Taking the helm of his second North Carolina district, Aaron Fleming realized he needed to move more quickly than he did as a first-time superintendent.

When he arrived at the growing Alamance-Burlington School System in 2024, he faced $3 million in debt, “dismal” test scores, leaky roofs and a district out of sync with the local economy, Fleming tells host Amy Dujon on the latest episode of District Administration’s “A Good Lesson” podcast.

“My first superintendency, I wanted to be very cautious,” says Fleming, describing his efforts to get comfortable with the Hartnett County school board and the community. “Sometimes, you’ll sit on a decision, but I realized if I had acted earlier, we probably would have turned the corner a little quicker in some areas.”