Review of internship plan

During my internship, I have been fortunate to experience some very tough budget decisions, the implementation of LEAD 2021 (our district strategic plan), and a bond election.  These opportunities have allowed me to interact with parts of the educational community that are not a part of campus leader interactions.  This includes members of the community who work with facilities and budget.  While I do not profess to have learned all that is needed for me to embark upon a superintendent position yet, I do feel that they have allowed me to grow as an educator. 

In those opportunities, I have learned that much of the superintendent leadership is making sure you have competent and capable people in the right places.  Just as a campus principal must hire the right teachers and make the teachers he/she does have stronger, a superintendent is charged with the same tasks at a much more global level.  The importance of making sure that all members have the same vision for the district is imperative.  Throughout these classes, I have constantly been reminded that when I become superintendent, I want to make sure I have the best people in place to help navigate the budget, facility, personnel, and operational issues necessary to run a district.  As superintendent, I think it will be helpful to remember that while I don’t have to know it all, I do want to make sure the team collectively knows it all!

Next, all members must be able to effectively communicate to the voters and members of the community the excitement, the challenge, and the necessity of the tasks at hand, whether that is passing a bond, trimming the budget, or implementing a new district improvement plan.   Throughout my internship, I have attended many board meetings along with several community meetings.  During these meetings, I noticed that every single one of the leaders of these meetings was well versed on the message and was able to effectively communicate to the public about the purpose of the meetings and needs for the community.  In addition, they were able to rally the participants to either ask questions or help commit to embarking upon the tasks at hand.  I have always realized that effective communication was important, but my internship made me realize it was probably most important once the vision was established.  

 Lastly, I have learned that the repetition of that vision is critical.  A superintendent cannot assume that the message will get out there.  He/She must be intentional in championing the message with all stakeholders.   In the budget talks, bond meetings, and strategic plan implementation I attended during my internship, I became more and more aware that while I might have heard the same message, many heard it for the first time.  I believe it is critical for the superintendent to continue making sure that everyone is aware of the district strategic plan and knows the importance of the implementing this vision and the steps needed to make the vision a reality.   The focus must be kept on making sure our students are well prepared for a future of challenges that we do not even know exist by having strong problem solving skills, strong collaborative skills, and communication skills.