In Search of Excellence: Board and Superintendent Leadership Teams
Katie Oliver, Policy and Superintendent Search Manager
This month, the AASB Superintendent Search team is facilitating searches for two great districts in western Alaska, capping off a season that had us leading executive searches for school districts around the state. It has been such a privilege to work with school boards to envision and articulate the skills and experiences they are seeking in new leadership, to draft and develop interview questions, and to engage with students, staff, and community members in meet-the-candidate opportunities. The dedication and leadership of school board members are especially evident when it comes to this most important decision-making process. These school boards have prioritized a selection process that matches district culture, needs, and goals with the superintendent’s experience, skills, and leadership style.
However, the journey doesn’t end with the hiring agreement. A unique and important part of the AASB Superintendent Search service is when our staff returns to districts within the first 6 months to meet with the Board and Superintendent and facilitate an opportunity for the leadership team to examine how they are working together. We discuss their shared successes thus far, and their opportunities for continued growth. We review best practices and the hallmarks of an effective Board and Superintendent team. Those hallmarks are important for all boards to revisit and consider, at any stage in the longevity of their service together. Let’s explore a few here, that in my experience are particularly important:
TRUST AND COLLABORATION – A strong leadership team fosters relationships based on understanding and respect for one another’s functions and responsibilities. Great relationships don’t just happen, they are built as a result of mutual respect and effort.
POLICY GOVERNANCE – The Board supports conditions and structures that allow the superintendent to manage the district and fulfill their educational leadership role. The Board engages in continuous review of district policy and the superintendent advises the board on areas of policy development or revision.
COMMUNICATION – Effective communication between the leadership team means frequent, meaningful, and honest communication between board members and the superintendent. Good communication drives relationship building and helps ensure there are no surprises at board meetings.
EVALUATION – The Board meets its obligation to evaluate the Superintendent and does so based on shared goals and through mutually agreed-upon procedures. Board members further commit to the growth and development of the leadership team through an annual board self-assessment.
The school board and the superintendent are the district’s leadership team, and healthy leadership teams focus on student achievement and student success. A joyful illustration of this focus was demonstrated recently by the Kake school board during the Superintendent search interviews one Saturday afternoon in March. A motorcade of students and families celebrating a victorious basketball season drove by the meeting room. The President paused the interview process to allow everyone present to step outside and cheer on the students, reaffirming their collective ethos: Students first!