Rural Superintendencies Yield Personal Rewards

School Administrator, Feb, 1995 by Mary R. Cannie, Theron Hotaling

The complexities of the small! rural school superintendency and the breadth of responsibilities of the position often are misunderstood.

Managing a school district, no matter what the size, requires the superintendent demonstrate many levels of supervisory skills daily. These include skills needed by all superintendents plus an understanding of the uniqueness of the rural community and how to meet its needs.

Absent an administrative staff of any consequence, the superintendent must play numerous roles and assume responsibility for tasks that in large districts would be assigned to specialists.

In some small districts, the superintendent is the only administrator, responsible for the full array of central-office needs relating to transportation, business services, facilities, and the school lunch program, as well as site leadership.

The superintendent also is held accountable for developing, delivering, and managing the instructional program. Superintendents in small/rural schools are keenly aware of the need for quality instructional programs and strive to create learning opportunities for students and staff that are comparable to those offered in larger and more affluent districts.

So why would anyone want to pursue a superintendency in a district with limited fiscal and human resources that extend the responsibilities of the superintendency? Superintendents currently serving in small and rural school districts cite several reasons why they find their jobs personally satisfying and why they would recommend the position to others:

* Personal involvement.

The size of the district requires the superintendent to be involved personally with staff, students, parents, and the community. This level of personal contact enhances the superintendent's abilities to provide services that meet student and community needs. Knowledge acquired about local background and cultural issues benefit the superintendent in managing the daily operations.

* Creative opportunities.

Since small/rural school districts often have limited assets and capabilities, the challenge for the superintendent is to develop instructional programs that meet students' needs within the confines of its capacities.

As educational leader of the district, the superintendent seeks creative ways to support many of the district's curriculum and instructional undertakings. The ingenuity and creativity of the superintendent often is demonstrated through his or her ability to identify curriculum and instructional programming resources.

* At the helm.

Small/rural schools usually are located in sparsely populated areas that do not offer the community a range of social opportunities. Because the school is the community's hub, the superintendent is at the helm of the community's most important enterprise. This responsibility demands that the superintendent exercise a visible leadership role in many community activities.

* Professional networking.

The superintendent must be sensitive to the need to engage in collaborative activities with community organizations that provide information and learning opportunities for students and staff members, including the superintendent.

Networks are an important ingredient in developing services that benefit all constituencies in the community. The superintendent must develop strong relationships with neighboring school districts and with the Board of Cooperative Educational Services, valuable sources of support.

* Instructional intimacy.

As educational leader, the superintendent in the small/rural school district usually is intimately involved in developing and implementing the instructional program. In many instances, no one else serves in an administrative capacity to plan systematically for the district's instructional program.

Thus the superintendent focuses the attention of the board of education on policy development that provides a districtwide framework for curriculum and instruction; monitors quality instruction in the classroom; develops community relations to support the curriculum program; and develops activities and programs that highlight current practices in the field of education at the district, building, and classroom levels.

* The big picture.

Small/rural school superintendents develop a heightened understanding about the nature of school systems as organizations. The superintendent fulfills many roles concurrently, while understanding the intricacies and interconnectedness of most departments and administrative units in the district.

As a result, the superintendent's sense of how the district comes together as a whole is enriched. The small/rural school superintendent is aware that an effective school district is larger than the sum of its parts.

The ever-changing face of public education in the 1990s requires that the superintendent be capable of developing high-quality programming despite the fiscal, environmental, and programmatic changes the district may face. Issues surrounding each of these areas are dealt with in all school systems by all superintendents but can be particularly stimulating for the small/rural school superintendent.