The Madison Metropolitan School District consists of 53 schools educating more than 24,000 students in grades prekindergarten-12. The district strives to assure that every student gains not only the educational tools, but also the personal tools, needed to live a successful life.

Leader: Daniel Nerad

Position: Madison Metropolitan School District superintendent

Website: www.madison.k12.wi.us

As Madison Metropolitan School District’s new superintendent, what role do you intend to play in the community and state?

From an overarching point of view, it is to ensure that students develop as good learners and as good citizens.

To develop in young people the right kind of dispositions toward others, the understanding that community matters and what role people can have in making a community a better community. I see that part of our mission as equally important.

What aspects of your initiatives are a direct reflection of need in Madison?

After the first of the year, we are going to bring a large group of stakeholders together to re-do the strategic plan for the district.

I’ll help shape that, but it can’t be my strategic plan. It has to be the strategic plan for Madison Metropolitan School District, and it has to be community involved. What I intend to do is live that plan through my leadership work.

What are your plans for initiating a 4-year-old kindergarten program in Madison?

Right now, we are one of a category of school districts equaling 30 percent in this state that don’t have 4-year-old kindergarten. Seventy percent of the districts do. So the question is why do communities want [it]?

There has been a business case that has been made on the cost benefit of early investments in kids. There are benefits to the community in having early learning programs. Why wouldn’t we want to have that for our kids here?

What is something unusual or unexpected that you are fueling or accomplishing that the community might not be aware of?

I have lived my superintendency with very unusual ways to engage. We set up tables at farmers’ markets, and eventually, I will do a bunch of grocery store visits. I do it because it is on people’s own terms. Part of the problem of public life is that some people won’t come to meetings. There’s this distance between people. I try and find clever and unique ways to break that down.

So far, what has been your favorite moment or memory involving your role as superintendent?

Every year, I always spend part of the first day of school with the kindergarteners, because it’s the most unique slice of Americana. You have kids who are there with their parents on the kindergarten playground, ready to bound into school. And then you have some who are clinging to their parent’s leg. That’s always been a remarkable scene for me to watch.

In what ways can the community get involved with education initiatives?

First, and I think this is one of the strengths of this community, is to be knowledgeable about education initiatives and to be knowledgeable about why it is important that young people are successful.

To know that the community will remain strong if the schools remain strong, which means the opposite is true as well.

What is the first word that comes to mind when I say Wisconsin?

It’s two words actually. It’s good people. A lot of good people.