Madison Reporter

After 18 years at Eastside Elementary School and a total of 25 years in education, Craig Coulthart is set to retire at the end of this school year. In November, Principal Coulthart traveled to Washington, D.C., representing Eastside Elementary and the Sun Prairie Area School District to receive the National Blue Ribbon Award for Exemplary High Performance and Achievement Gap Closing. He attributes this success partly to the longevity of staff members, noting that five employees he hired in his first year remain at Eastside.

Reflecting on his tenure at SPASD, Principal Coulthart stated: “I am very proud of the fact that the Sun Prairie community has been supportive of District referendums. When I came to Sun Prairie, we only had five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. We now have nine elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools.”

Coulthart expressed gratitude towards families for their support, ESCOs for their contributions, dedicated staff members, and students who welcomed him warmly. “I will miss my Eastside family of 18 years. I will miss seeing the staff who care so much about our students, engaging with the students during the day and at Family Fun Nights,” he said.

The Sun Prairie Area School District acknowledged Principal Coulthart's leadership and dedication over the years. His advice to future leaders and educators in the district is: “Remember why you became an educator—to do what is best for students.”