In any school district, there is one final place where the buck stops: the desk of the superintendent. These hardworking leaders are responsible for working along with the district school board to make the ultimate decisions that will spell success or failure for many students. One of the best is Lou Obermeyer, superintendent of Valley Center-Pauma USD, ACSA’s 2011 Superintendent of the Year.
Superintendents are the leaders of leaders. Whether at the county or district level, these educational leaders are ultimately responsible for the success of the students they serve. Every element of public education – from budgets to facilities to instruction – are under their authority, so they must be familiar with every component of a school system. In fact, many legislators and policymakers depend on superintendents to share their expertise and help shape the direction public education takes. But superintendents are more than just managers; most have worked their way up through the ranks, having begun as teachers, so they have an intimate awareness of the end goal: to ensure all students have the opportunity to excel.