Dear Colleagues,

Every day, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the students, families and staff of Saint Paul Public Schools. At the Board of Education meeting last Tuesday, I was reminded what a great privilege and even greater responsibility it is to be the Superintendent of this district as the Board voted to approve my next three-year contract.

When I came to SPPS in 2017, I was committed to staying for as long as I could. With everything that has happened between then and now, my commitment to this district hasn’t wavered. Continuity in leadership is increasingly uncommon. I am now among the minority of superintendents in large urban districts who have been in place since before the pandemic. I don’t take that for granted.

I recently read an article entitled “CEOs Have Lost Touch with Frontline Workers.” A school district is not a corporation, but a lot of what the writer talked about rings true. He cited a study that found that CEOs spend, on average, just 6% of their time with frontline teams. While I think my number is higher than that, I know I have room for improvement.

Whether it’s healthcare or retail or education, we often hear the “C-Suite” (or in our case, “360”) doesn’t know what’s really happening on the ground. Having been an EA, teacher, coach and principal, I have been in many of your shoes. I also hear from staff on a regular basis about what they’re dealing with and how decisions I’ve made have impacted them. But it’s not the same as doing the job day in and day out, and I know that. This year, I am making a point to be present in our buildings and out in our community more, and in meeting rooms less.

I am also more committed than ever to keeping equity and our students’ long-term outcomes at the center of every decision we make. This is my “why,” and I know the same is true for everyone who chooses to work here. Custodians, clerks, accountants, security staff, TAs; no matter your role, what you do every day has an impact on the young people in our schools. On good days and bad, I hope you always circle back to your “why” and remember how much you impact the students and families of SPPS.

I know this year has had its challenges, and the fatigue is real. Changes in our high school schedules, staff shortages in some schools and departments, and the current surge in illness-related absences can wear on us all. This job has never been easy, and I don’t think it ever will be. Whether you work in a school or an administrative role, I see how hard you work. Thank you for all you do. I look forward to seeing you soon.

In Partnership,

Joe Gothard, Superintendent