BTB: Congratulations on your recent award. Your school and family must be extremely proud.

MM: Thank you. I am lucky and feel privileged to be here.

BTB: You've been involved in school leadership for a number of years. What is it that keeps you at the top of your game? What drives you?

MM: I feel privileged to work in a district that values education. I'm in a community full of parents and teachers that want our students to succeed, which translates into energy for me. Our mission statement also has the power to invigorate me. It reads, "To inspire every student to think, to learn, to achieve, to care." When I am faced with a challenge or important decision, I refer back to our mission statement to help me focus and give me energy to do what needs to be done.

BTB: How do you make that mission statement real?

MM: That's a good question to ask. In fact, we talk to our principals, teachers, and support staff and ask them the very same question. We make the mission statement real by setting standards; we have high expectations and they're unwavering, which allows us to offer an education that will, in turn, help our children fulfill their dreams. It's about providing a rich and guaranteed curriculum and ensuring student engagement—really caring about all the activities that support a young person's education—and not letting a single activity or student fall through the cracks. We're caring people, always reminding one another why we got into teaching in the first place.

BTB: Do you think that you are doing what other superintendents are doing, just more effectively? What's different or unique in your approach?

MM: There are two things. First, Cherry Creek has had a great track record under the leadership of past superintendents. I stand on the shoulders of others who have made great sacrifices. Second, Cherry Creek can be very selective about who we bring into the district. Our past success allows us to induct people who embrace the district's commitment to its students. We hire caring people who treat students and colleagues with respect. We know we need to do this in order to create a welcoming, wholesome environment.

BTB: Do you see some of the same challenges facing urban districts—such as teacher shortage, funding, or AYP—on the increase in suburban schools?

MM: It has been remarkable to see Cherry Creek change over the fourteen years that I have been here. When I first started, we had very few students who qualified for free or reduced lunch. The district's ethnicity was under 10%. Now, over 30% are non-Anglo, which includes African American and Latino children. Approximately 20% qualify for free or reduced lunch. We're very proud that we've been able to tackle these challenges. I can't say that we've always done this, but we're doing a much better job today than we were ten years ago. Even with an increase of 10,000 students over the years, our achievement has gone up. The challenge is to keep this going. We're an edge city, so we cannot look to our past, we need to look to the future and the kids we will serve.

BTB: I understand that school leadership runs in your family. What influence has this had on you?

MM: Well, it makes for interesting holiday conversation. At an early age, my brother and I saw our father's involvement as a high school principal, which made an impression on us. Growing up, my brother and I could get into the school gym any time we wanted, which we thought was just great. When we started our own careers, we were constantly seeking to serve in the best leadership roles. In a school system there is really an opportunity to meet an eclectic group of people. We were conditioned at an early age to learn from others. We had so many role models.

Also, my wife is a great source of feedback. She used to be a high school administrator, and I find her firsthand perspective extremely helpful.

BTB: When you are leading a district of over 45,000 students and more than 50 schools, there is so much information to manage. Knowing that it's impossible get everything done, what are the things you look at to know that it's been a successful year?

MM: I like to look at what students have been involved in. How many students have we engaged—not just academically, but beyond the classroom. We think that an important factor in a student's success is how well he or she is engaged and involved in activities. It's dangerous when kids just come to the school for a basic diet.

Another statistic we look at is how many students have graduated and are college-ready. Do our kids have the right study skills and work habits? We closely monitor our students.

By the way, we're always trying to increase the number of AP and International Baccalaureate classes.

Stats on achievement on state exams are reviewed, and we have a process for how we handle reporting. We closely follow the work of Peter Benson from the University of Minnesota. There are forty developmental assets outlined in his approach that help us understand how well we provide our students with the chance to develop in a healthy and positive way. Of the forty assets, how many of these are we providing our young people?

Attendance is another one. They have to show up before we can do anything.

BTB: On that note, have you ever played hooky as a kid?

MM: [laughing] I never did! As the son of a high school principal, I knew I would be in big trouble. I showed up.

BTB: Thinking back to your days as a student, who is one teacher that stands out in your mind—someone who made a positive impression on you?

MM: Ken Langford. He was an algebra teacher, and I think I had him for two years. He made me really enjoy math. He taught me about the importance of a teacher's ability to get students familiar and comfortable with a subject so that learning can happen. This was my case with math. With the right instruction and the right conditions, the student will be successful.

BTB: What's on your desk? What are you reading right now?

MM: The biography, His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph Ellis and The 8th Habit by Stephen Covey is another one. I just finished Class and Schools, which was thought provoking and related to our talk as administrators about no excuses. I'm also reading America's Teenagers—Myths and Realities.

Among the papers, my desk always has a small stack of reading material I'd like to catch up on.