“As a District, we’ve been saying how are we going to build on a culture of excellence, equity, and inclusion where scholars truly see themselves in the various spaces and where families see themselves in the various spaces and where they can thrive in these spaces,” said Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent Dr. Carlton Jenkins at the annual State of the District address on Tuesday night in Madison East High School’s auditorium.
Jenkins tackled a multitude of subjects like the racial achievement gap, pandemic learning, staffing shortages, political polarization, budget challenges, early learning, reading proficiencies and more in front of staff, board members, politicians, community leaders, students, parents and community members.
“We are in a great position as we come together. I’m looking out over the audience and I see many of our community people who I really didn’t think would come out tonight,” Jenkins said. “I see parents. I see some of our scholars. I see our staff. And I’m telling you, I’m proud of this staff. I will put this staff up against anybody, anywhere, any time.”
It’s been a tough pandemic, Jenkins said, but he and his staff have been engaged in conversations and actions over the last 30 months to really try to “become that district that becomes a leader in the nation of showing other districts of how to accelerate learning for all students.”
“We’ve been talking about as a staff how we’re addressing disparities often faced by students from historically excluded groups,” Jenkins said. “It’s a hot topic across the nation. We’ve been talking about how we’re going to provide support for the whole student. We’ve been talking about how we’re going to support our staff and support ourselves as we’re going through this with our students socially, emotionally and mentally.”
Jenkins said that we know that we have the right ingredients in Madison for academic success.
“When you look around in Madison, we truly do have a dynamic and diverse student population,” he said. “In Madison, we have a dedicated staff and outstanding families. We have a truly committed community serious about public education. We have serious intellectual proudness in our community. We have Madison College. We have Edgewood College. We have the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“In Madison, we have this outstanding potential to do things that other people aren’t doing, but also dropping our egos and doing some things that other people are doing,” he added.
The annual State of the District address also featured a Ho-Chunk land acknowledgment and students singing “The Star Spangled Banner” and performing
“Lift Every Voice and Sing” on saxophone. Ali Muldrow, president of the Madison School Board, and Madison Teachers Inc. (MTI) President Michael Jones spoke briefly to attendees.
“The Madison Metropolitan School District is healthy, strong and forward-thinking,” Jenkins said. “We’re on our way. We’re moving in Madison.
Jenkins thanked the late Dr. John Odom, a legendary Madison-area African American educator who passed away in October of 2020, for inspiration.
“There’s much work still to be done. But we’re in it and I want to say that we’re really proud of our staff, our students, and the commitment you’ve shown this community and the way you’ve welcomed me back in.”
