How do superintendents establish good working relationships with the school boards they serve? How do they prioritize their to-do lists? How do they continue their professional development while on the job – or tend to their personal well-being?
Such questions and more were answered Nov. 20 during the Fall 2024 Aspiring Superintendent’s Forum.
Launched in 2021 by NIU Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations Associate Professor Ben Creed and Clinical Assistant Professor Lynn Gibson, the semiannual gatherings allow students pursuing the Ed.S. in Educational Administration degree to probe the minds of current practitioners.
The results, Creed and Gibson hope, are fostering community, networks and wisdom.
Around 45 people logged into the Zoom-hosted event; 32 of those are currently enrolled in Gibson’s LEEA 710: The Superintendency course.
Panelists were:
- Nik Butenhoff, assistant superintendent of South Beloit CUSD 320.
- Jennifer Dubois, superintendent/principal of Paw Paw CUSD 27.
- Kim Norton, superintendent of Heritage CUSD 8.
- Matt Zediker, superintendent of Yorkville CUSD 115.
Regarding productive collaboration with school boards, the panelists highlighted the importance of sitting down with and getting to know those elected officials on a personal basis, along with open and regular communication that ensures that board members are informed and confident going into meetings.
Board retreats are helpful, they said, allowing both sides to identify and clarify the roles and responsibilities of the other.
“My wise mentor always reminds me that we’re a ‘Team of 8,’ ” Norton said. “It’s important to make sure that everyone’s on the same page from the beginning.”
Ideas to promote career growth included joining professional organizations, such as the Large Unit District Association, as well as being certain to “connect, connect, connect” with not only the Illinois State Board of Education but also with students of all ages in the classroom as well as teachers and other educators in the buildings.
Colleagues in the central office – and across the state – are always happy to help, too. “It’s unfair for you to think you’re going to have the answers to everything,” Butenhoff said.
“Find your people,” Dubois added. “Zoom your mentors. Ask your questions. Block out the time, and take lot of notes.”
Maintaining mental health is critical to success, they said.
Don’t lose your family and friends. Attend your children’s events. Turn off your phone when you can – and respect the work-life balance of your team as well: Don’t send emails at 3 a.m.
“Have fun at work. If you can’t laugh at all during the day, or find something to enjoy the job you’re doing, it’s just going to wear you down. It’s a stressful job,” Butenhoff said, “but you’re surrounded by great people, and you’re surrounded by kids. That enjoyment trickles down to teachers and, most importantly, kids.”
Aspiring leaders who logged in also heard about the job search process and ways to achieve a painless changing of the guard if they are hired.
While applying, the panelists said, make sure to know what qualities the board is looking for in its next superintendent.
Keep your résumé and letters of reference and recommendation current and available. Prepare for questions. Understand your areas of inexperience, think of how you might address those and find confidence in the experiences you have had.
Rejection is not failure, they added: “If you don’t get the job, it doesn’t mean you’re a poor candidate,” Dubois said. “It means it wasn’t the right fit for you.”
For those who do land the gig, find someone knowledgeable who can answer questions about district operations – and realize that it’s not necessarily the former superintendent, who might want to move on.
Meanwhile, Zediker said, take the time to rebuild trust of the staff.
“I was hired in February,” he said of his appointment in Yorkville while still working in his 21-year home of the Rockford Public Schools. “I had enough vacation days that, on Fridays from April to June, I went to the (new) district. It allowed my transition to be smooth as of July 1. It was not my first introduction to people.”
Parting words of advice included valuing happiness over money – “find something you believe will be a right fit, and do the best you can” – along with remembering that the superintendent serves every student and every family and not just the squeaky wheels.
“It’s a journey,” Zediker said. “Enjoy the relationships you make. Enjoy the ride.”
