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Hands-on, Practical Guidance for Educators

From math, literacy, equity, multilingual learners, and SEL, to assessment, school counseling, and education leadership, our books are research-based and authored by experts on topics most relevant to what educators are facing today.

 

Achieving Success for New and Aspiring Superintendents

A Practical Guide

An expert guide to becoming a successful superintendent

The authors bring years of experience, practical advice, and a vision for the future to this comprehensive how-to guide for aspiring and new superintendents. They believe that understanding all aspects of the superintendency is critical to achieving success, and candidates who are prepared have a great advantage over those who are not. The book provides examples and covers a full range of topics, including:

  • Keys to providing exceptional instructional leadership
  • Strategic planning, goal setting, and decision making
    Budgeting, negotiations and collective bargaining
  • Effective communication with all constituencies

Full description


Product Details
  • Grade Level: PreK-12, Elementary, Secondary
  • ISBN: 9781412988964
  • Published By: Corwin
  • Year: 2010
  • Page Count: 328
  • Publication date: June 07, 2012

Price: $47.95

Price: $47.95
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Description

Description

"Callan and Levinson illustrate the complexities of superintendent's job and provide concrete strategies to proactively address them—a nice overview to start with and reference to use over time."
—Peter Dillon, Superintendent
Berkshire Hills Regional School District, Stockbridge, MA

"This book provides valuable information for aspiring and new superintendents. I wish this resource had been available when I was considering the superintendency."
—Marie Blum, Superintendent
Canaseraga Central School District, NY

An expert guide to becoming a successful superintendent

Veteran superintendents Mary Frances Callan and William Levinson provide engaging examples and practical advice based on years of experience in this comprehensive how-to guide for aspiring and new superintendents. They believe that understanding all aspects of the superintendency is critical to developing expertise and that those who master a wide array of leadership and organizational skills significantly increase their chances for success. Offering both the benefits of their knowledge and a vision for the future, the authors cover a full range of topics, including:

  • Keys to providing exceptional instructional leadership
  • Strategic planning, goal setting, and decision making
  • Budgeting, negotiations and collective bargaining
  • Effective communication with staff, the board, unions, and the media

This unique reference focuses on the interconnections between leadership, organization, and action and provides tools for assessing the most appropriate response to any on-the-job situation.


Key features

There are a number of special features in this book. For those who aspire to be superintendents there is detailed information on how to prepare for the position and the application process. We include what to expect during the interview and any site visitation. For those newly selected there is information on contracts and the transition period as well as what to do during the first year.

We include information on strategic planning, goal setting, superintendent and administrative evaluation, meeting structures, and decision making. We provide detailed information on how to master the district's finances, work with a board and unions, lead negotiations and communicate. More importantly we focus on how to be an effective educational leader of teaching and learning.

There is also guidance on topics not normally covered in other books. For example, we address personal issues that confront new superintendents such as where to live, the effects of the job on your family and personal life, and community expectations. Throughout the book we focus on the interconnection between leadership, organization, and personal behavior.

For superintendents in their second or third years discussions are included on how to delve into the complexities of the position rather than just view each succeeding year as a repeat of year one. The importance of instituting and maintaining an "18 Month Planning Process" is stressed. We include eleven challenges that face superintendents in each succeeding year including how to provide effective leadership in a changing organization. The book concludes with a discussion of when it is time think about moving on and the implications of the decision to stay or leave a district.

 

Author(s)

Author(s)

Mary Frances Callan photo

Mary Frances Callan

Mary Frances Callan recently retired after serving the last fourteen years of her career as superintendent of schools in Milpitas, Pleasanton and Palo Alto, California. She now coaches aspiring and new superintendents, assists with superintendent searches, and is co-developing a curriculum to train aspiring and new superintendents. Earlier in her career she was a teacher, counselor, and administrator in a number of states as well as overseas. Callan also serves on boards including the school board of ICA Cristo Rey, the Board of Regents of Santa Clara University, and the Keenan Health Advisory Board. Among other writings, she has co-authored publications including two handbooks for Phi Delta Kappa’s Exemplary Practices Series, Staff Development and Organization Development, and a book published by McGraw Hill, Containing the Health Care Cost Spiral
William Levinson photo

William Levinson

William Levinson recently retired after serving twelve years as the superintendent of the Tamalpais Union High School District located in Marin County, California. Since retiring Levinson works with a national search firm and has conducted numerous superintendent searches. He provides coaching support to principals, aspiring and new superintendents, and nonprofit executive directors. He previously served eleven years as superintendent in three other California districts: Reed Union, Sonoma Valley and Lafayette. His earlier career included elementary teaching and principal positions in New York, New Jersey, and California. Levinson served as a Vista Volunteer in Florida where he founded an after-school language development program for migrant laborer children using college students as tutors. Throughout his long career Bill has presented workshops assisting teachers and administrators to further their careers.
Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Foreword


Preface


Acknowledgements


About the Authors


1. Becoming a Superintendent

Getting Ready

The Application Process

Interviews

Site Visits

The Final Step: Your Contract

Summary

2. Transitioning to Your New District

Managing Your Transition

Addressing Personal Issues

Summary

3. Getting Started: Organizing to Lead

Scheduling for Success

Other Responsibilities

Summary

4. Moving the District Forward

Decision Making

Mastering the Budget

Improving Teaching and Learning

Goal Setting and Evaluation

Summary

5. Completing Year One, Planning Year Two: A Continuous Cycle

Determining Your Legacy Goals

Planning the Final Six Months of the School Year

Summary

6. Working With a School Board

The Basics

Communicating With the Board

Board Meetings

Summary

7. Working With Employee Groups

Establish Relationships

An Overview of Collective Bargaining

Issues Influencing Collective Bargaining

Summary

8. Negotiating Agreements

Getting Started

Organizing Negotiations

At the Table

Settling Compensation

Ratification and Next Steps

Summary

9. Communicating: Enhanced Decisions

Communicating With Parents and the Public

Working With the Media

Communicating With Staff and Students

Final Considerations

Summary

10. Looking Ahead

The Challenges

Summary

Final Thoughts

Resources


Index


Reviews

Reviews

Price: $47.95
Volume Discounts applied in Shopping Cart

For Instructors

Request Review Copy

When you select 'request review copy', you will be redirected to Sage Publishing (our parent site) to process your request.