St. Paul Public Schools Superintendent Joe Gothard has been named National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators.

Gothard, who has led Minnesota’s second-largest school district since 2017, received the award Thursday night at the association’s annual conference.

It comes just two weeks after he was named one of three finalists for the superintendency in his hometown of Madison, Wis., and as St. Paul teachers prepare to go on strike for the fourth time since 2018.

The award is presented to school system leaders who make a positive difference in students’ lives and ensure the safety and wellness of their communities. Other evaluation criteria include professionalism, community involvement and communication.

A St. Paul high school student or a student attending the high school from which Gothard graduated will be eligible for a $10,000 college scholarship.

In October Gothard was named Minnesota Superintendent of the Year by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, qualifying him for the national award. The state association noted Gothard’s “transformative change for SPPS with American Rescue Plan (ARP) spending” to create an Innovation Office that supported initiatives across the district.

Before leading St. Paul’s public schools, Gothard was the superintendent of the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District for four years. He started his career as a biology teacher in Madison.

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