21st Century schools require a type of leadership that can promote the changes required to effectively prepare students for the world today and in the future. The foundation for high academic achievement and more productive schools and students is strong collaborative leadership among the school district team: the local board, the superintendent, principals, teachers, students, parents and community-based partners.
Effective leadership is grounded in the belief that people in all positions with different responsibilities have a necessary and legitimate role to play in developing a common vision for their schools and working together to guide the school enterprise toward that vision. The traditional administrative leader, the superintendent at the district level and the principal at the school level, has authority and power inherent in the scope of responsibility of the position. By sharing authority, effective school leaders empower, inspire and motivate others to work as a unified team toward a shared purpose—student achievement. Thus, the skills and talents of the staff and other educational stakeholders are applied toward a common end—student learning. This can best be accomplished in an environment of open communication, shared responsibilities, accountability and trust.
School district leaders hold an increasingly difficult and challenging job with many new demands, including accountability for the success of each child. The State Board of Education, the local board and other school leaders must think differently about the type of leadership needed to ensure that all children have access to quality education and to individual success. Strong, effective leadership that taps the skills and resources of the entire educational community can release organization potential, make decisions and actions count, and increase the sense that individuals, working together, can make a difference.
Monica Helga Heinze 