Every morning, you can find Dr. Timothy “TJ” McCray in the gym taking one hour to care for himself. This time is important because, once the day gets going, the Madison Metropolitan School District’s Deputy Superintendent is on the go. After days full of meeting, strategizing, and responding to student, community, and staff concerns, McCray us grateful to have taken the time in the morning to prepare himself for all that the day had in store.
A California native, McCray moved to Houston in 7th grade and considers Texas home (although Madison has also become home for him). He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Communications from Prairie View A&M University, Master’s degrees from Howard University (Rhetoric and Intercultural Communication) and The University of Houston at Clear Lake (Education Management), and a doctorate in education from City University of Seattle. He is also a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
While at Howard, McCray connected with TeachForAmerica and accepted an assignment to return to Houston as an educator. There, he was responsible for virtual learning, which caught the attention of MMSD. In 2017, McCray moved to Madison to serve as the district’s Director of Instructional Technology. Like so many Black Madison transplants, he thought that he would be here to a few years before returning to Texas, but the COVID pandemic altered his trajectory.
The COVID shutdown sent all of us reeling, and school districts were no exception. When MMSD had to react to COVID with a quick pivot, McCray stepped up to the helm. “I asked them to give me one weekend,” he says, “and I came back with a fully drafted instructional continuity plan.” This show of leadership prompted the district to promote McCray quickly to Executive Director of Technology Services and Associate Superintendent of Technology.
While COVID presented great professional opportunity for McCray. The isolation was unbearable. When he logged off from virtual meetings, he was alone and his lack of community was palpable. So, he chose to move back to Houston to work remotely. When former superintendent Dr. Carlton Jenkins announced his retirement and Dr. Lisa Kvistad stepped in as Interim Superintendent, McCray returned to Madison as the Deputy Superintendent.
But what does a Deputy Superintendent do? “I block and tackle for the Superintendent,” McCray explains plainly. He is responsible for making sure that all internal operations are functioning well while the Superintendent takes care of the external relations work that is crucial to his job. He also substitutes for the Superintendent when necessary.
McCray sees community among Black people and other people of color in Madison as an area of improvement. In his professional role, this is a concern when thinking about recruiting teachers of color to Madison. “What is there to do here?” he asks as he thinks about quality of life for these professionals. “What kind of lifestyle can they have here?”
McCray is doing his part to address these issues through the MMSD. When he thinks about his work, his son is always on his mind. “I fight for my son and the child sitting next to my son,” he says. “If his neighbor is getting a good education, then that means my son is, too.” When asked what he is excited about right now, he replies: “I’m excited that things are aligning for all students to succeed!” The administration is re-doing the district’s strategic framework in a deliberative process that includes stakeholder input and a 1-year planning period to ensure that all resources are in line to implement the framework with fidelity.
McCray also sees great potential in the reorganization of the district leadership that will place schools as the central point of concern. This reorganization includes fortifying the Family, Youth, and Community Engagement Office to improve proactive engagement with MMSD’s families across demographics. This is a project for which McCray takes personal ownership and he invites families and community to hold him accountable. He hopes that these organizational changes will turn MMSD into a destination school district. When reports show Madison as one of the best places to live, McCray wants every family in Madison to be able to agree with this ranking because their children received a first-class education.
When McCray returned to Madison two years ago, he decided to build community to combat any further feelings of isolation. He reached out more to build relationships at work and became involved at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, which have allowed him to connect to people with whom he would not have otherwise been able to interact. He also takes advantage of Madison’s proximity to Chicago and travels there often to spend time with friends. Now, he feels at home and sees his frequent trips to Houston as visits with his son, Tyce, and family. “I don’t see myself leaving here any time soon,” he says.
Although he had to learn how to deal with Wisconsin winters, McCray now loves Madison’s 4 seasons. He can enjoy the outdoors here in ways that were difficult in Houston’s heat and humidity. Madison’s slow pace has taught him to slow himself down to enjoy the moments that he did not think about due to his busyness. If you get to the farmer’s market early on a Saturday morning, you are likely to find McCray there picking out fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers. If you see him, say hello. “I’m really approachable and I love to talk to people!”
