Here for the Kids 

My superintendent journey began when I moved to Minnesota from Madison in 2013 to lead Burnsville-Eagan-Savage ISD 191. One of the most amazing parts of this journey has been meeting so many of you. Dr. Henton was a presenter at the Great Start Cohort and did such a great job talking about organization, communication and systems, that I thought for sure I would not last a year. The MASA conferences allowed me to get to know other leaders from around the state and to build a strong professional network. I’m so proud to be the President of an organization that welcomed me with open arms as a new superintendent all those years ago.

Attending my first Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD) meeting, I had no idea that Executive Director Scott Croonquist would become one of my closest colleagues and confidants. AMSD introduced me to so many fellow superintendents and board members, I cannot overstate the importance of forming these relationships as a new superintendent.

Fast forward more than 10 years later, and I was approached by some of these colleagues about nominating me for Minnesota Superintendent of the Year. I was humbled and did not give it much more thought until I was contacted by MASA staff. The MASA application process allowed me to pause and reflect on my role as a leader and the many challenges that I’ve overcome.

Dr. Henton called me in October to inform me I was selected to be the Minnesota Superintendent of the Year. The next step was to complete the AASA application, but the award was far out of my mind as we entered the busy stretch before winter break.

Meanwhile, contract negotiations between SPPS and our teachers union (SPFE) were taking a familiar tone. We decided to jointly file for mediation in December, and with all of the activity throughout the state, there was a significant delay before we were scheduled with the Bureau.

After winter break, I was invited to join three other finalists for interviews and a national press conference in Washington, D.C. The most enjoyable part was meeting the other finalists who hailed from school districts in Georgia, New Hampshire and Texas. It was a whirlwind day, and I had no additional contact from AASA until the national conference in San Diego.

I flew to San Diego in February mentally overloaded. By this time, I had been publicly named as a finalist for superintendent for the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), my hometown and where I spent the first 18 years of my career.  Our negotiations had also escalated with the union holding a strike authorization vote the same day the National Superintendent of the Year award was announced.

February 15 will forever be a memorable day. The morning before the AASA awards ceremony, I received a call from Madison offering me the superintendent position. I accepted during our call and learned the formal announcement would be made once a contract was ready for Board approval.

Standing on the AASA stage a few hours later, I don’t remember much other than Executive Director Dave Schuller saying my name. I received a navy blazer with an AASA Superintendent of the Year nametag. I also received a commemorative check for $10,000 that I get to present to a student either in my current district or my high school alma mater. I’ve decided to split the award and provide two students of color interested in pursuing a career in education a $5,000 award.

Back in St. Paul, our union members overwhelmingly authorized a strike. This is the fourth time I’ve learned the results of a vote like this, and I could not help to think that the irony of all these developments converging on the same day would someday be a good story to tell. But in the moment, I was overwhelmed with receiving a national award, working with my attorney to negotiate a new contract in Madison, and coming back to work with our district bargaining team to prevent a strike.

A week later, MMSD made it public that I would be their next superintendent. The same day, the SPFE union filed their official intent to strike. This letter is filed through the Bureau of Mediation Services and lists the first day that a strike may legally occur. It also creates a sense of urgency for all parties to clear their calendars and be ready for around-the-clock negotiation sessions.

Following a 40-hour weekend of mediation and a full-day session on Monday, we entered Tuesday, March 5, with a final package that was accepted by our union. The strike was averted hours before we would have informed our staff and families about strike preparations. We held a press conference that afternoon and closed the book on teacher negotiations, my last in St. Paul.

The theme of the AASA National Conference this year was: Here for the Kids. At 8 a.m. the morning after our contract settlement, I was off to Battle Creek Middle School, where I have led a boys group since fall of 2022. This group of Black middle school boys is incredibly important to me. On this Wednesday, we got to work talking about some of the situations they have found themselves in recently. We have built a tremendous sense of trust and as much as I enjoy my exchanges with them, I thoroughly enjoy hearing their peer-to-peer interactions as well.

Following the boys group I was off to American Indian Magnet School. Last year I visited classrooms to observe our small group, Science of Reading-grounded strategy called WINN (What I Need Now). I was so impressed with a sixth grade WINN teacher that I asked if I could visit one of her classes every three weeks. Already halfway through the school year, the progress I am seeing is incredible. The best part during my last visit happened as I watched the teacher spend time with each student during individual read-aloud. As she sat with one student, I heard her say in a loud whisper: “I’m so proud of you.”

I wish I had a camera to take a picture of the student’s face as her teacher said those words. It was priceless to see a love for reading and learning being developed right before my eyes because of the commitment and awareness of a phenomenal teacher. In my quick debrief with the teacher following class, I told her I observed the whole interaction. I could sense how important it was for her efforts to be seen and validated.

Thinking about the award I was so honored to receive, guiding our team to a contract settlement, and preparing to leave SPPS for Madison—while all are extremely important, personal and emotional, my morning spent at those two schools reminded me what really matters in the work we do as leaders. We are Here for the Kids.