Building relationships is key to successful education leadership, especially in smaller school communities. Just ask the co-superintendents in Old Adobe Union Elementary School District.

“Petaluma is a great city and our district has a family feel,” said Michele Gochberg. “What is important is making people understand the important role they have in doing right by kids.”

Old Adobe, a district with 1,800 students and 250 staff members among one district school and four charter schools, has two superintendents. Gochberg and Cindy Friberg share the job, a rarity among California’s 1,500 public school districts.

“There is something special here and I think it begins with our values aligning,” said Friberg. “We know that the lives of school administrators can often be lonely but in [this] case, neither of us are alone.”

Gochberg has been with the district for 29 years as a teacher, principal and director of curriculum. Friberg came on board six years ago as the student services director and was in that position for three years.

Frequent turnover in the district’s highest position led to different people tapping Gochberg and Friberg on the shoulder. Both were told to apply for the position. They individually were approached by the school board about a creative partnership.

“We discussed our expectations and values and what is most important to us,” Friberg said. “Like all superintendents, you don’t know what you’re signing up for, but this has worked and it’s strengthened our school community.”

Each superintendent brings strengths to the job. Gochberg comes from a curriculum background and Friberg has a background in student services. To utilize this unique leadership structure, the district eliminated two director positions, which turned into a cost savings for the district.

One benefit to having two superintendents is the ability to be more hands on. Friberg says they can have more interactions between staff and students and more opportunites to directly interface with students and families.

“There is no typical day for us other than both of us starting the day in the office,” she said. “But we are on at least one campus each day if not more, and at least one of us is involved in every aspect of what is happening in the district.”

The co-superintendents have been busy working on many initiatives for the district. Old Adobe is in year three of a multi-year implementation of professional learning communities, has adopted an English Language Arts curriculum, and fully implemented a social and emotional program districtwide.

There is data to prove the success of this leadership model. According to Youth Truth survey data, Old Adobe has shown a 54 percent improvement in family perceptions of engagement, a 38 percent increase in positive perceptions in culture and a 35 percent increase in school safety. Staff positive perceptions in engagement increased by 8 percent, culture increased by 16 percent and school safety increased by 10 percent.

Gochberg and Friberg have had their contracts extended.

“The trustees have faith in us — they took on this unique and creative approach in leading this district and they stuck by it,” Gochberg said. “They are committed to having a partnership that is sustainable, which supports our path to doing right for kids.”

One of the challenges of sharing a job is also sharing an office. Gochberg and Friberg admit that they finish each other’s sentences and have gotten used to their counterpart’s quirks during the three years in their respective positions.

“I didn’t know she was a Lionel Richie fan,” Friberg said. “I mean, I like Lionel Richie, but she loves him and owns it.”

“Cindy snacks on nuts all the time,” Michele said. “I think she carries some with her at all times.”

But the commitment to their school community is what keeps them together.

“Having someone to do the job with you ­— I can’t overstate what that means,” Gochberg said. “This is a district where parents attended and they want their kids to attend, and we value that in our everyday work.”