New Superintendent? Lead in Dramatically Different Ways

What leadership dispositions, skills, and knowledge do superintendents need to lead their community at this critical moment? This Ed Week article offers 3 big ideas to support new district leaders.

• Know how to build and maintain a strong team of diverse thinkers. Determine the unique strengths and contributions of your team members and utilize the diversity of thought on your team to advance your shared vision. Engage your team in addressing the challenges you face. Collaborate, delegate, distribute.
• Put your community at the center of your district operations and decision-making in intentional and transparent ways. Develop strong school-community partnerships. What systems, practices, and/or processes can you put in place to know your students and families better (their interests, values, cultures) so that you and your teachers can more strongly connect in order to “enhance instruction”? You might consider home visits or focus groups and ask the following questions:
  • What is and is not working well here?
  • What changes do you think would make the biggest difference?
  • What do you need to hear or experience to heal from what’s been difficult?
  • What hopes do you have for our district and community?
  • What does a meaningful partnership look like to you?
• Support systemwide transformation by understanding how to build a culture in which everyone feels a sense of belonging and access paying special attention to historically marginalized groups. How will you bridge the gaps that exist? What equity goals do you have? Who needs to be involved in order to take action and sustain the equity work? What learning and leadership will be needed to achieve your vision for equity?

Read the full article