The best advice comes from those living it. With that in mind, K-12 Dive is launching a new feature that each month asks a group of superintendents, principals or other administrators for their insights and best practices on the top challenges facing public schools.
For this month’s question, we asked five superintendents: "What are your top priorities for engaging your school community this fall?"
Shari Camhi
Superintendent of Baldwin Union Free School District in New York
President of AASA, The School Superintendents Association
1. Communicating on a consistent and enthusiastic basis: Parents want to know what is happening in our schools. In speaking with parents, we learned they want different information from their child’s principal and superintendent. We have initiated monthly newsletters from our principals that speak directly to curriculum and building projects and from the superintendent on community and district-wide initiatives. We share fun and exciting information that make parents and families excited to be part of our education community. We update our website regularly and share fun, student-centered stories on social media and our district marquee.
2. Inclusive and meaningful PTSA events: The board of education and district administration have very deliberately engaged the PTSA in meaningful conversations around parent engagement. Opening events enthusiastically promoted participation and programming that is relevant, and timely. Parents show up when their children are there, so make sure to include students in planned events.
3. Technology benefits realized: The ability to use technology to open our classrooms was always there, but the pandemic forced us to learn how to use technology such as Zoom and Google classroom. We have created opportunities to continue to include parents virtually. Parents are invited as guest readers and parent-student forums, for example, as a way to involve families in classroom life.
4. Planning for the future: Parents are engaged in a discussion on the future of learning called Baldwin 2035. This work involves parents in understanding the need to “do things differently” in the learning process. The work of our faculty thought leaders is shared and input is solicited from parents to ensure their part in the process.
Marlon Styles
Superintendent, Middletown City School District in Ohio
This year one of my main priorities across the school community is to inspire educators to find Joy In Education. The back to school convocation message to the entire staff was to strive for those goosebump joyful moments in education this year that fill your heart. We have so many amazing things happening across the district that offer us joy.
Centering joyful moments around student experiences both in and outside the walls of the school building is our priority. This priority is all about the adults finding joy in what they do this year to shift to a more positive narrative about the education profession. Just like our students, I want our staff to be filled with happiness this school year.
In late July, Middletown City School District launched the Admiral Squad. The district has committed to hiring 25 certified Black male educators over the next five hiring seasons. The commitment extends beyond a traditional goal of diversifying the staff and centers on representation in the profession for our students.
A key priority is for the Admiral Squad to establish the district-wide brotherhood for the Black males currently employed by the district. The affinity group will provide a space for Admirals to be their authentic selves, engage in professional learning, positively impact the school community, and inspire young men of color to discover a passion for becoming an educator.
Susan Enfield
Superintendent of Washoe County Schools in Nevada
Being new to my district and community, my focus so far has been on people. One of the most important things for any superintendent to have in order to be successful is trust, and trust is built through relationships.
I am investing most of my time in getting to know our Washoe County staff, students, families and community — and I am loving it. My goal is to build relationships that will lead people to trust not only me, but our district overall. And from a foundation of trust, we can accomplish great things for our children and young people.
Joe Sanfelippo
Superintendent of Fall Creek School District in Wisconsin
1. Addressing staff morale: The last few years have been incredibly hard on staff. Being short-staffed is one area, but the most important for us is making sure they feel valued because they have all had to do more than they signed up for. If that turns into how it looks all the time, we will continue to have people leave the profession.
2. Creating trust: Coming out of a few years where things weren't "normal," we made adjustments that worked and some that did not. Knowing that we addressed the things that did not work will help build trust with those in the community. Living in a small town, we are working with those who have kids in school as well as those who do not. Both groups should feel like they are connected to the school. Our job is to continue to build our entire school community through trust.
3. Meet them where they are: Eighty percent of the voting public don't have kids in school, so 80% of the people in your community are making a judgment about you based on what happened to them when they were in school. Finding ways to meet them where they are — at a game, in the village, and online (social media in addition to our website) — will connect the groups.
Ken Wallace
Superintendent of Maine Township High School District 207 in Illinois
We need to take the lessons we've learned over the past couple of years — the good, the bad and everything else — and we have to use this moment to truly reimagine learning in our schools to better reflect how each student learns.
Our spaces and actions need to be oriented to creating students who not only can learn but who also want to learn. That means creating learner-driven systems that provide space and support for authentic inquiry and exploration in rigorous courses and real-world career exploration and opportunities.
The cost of failure needs to be reduced so that learning in schools looks more like learning in the real world. That's what truly resonated with learners prior to the pandemic, but it's needed now more than ever to engage student and adult learners to elevate public education's vital place in our democracy.
We are engaging directly with our communities and parents to discuss ways that we can evolve our work to be more inclusive and rigorous for all students. This includes parent forums with principals and other staff members, as well as direct communication into the homes of our community members — both in direct mailings but also in digital engagement.
