As a former teacher, there’s something so invigorating about walking the halls of a school with a superintendent. I’ve always looked up to superintendents since I entered public education, and it’s such a treat that now part of my job involves visiting them and walking around their schools with them. Students are often not sure how to react to them. They know the superintendent is important. They know that the superintendent is in charge of things. But they don’t see the superintendent every day. All three superintendents I visited with today bring a strong presence when they walk the halls. They didn’t have to say a word to the kid dribbling the basketball in the hallway. All it took was a smile and a handshake or fist bump. It’s wonderful to watch students feel seen and valued by the person who sits atop the school organization, who wears a suit and sits in meetings all day, but can also admire a student’s sneakers or ask how a student’s sibling is doing in college.
“ARE YOU THE ONE WHO TALKS DURING THE LOCKDOWN DRILLS?,” one 1st grade student asked Dr. Furletti on our roadshow tour of York Central Schools. “WHEN IS THE NEXT LOCKDOWN DRILL?” “ARE YOU IN CHARGE OF THE SCHOOL?” The questions poured in from this inquisitive bunch. With a smile, Dr. Furletti said to the teacher, apologetically, “You can try to get control of your class again now…Thanks for letting us stop by!” Throughout the school community, teachers welcome Dr. Furletti into their classrooms and openly share what they are working on with students. The school community is strong and the visits from the superintendent seem to be welcome.
Dr. Luvelle Brown held court in the cafeteria of Ithaca High School during 0 period, observing groups of students interacting, and explaining his relationships with them and their families. You can tell when Dr. Brown is talking to the kids that those relationships are authentic. They understand that their superintendent is interested in their lives and their success. One student, proudly sporting a Syracuse Orange t-shirt, came to understand first-hand the rivalry between Dr. Brown’s alma mater, UVA, and ‘Cuse. “Do me a favor, and never wear that t-shirt to school again,” Dr. Brown joked with the student, who took it in stride and reminded Dr. Brown that Syracuse has won several NCAA basketball championships. A few minutes later, another student, seeing Dr. Brown, yells, “There goes the highest-paid superintendent in New York State!” Dr. Brown smiles, shakes the student’s hand, and says, “You know it!” Dr. Brown is NOT the highest-paid superintendent in New York, but he explains to me that this student’s parents have been critical of his contract at the board of education meetings. But that doesn’t break the rapport between educator and student. Over and over again, Dr. Brown puts on a clinic in humility and empathy as he walks the hallways of Ithaca High School.
Bob Molisani beams with pride as he shows us the incredible things they’ve built to support learning in Caledonia-Mumford CSD. An outdoor classroom sees 4th-grade students actively engaged in reading and independent work, so much so that they barely notice all the suits walking through their afternoon classroom block. Mr. Molisani’s staff is clearly proud of the work that kids are doing, including a teacher who was on prep period and unable to gather her students, but left us a live demo of the electronics lab project her students were working on. The whole time we’re touring the buildings, Mr. Molisani is monitoring his VHF radio, staying on top of the comings and goings of kids, busses, and staff. School safety is always top of mind, even when the #ieiroadshow is in town.
Superintendents are so important to the day-to-day operation of public schools, yet the irony of their jobs is that they do not get to spend too much time interacting with kids on a day-to-day basis. These roadshow visits are always a great learning opportunity for IEI and our community about the great work happening in IEI districts. But perhaps they also provide an opportunity for our members to get out into classrooms and see kids. It’s always quite clear during our roadshows how much our members miss those student engagement opportunities and how good they are at building those relationships with students. Today was a long but invigorating day visiting Dr. Brown, Dr. Furletti, and Bob Molisani. Looking forward to tomorrow in the Rochester, NY area!