District News

The Pardeeville Area School District is pleased to announce the hiring of Brad Nugent as the new principal of Pardeeville Middle School. Nugent will begin his new role this summer, replacing Amber Denure, who was selected earlier this year as the District’s next Superintendent.

Nugent was selected from a pool of 19 applicants. He impressed a multi-disciplinary interview panel of 20 staff and board members. He also had the chance to see our school and interact with several students during a student-led building tour.

Nugent comes to Pardeeville after serving the past two years as Dean of Students at Bartels Middle School in Portage. He brings a strong background in education and a passion for building relationships and supporting student success.

Originally from Pell Lake in southeastern Wisconsin, Nugent is a graduate of Badger High School in Lake Geneva. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Southern Mississippi and later completed his Master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

Education has always been a central part of Nugent’s life.

“My whole life has been education. It’s pretty much the family business,” Nugent said. “Both my grandpas and my dad were principals, and both my grandmas were teachers as well.”

Nugent began his career as a student teacher in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, before moving back to Wisconsin, where he spent six years in the Hillsboro School District teaching middle and high school social studies. During that time, he also coached football and wrestling. He later joined the Portage Community School District, where he taught middle school social studies and science before stepping into his current role as Dean of Students. While in Portage, Nugent remained active in extracurriculars, coaching football, wrestling, and track, and helping to establish the Bartels Middle School Outdoor Adventure Club.

Nugent and his family have called Pardeeville home for the past two years, which made the opportunity especially meaningful.

“We have loved the community,” Nugent said. “Every person I have ever talked to has only said great things about Pardeeville and the school district so it just made sense to want to be a part of something great.”

As he prepares to take on his new role, Nugent is focused on continuing to build a positive and supportive school environment.

“My vision is to continue to build up Pardeeville Middle School into a premier school where students are valued, challenged, and supported,” Nugent said. “I want to continue to build a culture of high expectations and strong relationships. Pardeeville Middle School will be a place where students feel like they belong and are connected to the school.”

Outside of school, Nugent enjoys spending time with his family and being outdoors, including hunting, fishing, and camping. He and his wife, Samantha, a 4th grade teacher in Waunakee, will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary this July. They have a young daughter, Adeline, and a corgi named Leia.

A self-described sports fan, Nugent cheers for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles—where he played college football—as well as the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, and, of course, the Pardeeville Bulldogs.

Nugent is eager to get started and become a familiar face in the school and community.

“I love the size of the school and how tight knit Pardeeville feels with the amount of community support the schools receive,” Nugent said. “I can't wait to be a Bulldog!”