So Now You're the Superintendent!

"The authors have captured the 'must knows' of the superintendency. This book is filled with keen insights and useful strategies to help the new superintendent establish credibility for long-term leadership success." —James Rickabaugh, Superintendent Whitefish Bay School District, WI "Eller and Carlson offer realistic and practical suggestions for new superintendents to hit the ground running." —Theodore Creighton, Professor Virginia Tech Practical strategies for meeting the challenges of your first year as a superintendent! The opportunities and responsibilities in the crucial first years of a superintendency can be challenging as well as exciting. This practical resource provides ready-to-use techniques that help superintendents build the relationships and teamwork needed to face these challenges with success. This insightful guide provides new superintendents with guidelines for making a positive difference while handling transitions, culture changes, financial issues, staff supervision, and team building. Using their combined experience as district administrators, the authors uncover the complexities of the job and offer candid discussions about how to: Establish yourself as the instructional leader Determine staff and community expectations for your performance Prepare for landmines that may be waiting around the corner Develop positive communications with all stakeholders Addressing the most common issues faced by new superintendents, this valuable reference provides the leadership tools to help a school district move forward.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors 1. My Office Key Works, What′s Next? About This Chapter The Superintendency: Understanding the Historical Context Potential Pitfalls for New Superintendents Challenges of Leading a School District The Importance of Focusing on the "Big Picture" Jockeying for Position The Windowpane Model: A Tool for Analyzing and Understaning Constituent Perspectives The Superintendent as Community Liaison Develop a Key Communicators Listing The Changing Role of the Superintendency Navigating the Changing Landscape Successful School Change Hills to "Die On" Successful Communicator Summary 2. The Superintendent-School Board Relationship: A Cornerstone of Your Success About This Chapter Managing the Superintendent-Board Relationship The Importance of Equal Treatment The "Inner Circle" Addressing Individual Board Member Requests When Is Equal Treatment Unequal? Superintendent-Board Chair/President Interaction Establishing Superintendent-Board Chair/President Interaction Norms Keeping the Chair/President Relationship Productive The Basics of Board Communication Successful Communication: Form and Frequency Forms of Communication A Special Note About E-Mail Communication Frequency of Communication Establishing Effective Superintendent-Board Chair/President Communication Emergency Communication Standards Maintenance of Your Communication Plan With the Board Board Standards and Operating Protocols Who Has Authority for What: The Board and Superintendent as a Team Summary 3. Organizational Trust and Culture: What Every Superintendent Should Know About This Chapter Organizational Culture Rapport, Trust, Climate, and Their Relation to Culture The Importance of Trust Building and Sustaining Organizational Trust Organizational Culture: The Gatekeeper of Excellence Properties of School Districts as Organizations The Complexity of Organizations Organizations Are Surprising Organizations Are Deceptive Organizations Are Like Organisms Trust and Excellence in Employee Group/Union Relationships Summary 4. School Finance 101: What Should the Superintendent Know? About This Chapter Staying Afloat: Four Key Financial Reports Enrollment Reports Monthly Enrollment Reports Annual Enrollment Projections Expenditure Reports Key Components and Their Location in the Budget Report Current Budget Current Month′s Expenditures Previous Year′s Budget Data Amount of Money Left in the Current Budget Revenue Reports Staffing Plans/Position Control Systems Long-Range Financial Projection: Your Own Crystal Ball The Importance of Long-Range Projection Understanding the School District′s Financial Audit Summary 5. How to Implement New Ideas in Your Initial Years as Superintendent About This Chapter The Change Process The Honeymoon Period Transitions and the Change Process Levers of Change Frames of Reference Related to the Change Process Strategies to Consider When Dealing With Resistance Facilitating/Guiding Groups Through Change Putting It Behind Us Learning Walk Implementation Blocking Summary 6. Supervising Principals and Directors: Strategies for Success About This Chapter Supervision of Executive-Level Administrators and Principals Getting the Most From Your Staff Members Supervision Strategies for Directors and Department/Divisional Administrators Evaluating Department Heads, Assistant Superintendents, and Directors Goal Setting Summary 7. What About the Students? Instructional Leadership and Dealing With Federal Programs About This Chapter Instructional Leadership No Child Left Behind Act Special Education Summary 8. Dealing With Difficult People and Situations About This Chapter What′s Behind All of This Negative Behavior? Frames of Reference Negative Reinforcement Understanding the Perspectives of Others Types of Conflict Substantive (Cognitive) Conflict Affective (Personality-Based) Conflict Skills for Dealing With Difficult People Temporary Suspension of Opinion Framing Reflecting Skills Implementation Blocking Shifting Energy Focus Design and Implement Positive Problem-Solving Processes Mediating Conflict Working Positively With the Press Summary 9. Getting the Word Out: Effective Communication Strategies About This Chapter The Power of Effective Communication Sticky Note Ripple Effects Managing Information Flow in Your Office and in the District Establishing a Board Communication Process Superintendent to Board Board to Community Community to Board Board to Superintendent Handling Private and Public Data Summary 10. It′s July, Now What? About This Chapter The Importance of an Entry Plan: Successfully Navigating Your First Ninety Days on the Job Opening Day With Staff Selecting a Mentor Key Components for Successful Mentor-Mentee Relationships Sample Calendar of Monthly Events/Activities Summary Key Points From Each Chapter References Index