Dr. Joe Gothard named Madison’s new superintendent

MADISON, Wis. (WMDX) – Dr. Joe Gothard has been offered a contract to become the Madison School District’s new superintendent. The Madison School Board unanimously approved the contract at their meeting Monday night.

Gothard will be replacing Madison’s interim superintendent Liza Kvistad, who took over the role after former superintendent Carlton Jenkins stepped down last year. 

Dr. Gothard currently serves as superintendent at Saint Paul Public Schools in Minnesota, a role he’s held since 2017. Earlier this month, Gothard was named the National Superintendent of the Year by AASA, The School Superintendent Association. 

Dr. Gothard is a Madison native, having attended elementary, middle, and high school within the Madison School District. He later served as principal at two Madison schools, Akira R. Toki Middle School and Robert M. La Follette High School. Gothard also worked as the District’s Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools.

At Monday’s School Board meeting, Board Member Ali Muldrow praised Gothard for his work here in Madison. “I am tremendously grateful for my fellow board members, and for the opportunity we have in this moment to vote and approve this contract to vote for somebody who went through our system, who taught here, was principal here, and was just named Superintendent of the Year,” Muldrow said. 

Gothard beat out two other finalists for the position – Mohamed Choudury, former State Superintendent of Maryland Schools, and Dr. Yvonne Stokes, Superintendent at Hamilton Southeastern Schools in Indiana. 

“Having grown up in Madison, and having attended MMSD from kindergarten through grade 12, I am excited to return home,” Dr. Gothard says. “Thank you to the Board of Education for selecting me to lead the MMSD community. I eagerly anticipate reconnecting with familiar faces, while also building new relationships with staff, students, families, and partners who are dedicated to advancing MMSD’s excellence. Together, we will create a shared pride in our efforts to make MMSD the best it can be.”

Interim Superintendent Kvistad will continue to serve in her role until Gothard’s contract begins on July 1, 2024. Gothard will be paid a salary of $299,000 a year. The Madison School Board and Dr. Gothard will hold an introductory press conference in the coming weeks to reintroduce Gothard to the Madison community.