9
For the seasoned superintendents reading this,
please know how valuable, appreciated and
important it is to call someone new and welcome
them to the region, area, city, etc. It feels great to be
included and recognized and know that someone has
reached out to you. A personal invitation to a local
meeting is helpful as many superintendents relocate
to areas where they might not have an established
network. I am grateful for the efforts made by my
colleagues in the Central Illinois Valley region to
welcome me when I started in Morton.
Putting out fires vs. long-term planning
In looking back at her former position as an
assistant superintendent, Cremascoli characterized
much of that work as dealing with the day-to-day
operations of the
district,
large projects and
initiatives.
“My work now is
focused much more
on the overall vision,
mission
and
strategic plan of the
district. Long-term
planning consumes
my time, as well as
working to align the
vision and initiatives
of the district,” she
said.
As a former
junior high and high
school principal and
assistant
superintendent,
I
wholeheartedly
agree with Cremascoli. I can look back upon those
former positions and realize a good portion of my
time was spent putting out fires on an hourly and
daily basis.
While that might occur occasionally in the
superintendency depending upon the size of the
district, being the top instructional leader is much
more about long-term planning, goal setting, having a
vision for your organization and working to focus your
board on the same journey through contact and
communication. This shift in thinking -- short term to
longer term -- was a big adjustment for me
personally. Be prepared for that change.
Surround yourself with good people
No one can do this job alone. Surround yourself
with other excellent leaders, then support those
leaders in their specific positions by standing back
and letting them fully utilize their leadership skills and
talents to reach the district’s goals.
If someone is not an effective leader on your
team, they will suck the energy out of you and detract
from the mission and vision of your organization.
Invite them to find other opportunities if coaching,
mentoring and clear expectations for performance are
not options.
In addition, your team must have a clear road
map of the journey you are on in your school district.
This vision starts from the top down with effective,
impactful leaders in the organization.
Care for yourself
You can only perform your job at a level that is
proportionate to the level of your mental, physical,
emotional and spiritual health.
“I find that while my
professional time is more
flexible as a superintendent, I
have also found that I am
always working, thinking,
planning,
coordinating…
always
‘ON’,”
observed
Cremascoli.
It can be a challenge carving
out time for exercise,
spending time with family,
and engaging in hobbies and
interests not related to work.
However, it is essential to
care for yourself as a
superintendent so that you
are a healthy and vibrant
leader, a good role model for
your
employees
and
students,
and,
most
importantly, there for your family.
In closing, Cremasoli offered three valuable
pieces of advice for those entering the
superintendent’s position.
First, she counseled to “Be patient. Be patient as
you learn, with yourself and with those around you --
especially in planning new initiatives and
improvements.” She went on to say that getting to
know your community and your school district and
learning about the nuances and culture of the place
you are now leading are also all vitally important.
Finally, the third and likely the piece of advice with
the most importance was to “always do what’s best
for kids. If you always do this, then rest of the things
that keep us up at night -- the worries, the policies,
the politics and the day-to-day decisions will all be
right.”
(Continued from page 8)
“You will feel as though you
are
drinking
from
the
proverbial fire hose from the
first day on the job (a
question for our more veteran
colleagues: does that ever
end??), but you must
schedule time to confer and network with your
superintendent
friends
and
peers.
Remember, unlike many other positions in a
school district, there is only
one
superintendent.”
- Dr. Lindsey Hall, Morton Comm 709,
talking about the importance of networking.
