Name: Dani Scott

Title: Superintendent

Organisation: Pecatonica Area School District

With over 30 years in public education, I have developed a strong foundation in leadership, policy development, and program execution. I started my career as a school psychologist and earned my doctorate in educational leadership. As the current Superintendent of a small rural district is Southwest Wisconsin, I oversee daily operations, manage budgets, and work closely with stakeholders to implement strategic initiatives that enhance student and staff growth. Key achievement in this role include a 55% increase in the number of students scoring proficient or above in English language arts and a 59% increase in math, an average staff retention rate of 92% during my tenure, increased my district’s fund balance by over 57%, and successfully planning and executing an $18.8 million capital referendum.

Previously, as a Pupil Services Director, I led special education, English Language Learner programs, and district-wide equity initiatives. My background also includes serving as an Assistant Superintendent, a school administration consultant for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and an adjunct faculty member at UW-Eau Claire.

I bring expertise in financial management, personnel evaluation, crisis resolution, and policy implementation. My leadership philosophy centers on fostering relationships and collaboration, ensuring compliance with educational laws, and cultivating a positive learning environment. I am passionate about advocating for all students, supporting educators, and driving systemic improvements that lead to better educational outcomes.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Educational Leadership!

I hope Dani's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as an Educational Leader?

Within the last decade, the biggest challenge in my opinion is attracting and retaining high-quality educators due to burnout, workload demands, and competitive salaries in other fields. This obstacle becomes magnified in small rural districts. As an educational leader I strive to foster supportive environments, offer competitive compensation, emphasize high quality professional development, prioritize work-life balance to maintain a strong workforce. Often I am starting the school year with emergency licensed teachers in our classrooms. Approximately 40% of new teachers in Wisconsin leave the profession or move out of state within their first six years. When adjusted for inflation, teacher compensation in Wisconsin has decreased by nearly 20% over the past 12 years. The state anticipates around 6,000 teacher vacancies annually over the next decade.

2. How did you become an Educational Leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I never actually set out to be an educator. Growing up, I had big dreams of becoming a doctor—specifically, a brain surgeon. I figured, why not aim high? Then I took my first college chemistry class and had a swift reality check. Let’s just say, after one too many late-night battles with the periodic table, I realized I was not signing up for that struggle for the next umpteen years. Luckily, my second love was psychology, and I found my calling as a school psychologist—still working with brains, just in a slightly less surgical way! I started working in schools and quickly fell in love—not just with helping individual students, but with the bigger picture of making system-wide changes. After 15 years as a school psychologist at both the district and state level, I transitioned into an educational leadership role focused on pupil services. My ultimate soapbox issue? Children's mental health. The work was both incredibly challenging and deeply rewarding, but at times, I felt my influence was limited. I also grew increasingly frustrated with the endless silos in education—initiatives that rarely seemed to communicate with each other. I wanted a role where I could connect the dots—where instructional practices, policies, daily operations, staffing, and funding all worked together to truly make a difference in students' lives. And let’s be honest, the only job in education that checks all those boxes is being a school district superintendent. So, here I am—the rest, as they say, is history!

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

My day kicks off with a 90-minute commute to my district, which I pass by listening to podcasts or audiobooks. Right now, I’m diving into Thanks for the Feedback by Sheila Heen and Douglas Stone—highly recommend it! Once I arrive at my office, I tackle my inbox. Since our principals and teachers are with students all day, email is our lifeline (even if it sometimes feels like an avalanche). My meetings can vary wildly—one minute I’m talking with school board members, the next I’m with our tech department, administrative team, business office, or community stakeholders. A few things are constant, though: preparing for monthly board meetings, keeping a close eye on the budget (since, in our small district, I also wear the hat of business manager), and handling communications—a lot of communications (because, surprise! I’m also the communications director). Evenings often bring more meetings—personnel, policy, curriculum, operations—you name it. And then, it’s back on the road for another 90-minute drive home. But this time, my podcast is not school-related. I’m a true crime junkie, so I swap out education talk for something a little more...mysterious. Let’s just say, if I ever switch careers, forensic detective might be on the list!

4. What's a recent lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of as an Educational Leader?

I hope you don't mind. This isn't a recent lesson, but it is a profound one that will forever stick with me. As I stated of my career has been working with and supporting students with disabilities. I’d like to tell you about a young man we’ll call Joey. Joey was in high school when our paths crossed. As disabilities go, Joey is what you would describe as profoundly disabled. He was in a wheelchair, breathed through a trachea tube, had limited mobility of his arms and hand, was nonverbal, and was fed through a tube. The medical challenges he faced were immense. Joey required hand over hand assistance to complete even the simplest of tasks and communicated his wants and needs by directing his eyesight towards a specific object or activity. Needless to say he required 24 hour care, both at home and at school. Joey and his family had moved into our district that fall. His parents were incredibly supportive and devoted to their son but both mom and dad worked endless hours to pay for the care that Joey needed. As staff began working with and got to know Joey, there was something infectious about his smile. He loved to be read to although staff were unclear as to how much of the story he was truly comprehending. Nonetheless, Joey soon won the hearts of students and staff alike. When his mom and/or dad were not working, Joey would attend various sporting events. With assistance, he loved to give a high five to our athletes as they ran onto the field or court. Joey quickly became a staple of our school community. One day Joey was sitting in his wheelchair in his special education classroom. The instructional assistant working with Joey noticed that his gaze kept landing on a row of computers that were in the classroom. Up to this point, staff assumed Joey did not possess the necessary cognitive ability to be able to communicate through the use of technology. On a hunch, the assistant wheeled Joey closer to a computer. Staff thought Joey might enjoy typing on the keyboard although there was no expectation that anything he typed would be readable. Through hand over hand assistance from his aide, Joey began typing. While it took several minutes, Joey typed out five words…..five words that would change the trajectory of his life. Staff were in shock. Previously there was never any evidence that Joey was cognitively functioning beyond that of an infant. What were the five words that forever changed their lives……."What took you so long?" Great educational leaders understand that every student and staff member walks through the front door carrying their own unique challenges—whether it’s academic struggles, personal hardships, or professional setbacks. No matter what obstacles they bring, it is my responsibility to stand by them, support them, and never give up. True leadership means seeing potential where others see difficulty, offering guidance when others feel lost, and creating a culture where everyone feels valued and capable of success. The most meaningful transformations don’t happen overnight, and the greatest victories often come from the toughest battles. By remaining steadfast in my commitment to students and staff—no matter the circumstances—I can build stronger schools, stronger communities, and brighter futures for my students.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your journey as an Educational Leader so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted you?

Honestly, a book that has helped me to become a more effective educational leader was written by non-educational people. Radical Candor: Fully Revised & Updated Edition by Kim Scott has had a profound effect on how I approach professional relationships with my staff. At the core of Radical Candor is balancing genuine care for people with honest, constructive feedback. Leaders must show they value their team members as human beings while also holding them accountable and helping them grow. This book paralleled my belief in the importance of developing positive, trusting relationships. Without that, staff will be skeptical of any feedback, positive or not. There was a quote in this book that my staff is probably sick of hearing - "You can't run an A-level organization when you hire C-level people." Radical Candor emphasized that it is possible to deeply care for your staff while holding them to high expectations. The second big takeaway from this book helped me to avoid the "Ruinous Empathy" Trap – Many leaders hesitate to give tough feedback because they don’t want to hurt feelings. However, avoiding difficult conversations does more harm than good. Being too "nice" at the expense of honesty can lead to poor performance and resentment. As I developed as an educational leader, this was such a HARD lesson for me to learn. Some might think this is a stereotype, but those of us who work in education really do have a deeply rooted, often times borderline irrational need to be liked. I can honestly say that it has probably only been within the last 5 years of my leadership journey that I can truly say I have achieved this goal. The third lesson is that feedback is a two-way street. Great leaders not only give direct and caring feedback but also welcome it. Encouraging employees to challenge their leaders and creating a culture of open communication ultimately leads to stronger teams and better results. I am not afraid to apologize to my staff when I'm wrong - we're all human, we make mistakes. Admitting mistakes helps foster trust and credibility among among my staff because it demonstrates humility, accountability, and integrity. When I openly acknowledge my errors, it sends a message that honesty is valued over ego or self-preservation. I've worked for leaders that refuse to admit mistakes - it can make for a toxic work environment.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young educator who aspires to be an Educational Leader, what would you say to them?

Prioritize a healthy work-life balance—caring for yourself is the first step to effectively supporting others. I did not do this when I first became an educational leader, and it cost me dearly.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as an Educational Leader, so far?

I guess I answered this question #4. Honestly, I was stunned. I didn’t think I was ready for such a role, but she clearly saw something in me that I didn’t yet see in myself. Despite her encouragement, I didn’t apply—and I regretted it. Though I eventually became a superintendent, self-doubt lingered. With only about 25% of school district superintendents in Wisconsin being female, I often questioned whether I truly belonged.

Looking back, her belief in me was a turning point. It gave me the confidence to push forward, and to this day, I still turn to her for guidance. My advice to aspiring female educational leaders—especially in a field traditionally dominated by men—is this: Never doubt your right to be at the table. You deserve to be there, and your voice matters.