Superintendent

Hello Maquoketa Families, 

Our theme for the 22/23 school year is “Celebrate Cardinal Pride.” This theme is very personal as I hope everyone is as proud as I am to be a Maquoketa Cardinal and a graduate of Maquoketa High School.  I’m extremely humble to be serving as the Superintendent in the community where I grew up and to be part of the work that ensures this tradition. This means working hard to understand the needs of all learners and what skills and tools they need to be successful during and after high school graduation, no matter where their path leads them. In order to do this work, I will be spending time gathering student, community and family input so we are able to develop plans that allow us to keep the strong traditions we have of offering a variety of programs as well as determining how we can grow to meet the needs of our future learners. We want ALL students to say with pride that they are a graduate from Maquoketa HS and were given the skills they needed to succeed. 

In addition to being a Superintendent, my most important work is being a mom to Max, Kye and Fin and a wife to my husband Erik. We live in the country and have a small acreage where we have a large garden, a small timber, a few chickens and a dog, Griffey. I love to be outside in the garden, going on walks, working on house projects, playing board games or enjoying my favorite hobby, running. We have a large family that also live in the area so we love spending time with them also. Before becoming a Superintendent, I was the Curriculum and Special Education Director at Maquoketa CSD, Principal at Andrew CSD and an early childhood special education teacher/consultant for Des Moines Public Schools. 

A new school year can bring feelings of excitement and for some it may bring feelings of anticipation or anxiety depending on each student’s experiences. We are here to serve and support our students and their families so please reach out and communicate early with your child’s teacher and principal if there are things you would like to discuss as we get to know your children. We appreciate your input and are dedicated to working together as a team to find solutions! Here’s to a school year filled with fun and a safe learning environment where everyone is able to learn and grow. 

With Care & Dedication,  

Tara Notz
Maquoketa CSD
Superintendent
Celebrate Cardinal Pride