The Madison Metropolitan School District has named two former education administrators and one current administrator as finalists to be the next superintendent.
Two of the finalists left their former jobs after facing criticism for their performance.
The finalists are Mohammed Choudhury, the former state superintendent of schools at the Maryland Department of Education; Joe Gothard, a Madison native who is superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools in Minnesota; andYvonne Stokes, the formersuperintendent at Hamilton Southeastern Schools in Indiana.
The Madison School Board began interviews with candidates in closed meetings last month and selected the three candidates from nearly 60 applicants, according to district officials.
The finalists will participate in a final round of in-person interviews next week with the board as well as over 100 nominated community members and staff who were selected through a lottery process.
On Feb. 6, two of the interviews will be recorded and live-streamed online, including one interview with a student panel from noon to 1:30 p.m. and another with parents and caregivers from 6:30 p.m. to 8:55 p.m.
The board expects to select MMSD’s next leader in late February, replacing former Superintendent Carlton Jenkins, who retired last summer after three years at the helm. Formerly retired educator Lisa Kvistad is serving as interim superintendent for the current school year.
Who are the candidates?
One candidate, Gothard, received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in education from Edgewood College in Madison, where he also holds a position on the school’s board of trustees. He has been superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools since 2017 and has held various positions within the Madison school district, including principal of La Follette High School and Akira Toki Middle School.
The second candidate, Stokes, began her role in 2021 as superintendent of Hamilton Southeastern Schools, a suburban school district in central Indiana. The district’s first Black superintendent, she resigned in 2023 amid divisive politics at school board meetings and received pushback for her efforts to make the district more diverse and inclusive.
Stokes holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Purdue University. Prior to her time as superintendent of Hamilton Southeastern, she held various administrative positions in schools throughout Indiana.
The third candidate, Choudhury, holds a master’s of education in urban schooling from the University of California, Los Angeles. He formerly served as the state superintendent of schools in Maryland from 2021 to 2023 and as the chief strategy, talent and innovation officer for the San Antonio Independent School District in Texas.
Choudhury was expected to be appointed to another term as Maryland’s state superintendent of schools but resigned after failing to secure support from “a majority of the 14-member board because of the way he ran the department and interacted with other state officials,” according to a story from the Washington Post.
An investigation by the Post, which included interviews with over 50 people, detailed allegations that he created a “toxic” work environment, micromanaged others and failed to communicate with legislators. Choudhury decided in September not to seek a second term and to instead work as a senior adviser for the state Board of Education.
In a prepared statement, MMSD Board President Nichelle Nichols said the board is “extremely pleased” with the three candidates.
“They each reflect the diverse needs of our community and the competencies that we agreed upon in November,” she said. “Our three finalists have exceeded our expectations, and we’re excited for the community to meet them next week.”
Criteria for superintendent
In a job profile crafted with input from the community and Chicago-based consulting firm Alma Advisory Group,the board specified it is looking for a leader wholistens to students,knows Madisonor is willing to become a “longstanding member of the community,” and holds themselves and others accountable for performance on key goals.
The profile additionally seeks someone who has experience working with diverse populations and has a background as an educator or in a student-facing position.It also calls for a student-centered leader who builds relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders and has a commitment to working on issues of race and equity.
Whoever is chosen will become the fourth person to lead the district since 2019. The next superintendent will also take over at a challenging time, with COVID-19 federal funding set to expire and the board determining the 2024-25 budget.
Note: Updated to include clarifying details about Mohammed Choudhury's departure from his former job.
Kayla Huynh joined the Cap Times in 2021 and covers higher education. She graduated from Northwestern University with a master's degree in journalism after attending UW-Madison.
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Based on the information provided in the article, the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) has named three finalists for the position of superintendent: Mohammed Choudhury, Joe Gothard, and Yvonne Stokes. The MMSD Board selected these candidates from a pool of nearly 60 applicants after conducting closed interviews with them.
Let's take a closer look at each candidate:
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Mohammed Choudhury:
- Former state superintendent of schools at the Maryland Department of Education.
- Holds a master's degree in education in urban schooling from the University of California, Los Angeles.
- Previously served as the chief strategy, talent, and innovation officer for the San Antonio Independent School District in Texas.
- Faced criticism and resigned from his position as Maryland's state superintendent of schools due to allegations of creating a "toxic" work environment and failing to communicate effectively with legislators.
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Joe Gothard:
- Superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools in Minnesota.
- Holds bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in education from Edgewood College in Madison.
- Has held various positions within the Madison school district, including principal of La Follette High School and Akira Toki Middle School.
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Yvonne Stokes:
- Former superintendent at Hamilton Southeastern Schools in Indiana.
- Holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Purdue University.
- Resigned from her position amid divisive politics at school board meetings and pushback for her efforts to make the district more diverse and inclusive.
The MMSD Board is looking for a superintendent who:
- Listens to students.
- Knows Madison or is willing to become a longstanding member of the community.
- Holds themselves and others accountable for performance on key goals.
- Has experience working with diverse populations.
- Has a background as an educator or in a student-facing position.
- Is a student-centered leader committed to working on issues of race and equity.
The board expects to select the next superintendent in late February, who will take over at a challenging time with the expiration of COVID-19 federal funding and the determination of the 2024-25 budget.
Please note that the information provided is based on the search results and this article. It is always recommended to refer to official sources and district announcements for the most up-to-date and accurate information.
