GREEN BAY, Wis. — Several large school districts in Wisconsin are either looking for a superintendent or recently appointed a new one. That includes school districts in Milwaukee, Green Bay and Madison.
The challenge of finding a superintendent who matches the community is crucial to a district’s success.
The Howard-Suamico School District Superintendent Damian LaCroix said looking to the past has helped shape his nearly two decades of leadership.
LaCroix has served as the Howard-Suamico School District Superintendent for 19 years. When LaCroix accepted the position, he was the school district’s fifth superintendent in six years.
He said the district was in rough shape.
“Back in 2005, we had lost two referenda. We were on the verge of losing a third referendum, just somewhat unprecedented… usually, districts don’t lose three referenda in a row. I would say our board was semi-dysfunctional. Our staff was disillusioned, and our community, I think, was distrustful at the time, because of this rotating carousel of leadership,” LaCroix said.
Under LaCroix’s leadership, the Howard-Suamico School District has consistently achieved high marks. He attributes this success to two things: the quality of the teacher and principal.
“Those are the two variables that move the needle the most when it comes to improving student achievement,” LaCroix said.
The school district was founded in 1961 but LaCroix said notes from an 1856 Howard-Suamico school meeting show the continued importance of parents, teachers and school district officials working together for education.
“We’ve got a vision which describes an aspirational point on the horizon that we’re moving toward as a school system, and then we’ve got shared values, which are collective attitudes and behaviors and commitments that we’re going to hold each other accountable to,” LaCroix said.
LaCroix said during his tenure he’s noticed changes in the role of the superintendent.
“It’s one of the most difficult jobs in America today because the job has become politicized,” LaCroix said.
There are 421 school districts in Wisconsin. The average number of new Wisconsin school superintendents in the past few years has been 73, according to the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators (WASDA).
Jon Bayles with WASDA said that number probably won’t change.
“That 73 range is probably going to be the trend line going forward. Of that 73 typically, about half of those will be first-year superintendents,” Bayles said.
Bayles said years ago, superintendents remained in one district for 15 or 20 years. He said that’s no longer the case for a superintendent.
“It is one of the more stressful positions, if you think about it. You’re trying to navigate all of those dynamics in a community and always focus on outcomes for students and navigate what today are often differences of opinion, different ideologies about what schools ought to be about,” Bayles said.
LaCroix said he has managed to balance the many voices within the Howard-Suamico School District. Looking back on his nearly 20-year superintendent career, LaCroix said there is one thing he is most proud of.
“I’m most proud of culture, is certainly a big one in terms of the way we’ve come together as a team with a lot of moving parts,” LaCroix said.
After 19 years in the position, Howard-Suamico School District superintendent Damian LaCroix is retiring. LaCroix announced his retirement at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year; his last day was June 30, 2024.