Superintendent Programming

Fresh communication tools to strengthen your leadership role.

Superintendent Pre-Conference Session:
21st Century Leadership
Tomorrow's successful leader will bear little resemblance to the prototypical 20th century leader. Becoming a successful leader in the 21st century requires more than charisma, confidence and vision. Today, the challenge is to find ways to increase the speed at which teams bring new ideas and creative solutions to the marketplace. Such a playing field demands a more enlightened form of leadership. Today's leader must possess a multitude of talents and skills that have more to do with enabling people than controlling them. Retooling your leadership skills to make certain you keep pace is a must.

Superintendents, School Boards, and Student Achievement: Dispelling the Myth of the "Blob"
When he was U.S. Secretary of Education, William Bennett asserted that American education was burdened by a bloated, local organizational bureaucracy that soaked up resources without contributing to high levels of student achievement: the "blob." The belief that superintendents, district office staff, and school boards simply drain resources away from students and classrooms without contributing to student achievement is a myth. Tim Waters, McREL's President and CEO, will share findings from McREL's research. He will also provide guidance on use of these findings to optimize the value superintendents add to their district's instructional program.

Forget Everything You Thought You Knew About District-Wide Reform
In this workshop you'll learn that the debate over top-down versus bottom-up reform no longer needs to be an either/or proposition. Find out how the recent national and state efforts to redefine superintendent/board leadership partnerships can both maintain appropriate role separation and provide collaborative and mutually beneficial district-wide stability and reform leading to sustainable student achievement.

The First Amendment in Schools-What Can You Do With Free Speech and Religion?
Learn from someone in the trenches about what is allowed and is prohibited for those pesky First Amendment questions about religion and free speech in schools. An attorney will explain in easy-to-understand terms the role of the school district in regulating free speech and religion.

Preventing Bullying and Shooting Crises
Explore U.S. Secret Service analysis of school shooters to set the stage for a discussion of programs and resources to prevent bullying, shooting and other crises. Learn how to prepare for and respond to a school crisis using a virtual-school-facility-tour tool.

Working with Difficult People Can Be as Much Fun as a Trip to Disneyworld
Acquire new skills for dealing with difficult board members, administrators and citizens. This interactive workshop offers useful strategies for dealing with the difficult behaviors described in the book, Dealing with People You Can't Stand. In this team-building session you will acquire a simple hands-on group dynamics assessment tool that will amaze your friends and help you tackle your difficult behavior challenges.

Superintendent Evaluation Made Simple
Is superintendent evaluation one of those topics that make your school board members squirm and superintendents cringe? Would you like to have an easy-to-understand but flexible process to guide them on the way? Using the theory and research available, learn how to use a flexible three-part superintendent evaluation process which covers professional standards, goals and 360 degree evaluation.

Transforming the Concepts of The World is Flat, Good to Great and 16 Trends Into a Vision and Set of Goals for Your District
Create a vision for your district that is in sync with rapidly changing education, globalization, and employment trends. Boards of education and administrators that focus on a shared vision will often perform at a higher level. One way of getting the board and administrative team on the same page is to get them all reading together. Experience how some school leaders are using "book studies" and the NSBA Key Work of School Boards to create progressive learning communities among education leaders.