A "retired" school leader who has held five interim superintendencies explains why his unanticipated second career has been professionally and financially rewarding. Interims should maintain a daily log, greet staff and students, share what they know, set an example, be enthusiastic, support the incoming superintendent, and have fun. (MLH)

"Resilience" is the capacity for moving ahead under adverse circumstances. School superintendents are advised to stay upbeat and mindful of "both-and" opportunities; stay focused on what they care about; remain flexible and tolerant of ambiguity; be proactive, not reactive; and apply resilience-conserving strategies during…

Successful administrators practice time management by delegating effectively and scheduling blocks of time to work without interruption. In addition, they set clear goals for meetings, avoid unnecessary meetings, and use weekly and monthly calendars. (MLF)

To remain viable, classrooms must be transformed into learning communities wherein deep ideas are developed. A Pennsylvania superintendent (Owen J. Roberts School District, Pottstown, PA) describes how discussions of great literature among administrators, faculty, and board members have helped forge shared understandings as they tackled thorny…

Schools with high concentrations of poor children often get the poorest prepared teachers. Those schools also typically have the highest levels of turnover. We must deal with the working conditions in those schools. We need to ensure that our strongest leaders work there and then make it worth their while to stay there financially by giving them…

The Holmes Group is a national organization of some 90 research universities that addresses the low quality of teacher preparation. Its goals are to reform teacher education and teaching itself by promoting intellectually sound programs, recognizing teacher differences, revising standards, connecting education programs with schools, and improving…

The spouse of a former superintendent provides suggestions for minimizing, though never eliminating, harmful repercussions on their mates. Expectations of being a public persona, socializing with board members, sacrificing free time, responding to public criticism, and dealing with boards' private agendas demand creative coping approaches.…

Effective followership (mirroring a leader's mission) involves several strategies: concentrating on becoming a team player, demonstrating a strong work ethic, adhering to high individual expectations and possessing high self-regard, projecting optimism, and practicing interpersonal intelligence. (MLH)

A survey of 575 spouses of Nebraska school administrators portrayed mounting pressure from increasing work demands. Fully 90% indicated that afterhours activities are exhausting and disruptive to family life. Other problems include dual home/office personalities, everyday job stress, unshared child-rearing responsibilities, and loneliness. Still,…

Wellness programs emphasize positive motivation and usually include health awareness campaigns, behavior change programs, and cost containment strategies. Guides are offered for beginning wellness programs in school districts. (MLF)

Since 1990, over 40 Illinois and Massachusetts school districts have built capacity for sustained improvement through vertically structured, district-level Learning Leadership Teams. Originated by Motorola executives, LLT was based on an understanding of organizational change derived from the National Science Foundation's definition of systemic…

Today's superintendents are unaccustomed to sharing significant power with others and are expected to educate all youngsters effectively. Superintendents' responses to differences with their boards can profoundly affect progress in school improvement. By stressing dialog over discussion, superintendents might keep their jobs without sacrificing…

Research conducted over the last decade yields no simple solution to increasing job satisfaction among educators. Factors affecting job satisfaction include management styles, demographics, financial support, and class size, to name a few. Focused upon is the role of school administrators in developing and maintaining satisfied teachers. (seven…

A superintendent who was nearly appointed New York City Schools chancellor explains the physical and mental stamina his job requires. Most school executives don't recognize job stresses leading to physical disorders, adverse effects on family life, and alcoholism. Since superintendents' demise usually centers on political/interpersonal conflicts,…

Stress accompanies most superintendencies, but how much strain a superintendent experiences hinges on personality traits and coping ability. Superintendents are pressured by innercity work environments, changing demographics, tightening finances, confrontational school boards, and dissatisfied constituents. For some, the answer is early…