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Contents
Prologue "I only have a minute. Only sixty seconds in it. Forced upon me—can't refuse it. Didn't seek it, didn't choose it. But it's up to me to use it. I must suffer if I loose it. Give an account if I abuse it. Just a tiny little minute. But eternity is in it." — Benjamin E. Mays According to predictions, expectations, and assumptions of others, my life's journey should not have become my today's reality. Unfortunately, there were scores of people who told me that I could not accomplish my goal of becoming a school superintendent by age thirty-five. You see, historically, the norm has been that only older men as superintendents were capable of steering the education of the nation's children. However, through what I call divine intervention and hard work, I became superintendent right on target according to my goals and aspirations. Although this book is from an educational construct, it is also designed to inspire and provide the reader with a clear understanding of the importance of having definitive goals, undying faith, confidence and humility. Life offers an array of richness, yet in order to sample its riches, one must have the knowledge to realize the importance of mastering one's craft. Although I did not have material riches, the experiences of my formative years were wealthy. The principle of maintaining my focus was presented to me early in my life as a part of my conservative upbringing. My parents understood that for me education was a matter of life and death - it was the great equalizer. Being a school superintendent is often times a thankless job. It is not a glamorous position; it has many challenges, disappointments and moments of sheer loneliness. It is the only job on earth in which continued employment is contingent on not ruffling feathers. The more aggressive the approach in school reform can sometimes severely impact a superintendent's career. However, superintendency also has its share of rewards, especially when one can create an environment where children are achieving. This kind of leadership requires that one is willing to make tough decisions based on what is best for children, and that may conflict with the agendas of the adults to whom those children are entrusted. My first district in which I served as superintendent was Fallsburg Central School District, located in the southeastern part of New York State, approximately an hour outside of downtown Manhattan. Fallsburg was small by national educational standards, approximately 1400 students K-12. In retrospect, this was quite a significant accomplishment, for I became a school superintendent after leaving the principalship of a middle school in the heart of the urban community in upstate New York. I really enjoyed being a principal; in fact, I truly treasure all of my professional educational experiences, especially classroom teaching. I believe that the best school administrators are the ones who remain teachers at heart. One common thread I will carry throughout all of my experiences is that I know my purpose is to affect the lives of children in a meaningful way. It is my hope that you find this reading interesting, informative, and inspirational. Since I am an educator, I feel it necessary to also provide information that is research based. I will share with you some of my experiences that have prepared me for where I am today. Perhaps there is information and ideas that may be useful and worthwhile to you. There are many people throughout history who have amazing stories of perseverance; I take this opportunity to introduce you to my story. Excerpt from Chapter Eight Flint Community Schools: "My District Reform Became My Storm" "Mr. Controversy; he should have known; he is an outsider, he is from New York; he is all style and no substance; he is a reformer; he believes in top down management; he made changes for the sake of changes; he does not know our community; he is a city slickster; he is Mr. Excitement!" Hard to believe, right? Trust me, all of this and more were said by my dissenters; this was just the beginning of the Storm! |
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I only have a minute. Only sixty seconds in it. Forced upon me - can't refuse it. Didn't seek it, didn't choose it. But it's up to me to use it. I must suffer if I loose it. Give an account if I abuse it. Just a tiny little minute. But eternity is in it."
— Benjamin E. Mays |