Campus Connection

[caption id="attachment_4682" align="alignleft" width="223"] Jamie Nutter, Wisconsin Superintendent of the Year.[/caption] People say Superintendent Jamie Nutter is a great communicator. But when the UW-L education alumnus got a call from the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators to inform him he is Wisconsin Superintendent of the Year, Nutter was at a loss for words. “I was silent … I didn’t know what to say,” says Nutter, ’97. “You think about all the accomplishments of the students, teachers, school board and community — all the things they’ve done … Being recognized on their behalf is a humbling experience.” The award, from the American Association of School District Administrators, recognizes Nutter, superintendent of the Fennimore Community School District, for successfully meeting the needs of students, among other considerations. Nutter will represent Wisconsin in the National Superintendent of the Year Program Feb. 25-28 in San Diego. Under Nutter’s leadership, the district improved on many student measures. Most notably the district:

• Bridged achievement gaps among economically-disadvantaged students and their peers through curriculum-based measures
• Generated the highest ACT scores in school history
• Enrolled more students in advanced placement courses

As superintendent, Nutter has relied on his strong educational foundation from UW-L. In school Nutter recalls the high expectations of professors in both education and his minor in special education. “All of those faculty provided the guidelines to help make us successful whether it was showing us how to write a professional paper or dress professionally,” says Nutter. “When I came out of UW-L, I felt really confident.” That confidence landed Nutter his first internship. He later became a teacher and principal before becoming superintendent in 2008. His district serves more than 800 students in southwest Wisconsin. Colleagues say one of Nutter’s strengths is putting students first. An example is the district’s approach to offering AP courses. Nutter says district administrators had to examine course offerings and open up new sections in AP classes to accommodate student preferences to get a head start in college. “Five or six years ago, students were looking for the easy classes — the study halls,” says Nutter. “Now students bypass those to sign up for classes that will help them get ahead. Some students have five AP classes in their schedule.” At the beginning of Nutter’s tenure, less than 1 percent of all Fennimore High School students participated in AP courses compared to 20 percent today. With higher test scores and participation in advanced courses, the Fennimore District began to turn heads. In 2014 Fennimore Elementary was nominated for a National Blue Ribbon Award, a U.S. Department of Education award that celebrates some of the most skilled and effective educators in the country. Also in 2014, U.S. News and World Report ranked Fennimore High School No. 9 in Wisconsin. Nutter was also instrumental in leading efforts to reduce energy consumption in the district by 25 percent and gaining support for a referendum, which increased the size of the high school and addressed security concerns.

A community leader

Nutter was named 2012 Fennimore Citizen of the Year for his community service. Service includes:

• Fennimore Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
• Fennimore Industrial and Economic Development Co.
• Vacation Church School Instructor
• Forming Fennimore's Future Steering Committee
• City of Fennimore Green Energy Council
• Little League Baseball Coach, Middle School Wrestling Coach
• Grid-Iron Youth Coach and the Community Safety Net Program

Nutter and his wife, Stacey, of 23 years, have four children: Alexa, a senior at UW-Oshkosh; Alston, a freshman at Fennimore High School; Aidan, a seventh grader at Fennimore Middle School; and Amryn, a second grade student at Fennimore Elementary.