Joe Gothard, superintendent of the St. Paul school district in Minnesota鈥檚 capital, has been named the 2024 National Superintendent of the Year, considered the most prestigious award for district leaders.
Gothard, who has been superintendent in St. Paul since 2017, said during a brief acceptance speech that he was honored to accept the award on behalf of the district鈥檚 school board, 33,000 students, 6,000 staff members and 鈥渁 loving community that cares deeply about the success of students.鈥�
The award was presented here during the National Conference on Education hosted by AASA, The School Superintendents鈥� Association.
Gothard, 52, also acknowledged the superintendents from across the country in attendance, as well as his wife and three children.
鈥淚t really is an honor to be a leader amongst all of you,鈥� he said.
The other finalists for the national award were: Martha Salazar-Zamora of the Tomball, Texas, school district; Kimberly Rizzo Saunders of Contoocook Valley schools in Peterborough, N.H.; and Frederick Williams from Georgia鈥檚 Dublin City school system.
During a January panel discussion of the four finalists in January, Gothard discussed his desire to spend the $206 million St. Paul received in federal pandemic relief funds in a strategic way.
St. Paul used some of its pandemic relief funds to create a districtwide innovation office, he said.
Staff in that new department conducted a needs assessment that has led to several new initiatives, including an overhaul of the district鈥檚 reading instruction strategy.
鈥淚 did not want to take that money and spend it in the way that we鈥檝e always spent our money,鈥� Gothard said during the January event. 鈥淲e had to do more.鈥�
He also said he has spent much of his tenure working to meet students鈥� needs, rather than trying to force students to fit into a predetermined education mold.
鈥淚t鈥檚 happening because we want to ensure that we know who our students are, and they know the opportunities that they have in our school district,鈥� Gothard said.
Gothard holds several leadership positions, including president of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators and member of the Council of Great City Schools鈥� executive committee.
Before becoming St. Paul鈥檚 superintendent, he served as superintendent of Minnesota鈥檚 Burnsville-Eagan-Savage school district. Prior to that position, he served as a principal and assistant superintendent in Madison, Wis.
Finalists for the Superintendent of the Year award are chosen from winners of the state superintendent of the year contests. They鈥檙e evaluated on four criteria: how their creative leadership meets students鈥� needs, communication skills, professionalism, and community involvement. An AASA panel of judges then selects the winner.
A student attending the high school from which the superintendent graduated or a school in the St. Paul district will receive a $10,000 scholarship in Gothard鈥檚 name.
