The school board hires the superintendent. A wise superintendent knows that a positive relationship with the board is very important to his/her success and longevity as the district’s chief executive officer.
One important element of a positive relationship with the school board is for the superintendent to treat all board members equally. However, the board president and superintendent have a unique relationship.
Because the board president is the leader of the school board and the superintendent is the manager of the district, they likely communicate and meet more frequently with each other than with the entire board. The president and the superintendent should develop a partnership and a relationship.
Individuals in a partnership usually have specific roles. The board president is the face of the school board to the public. The president leads the board, collaborates with other board members on board practices and procedures, and coordinates the work of the board. The superintendent is the face of the district. The superintendent manages the instructional and non-instructional staff, collaborates with them on the instructional program and student support services, and holds the staff accountable. The president and superintendent also have a relationship.
Individuals in a relationship usually have mutual connections (core indicators), which are their basic expectations of each other. What do the board president and superintendent agree are their basic expectations? They may agree to be open-minded and respect each other’s point of view; to agree to disagree without being disagreeable; to establish a process for sharing confidential information with the entire school board; to know when to keep personal information private; and to demonstrate concern for each other’s well-being.
If a conflict develops between the board president and the superintendent, then they should mutually attempt to identify the cause. They may discover their respective roles in the partnership are becoming unclear. The president may be attempting to manage the district or the superintendent may be attempting to lead the school board. They may discover one of their mutual expectations is not being maintained. The president and the superintendent should attempt to ascertain which expectation needs to be addressed and not focus on the other expectations that are maintained.
If a conflict occurs between the board president and superintendent which they agree they cannot settle, then perhaps the board vice-president might serve as a mediator. If that option is not possible, then the president and superintendent should seek the services of an impartial facilitator, perhaps someone from their respective professional associations.
The unique relationship between the school board president and superintendent is very important and should be a priority for both.
