a new superintendent |
Dec. 20, 2023 | Special meeting in closed session (agenda) - interviews of candidates for superintendent |
Dec. 19, 2023 | Special meeting in closed session (agenda) - interviews of candidates for superintendent |
Dec. 15, 2023 | Special meeting in closed session (Subgroup A agenda; Subgroup B agenda; Subgroup C canceled agenda) - initial interviews of candidates for superintendent |
Dec. 14, 2023 | Special meeting in closed session (agenda) - initial interviews of candidates for superintendent |
Dec. 13, 2023 | Special meeting in closed session (agenda) - initial interviews of candidates for superintendent |
Dec. 11, 2023 | Special meeting in closed session (Subgroup A agenda; Subgroup B agenda; Subgroup C agenda) - initial interviews of candidates for superintendent |
Dec. 5, 2023 | Special meeting in closed session (agenda) - interview preparation associated with the hiring of a new superintendent |
Nov. 10, 2023 | Board of Education retreat (agenda) |
Oct. 30, 2023 |
Special meeting in open session workshop; |
Oct. 17, 2023 | Special meeting in open session workshop; update on data analysis and themes from the community outreach survey (agenda, recording, presentation) |
Oct. 4, 2023 | In-person public session at 6 p.m., Vel Phillips Memorial High School, 201 S. Gammon |
Oct. 3, 2023 | In-person public session at 6 p.m., La Follette High School, 702 Pflaum Road |
Oct. 2, 2023 | In-person public session at 6 p.m., Holtzman Building, 333 Holtzman Road |
Sept. 26, 2023 | Board of Education Regular Meeting, Alma Advisory Group provides an update on the search |
Sept. 22, 2023 | Board of Education retreat, search update discussed |
July 18, 2023 | Special meeting in open session workshop (agenda, video) |
May 15, 2023 | Board Workshop; Board has introductory meeting with search firm, Alma (agenda, video) |
May 1, 2023 | Board approves contract with Alma Advisory Group |
April 17, 2023 | Board selects Alma Advisory Group as their search firm (agenda, video) |
April 17, 2023 | Board evaluates and discusses interviews in closed session (agenda) |
April 14, 2023 | Board interviews one search firm in open session (agenda, video) |
April 13, 2023 | Board interviews two search firms in open session (agenda, video) |
April 1, 2023 | Board receives four proposals; chooses to interview three firms |
March 24, 2023 | RFP closes and responses are gathered |
March 3, 2023 | Board sends out Request for Proposals (RFP) |
Feb 7, 2023 | Dr. Carlton Jenkins, Superintendent, announces his retirement from MMSD |