Success In The Superintendency

Success in the Superintendency will help new and aspiring superintendents gain meaningful, practical information from award winning, experienced superintendents. The book's ten chapters cover topics identifiable to every superintendent_no matter how many years experience he or she has on the job. The author and editor of the book, Kay T. Worner, weaves information, advice, and research into each chapter making the book a valuable tool for all administrators. The tips, and scenarios for each chapter are inspired by thirty-six Superintendents of the Year representing various states and over twenty years of awards. Because of the wealth of information and advice, the book is ideal for graduate school students, beginning superintendents, and superintendents who seek some advice from those who are recognized by their peers as excellent leaders. The book is organized so that it is easily read chapter by chapter, or the reader can quickly search a topic of interest. Success in the Superintendency is a must have for every superintendent's professional library.

"Callan and Levinson illustrate the complexities of superintendent′s job and provide concrete strategies to proactively address them—a nice overview to start with and reference to use over time." —Peter Dillon, Superintendent Berkshire Hills Regional School District, Stockbridge, MA "This book provides valuable information for aspiring and new superintendents. I wish this resource had been available when I was considering the superintendency." —Marie Blum, Superintendent Canaseraga Central School District, NY An expert guide to becoming a successful superintendent Veteran superintendents Mary Frances Callan and William Levinson provide engaging examples and practical advice based on years of experience in this comprehensive how-to guide for aspiring and new superintendents. They believe that understanding all aspects of the superintendency is critical to developing expertise and that those who master a wide array of leadership and organizational skills significantly increase their chances for success. Offering both the benefits of their knowledge and a vision for the future, the authors cover a full range of topics, including: Keys to providing exceptional instructional leadership Strategic planning, goal setting, and decision making Budgeting, negotiations and collective bargaining Effective communication with staff, the board, unions, and the media This unique reference focuses on the interconnections between leadership, organization, and action and provides tools for assessing the most appropriate response to any on-the-job situation.

The authors of this book wrote it for those aspiring to be superintendents, those new to the position and those completing their second or third year and who are looking to the future. What makes their approach unique is the belief that talented people who aspire to be superintendents are far more likely to accomplish that goal and achieve success on the job if they understand the totality of the position. School districts are complex organizations. Providing effective leadership to these organizations requires mastery of a wide array of leadership and organizational skills. Aspiring superintendents with vision and motivation who understand the inherent challenges of the position have a great advantage over those who do not. The book's goal is to provide readers with this advantage. This is why the book covers the full cycle of the first superintendent position: preparation, application and transition, the challenges of the first few years, and the decision to stay or move to another position. Aspiring and new superintendents who read the book will learn about the full range of skills and knowledge needed to succeed. They will be better prepared to be effective superintendents.

The importance of positive board/superintendent relationships cannot be understated. The need to balance competing political pressures to create the best possible learning opportunities for students is ever present. Most importantly, board/superintendent relationships should be cultivated with openness and transparency among each other and the public. This book is a resource for both board members and superintendents, and explores issues related to the board/superintendent relationship and superintendent hiring practices. The book includes contributions from experienced and new superintendents and board members on a wide range of topics that boards and superintendents must navigate together successfully in order to move districts in a positive direction for students, staff, parents, and communities. This book is unique in that the intended audience is both boards and superintendents. It is not a resource wherein “experts” tell board members how they should conduct board business, nor a resource that informs superintendents how to “manage” school boards. Instead, the book promotes and encourages a productive working relationship and partnership that moves school districts forward in a positive manner.

These qualitative case studies give the prospective superintendent a real-life look at life on the other side of the district CEO’s desk. Two dozen superintendents reflect upon their first challenges and growth opportunities that arose during that all-important first year.

Succeeding as a Female Superintendent provides a comprehensive look at the journey that several women superintendents of schools took in their pursuit of the top school leadership position. Real life stories relate what these women encountered and how they dealt with a wide variety of issues. Gilmour and Kinsella share insights from interviews with a number of female superintendents. Furthermore, readers will encounter a section of the book that asks them pertinent questions, urging them to reflect and write, regarding their readiness for the superintendency themselves.

Superintendent’s Success Manual: Nuts and Bolts By: Woody Richardson Superintendent’s Success Manual: Nuts and Bolts covers all the important steps to being a successful superintendent, including complete instructions from the start of a project through the end of a project. A must read for any new or aspiring construction superintendent, Richardson uses knowledge acquired through 40 years in the construction industry to delve into in-depth items required to do the job of superintendent that are rarely discussed in other instruction books.

ABOUT THE INFORMANT Ed Noyce, the informant or subject of this field study, was the Superintendent of the Wapiti Falls School District in 1994. Pseudonyms are used throughout his story, but he is real and so are the people, events, and locations herein. Why Ed Noyce? Ed was identified by an expert panel as an effective school superintendent. Asked for his comments, the real Ed Noyce wrote: “I am also grateful to those staff members, school board members, and others who agreed to participate. It can be quite threatening to have an unknown observer attending meetings at which private feelings and opinions are being shared. Yet, to the best of my recollection, no one showed even the slightest hesitation having an unknown observer recording their every move. The researcher deserves much credit for the way he managed to put others at ease.” ABOUT THE ETHNOLOGY Naturalistic observations were collected, digested, collated, and curated to provide a cultural portrait. The purpose was to better understand superintendent leadership. Three key attributes common to all leaders—spending sufficient time on the job, focusing on key attributes of the organization’s mission, and respecting the individuals serving within the organization— were used and individualized for our informant. Everyday encounters are described in detail. Follow along as Ed applied his core strengths and attributes in leading district staff, students, elected officials, and community. Leadership strategies are enumerated and validated in two case studies. In one, Ed and his district faced a crisis which tested elected officials, teachers, administrators, and finally Ed. Inner strengths were revealed; strengths attributed to work-life balance. Leadership will always be complex. Hence no all-encompassing theory of leadership will be offered. In this cultural portrait the premises held to be true are threefold: watch, reflect, improve.