Becoming a superintendent is a natural aspiration of many school leaders who desire to have a very significant impact on students. The superintendent is the chief executive officer of a school division. Being the top official in a district gives a superintendent a platform to shape educational policies, procedures, and experiences within a district. Yet, it is important to note that superintendent of schools requires dedication and resilience due to extensive demands and pressures.
What Does a Superintendent of Schools Do?
The superintendent leads the daily operations of the school division including budgeting, hiring quality staff, and monitoring student success. The school board hires the superintendent to oversee all operations of the district in alignment with district policies. The superintendent is tasked with developing innovative solutions to a broad range of priorities including maximizing student learning.
As such, superintendents work with stakeholders to develop a vision and related strategic plan to move the district forward. In productive divisions, school boards and superintendents work in close collaboration with one another in the best interest of all students. The superintendent becomes the key spokesperson for the division and lobbies. This is for the division’s best interest at all times.
Superintendent Requirements: Skills
People-Person
Division superintendents need a myriad of skills and background knowledge. Being a people-person is likely the most important of all the skills necessary for success as a superintendent. Effective superintendents must be able to build effective rapport with a multitude of different stakeholder groups. Further, superintendents need to leverage this rapport to bring these groups together to work in alignment with the district’s vision in pursuit of increased student success and better experiences in the schools. That is, understanding and cultivating positive and productive relationships is essential to success in this leadership role.
Effective Communication Practices
Further, modeling and expecting effective communication practices within the system is crucial for success as a superintendent. Effective communication must be used and expected at all levels for a school system to grow and flourish. Communication needs to be timely, relevant, clear, and purposeful. To advance the division and maintain strong stakeholder relationships, superintendents need to be highly skilled in written and spoken communication. One of the most important strong communication skills is being an active listener. Effective superintendents earn credibility through listening and considering input.
Division Representation
A superintendent must understand that they are always representing the division through instructional leadership, and more. Aligning with the thought that a superintendent always represents the school division, a superintendent must have the ability and dedication to model the way for fellow staff. The superintendent needs to make grounded, logical decisions that are both ethical and equitable. Actions are grounded in what is best for students and in alignment with code and school division policies. Superintendents must embrace living in glass houses and understand that they will become public figures within the area.
Organization
Given the demanding schedule and pressures from multiple groups, a superintendent should be organized and have the ability to both delegate and prioritize tasks as appropriate.
An effective leader understands the impossibility of perfecting everything overnight. As such, they must strategically decide which challenges to pursue with sound and unbiased decision-making. The superintendent must remain stable, composed, calm, and logical in all tasks.
Superintendent Requirements: Education
It is imperative that a chief executive of a school system have extensive knowledge and prerequisite skills related to education. While the exact degree and endorsement may vary slightly, at least in title, from state to state, some basics requirements are almost universal.
While some states require a terminal degree in education, other states are willing to employ superintendents with an educational specialist degree in the field. Having an earned doctorate certainly gives a candidate an advantage in both knowledge and perception when pursuing a superintendent position. Hiring a candidate with a doctorate can add to a feeling of expertise within the district and surrounding community. Educational Leadership and Administration and Supervision are the two most common doctoral pathways to superintendent licensure.
In addition to having an appropriate graduate degree, licensure is necessary for school superintendents similar to other positions within the field of education.
Superintendents are required to be licensed in PreK-12 Educational Administration in most states. In addition, superintendents normally rise through the ranks within the educational systems and carry additional endorsements in education.
Diverse endorsements and trainings within the field make a candidate more employable. A proven success record in academic achievement and school leadership must be clear. Further, experience and knowledge of the various levels from primary to upper high school is certainly helpful.
Why Should You Consider a Superintendent Position?
A person who wants to advance and make the most significant impact possible within a district should consider applying for the superintendent position. A person should not apply for the school superintendent position solely considering pay and power. There are other, much easier, ways to achieve these two aspirations.
Superintendents need to be individuals who are servant leaders who enter the field with the noblest intentions to shape the present and future in schools. Furthermore, the impact of a superintendent can extend way beyond the boundaries of the school system as these leaders are given platforms to shape practices within the region, state, and collegiate world.
How to Become a Superintendent
School leaders’ daily actions become their extended interview for advancement. As such, the best way to become a superintendent is to be dedicated to the success of a school or a division as either a school principal or central office director. School divisions will become interested in a candidate who has a proven record of accomplishment in school leadership. Doing what is best will pay off long-term if a person wants to advance within the field.
After a potential superintendent has earned an appropriate graduate degree and related licensure, the candidate needs to promote their accomplishments that highlight effective leadership within the field. Resumes and related documents must align with the leadership post’s skills. Future superintendents seek out opportunities to present at conferences and workshops.
Many states offer statewide superintendent posting and application sites. As such, candidates can be more easily and quickly apply for multiple superintendent positions within a given state. These sites are often linked to recruitment agencies that assist both school boards and superintendent candidates.
When a candidate accepts an interview, they should invest time to better understand the school system and surrounding community. Driving through the area to see schools and resources will prove most helpful in the interview process. Further, visiting the area for the weekend allows a candidate to see if it is likely to align with their leadership style.
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