The face of Madison schools: Dan Nerad takes over in July

Tamira Madsen  —  6/18/2008 7:08 am

(Click here for an audio slideshow of excerpts from the Nerad interview.)

GREEN BAY -- It was a nightmare parents, students, teachers and administrators think will never happen within a school in their own city.

Three troubled teenage boys make bombs, stockpile a stash of weapons and camouflage apparel, and write suicide notes in a plot to attack their high school.

The Columbine-like attack was planned for Green Bay East High School in September 2006 but was averted when another student caught wind of the plot and told an associate principal. After police confiscated bombs and a box of guns from one of the student's homes, the boys were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree homicide. In a plea deal, one of the students had the homicide charge dismissed, but all three received jail sentences ranging from five months to six years.

The potential tragedy put Superintendent Dan Nerad in a national spotlight, and many Green Bay teachers and community leaders said his leadership after the crisis was one of the highlights of his six-year tenure. He reassured a shaken community that their schools would be safe by releasing a great deal of information about the planned attack and also by shepherding through stronger security measures for district schools.

"He handled the East High incident with such grace," said Paul Jadin, president of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and the city's former mayor.

"Grace" is the kind of word people use about Nerad, 56, who will begin work as superintendent of the Madison Metropolitan School District on July 1. Colleagues and observers in Green Bay were jealous that Madison was able to lure the 2006 state superintendent of the year away. They point to his listening skills, social work background and decision-making abilities in a rapidly changing urban school district as his biggest strengths.

Hailed as a hard worker by district peers and teachers, in person, Nerad is a quiet and astute listener who weighs opinions, questions and ideas in a thoughtful manner.

It's the quiet that marks the greatest contrast with outgoing Superintendent Art Rainwater, a former football coach with a commanding physical presence. Rainwater's assertive, booming voice resonates in the Doyle Administration Building's auditorium with or without a microphone.

Asked what the biggest difference is between Rainwater and Nerad, School Board President Arlene Silveira said it "will be Dan being out in the community and being more communicative. I think he will be more available and more accessible to the community as a whole. ... I think people should feel very comfortable and confident that stepping in, he will be able to start making decisions and leading us from day one. I think that's a big deal and very positive for us."

OUTREACH and accessibility were hallmarks of Nerad's years as superintendent in Green Bay. So when he starts in Madison this summer, don't be surprised to see him sitting behind a booth at a Madison Mallards amateur baseball game at Warner Park, handing out brochures and bookmarks, getting to know people and listening to their concerns about district issues.

It's a tactic he used in Green Bay in an effort to listen, learn and discuss children's educational needs. Nerad and district officials set up booths at Saturday morning farmers' markets and tables in grocery stores during peak shopping times to reach out to the community. They even drew more than 100 parents, most of Latino heritage, at a Catholic church while their children attended religious education classes.

Though he would get occasional strange looks from shoppers, the scheduled engagement sessions gave people the chance to voice their concerns and "put a face on the superintendency."

"Many people don't know how to act with the superintendent," Nerad said in a recent interview at his office in Green Bay. "It's always amazed me, the number of people that have apologized for taking my time. I never want that.

"They kind of apologize; maybe their issue is something they feel they should call me about. When you go to places on their terms, you get a whole different dynamic."

Nerad worked his way up the ranks for more than three decades in Green Bay. He began his career as a school social worker, working as a supervisor of at-risk programs and then moving on to jobs as executive director and assistant superintendent for curriculum before landing the top job in 2001. His salary is $148,452 a year; he will receive $198,500 as Madison's superintendent.

Several Green Bay teachers said Nerad not only maintained strong relationships with teachers, he also cultivated bonds with parents and students.

Amanda Griggs, an art teacher who splits time between Edison and Washington middle schools, gave one example of Nerad's considerate nature. Every year a piece of student's artwork is selected from each public school, professionally framed and displayed at the school district offices. When students graduate from high school or leave the district, they get to take their artwork with them.

A gallery night is scheduled each school year for students and parents to see the art and talk with the superintendent and teachers. When one student and middle school teacher could not attend the event on its scheduled night, Nerad arranged an additional time and made himself available so the teacher, student and her family could see the artwork.

Griggs said it's that personal touch that sets Nerad apart as an educator.

"I guess it goes along with (education) not being a business. For him, I don't think it's a job -- it's his life," Griggs said. "It's not just a paycheck. It's really meaningful to him.

"You can tell when you see him outside the district, just in the community. He's always thinking about things, and he's always worrying if worrying is necessary, or rejoicing if that's what the case may be."

Jadin, the former mayor, said besides being an advocate for education, Nerad also is a fixture in the community. The friends raised families in homes four blocks apart in one of Green Bay's oldest neighborhoods and were executive committee members on New North, a consortium of leaders from various sectors seeking to bring economic viability and job growth to 18 northeastern Wisconsin counties.

Jadin said Nerad will be missed by many.

"Leadership to me is first and foremost about courage, and he's willing to have the dialogue on those big issues," Jadin said of Nerad. "He's willing to say 'this is where I stand, and this is where I intend to lead,' and then take the hits when a portion of the community says we're not ready for that kind of change.

"I think he has been the right superintendent at a time when Green Bay is going through its most significant demographic change in its history."

FIVE years ago, about 72 percent of the Green Bay Area School District's approximately 20,000 students were white, and 37 percent qualified for free or reduced-price lunches based on family income, according to the state Department of Public Instruction. Now the district is 64 percent white and 49 percent low-income. Ethnically, the Latino and African-American populations are the fastest growing.

Those numbers and trends are comparable to Madison, which now has a white population of 52 percent of its 25,000 students, 41 percent of whom are low-income.

Observers say Nerad made progress in Green Bay on the achievement gap by implementing alternative programs to focus on low-income, minority and non-English-speaking students.

According to David Harswick, president of Green Bay's teachers union, while some members of the Green Bay City Council and Brown County Board sometimes struggle with decision-making on issues associated with immigrant and minority populations, people like Nerad emphasized that the city should strive to be inclusive to all.

"I can't think of any better compliment to one's city than to have people from other countries come here because of what we have to offer in regard to jobs and schools and health care and so forth," Harswick said.

"Dan has been a vocal leader in that respect. And he has tried to work with the Chamber of Commerce. Those folks have been leaders as well. Not to look at the new populations of students as a problem, but as an opportunity for us. It's an opportunity to open up to different cultures. It's an opportunity to learn from other people that are from Mexico, Puerto Rico and other places."

Another recurring issue for school districts, battles over labor contracts, has not been an issue in Green Bay because Nerad is a "people person" who is willing to listen, Harswick said. Three years ago Nerad started a teacher council that includes Harswick, the district's assistant superintendent and 15 teachers, and meets six times annually. The council meetings give teachers the chance to provide input and voice concerns on pressing issues facing the district.

Green Bay, much like Madison and districts throughout the state, has also had to deal with dwindling money due to state-imposed revenue caps. Nerad and Green Bay district officials had to trim $4 million off the school budget for the 2008-09 school year, and once he starts in Madison, Nerad and the Madison School Board will face referendum discussions as a $9.2 million budget shortfall looms for the 2009-10 school year.

Nerad said being deliberate and efficient with conserving money in a struggling economy should be one of the school district's top priorities. It's his objective to take that message "out on the streets" with productive community conversations about education and the district's needs.

"I'll try to bring a planful process to things, which I do believe exists in Madison with how we consider the kind of reductions that need to be made," Nerad said. "But I also will try to balance what happens internally as we do that work with external advocacy and help people understand what's at stake here on behalf of our children if we don't do the right things and we don't have the resources to do them."

Jean Marsch, a 12-year member and fifth-year president of the Green Bay School Board, said Nerad and the board developed a strong working relationship.

Other than a failed high school referendum in 2007, the district, board and community dealt with few polarizing issues under Nerad's watch. In an effort to manage more efficiently, he delegated some administrative tasks such as contracts and purchasing to district employees. That allowed board members to concentrate on other topics, particularly student achievement.

"He also is extremely centered in doing what's right for children," Marsch said. "That's something I value a great deal, and it's a must-have core quality and belief.

"He's also very talented at working with people with divergent points of view, and that's not easy. But it's very important to be able to do that because you will have people with different thoughts on what's the best way to approach a problem in a school."

IN the interview earlier this month, Nerad would not elaborate on any particular plans he has for Madison, but don't be surprised to see a renewed push for a 4-year-old kindergarten program, which was something Rainwater was unable to pull off during his 10-year tenure. Green Bay will have one starting this fall, thanks to Nerad's support.

He already has handed out "homework" assignments to Madison School Board members in the form of reading materials covering ways to improve student achievement and keys to productive superintendent-board governance. As for himself, he has made eight or nine trips to Madison since he was hired in January to acquaint himself with the district, School Board members and city leaders. He has attended several functions, too, like a promotion ceremony for kindergartners at Nuestro Mundo elementary school, to meet as many people as he can prior to moving with his wife next week into a house on Madison's west side in the Highlands neighborhood off Old Middleton Road.

Although Green Bay has been his home for more than three decades, the Kenosha native already has some strong connections to Madison.

Nerad earned two advanced degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, including a master's in social work. His wife, Jean, a public health nurse specializing in lead poisoning issues with children, also earned a degree from UW-Madison, as did their son Ben, 23, who works as a legislative aide in Madison. Their daughter, Emily, 27, lives in New York and has a marketing job in the fashion industry.

An avid cook and a sports fan, Nerad is looking forward to becoming reacquainted with old friends and enjoying the cultural and athletic activities the city has to offer.

"I've already run into people that I know there and knew there. I hope to reconnect with people," Nerad said. "I think in Madison, the cultural opportunities are so great, as I understand them. I like music a lot and I think there are a lot of things we'll be able to do. Hanging out in Memorial Union, I like that a lot."

He realizes obtaining tickets for Badgers football and men's basketball games will be a tough task since the games are sold out on a regular basis. But he won't have as much trouble at Lambeau Field. After spending 30 years on the Green Bay Packers season ticket waiting list, Nerad now holds the No. 2 slot for the Milwaukee or "gold" package that provides tickets to three home games a year.

Nerad has had several job offers over the years, but Dave Zadnik, a Green Bay assistant superintendent, said the only city and district he thought would be able to wrestle Nerad away was Madison.

"When the job opened, I figured he might take a shot at it," Zadnik said. "And he likes challenges. I think Madison, and I guess the community and what it stands for, aligns with his values. He's kind of a liberal guy, so he'll fit right in in Madison."

tmadsen@madison.com

Tamira Madsen  —  6/18/2008 7:08 am