The Savvy Superintendent by Wagner Linda K.;

Author:Wagner, Linda K.;
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 616376
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Education

Problems on the board should be neither ignored nor avoided. Issues must be addressed and resolved as soon as practicable. Infighting among members impacts the board and the governance team, and it can negatively impact the district by ceasing its march toward progress. “When a board is going sideways, it is because the adults are fussing at each other,” observes one superintendent.

It is an unfortunate fact that the superintendent, who works for the board, also must help rectify its shortcomings. A superintendent might solicit the assistance of the board president in confronting poor behavior on the part of a board member. Other times, the president is a part of the problem. In either case, poor behavior cannot be permitted to continue. The superintendent should take steps to address bad behavior firmly, but also in the most people-friendly method possible. One effective solution may be to hold one-on-one meetings with a board member. Depending on the scope of the issue, it may even require the help of an outside consultant.

There is a saying, “Conflict is like a mushroom; it grows in the dark.” Board unrest casts shadows throughout the district and brings the district’s most important work to a halt. When there is a conflict on the board, it is best for the superintendent to help bring the issues to light and to resolve them rather than allowing them to continue or to hope they solve themselves.

Dysfunctional boards can assume many forms and evince a variety of symptoms. Direct hostility (of members toward one another, of the board toward the superintendent, or toward a third party), passive-aggressive behavior, or the intentional monopolization of staff time with no clear objective in mind are some of the more common manifestations of board malfunction. One of the more profound ramifications of a dysfunctional board is that the superintendent and staff are rendered unable to conduct important business, and district progress crawls to a stop.

If you should find yourself promoted to superintendent upon a superior’s termination, one veteran leader urges, “Get your board under control, fast!” Once an internecine battle has begun, war within the school board can continue indefinitely. A wise superintendent will sidestep this battle by redirecting the focus of the board to where it must be: on the students. “I’ve spent a lot of time brokering relationships between adults, and I don’t want to do that anymore,” says one superintendent.

There is far too much important work to accomplish for a school board to spend its time on power struggles. Sometimes the goals the district fails to meet can negatively impact multiple parties within the district: the superintendent, staff, faculty, and students. A string of conspicuous failures will embarrass the board as well. “I try to make it clear to the board that enlightened self-interest would get them behind instruction, otherwise the district would be under sanctions,” says one superintendent.

Recurring disagreements between a superintendent and a majority of the school board may mean that there is nothing a leader can do to facilitate a change dramatic enough to make the team function effectively.

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