Following a unanimous decision by school board members, Carlton Jenkins was selected as the Superintendent of the Madison Metropolitan School District. Jenkins will start his new position on August 4.
In a press conference Friday, School Board President Gloria Reyes detailed the thoughtful and tedious nature of the decision, sharing that hiring a superintendent “is the most important decision a school board makes.” Noting the importance of community feedback and dialogue, Reyes emphasized that throughout the process board members maintained a confidence in Jenkins’ leadership and experience.
“Our choice of Dr. Jenkins is the result of a leadership profile built from the voices of our community serving as our guide, and we feel fortunate to find someone who represents that profile as well as Dr. Jenkins does. We are all excited for him to reunite with our MMSD family and community,” Reyes said.
Jenkins, a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate and former MMSD Associate Principal, returns to Madison following five years of serving as the Superintendent of the Robbinsdale School District in Minnesota. In addition to his previous position, Jenkins has also served as Chief Academic Officer for the Atlanta Public School System in Atlanta Georgia and Superintendent of Saginaw Public Schools in Saginaw Michigan.
His leadership positions in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan include: MMSD Associate Principal for Madison Memorial High School, and Associate Principal and Principal with the Beloit Public School District in Beloit, Wisconsin.
During the press conference on Friday, Reyes shared that Jenkins displayed capacity to engage in meaningful conversations with diverse groups of people was a characteristic which made him stand out in the interview process.
“He worked with the union, communities of color and in bringing staff together for the common benefit of all students,” Reyes said. “Everything he talks about, his students are at the center and that’s what made him stand out to us.”
Jenkins will make an annual salary of $272,000. His contract is for two years with one year renewals.
In a press release on Friday, Jenkins said, “With this role comes a tremendous responsibility, and although there are challenges we face as a school district, through community engagement and support for schools and teachers, we will work hard to ensure that all of our students are at the center of everything we do, and that the district remains grounded in its strategic framework goals.”
Dr. Jenkins earned a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education from Mississippi Valley State University.
