MMSD’s Superintendent, Dr. Joe Gothard, Exceeds Expectations in Annual Performance Review

MADISON, Wis.—The Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education has completed its annual evaluation of Superintendent Dr. Joe Gothard. This review process, which covered the first year of the superintendent’s tenure, was a collaborative effort between the Board of Education and the superintendent, utilizing a comprehensive framework that included the Wisconsin Association of School Boards’ First-Year Evaluation prompts and elements from the Superintendent Job Description.

The evaluation found that the superintendent exceeded expectations in all six key areas: 

• Community Relationships and Engagement
• Teaming, Management, and Oversight
• Educational Excellence
• Ethical Decision-making 
• Board Relationships and Leadership Skills

“We’re grateful for Dr. Gothard’s strong commitment to students and to strengthening community relationships, partnerships and pride in the district,” said Board President Nichelle Nichols. “We also appreciate the collaborative way that he works with the Board. Our shared leadership is critical to the district’s success, and together, we set the tone for the district and drive our vision forward.”

The Board’s statement is as follows: 

On behalf of the Board of Education, we are pleased to share an overview of Superintendent Dr. Joe Gothard’s recent annual evaluation. 

We were pleased to see several academic achievements. One example is the notable growth we’ve seen in literacy and math, showing that more students are now meeting grade-level expectations. We were also pleased to see that MMSD’s most significant gains are among students who have historically been underserved, showing that opportunity gaps are beginning to close. While these are important successes, we stress that work to address long-standing disparities must continue, and that these persistent challenges remain at the forefront of the superintendent’s work moving forward at MMSD. 

We’d also like to highlight the increase in students participating and excelling in Advanced Placement (AP) exams. This spring, over 2,000 high school students took more than 4,200 Advanced Placement exams, and 80% of them scored three or higher (up from 76% last school year). We know that these opportunities benefit our students by saving them time and money, and also may lead to them earning college credit and even an associate’s degree while in high school. Additionally, we are pleased that more students are coming to school because attendance is a strong predictor of student success. When they are in class, they are engaged, learning and developing the skills they need to thrive. 

We appreciate the initiative the superintendent took to quickly expand full-day 4K programming at Huegel, Lapham, Midvale, and Muir, along with introducing a pilot five-day 4K offering at Olson. The ability to grow the 4K program within a limited amount of time speaks to his dedication to early learning and commitment to ensuring that students have the foundation they need for educational success. In addition, “Mad for Reading,” a citywide literacy initiative, was launched, and MMSD offered the first Freedom School in Wisconsin at Mendota Elementary. 

We were particularly impressed by the superintendent’s dedication to community engagement, which has been vital in strengthening public support and led to the successful passage of two historic referendums, garnering approximately 70% of the vote. In addition, he is committed to further building that support through advocacy and raising awareness of the financial challenges public schools are facing at the state and federal levels. The superintendent’s commitment to visiting schools and engaging with students, staff and families has fostered a strong sense of partnership among all stakeholders, and this is evident as he continues to lead with People, Purpose and Pride. 

We also recognize the significant progress he has made in district operations, including streamlining key functions to maximize efficiency, using data-driven dashboards to improve staffing and establishing an Enrollment Strategy Team. He has launched our much needed boundary review, “Building for the Future,” and we are currently finalizing our strategic framework, “MMSD: Excellence Together.” All of these efforts are crucial for the long-term sustainability and success of our district, and we are pleased to see this work moving forward. 

Looking ahead, we are excited to continue our partnership with the superintendent as we work together on the district’s new strategic plan. Our shared priorities are centered on ensuring that all students are valued, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential. We are committed to building a learning community that delivers high-quality instruction, strengthens positive relationships and partners with families to achieve educational excellence for all.

We look forward to our continued work together. We will provide updates on our progress and the measurable objectives we will set to guide the district’s future.

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About the Madison Metropolitan School District

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is the second-largest school district in Wisconsin, serving more than 25,000 students across 52 schools. The district’s vision is that every school will be a thriving school that prepares every student to graduate ready for college, career and community. With more than 6,000 teachers and staff, MMSD is committed to ensuring the district’s goals and core values are held at the center of its efforts, so students can learn, belong and thrive. For more information, visit mmsd.org.

Direct deposit now required for federal payments: Dupaco helps members make the switch 

DUBUQUE, Iowa — Effective today, Executive Order 14247, titled “Modernizing Payments To and From American’s Bank Account,” goes into effect, marking a significant shift in how federal payments are delivered. The U.S. Treasury has officially phased out paper checks for most federal payments, requiring all individuals to enroll in direct deposit to avoid delays or disruptions.  

To help ensure a smooth transition, Dupaco Credit Union reminds individuals to update their payment method to avoid any disruption in benefits. This change affects all individuals who receive payments from agencies including: 

• Social Security Administration (SSA) 
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 
• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
• U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) 
• Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) 
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) 

Important details for individuals receiving federal payments: 

• If you are already using direct deposit: No action is needed. 
• If you are still receiving a paper check: Immediate enrollment in direct deposit is required to avoid payment delays. 

“Direct deposit is a safer, faster and more reliable way to receive your money,” said Katie Shemak, AVP, Deposit Operations at Dupaco. “It eliminates the risk of lost or stolen checks and ensures funds are available without delay. Our team is here to help members make the switch with confidence.”  

Dupaco urges those receiving paper checks for their federal payments to visit GoDirect.gov to sign up for direct deposit. To set up direct deposit, individuals will need their full account number and financial institution’s routing number.  

“If you don’t have access to technology or aren’t sure what to do, I recommend reaching out to a trusted family member or your financial institution to help,” said Shemak. “There are resources available to guide you and it’s important to get your payments set up to avoid delays.” 

Why the change? According to the U.S. Treasury, the move to electronic payments is intended to: 

• Reduce fraud: Check fraud has increased 385% nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Prevent delays: Paper checks are 16 times more likely to be lost, stolen, or delayed. 
• Lower costs: Paper checks cost the government about 50 cents each, compared to less than 15 cents for electronic transfers. 

The US Treasury is allowing exceptions to the new rule and waivers may be granted for individuals with documented mental disabilities or those living in remote areas without access to electronic banking. To request a waiver, call 1-855-290-1545. 

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ABOUT DUPACO COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION  

Dupaco Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa. It is dedicated to the financial well-being of its members, and specializes in personalized financial counseling, money advice and education. It offers savings, loans, investments, insurance and wealth management products for individuals and businesses. Dupaco serves residents in 118 counties throughout Iowa, northwest Illinois and southwest Wisconsin. Founded in 1948 by ten Dubuque Packing Company employees, membership has grown to more than 176,000 with assets exceeding $3.6 billion. It has over 600 employees and 23 branch office locations. Learn more at www.dupaco.com. 

Bank of Sun Prairie Joins ABA and Banks Across U.S. for #BanksNeverAskThat Campaign

America’s banks join forces in coordinated, industry-wide campaign to protect consumers during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Today Bank of Sun Prairie joined the American Bankers Association and banks across the nation to promote an industry-wide campaign educating consumers about the persistent and growing threat of scams. The FTC estimates that consumers lost $12.5 billion to scams in 2024, an increase of 25% compared to 2023. To combat these scams, the award-winning #BanksNeverAskThat campaign uses attention-grabbing humor and other engaging content to empower consumers to identify bogus bank communications asking for sensitive information like their passwords and social security numbers.

“It’s especially important for all of us to be diligent when it comes to recognizing scams. We’re all at risk; we need to take a moment to really understand if what is being presented to us is in reality criminals at work,” stated Jimmy Kauffman, president and chief executive officer at Bank of Sun Prairie. “This campaign by the American Bankers Association really hits the mark with humor and memorable examples to help us all get better at being safe.”

“As scams become increasingly sophisticated, it’s critical that individuals understand how to recognize and avoid deceptive tactics,” said Paul Benda, senior vice president, operational risk and cybersecurity at ABA. “The #BanksNeverAskThat campaign is designed to do just that —empowering consumers with knowledge in a way that’s engaging and memorable. By joining the campaign, Bank of Sun Prairie and financial institutions throughout the country are helping their customers stay one step ahead of scammers.”

Bank of Sun Prairie, along with banks from across the U.S., will join forces with ABA to kick off this year’s updated campaign on Oct. 1 to mark the beginning of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Throughout the month Bank of Sun Prairie will share eye-catching and engaging short videos and consumer tips on social media and in bank branches designed to highlight common scams. Because cybersecurity education and fraud awareness can often be dull and forgettable to many consumers, the #BanksNeverAskThat campaign is designed to be bright and bold with a bit of comedy.

This year’s campaign theme, “Snap Out of It!” highlights that scammers often lure consumers into a false sense of trust and security – almost a spellbound state – while demanding urgent action. The campaign’s short videos show various scams in progress, but before the consumer can be defrauded, a bank employee calls attention to the red flags and encourages the victim to “snap out of it!” The trance is broken, and the scammers are stopped in their tracks.

In addition to videos, consumers can find an interactive quiz, the educational “Scam City” video game, and tips on how to spot a scam at BanksNeverAskThat.com. There is also a Spanish language version of the website, BancosNuncaPidenEso.com, which provides a host of #BanksNeverAskThat resources in Spanish.

For more information about scams and how to stop fraudsters in their tracks, visit BanksNeverAskThat.com.

Bank of Sun Prairie is a locally owned, full-service community bank with $724 million in assets and four branches in Sun Prairie and Cottage Grove, Wis. Its mission is to be trusted advisor and community ally lifting people and organizations up, milestone to milestone, through leading-edge financial services and personal support. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender.

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Two Greater Madison Distilleries Up For USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards

Two distilleries in Greater Madison have been nominated for USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

J. Henry & Sons in Dane is nominated for Best Whiskey, and Dancing Goat Distillery in Cambridge is nominated for Best Distillery Tour.

The distilleries were nominated to the Top 20 lists in their respective categories by a panel of USA Today editors. You can vote for each one to be included in the final Top 10 list until voting ends on Monday, October 13 at 11 a.m. CT. You can vote up to once per day in both categories. The 10 winners for each list will be announced on Wednesday, October 22.

Learn more and cast your votes for J. Henry & Sons here, and for Dancing Goat Distillery here.

MMSD Launches “Mad for Reading” App to Spark Student Engagement

MADISON, Wis.—The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) has launched the Mad for Reading App, powered by Beanstack, giving students and families a new way to celebrate and track their reading.

The app makes reading fun and interactive for students of all ages. By logging their reading, students can earn digital badges, participate in challenges, and build streaks by reading and tracking their progress on a personal virtual bookshelf. Any kind of reading counts—fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, articles, audiobooks, even being read to by a teacher or family member. 

“Our goal is simple: to get students reading more and enjoying it,” said Maegan Heindel, MMSD’s library services coordinator. “By providing all kinds of literacy connections and entry points, we’re helping kids discover and read what they love while building a lifelong habit.”

The district has set a shared goal of 2.6 million minutes read this school year. Every student’s reading contributes toward that total, reinforcing the idea that individual efforts add up to collective success.

“Reading is the foundation of learning, and this app helps us meet students where they are,” Heindel added. “Whether a child is just beginning their literacy journey or already devouring books, the Mad for Reading App makes it easy to recognize their growth and celebrate it with their family and school community.”

Getting started is simple. At school, students are able to log in through their device using Classlink. At home, families can download the Beanstack mobile app from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store, using their student’s Classlink username (ID number) to connect reading minutes between home and school.

The launch of the Mad for Reading App aligns with MMSD’s districtwide literacy priority, building excitement and accountability around reading while engaging families as partners.

For more information about MMSD’s ongoing Mad for Reading initiative, please visit the district’s website.

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About the Madison Metropolitan School District

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is the second-largest school district in Wisconsin, serving more than 25,000 students across 52 schools. The district’s vision is that every school will be a thriving school that prepares every student to graduate ready for college, career and community. With more than 6,000 teachers and staff, MMSD is committed to ensuring the district’s goals and core values are held at the center of its efforts, so students can learn, belong and thrive. For more information, visit mmsd.org.