Dover-Eyota Public Schools Welcomes New Superintendent Michael Carolan
By Jill Veerkamp, St. Charles Press Editor
The new superintendent for the Dover-Eyota Public Schools, Michael Carolan, comes to the area straight from Cudahy, Wisconsin, a town outside of Milwaukee. For twenty-eight years, Carolan worked for the Cudahy Public Schools, beginning his career there as a special education teacher. He then became the assistant principal of the high school, spent ten years as the principal of Lincoln Elementary School, then most recently spent eight years as the middle school principal.
Prior to his career in Cudahy, Carolan worked with chemically dependent youth at a hospital. While there, he realized he wanted to be a school principal some day in a public school. He attended the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee for his graduate degree. It was there he met the director for special education for Cudahy, who encouraged him to apply for a teaching position at the school. Cudahy is in Milwaukee County and has a district of 2,800 students. When Carolan began at Cudahy, he was still in the process of completing his degree in school administration. Carolan commented that he was fortunate to have a superintendent who was very supportive and encouraged him to finish his degree.
When Carolan completed his administrative degree, he was offered the position as the high school assistant principal, beginning his career in school administration.
As a school administrator, Carolan enjoys working with educators, teachers, and students. He stated, “As a building principal, you get to be a leader. You get to help with the school’s vision and direction.” He also enjoys working with dedicated teachers who want to do the best they can for their students. Carolan noted that as a school principal, you get to work with kids throughout your career. He might not have the same connection with them as a classroom teacher, but he still enjoys a lot of student interaction.
He also commented that his background in special education has been and will continue to shape how he works with students and their families.
Carolan waited to begin the program for his superintendent licensure until his own children were done with college. He noted that it was his turn to go back to school when his kids finished with their degrees. He really wanted to take the next step and become a superintendent. He returned to the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee for his administrative degree. A friend had started there and encouraged him to join, as it was a very good program. Carolan’s goal was to ultimately find a position in Minnesota. His children had eventually settled in Minnesota and he wanted to live closer to them.
Carolan chose to come to Dover-Eyota to be closer to his family. He stated that he couldn’t have found a more exact match to what he was looking for. He commented that Dover-Eyota is a close-knit community. The school board respects the school’s educators and takes great pride that the students have a high-quality education. Carolan has met a number of teachers so far throughout the summer and he was impressed by their hard work and dedication.
Carolan heard about the superintendent position through his son, Ben. Carolan had already been keeping an eye out for any openings in the Minnesota area. His son serves with the Eyota Volunteer Ambulance and passed along the information about Bruce Klaehn’s retirement. That gave Carolan the heads-up about a future opportunity.
Carolan’s first impressions of Dover-Eyota are that it is a very friendly and genuine community. He has noticed a strong sense of pride in the community. The community is committed to supporting the school, demonstrated through the support of parent and community organizations. He also is impressed with the school’s athletics and academics.
Although Dover-Eyota is much smaller than Cudahy, Carolan notes that in many ways, Dover-Eyota and Cudahy are remarkably alike. While Cudahy was a suburb of Milwaukee, it still maintained a small town feel. It had a strong community identity. He was able to get to know the local business leaders, the mayor, and the police chief. Therefore, to some degree, Carolan doesn’t feel like it will be that great a shift to become accustomed to Dover-Eyota. There is still a strong connectedness between the school and the community.
Carolan does feel a strong responsibility to deliver the high quality people expect from the Dover-Eyota school. The school district is the center of the community. It is the town’s largest employer. The school has the big responsibility to provide the community with educational opportunities. Summer activities and community education programs are strong and important in Dover-Eyota.
When questioned on his education philosophy, Carolan stated, “I think the reality is that all kids matter. Every student is important.” His experience as a special education teacher has always remained a part of him. He believes that every student can learn. It is just the mission of the educator to help uncrack the code to help them be as successful as they can be. He also noted that educators should not just focus on the struggling learners, but also the advanced achievers. “We have to serve all kids,” he stated.
For hobbies, Carolan enjoys camping and biking with his wife. He likes to fish and golf, although he hasn’t had much time to do either this year. He also enjoys completing projects at home. He isn’t great at gardening, but he enjoys maintaining his yard. He finds that many inspirational moments come to him when he is cutting the grass or shoveling snow. These mindless activities allow his brain to wander and explore. Carolan also enjoys time with his children and his grandchildren.
Carolan’s first goal for Dover-Eyota is to learn and understand why the school is successful and what it is doing correctly. There are a lot of good things about he Dover-Eyota school district. He has been meeting with a lot of superintendents from neighboring schools and there isn’t a one that hasn’t spoken highly of the district and the things that it is doing right. The school is well-managed, progressive, and technologically advanced. Carolan noted that with so many things going correctly, he will have to build on the successes and preserve tradition. While he has of yet not found any struggles within the district, he knows that every school system has them and he needs to find them to help improve these problem areas.
Carolan also said that his goals are not very different than the Dover-Eyota Public Schools’ current strategic plan, currently in its final year. He is looking forward to working with teachers and staff members to create the next strategic plan. “Collaboration is critical for that, for ownership,” he noted. Carolan pointed to Dover-Eyota’s current vision and mission statements, explaining that he truly sees them currently in practice in the school system. They are not just sentences written on a piece of paper. The school, with partners in the community, is fostering safe, caring, and respectful environments for the students.
Carolan’s current projects include learning about the budgetary changes in the state of Minnesota. He also has to create a ten-year maintenance plan for the district, for which he will need to get the correct group of people together to complete the project. He has been present at only one school board meeting so far and he looking forward to working with the board. He is seizing every training opportunity available for superintendents. He is excited to meet more teachers and see how they make a different in their classroom. He is also looking forward to the completion of the elementary school addition and the athletic field.
“I am just so thrilled to be in this community,” Carolan concluded. “I feel really fortunate that the board has given me this opportunity to fill the big shoes of Bruce Klaehn. He has been wonderful. He has offered me assistance to help me move forward. I am also grateful for the other superintendents in the area. I am very fortunate.” Above all, Carolan resolves, “to do my best to earn the trust of the community and the teachers. To work hard for the Dover-Eyota school district.”
