Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/133552
Have you been to Wisconsin before? My mom grew up in Whitewater on a farm. She and my dad actually met in Whitewater. My dad was going to school at the university there for the summer. I still have relatives in Wisconsin. My mom is thrilled that my husband, my son and I are moving to Wisconsin. What is the root of your passion for education? A lot of why I first became a teacher had to do with my older brother. He was someone I really looked up to growing up, and he struggled through school, especially through all of high school. It was through him that I figured out that not all people have the experience in school that I did. I think we all have people in our lives we look up to, who we know are bright, and it doesn't make sense that they are not thriving in school. That's a lot of why I became a teacher. What is your favorite part of the job? This really is a dream job for me, so there are many parts of it that I love. But I think the opportunity to be in schools, talk with teachers and interact with students is one of my favorite parts. You're coming from Chicago, an enormous school district where you were the chief administrator in charge of instruction. How do the challenges there compare to those you will face in Madison? I think the issues we face in large school districts are similar. Changing demographics here are the same as many large urban districts. Learning to meet the needs of English-language learners is the same because we have more and more students [for whom English is not their first language]. The challenge of keeping students engaged at the high school level and helping them see the relevance of what they are learning, how it will lead to a viable career path—that's something all school districts face. [But] unlike Chicago where we have more than 600 schools, or in San Diego where we have more than 200 schools, in Madison I'm going to easily be able to get every principal into a room and get to know what is happening in each school in a much more intimate way. The size of Madison will allow me, I think, to make a larger impact in a shorter period of time. "I feel very strongly that this is a place where we can be successful at serving all children well." 36 BRAVA Magazine June 2013