This is the third post in a series designed to share the best free resources for educators. Each installment will be tailored to a different role. You can read our post about resources for teachers here, and our post about resources for principals/school administrators here.
Part recruiter, part lobbyist, part CEO, part CFO, and so much more. Superintendents have an exceedingly complex role that can be made more meaningful and successful with the right resources and support. Here is our roundup of the best resources to support and connect superintendents:
The School Superintendents Association, also known as AASA, is the “premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. Superintendents can join AASA to receive benefits and services, including legal support services and access to AASA events. AASA offers numerous toolkits for superintendents….read on to see which one is our favorite!
The Empowered Superintendent is a toolkit offered by CoSN, in partnership with AASA, which aims to empower superintendents to lead successful technology initiatives. The toolkit includes modules on focus areas such as cybersecurity, accessibility, cloud computing, online assessment and so much more. CoSN and edWeb partner to present a monthly webinar series on “The Empowered Superintendent,” which offers even more opportunities to engage and grow.
Successful Schools is the blog authored by Dr. Scott Taylor, Superintendent of K-12 Highland Park Schools and adjunct professor at Rutgers University. The posts are thought-provoking, honest and culturally significant. If you are a superintendent or other school/education leader, you’ll definitely want to subscribe.
- #SuptChat and #LeadUpChat
#SuptChat and #LeadUpChat are both Bammy award-recognized, scheduled Twitter chats geared towards superintendents. #SuptChat was founded by two Illinois superintendents, Nick Polyak and Mike Lubelfield and takes place on the first Wednesday of each month at 8:00 pm ET. #LeadUpChat takes place each Saturday at 9:30 am ET and inspired by the LeadUpNow movement, which seeks to shift paradigms of leadership structures in education by encouraging thought-provoking conversations. Both chats are a great place to connect with other education leaders who are looking to make a different in their schools and communities.
“Lead Like a Pirate: Make School Amazing for Your Students and Staff,” by Shelley Burgess and Beth Houf, maps out “the character traits necessary to captain a school or district.” The book likens great school and district leaders to “treasure seekers” or pirates who seek out treasure: engaged students, amazing schools and empowered educators
Superintendents have an incredibly difficult, yet rewarding job. We hope these resources can help lighten the load a bit. If you are a superintendent, will you share your favorite resource?
