Inside AASA Women's Stories on Navigating the Superintendency

Why did you believe it was important to create this series?

Stories have power. The courageous leadership stories of the women offer many life lessons, practical tips and advice that will serve as a helpful guide to not only aspiring women superintendents, but to all aspiring women educational leaders.

What were the most challenging aspects of producing these videos?

The tight production schedule — we had six weeks to complete the project. On the day of the video shoot, I conducted nine back-to-back, 20-minute interviews in four hours, while simultaneously managing a five-person production crew. It was intense!

How did you select this group of women?

We sought out women with different backgrounds to highlight the diversity of leadership experiences, race, ethnicity and age so more women could see themselves reflected in these stories.

Among the women featured are a mother of six children, a single parent with a child with a disability and a woman who took the job when she was only in her mid-30s.

Why did most women pursue the superintendency?

Most women did not start their teaching career intending to leave the classroom to become a superintendent because they loved teaching so much. It was only after other educational leaders recognized their strengths as leaders and encouraged them to throw their hat in the ring that they did and got the job.

As Traci Davis of Washoe County School District (in Nevada) so eloquently said, “I think the job found me.” An opportunity opened up for her, and she realized it was a chance to do “wonderful things for all children.”

A few women like Ana Riley of Portsmouth Public Schools (in Rhode Island) loved being in the classroom and had a desire to make a larger impact on students, so they sought leadership positions to make good decisions for kids.

Did any of the women have a nontraditional pathway to the superintendent job?

Most rose up through the ranks as teachers, principals, curriculum directors and assistant superintendents, which is a common pathway among women superintendents. However, Theresa Alban of Frederick County Public Schools was a chief operating officer before becoming a superintendent. She believes that experience gave her an edge when she applied for the superintendent’s job.

What major challenges did they face?

The women frequently commented on the politics of the job, working with school boards and the need to find work-life balance.

When dealing with work-life balance issues, Michele Taylor of Calhoun City Schools in Georgia said having a very supportive husband and family unit has helped her balance her work and family life.

Debbi Burdick of Cave Creek Unified School District echoed the sentiments of many of the women who underestimated the amount of time it takes to deal with politics. But she says, “The politics is important, and the communication that goes along with that politics is one of the key things successful superintendents need to learn.”

With respect to working with school boards, Gail Pletnick, former AASA president, said it was important to understand what was driving each board member and then build relationships with each of them to be successful.

What did women find as the most rewarding aspects of the superintendent job?

A common response among the women about the rewards of the job was the joy they got from interacting with students. Michele Price of North Central Educational Service District says ‘My greatest joy is the fact that we can get to know the kids’ stories and we can help create pathways to get them where they want to be in life.’ Mary Jo Hainstock of Vinton-Shellsburg Community Schools says, ‘My greatest job has to be seeing others grow and develop, and that includes the students, the adults and others in the community.’

What were some lessons learned?

Some major takeaways noted by the women were that women need support systems to help them balance their personal and professional lives as well as a trusted confidant or mentor who can provide good advice without judgment. Finally, a belief that children’s well-being must be at the core of what they do. When you make decisions for students, you can never go wrong.