Superintendent Reflection

Reflection 

After the interview, the following answers really stood out to me. 

Question 1

When asked to define what leadership is, the Mrs. Stewart really focused on being a visionary.  What I took from this is,  leaders have to look years ahead to effectively guide the school.  Systematic change does not happen overnight, the district has to have a plan, and observable objectives to drive change.

Question 3

Mrs.  Stewart really put an emphasis on ethical behavior.  She explains how important it is to pick your words carefully.  This was something I knew, but I never thought of in as much depth.  The superintendent’s words have a lot of power, and a lot of though must go into choosing those words very carefully.   One misunderstanding can completely undercut a superintendent’s leadership ability.

                                                                                                                        

Question 6

There was a major emphasis placed on listening to faculty, staff, and community stakeholders.  Creating a shared vision is a very important to maintaining a successful district.  It is something that we all must work for, and keeping that vision in the forefront is a main job of the superintendent.  Like she said earlier, we are all cheerleaders for the district.

Question 8

This was a good learning experience for me.  I forget how important it is to work with the Board.  Mrs. Stewart explained how membership changes, and each member has his or her own agenda.  This is something that really concerns me, because this is where the politics will come into play.  I will do my best to share information with the Board, so that I can develop a good working relationship with them, but a clash of heads is inevitable.  Hopefully I can develop a good working relationship with them, where we can focus on putting the district first. 

Question 9

This question was about the budget, but I took a lot more from this than budgetary issues.  It is vital to surround yourself with a knowledgeable staff.  There is no way to be an expert on everything.  It is vital that the superintendent does an excellent job in hiring.  It is very easy to get caught up in rewarding others, but a superintendent should want the best people possible surrounding him at all times.  

Reflection

This interview was very eye opening.  It provided me with some very valuable insight on the superintendency.   I gained a lot of insight on dealing with budgetary issues, human resources, and other very important issues that are vital to the success of a district.  This is my first year as an Assistant Principal, so I am brand new to administration.  This will experience will help me develop into an excellent administrator in the future.  My ultimate goal is to become a Superintendent, this is the first step in my journey.  By learning this at an early stage, it will shape my career, and it will provide me with the experiences that I need.