Leadership Matters August 2013 issue.pub

Let’s try common sense approach As the busy summer of a

unintended or even the untenable. I have found that the IASA staff and Board of Directors work very hard to assist us in our duties and, possibly most importantly, provide focus to our state leaders and the general public on the real issues we face. When I accepted my first superintendency, a colleague once reminded me of the old adage that it was truly “lonely at the top” and added that as a school superintendent, friends can quickly become enemies and your enemies multiply. In my 20 years as a school administrator, I have found those words both frightening and highly accurate. I am very proud to be a part of IASA – the only statewide organization that is always there for us and works tirelessly to aid in our quest for educational excellence. I am very humbled and honored to be President of this association and hope that I can contribute some common sense when helping our state leaders deal with issues that are certainly “common” over time, but where the problems are due largely to a lack of “sense”. Thank you again for all you do for our children. I truly hope your summer was restful as well as peaceful, and that the coming year is full of great and powerful achievements. Lastly, never lose sight of the destination, and may God bless us in our endeavor to shape a better future.

superintendent draws to a close, please allow me to say how much I appreciate the job that each and every one of you do. I know it is extremely difficult to maintain a positive attitude in the politically charged and always complex Illinois public education system, but now more than ever the thousands of children we serve every single day need us at the top of our game.

Message from the IASA President Dr. Steve Webb

As I reflect on the many various situations we have traversed the past several years, with education reform at the top of the list, I find myself looking for a beacon in a sea of perpetual change – much like a lighthouse guides us from darkness to destination. Although our destination seems to be a moving target, we still open the doors daily to our future. We still love and nurture those students, and we still strive to provide a first-class education to the children of Illinois no matter what might be the political agenda of the day. The Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) serves as that beacon of light to help guide school administrators through the perils of the

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