Printer Friendly Version - Craig Cooke: A Time to Rely on Teamwork

Craig Cooke came to the Madison Public School District last fall as a new superintendent during the biggest challenge to teaching in recent memory. He says the preparation and dedication for the district staff made it all work out. Photo by Ben Rayner/The Source

At a time when even long-term educators and administrators were scrambling to deal with school systems thrown into COVID chaos, Madison Public Schools’ new superintendent, Craig Cooke, was in the thick of the struggle to get students back in class. Craig was hired in September 2020 but only really started last December. Craig says that the determination and hard work of the entire staff made his transition into his new job as smooth as it could be under the circumstances.

Craig grew up in Old Saybrook and had been in the Windsor school system for 11 years, including seven as superintendent, when he and his family decided to move back to the area. His love for the Connecticut shoreline is reflected in his dedication to the students of Madison.

“When this position opened up I was incredibly excited. I and my family are so fortunate to be here. It was a challenge to try and get know the district [during the pandemic], but work done by the staff was excellent, they did a phenomenal job,” says Craig. “I am really excited and looking forward to more contact with the community. Everything has been Zoom with little in-person for some contact, but as we move ahead I hope I can do more in-person.”

Craig emphasizes that without the support of the Board of Education and the entire school staff his job would be impossible.

“The district really worked hard since the pandemic began. They had done a great job in getting everything up and running. I felt really well suited for this job, and the board has been extremely helpful,” Craig says. “I really can’t say enough about the support and help I have received here. The staff from top to bottom has been incredible.”

According to Craig, the school year, despite some unknowns, has begun well. Like most schools districts, Madison has had to juggle the vagaries of the COVID emergency while still remaining fluid enough to adapt to what seems like a constantly evolving situation—all while not just trying to provide an education to students, but to deliver on the promise to make school as normal as possible.

“This has been one of the most supportive staffs I have been a part of. Teachers, custodians, the board, everyone worked so hard to get this into shape. I have heard that some other districts are having issues, but we are in a good place right now,” Craig says. “We finished strong last year and are excited about how this year is progressing so far. Really, it looks just like 2019, just with masks.”

Craig says that recent technology upgrades have also been a huge help to both students and staff. Promethean boards, a type interactive whiteboard, are teaching devices that allow educators greater freedom to display and impart course content, will be in most classrooms in the district. They are still awaiting delivery of some of the devices, but 50 have been installed at Polson and Brown schools, providing a more accessible educational experience.

“The Promethean boards bring consistency to both the students and teachers, so we are definitely excited about that,” says Craig.

Another 100 boards are set to be delivered to the district in the near future. According to many area teachers, these devices are a critical component of their classrooms.

Security is also a prime issue for any superintendent and Craig says that recent safety upgrades have also been installed, allowing all the district’s schools to maintain an environment that makes the students feel safe.

“We have added additional cameras. Sightlines to the outside have been improved so we have a good look at all areas. We are also hopeful about some future interior work that we have started to move forward with,” says Craig.

Additional funding by the Board of Education is slated to help with that effort.

Despite a country-wide drop in test scores for many school district, Madison has not only survived but thrived, according to Craig.

“The district did wonderful. We did very well in some measures and we are looking to be in the top eight schools in the state. We had very strong scores on SATs, science assessments, and the SBAC,” the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium test that is a standard assessment for 3rd to 8th graders,” Craig says, adding, “We are always looking to see how we can do better, but we are happy with the data so far.”

Craig says he and the whole system remain optimistic about this year and how it will evolve.

“Every person on staff really did the work to make this happen, especially the students. I have been so impressed with the staff here. They are willing to do anything to reach out and support our students,” says Craig.