To the Minneapolis School Board, MPS staff and Community,

I want to sincerely thank you for the opportunity to lead and serve this community and contribute to improving the educational opportunities and lives for all of our children. Every single day, I have arrived inspired, and invigorated by visiting schools, working with teams of teachers, support staff and leaders, and I remain confident and encouraged that we are moving forward to achieve our goals: Acceleration 2020 (5-8-10).

I am proud that under my leadership, and with the hard work and support of others, that we have been able to complete the teacher's contract, launch the Office of Black Male Achievement, establish the Minneapolis Residency Program, expand funding for English Language Learners, launch Community Partnership Schools, improve graduation rates and student performance, resize the Davis Service Center to allocate more resources to schools, and create greater collaboration with our teachers, principals and the teacher's union.

I believe the best way for us to succeed is that we are all, (leaders, parents, teachers, support staff and the community) unified and determined to focus ALL of our attention on the hard work of educating our students and specifically focusing on their academic learning.

Over the last few weeks, I have watched as our community and school board leaders have become increasingly fragmented and divided. I never expected that we would agree on everything, but we must all be unified on why we are here and we must remain focused on children and not on the disagreements and disrespect that continue to divide and distract us.

I love this community and want Minneapolis and our children to have the best educational opportunities possible. I do not want the community to continue to be divided or further distracted from this city's most important work, the education of our most precious resource, our children.

I have therefore communicated to MPS Chairperson Jenny Arneson that I am officially withdrawing my name from consideration for the permanent superintendent's position. As most of you know, I grew up in this community and love this city. I had the benefit of having many caring educators who believed in me and who gave me my best and first start.

I will continue to serve in the interim position until the school board selects a permanent replacement, one who will be able to unify this community and help all of us to focus on what is most important. I will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that we successfully complete this school year and be prepared to successfully start 2016-17. I remain very committed to this community and over the next months will explore other ways to lead and serve here.

Again thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve and lead. I will continue to work every single day as hard as possible to give our children the very best.

With deep appreciation,

Michael J. Goar

Interim Superintendent