The ways in which a Hispanic female superintendent led her school district toward stability and excellence are described in this report, with a focus on four elements that differentiate the work of urban school superintendents from that of others. Four years of data were collected through interviews with the superintendent, observations of group meetings, and document analysis. Findings indicate that the superintendent must attend to four areas for success: (1) the large size and heterogeneity of the district; (2) resource allocation; (3) school board composition; and (4) the fragmented nature of the community. Basic tasks for effective superintendent leadership were identified, which include: balancing the budget; replacing school board members as necessary; hiring additional teachers and cabinet members representative of diverse groups; providing staff development; establishing student outcome targets; establishing a personal and school district image; engaging in an affirmative action plan; focusing attention on program and school sites; and establishing superintendent/board relationships. (LMI)