"You survived it, tell your story," is a quote that's been resonating with Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Iranetta Rayborn Wright. She says when you finally understand and believe in that, then you must tell your story, because somebody needs to hear it.
"A long, long time ago I heard a superintendent talk and say, 'The problem with communication is 90% of the time people think they communicated, they didn't communicate or they miscommunicated,'" says Sean Maika, who was recently named a Superintendent to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association. "That leads to 90% of your problems."
Recent headlines suggest that school districts across the country are having shared experiences, or what we like to call mid-semester headaches. Here's what leaders are responding to.
Lewis Brooks, leader Shelby County Schools, makes it a priority to regularly highlight his students' and staff members' "interests and exceptional accomplishments."
In order for there to be more women involved in district leadership, it requires current and aspiring leaders to create a strong network of females who advocate for one another. And that's the mission these two have sought out to do in their own communities.
The growth Superintendent Jesus Jara is seeing in the Clark County School District is the result of building a leadership team that "can deliver on the mission."
Amazing things happen in the lives of students when families and educators join forces, says Superintendent Marvin Connelly Jr. of Cumberland County Schools.
Many superintendents believe building leaders know best what their students need. New research links school autonomy to improved student achievement—under the right conditions.
When it comes to K12 LGBTQ policies in schools, parents and other adults prefer classroom discussions about the LGBTQ community to using students' preferred pronouns.
