Superintendent Interview

The superintendent interview was a well-timed learning activity for my professional growth.  Not only did it give me a reason to spend time with my new superintendent but, it gave me an opportunity to understand how a practitioner applies the superintendent competencies to ensure success for all students.

I interviewed Dr. Angi Williams, Interim Superintendent in Galena Park ISD.   She has been in this role for approximately two months and is building a reputation as a hand-on leader.  Her definition of learning was confirmed when speaking directly with her.  My colleagues and I have been encouraged to change our email signature to reflect the statement, “Leading, Learning, and Serving”.  It was no surprise when Dr. Williams stated that her role as the district leader was to lead through serving.  This sets a model for all other leaders to follow and the message is simple as well as easily conveyed. 

We spent a good deal of time talking about a vision.   Currently we have a mission in Galena Park ISD however; we do not have a clearly articulated vision.  Based upon our conversation during the interview, she is in the process of establishing a vision and she wants to guide the process so that a clear and concise vision is created and can be shared easily by all stakeholders in the education community.  This is a fantastic way to ensure the culture being shaped by Dr. Williams is easy to describe, understand, and apply.

Galena Park ISD has a reputation for serving a diverse student body with a high rate of success.  This organization is very focused on student success and demands excellence from its students as well as its staff.   Dr. Williams and I talked about how to sustain and improve our current rate of achievement.  We determined that a great deal of GPISD’s success was because we value work ethic throughout our organization and expect that our calculated efforts will result in student achievement.  It is important for a leader to recognize and reinforce the successful components of a culture that help the student body to thrive. 

Dr. Williams and I discussed the components of wide-ranging strategic planning especially, when it involves curriculum planning to drive successful student learning.  It was clear in our discussion that she has to rely upon experts in the curriculum department to guide her in this task.  Additionally, she has to implement systems to verify the strategic planning that occurs meets state and federal guidelines as well as ensures student success.  Dr. Williams stated that even though she delegated the task of curriculum planning to someone else, the responsibility of ensuring it happens, and that it meets the needs of our students, is ultimately hers.  The systems she puts in place will optimize her ability to communicate her goals, encourage action towards established goals, and monitor progress.

Lastly, we talked about problem-solving at the district level.  I shared with her that I had recently taken an exam in one of the Texas superintendent preparation manuals.  I told her that I missed several questions simply because I did not approach the question as a successful superintendent would.   I often failed to consider the importance of engaging the local businesses or the community to increase buy-in and/or understanding.  We also talked about how Dr. Neely, a former GPISD superintendent and Texas commissioner of education, changed the culture of GPISD.  One of the first things she did was to engage the community.  Because of Dr. Neely’s actions, the community as a whole changed how they regarded the district.  The community now recognizes the importance of the district and it is a source of pride for all of the individuals who reside within its boundaries.