What is the superintendent?

With two Valley Stream school districts searching for new superintendents, the Herald decided to take a look at exactly what the position entails, through the eyes of the four Valley Stream superintendents.

“You’re the C.E.O. of a school district,” Dr. Richard Marsh said about being a superintendent of schools. Marsh is serving as the interim superintendent for the Valley Stream Central High School District while the Board of Education searches for a new leader.

For Marsh, who was the schools chief in Bethpage for five years, leading the Valley Stream high school district is like leading a $100 million business. And it’s a business that revolves around people, he explained.

District 24 Superintendent Dr. Edward Fale noted that just about every one of his responsibilities deals directly or indirectly with people. He has to be an advocate for children and manage a staff. He has to remember that he working to ensure the community’s educational values are being met. And he has to put together a budget that he believes best meets the needs of all parties.

“There’s a balance that has to be achieved,” he said, “so a variety of high quality educational programs exist so that children will be ready to go forward.”

In order to ensure that the current generation of youngsters will be well-prepared for the workforce, Fale said he has to make sure that he has the best teachers in place. And that doesn’t just mean hiring the best people. “The granting of tenure, which in many ways is giving a person a job for life, is one of the most important decisions you make,” he said. “Not every teacher gets tenured.”

Before teachers come up for tenure, Fale said it is important to give them every opportunity to succeed. Helping them become the best possible teachers, he said, helps create well-educated students. Fale reads every evaluation of teachers completed by his administrative team, and even conducts his own reviews before granting tenure.

The board and the community

District 13 Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Lison said one of her chief responsibilities is to execute the policies set by the Board of Education, the elected body of the community to oversee the school district. Lison, as superintendent, is there to manage the schools, offer the board her professional advice and keep them informed of any issues that arise.

Lison, who is retiring at the end of this year after eight years in Valley Stream, said it is important that the board can trust the superintendent’s decision-making ability. The superintendent also has a responsibility to ensure that newly elected board members become acclimated to the position by helping them understand terminology, contracts and more.

District 30 Superintendent Dr. Elaine Kanas said she spends a good part of her week just putting together information for the Board of Education so they are well-informed. The weekly packet includes summaries of events in the schools, upcoming activities, evaluations of programs and items of educational interest.

Marsh said it is important to respect the Board of Education, because they are volunteers and committed to doing right by the community. It is important to be honest with board members, he said. When he was in Bethpage, he had would hold board retreats where he and board members would informally gather to talk about the district’s goals.

It’s not only important to have a good relationship with the board, he said, but the community as well. Marsh said the superintendent should be visible at school functions, such as sports games, concerts, plays and awards ceremonies, so there is chance to interact with people.

Kanas said she meets regularly with PTA presidents, and tries to attend as many PTA meetings as possible. She also wants to keep the community informed through her weekly newsletter on the district’s website, a responsibility she won’t delegate to someone else. “I write every single word of that,” she said.

The educational leader

Fale said it is the responsibility of the superintendent to keep abreast of all current trends in education. The superintendent also needs to have a vision for the school district, and a plan to help students meet their educational needs. “You have to be an advocate for children,” he said, “for education as a civil right and for equity in education.”

There is also a lot of data to review as superintendent, especially from the state tests that are given in English language arts and math. This data shows how individual students perform, how each teacher’s students perform and how each ethnic and racial group performs.

Lison noted that the superintendent must keep up with all new mandates from the state and federal government. She also said she needs to be aware of new technology available that can improve student learning.

But it’s not just about being an educational leader in one’s district. The superintendent should be a voice in the greater educational community, Kanas explained. She noted that she will often attend conferences to present programs that are working well in her district. “You have a professional responsibility to share the work that you do to help others,” she said. “Put your school district out there.”

Must be visible

Lison said that while there are some days when it is hard to get out of her office, such as when putting together the budget or a presentation for the board, she likes to be out and about in the schools. Visibility is very important for a superintendent.

When walking around the schools, Lison said if she passes students in the hall she will stop them and engage them in a conversation about what they are learning. “Unless you have that,” she said, “you forget why you’re here.”

Kanas said she makes it a point to get to at least one of District 30’s elementary schools every day. She wants to be in the classrooms, talking with teachers and observing lessons. “That is really the only way you can know your school district.”

Responsible for everything

Education leadership is a major part of the job, but it’s not the only role of the superintendent. Marsh said that the superintendent must ensure that the buildings are clean and safe, that the buses are running on time and that money is being spent wisely. “The job encompasses everything,” he said. “You’re responsible for everything that goes on.”

When it snows, Marsh said the superintendent decides whether or not to close school. When a student misbehaves, the superintendent sometimes must hold a hearing to determine the consequences.

Fale said the superintendent is the district’s chief negotiator for union contracts. There are constant meetings with administrators, teachers, unions, attorneys, parents and elected officials.

A lot of hours

Marsh said he can’t put a number on the amount of hours he works each week, but “it’s way more than 40.”

Lison said there are the “hands-on” hours, when she is in her office, at a district function or at a Board of Education meeting. Then there is her work away from the schools at home taking phone calls, answering emails or reading up on the latest educational trends. “It becomes part of your life,” she said. “You don’t ever separate from the job.”

A superintendent has to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, she explained. Even as an assistant superintendent, it is hard to fully understand the magnitude of the job. And even away from work, the superintendent must remain a role model, Lison explained.

Kanas said that technology has made the job a 24-7 gig. “With email and being able to access your desktop at home, it’s like it never stops,” she said. “It’s a hard job but it also has tremendous rewards.”

Marsh said those rewards come when a superintendent knows they have done something to inspire a student. “That’s what makes it so worthwhile,” he said. “It’s a very rewarding job in that you’re involved in the development and education of our future.”