Thinking about earning your superintendent certificate? Holding a leadership role in a school district is an important job. You hold the keys to the district’s success and have the power to truly make a difference in your community. At the same time, superintendents hold a lot of responsibility and can take the majority of the criticism when there is a school emergency or unpopular decision.

As an educator, you understand that a superintendent needs to have the interest in education of a teacher, plus the business skills of a CEO.  At Texas Wesleyan, we are dedicated to helping teachers get out from behind their desks and in front of the school board as superintendent. To do this, we focus on four areas of skill:  Planning, decision-making, culture creation and utilization of technology.

CEO of a District

A great superintendent knows where a school has been, where it is now and where they hope it will go. The ability to create and explain a plan, whether it relates to curriculum, school maintenance or new hiring procedures, is vital in order for someone to effectively fill their role of superintendent. Managing these plans is also part of the job description. You’ll need to have the ability to see your plans through, and to work with staff, faculty and community members in order to make positive changes. Your studies leading to you earning your superintendent certificate will outline how to make, explain and implement major changes in your district.

As in any leadership role, you will need to make many tough decisions once you’ve earned your superintendent certificate. Some of these decisions may be on ethical issues, which is why our superintendent certificate program focuses so much attention on learning the ethics and code of conduct suitable for educators and administrators. Other decisions will have to be made in relation to what is best for the students. You’ll be the final say on many issues with productivity, school safety and hiring faculty and staff. In order to do this, you will need to listen and respond to the suggestions of not only those working under you, but parents, community members, politicians, attorneys and students themselves.

Promoting Creativity

You will be a part of creating a district culture that promotes creativity, exploration and experimentation while also keeping in mind that children are in school to learn. Having a culture where students feel accepted, safe and excited to come to school is one of the biggest challenges that today’s superintendents and school boards are faced with today. From dealing with bullies, fighting to keep art programs in schools or deciding on the budget available for fun school activities, finding the right balance between creativity and productivity is difficult.

Building Technology

Finally, a good superintendent knows the importance of technology in today’s learning environment. While budgets may suggest reducing the amount of technology in the classroom, students today are extremely familiar with technology and can be engaged in new ways that weren’t possible with previous generations. Our superintendent certificate program helps you look at the financial landscape of your district and make decisions that will most benefit your students.

Superintendents have a hard job, but when they do it right, they can make a world of difference in their community. If you would like to know more about our superintendent certificate program, contact us today.

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