This time last year, the district resembled many others, with a long- awaited expansion planned for its computers and networks and many questions about how this investment would pay off for student learning. The dedicated staff had already embraced technology. However, bringing everyone on board was a goal that people lost sleep over. Most importantly, they are ready to go, motivated and inspired by what they ve learned in one of the first such actions by any public school district in the nation. I now only have one person who was on the original board that hired me.
People totally underestimate how important the relationship-building is.
The superintendent has so many things on the radar screen, and survival is major, because it s so hard to do. Your ability to take chances is really tight. You can t wait for the superintendent to notice you. The computer person must court the superintendent. In my last couple of districts, there were people who courted me to win my support.