Reader Reply
School Administrator, May 2021

I found Peg Portscheller’s latest contribution (“Your Case for an Executive Coach”) to your magazine’s Board-Savvy Superintendent section in February to be very timely.

I believe every new superintendent should have a coach. Just as Portscheller mentioned about athletes and accomplished musicians working with personal coaches, education leaders should have the same opportunities. Better yet, make it mandatory.

Mandating coaches for lead administrators is a far better investment in education than continuing to THROW MONEY AWAY on the “next great” administrative evaluation tool or further student assessments. The Wallace Foundation, in its report “How Leadership Influences Student Learning,” states: “Educational leadership … comes from many sources, not just the ‘usual suspects’ — superintendents and principals. But the usual suspects are likely still the most influential. Efforts to improve their recruitment, training, evaluation and ongoing development should be considered highly cost-effective approaches to successful school improvement.”

The foundation’s research was conducted in 2004. Seventeen years later, we owe it TO OUR STUDENTS AND TO THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY to move on this now, especially in light of the damage the pandemic has had on our educators and our students.

JEFFREY S. ZWIEBEL
RETIRED SUPERINTENDENT,
POTTSVILLE, PA.

Union Relations

Re “It’s Just Lunch … Or Is It?” by Jeffrey Alstadt (December 2020): One key to a superintendent’s success is fostering a positive relationship with teachers, specifically the union. There needs to be a relationship of mutual respect and trust to make any significant change in a school district. And the change will be better if teachers have participated in problem solving and decision making.

As a retired superintendent, I thought this was an excellent article. The author’s willingness as the superintendent to listen and develop trust are signs of excellent leadership.

LINDA YONKE
SENIOR ASSOCIATE,
SCHOOL EXEC CONNECT,
OAK PARK, ILL.

I’ve had similar positive relationships with my union colleagues to those Jeff Alstadt detailed. I’ve seen both the good and the bad in these relationships, so I was glad to hear that Alstadt had similar experiences in supporting the collective bargaining process.

I really enjoyed the visualization of the triangle with the students in the middle, as it provided a clear representation of the roles each of us plays. I would have appreciated hearing more about the board relationship in the triad.

JOHN SONNENBERG
CEO,
CARMENTA EDUCATION,
ROUND LAKE, ILL.

A Worthy Profile

I appreciated seeing LaTonya Goffney, superintendent of the Aldine district in Texas, profiled (“Extending an Educational Lifeline”) in the December 2020 issue. She is a leader I admire because of her dedication to student success and her willingness to make bold decisions, even during the pandemic.

Her focus on literacy as an equity issue is an example of her commitment to student success. Tackling a large literacy initiative is a challenge at any time, but to do so during the COVID-19 challenges as well shows her willingness to consistently put students first.

Thanks for shining a light on leaders and honoring the work they do each day to create opportunities and improve access for students.

HEIDI SIPE
SUPERINTENDENT,
UMATILLA SCHOOL DISTRICT,
UMATILLA, ORE.
 

Letters should be addressed to: Editor, School Administrator, 1615 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Email: magazine@aasa.org