The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) Board of Education announced in a press release Monday that Dr. Joe Gothard has been chosen to lead the District as its next Superintendent, pending Board approval of his contract. The board will vote on that contract at a special meeting at 5:30 today, ahead of its regular meeting at 6 pm.
It 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,” Gothard said in a statement. “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.”
Presently the Superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools, the second-largest and most diverse school district in Minnesota, Dr. Gothard was recently named the 2024 National Superintendent of the Year by AASA, The School Superintendents Association, which measures applicants’ leadership for learning, communication, professionalism, and community involvement.
“There was overwhelming support for Dr. Gothard, both among the Board and in our community,” Madison Board of Education President Nichelle Nichols said in a statement. “We are excited to welcome him back to Madison, and we look forward to his contributions to improving educational outcomes for students across our district.”
If approved, 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, the district said.
