Dr. Rupak Gandhi, superintendent of Fargo Public Schools since 2018, has announced his resignation on Thursday, November 7th. This comes after over 6 years of serving FPS as superintendent and being named the 2022-2023 North Dakota Superintendent of the Year by the North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders. In an interview with the Sudhian, he reflects on his time at Fargo Public Schools.

Why are you resigning?

“I’m resigning to spend more time with my family. At the end of the day, I love this job and community… but, I’m starting a business with my wife, which is an opportunity to work with my best friend. I want to spend more time with my kids… right now I don’t see them until 6:00 PM at the earliest, which, they do their homework and activities and it is already close to bedtime. While my kids are young, I just want to teach them that success isn’t just based on status, it’s based on spending time doing the things you want to do.”

I heard about a business. Could you go in on that?

“One of my passions is technology, and our goal is to use AI to help school districts and organizations improve their outcomes, streamline processes, and improve productivity. The other side of the business is, I also have a passion for helping kids learn differently, and finding ways to use technology to change education. One example is using AI to create content on Tiktok, or personalizing curriculum for students to cater to their individual interests.”

What has changed in Fargo Public Schools under your leadership?

“Number one is the self-directed academy – there are 17 students there, which is 17 more students that are engaged and taking ownership of instruction where traditional schools weren’t working. We offer a virtual academy following the pandemic, and we also offer two new high school programs: we have the Trollwood Mentorship Program for students with a passion for the arts. We also started the EmpowerEd program to allow students to work on their own projects to show mastery. We also started the Explore Academy, to offer students more therapeutic services. It’s an underlying theme in Fargo Public Schools which is, we’re providing more opportunities for kids and making education flexible.”

What advice do you have for the upcoming superintendent?

“Respect what we have in Fargo Public Schools. Most leaders get hired on the premise of change, but most don’t make it early on in their career because they change too fast. Don’t be afraid to change my actions, but respect our students and staff because not many superintendents have the privilege of being part of a community that supports public education the way FPS does.”

Is there a specific story or anecdote that captures your time as superintendent?

“The biggest pride of mine is with students. We learn from our students more than anything else. I have always had a high school student cabinet that have impacted a significant amount of decisions in Fargo Public Schools. Our dress code policy has gone through student revision multiple times; we have FPS philosophies that we use to drive the culture in Fargo Public Schools, focusing on ensuring restorative practices by supporting the rights of all of our students, and portraying history in an accurate way. All of it was driven by our student cabinet. This June, I am publishing a book on school and district leadership, and it is co-authored by a student at North High School. I just think opportunities like that are something I cherish.”

What has surprised you about the students and staff of Fargo Public Schools?

“You should never limit your expectations on what students can do. Kids today that are graduating high school have far more skill than I probably did when I started my career. They will always surprise you. When you look at Fargo Public Schools, there are so many high-achieving students — even ones who are not strong academically but are otherwise great characters and citizens — we continuously respect them and understand that they are our future, and we can learn as much from them as they can from us.”

As you leave Fargo Public Schools, what is one thing that you want the students and staff to know about you?

“I am going to continue being a champion of Fargo Public Schools. I am not leaving this community. I am a parent, I am a citizen of Fargo, and I am committed to this community, just in a different role.”