I chose to pursue a career in educational leadership because I saw it as the best way to impact children positively by helping to facilitate a learning environment where all children could thrive academically and experience success. While I was able to do this as a teacher in my own classroom, I knew my impact could be more far reaching as a campus administrator. After serving in this capacity for many years, I realized that the next logical step would be to work in a district administration position where I could work collaboratively with a group of educators to shape the district in a positive way.
Before beginning this program, I never really thought I would be interested in being the superintendent. I wanted to obtain my superintendent certification so I could be more knowledgeable regarding the big picture of the school district. I saw myself more as playing a supporting role at the district level. While I still believe this is true, especially in a district the size of my current district (45,000+ students), I am surprised to find myself considering the possibility of applying for a superintendent position in a smaller district. In addition to wanting to create a learning environment where all children can be successful, I have always believed being an educator at any level is a wonderful way to give back to your community. I have had opportunities to leave education along the way for jobs that probably would have been more financially profitable, but I never could justify doing that because I could never find a job that I thought was more important than being an educator. I realize that being the superintendent would enable me to have the greatest impact in shaping the educational experience of the district’s students, and I am now open to that awesome responsibility.
In my current role as the Executive Director of HRS, I have many opportunities to learn on a daily basis and shape the district through the recruitment and selection of the best educators I can find. Working in human resources, I am gaining first-hand experience with the budgeting process as well as working closely with the Board of Trustees. If I stay in my current district, I could see myself applying for an Assistant Superintendent position one day down the road as a transitional step to the superintendent position.
