My View
Connecting With Colleagues via Trivia, Playlists and Drop-ins
BY CORY J. DZIOWGO/School Administrator, June 2022

WYOMING IS BLESSED with a low population density (582,000 residents), but that can present professional challenges in K-12 education. The distance between each of the 49 superintendent chairs is vast in our state, as my nearest superintendent colleague is 27 miles from my office. I must work through various avenues to stay connected.

That is why I decided to help my colleagues get connected with each other throughout the pandemic through whatever means necessary. Helping others in job-alike roles is a great way to help yourself. These are some of the ways we now feel better-connected in Wyoming.

»Trivia contests.

The first avenue I pursued was hosting a virtual trivia contest for members of the Wyoming Association of School Administrators. This was designed to be a five-week competition for those interested in participating. Because of the keen interest, we added a second round this past spring. Let’s just say that none of us will be viewed as the next Ken Jennings nor are we going to be hired to teach a class on art appreciation, but we all enjoyed the friendly competition to step away from the chaos for a well-received distraction.

Our isolation seemed to narrow on trivia days as we had a common, low-stakes task to focus on during our hectic lives.

»A walkout playlist.

What better way to express yourself and share some information than by creating a playlist of your favorite recorded music. Wyoming superintendents were able to submit their favorite pump-up or focus songs to a state collection — and what a creative list we generated! I can just imagine school board meetings starting with the loud playing of “Rock You Like a Hurricane” by the Scorpions as the walkout song as the superintendent enters the meeting room. We have all felt like Hank Williams Jr. throughout this year with the thought that “A Country Boy Can Survive” or perhaps we closed our office door and hit the air drums to “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins. These songs can ground us in a time of constant adjustments.

»Friendly visits.

Due to the geographic distance between our districts, I prefer to take advantage of any opportunity that places me geographically near a colleague to visit him or her. I prefer to bring along a snack or warm beverage when dropping in to see a fellow superintendent to chat and catch up. You can either schedule these visits so they are on both calendars or roll the dice and take a chance on the host’s availability. Of course, if you show up and find your colleague unavailable, that’s the nature of the game. The good intention will still be accomplished.

»Electronic sharing.

Our state association also has ramped up communication among us. The Wyoming Association of School Administrators partnered with Gabbart Communications to provide superintendents with the capacity to post requests for information in a mass e-mail and to distribute text messages. We have found this to be an effective way to exchange information on areas of common interest and experience.

We also established a members-only section on our website to house frequently asked questions by WASA members. This forum enables us to see we are all in this together, experiencing similar struggles and seeking like-minded professional growth.

Filling Up My Cup

I have greatly enjoyed the leadership experiences that I have had as the superintendent of the Platte County School District in southeast Wyoming. The opportunity to lead individuals, groups and communities has been challenging, but worth every minute, despite the addition of a few new grey hairs. These situations have taught me valuable lessons on what it means to be a leader and shifted these practices into my new normal.

Helping to stage opportunities to connect with my colleagues has filled my cup and allowed me to grow as a professional and to ad-dress my personal needs. I say get connected by whatever it takes.

CORY DZIOWGO is superintendent of Platte County School District 1 in Chugwater, Glendo and Wheatland, Wyo. Twitter: @Sup_DZ