USD President's Report 1999

an opportunity to lead in our own li ves , as teachers, coaches, parents , business m en a nd women, and as citi ze n s . Now and in th e f utur e , we need leaders who work for policies and practices th at lead toward greater justice, a necessary precursor

and their own deepest purpose. Maria Harris, a re li g iou s educator a nd w rit er, reminds u s that we will l eave our fingerprints upon the vessels we strive t o mend. Our work will lead toward greate,· justice , a necessary precursor to peace.

to peace. We need leaders who are in touc h with t h emse lves , their God

When SuperintendentJenniferJeffries began teaching m 1975, she never p ctured herselfthe top administrator of a school district. "At the beginning of my career, I didn't know how to do politics very well," she says. As she moved through the ranks and earned the superintendent's job at the Fallbrook, Calif., Union Elementary School District, Jeffries learned that leadership isn' t all about playing political games. It's about influencing others. "I can be passionate and rigorous, but not coercive," says the 1994 graduate of the leadership studies doctoral program. "Leadership involves influence that results in commitment to the common good, rather than mere compliance to the will of others." Jeffries' style, which has won the loyalty of the 560 employees in her district, is directly tied to her spirituality and commitment to the Episcopal Church. Through her courses at the School of Education, she began to understand the connection between leadership and spirituality. "When spirituality is invo lved, your work becomes something you are called to do , not something you are dr iven to do ," she says. A majority of her workday is devoted to people, Jeffries says , because she likes talking and enjoys knowing what is happening in the nine elementary and middle schools she oversees. Whether she's convincing the schoo l board to fund a project, sitting in a classroom observing the teacher and students , or developing a plan to improve student achievement , J effries maintains a genuine respect for individuals. Even if they oppose h er ideas. "My spirituality h elps me see h ow I am connected , even to those who are opposing me ," she says. "It keeps me mindfu l of the needs of oth ers. And doesn' t allow m e to misuse my position of authority." Jeffries instead uses her position to work for the common good of the 5 ,900 students in h er schoo ls. And sometimes sh e moves outsid e of her "Super Nintendo" (as one youngster called h er during a visit to an elementary schoo l) j ob , to working for th e Fallbrook community. As chair of th e Boys and Girls C lub Teen Keystone Club , sh e helps organize dances and poo l parties , and often sp ends Friday evenings during the summer selling sodas and candy bars at the events. Whether working with adults o r kids , the teacher in h er is always present. "Leadership is h aving th e intellectual ca p acity to figure out what to do and how to get there," she says. "Spiritu ality is knowing how to help people d o it with me. "

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