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Edgerton confirms new superintendent

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Dennis Pauli

EDGERTON — Dennis Pauli is ready to hit the ground running when he starts his new job as incoming superintendent for the Edgerton School District.

Pauli on Monday was confirmed by the school board after a months-long search for a candidate to replace Superintendent Norman Fjelstad, who retires in June after 22 years as the district’s top administrator.

“The staff here and the kids will find me very visible, they will find me very involved in what’s going on in the classroom,” Pauli said. “Hopefully, I’ll have opportunities to team teach, and it will get to the point where, when I walk in a classroom, it’s really not a big deal because the kids will just be used to having Dr. Pauli in the classroom.”

Pauli, who was selected from a pool of 36 applicants, is already thinking of issues his experience will enable him to tackle when his term begins July 1.

“My background is curriculum and instruction, and currently the district does not have anyone that serves in that capacity as a director or an assistant superintendent,” he said. “So I bring a lot of experience with curriculum and instruction, with data and assessment.

“And I think that experience will only help launch us even further ahead in our academic pursuits.”

Pauli will spend the next few months getting acclimated with the district and its people. The incoming superintendent said he will make efforts to attend meetings and be in the district as allowed by his current position in Madison, where he works as principal at Mendota Elementary School.

“We plan on talking quite a bit in the next six months and make this transition very smooth so I can leave in peace,” Fjelstad said.

Pauli has previously worked as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in Round Lake, Ill., director of curriculum and instruction in Barrington, Ill., and elementary principal in Barrington, Ill., Cross Plains, Oak Creek and Waterford.

He holds a doctorate degree in educational leadership from Roosevelt University and a master of science in education administration and bachelor of science in elementary education from UW-Madison.

The first order of business is getting to know areas needing attention, he said.

“I want to hear what people think about the schools, both good and areas of concern because the only way of getting better is keeping doing what people are happy with and paying attention to areas of concern,” Pauli said.