By Gregg Gutschow
With contract negotiations now complete, the Tomorrow River School District (TRSD) Board of Education has announced the hiring of Ryan Ruggles as District Administrator effective as of July 2023. Ruggles is currently director of instruction at the Milton School District and was selected from a pool of six candidates who interviewed for the position.
TRSD Board President Mark Kryshak said, “The Board is very excited about the hiring of Ryan as our new administrator. He brings with him not only a diverse background of experiences coupled with many achievements in leadership roles but also an extensive background in curriculum. It was easy to see during the interview process that he is a visionary team-builder who has connected with staff and scholars.”
Ruggles recently shared some of his reactions to the new job as well as his background.
What most excites you on a personal/family level about the fact that your family will soon become local residents and part of the Tomorrow River School District? The fact that personally and professionally, it is such a great fit. Our family is excited to move to the area and start getting to know people. It is an absolutely beautiful part of Wisconsin. We have family in the area and family land in Summit Lake, so we are happy to be closer.
Professionally, how does it feel to know that you are about to become a district administrator leading Amherst K-12 and charter? I am truly humbled and honored for this opportunity. Tomorrow River is a great district, and I am excited to be a part of the learning community and to work to make it an even better place for students and staff. One of the most exciting aspects is that I get to help set the vision for the future. That is work I love to do and look forward to collaborative conversations around continuous improvement and what do we want for all graduates of Tomorrow River.
The interview and selection process gave you time to meet with and interact with a number of staff and community members—what was your biggest takeaway from those interactions? While there were several takeaways, one of the things that stood out to me the most was the amount of community pride and support for the District. Everyone I spoke with loved the District and the community, and overall everyone was incredibly kind and welcoming. Those values stand out to me and really resonate with me. That is a type of community and District I want to be a part of. Work hard, stay humble, and be kind.
Help our residents get to know you and family a little bit better. What do you love to do in your free time, hobbies, recreation? My wife, Kristi, currently teaches English at Janesville Craig High School. She is the best teacher I have ever met! We have three children. Grace is currently attending UW-Platteville, majoring in elementary education. Our middle son, Sam, will be a Junior next year, and Jacob will be in eighth grade. We have two dogs, Kylo, a husky-shepherd mix (named from Star Wars) and Wilson, a Bernese mountain dog (named after the QB … Badger years, of course).
As a family we stay very active and we love to travel! While we all have different favorite destinations, one of our favorite family trips was to Iceland two summers ago. It is a beautiful country with gracious and kind people that has a great life vibe. Overall, we like to hike, bike, and attend sporting and theater events.
During my free time I enjoy running, working out, and just being active. My kayaks and fat tire bike will get a lot of use in the area! I have been slowed by a recent injury, but I hope to get signed up for a summer and/or fall half-marathon.
Additionally, I am the vice president of the Wisconsin Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (WASCD) and I do some writing for WASCD and the AMLE organization.
Left to right: Ryan Ruggles; son, Sam; wife, Kristi; and son, Jacob, during a visit to Rib Mountain.
Ryan Ruggles and his wife, Kristi, in Iceland, one of their favorite destinations to date.