Morning Routine: Waukee superintendent Brad Buck

Waukee superintendent Brad Buck has a lot on his plate as the head of the state's fastest-growing school district.

• Since 2020, Waukee has added nearly one new school a year. It's preparing to add Waterford Elementary next year and North Middle School in 2025.

Yes, but: As he organizes his days, Buck still makes time for himself in the mornings and plays in an "old man basketball group" twice a week, he tells Axios.

Here's how the former director of the Iowa Department of Education starts his day:

⏰ Wake up: 4:30am if he's playing basketball, otherwise 5:30am to work out.

🍳 Breakfast: While Buck isn't a breakfast eater, he drinks 32 ounces of Diet Mountain Dew. If you think that's a lot, he says it's a big reduction from the former 100 ounce mug he used to consume daily.

📚 What he's reading: Emails first thing to make sure nothing "shifted" overnight that he needs to address.

• He'll also go on X, formerly known as Twitter, to try and get different perspectives.

💡 How he stays organized: "I have an admin assistant named Angela who is absolutely phenomenal."