Superintendent Interview

        I interviewed Mr. Philip Welch, Superintendent of Orangefield ISD.  Mr. Welch is a very visible leader.  On any given day, he can be found on one of the campuses walking around and talking with staff, parents and students.  When asked the question, “What is a leader?” Mr. Welch responded that a leader is a person in a position where their job is to make sure that everyone in the organization understands what needs to be done and what the goals of the organization are so they can achieve the highest level possible.  

Mr. Welch stated that one of the positive aspects of being in a leadership position, like Superintendent, is that you can be in a position to make some changes or put some things in place that can make a difference in the lives of the students.  You get to set the vision of the district and then have great infuence and input on the goals and direction of the district.

One of the  attributes of a good Superintendent, according to Mr. Welch is to be able to listen.  Mr. Welch takes time to visit with all stakeholders in the community.  Everyone feels that they can come talk to him or voice their concerns and he will listen to them.  Mr. Welch also stated that a good Superintendent is able to make decisions that benefit all concerned.  Sometimes people won’t like the decisions you make, but you have to do what is best for the district.

Mr. Welch’s response to the question, “How does a Superintendent promote and sustain a district culture that emphasizes student learning and professional development?” was to give the teachers the resources they need and let them know we value them for who they are as professionals.  Our teachers work on curriculum days and teach what needs to be taught.  This helps the teachers see that we value them as professionals and value their professional development.

The question that stood out to me the most was the last question.  When asked, “What additional experience, learning, or advice can you share to help me develop an effective internship?” Mr. Welch answered that I need to have a knowledge base of K-12.  If you go into a central office position as a Curriculum Director or Superintendent and all your knowledge is just at one level, he thinks you are at a disadvantage to your peers because you haven’t had experiences at all levels.  If you have experiences at all levels, it helps you understand the big picture.  This answer stood out with me the most because all of my experience is at the elementary level and I have been considering the best course of action for correcting this for quite a while.