Award: Superintendent of the Year Name: David Hansen Title: Superintendent, Riverside Unified School District Region: 19 ACSA highlights: Member since 1995; planning committee for Superintendents’ Symposium (2017); hosted Education Summit with ACSA to inform local community about legislative issues.

Each school year in the Riverside Unified School District begins the same way. Superintendent David Hansen convenes all 4,000 RUSD employees for a convocation, where he delivers a message that unites all staff around the district’s mission to provide engaging, innovative, and equitable learning experiences for all students. It’s just one example of Hansen’s strengths as a communicator and collaborator. Hansen’s leadership will be celebrated when he accepts the 2019 Superintendent of the Year award during Leadership Summit, held Nov. 7-9 in San Francisco. Using RUSD’s Guide for Instructional Direction, as well as the district’s LCAP goals, Hansen is able to advance the work of the district by articulating clear expectations. He visits each school every year to assess progress on these goals. A believer in developing leaders in all seats, he has instituted a Professional Growth System that facilitates coaching conversations with employees, as well as the RUSD Leadership Academy, which has grown internal leaders. His leadership extends out into the community, where he is active in the Riverside Chamber of Commerce Executive Board and holds regular conversations with parents of high-need student groups, as well as local, state and federal officials. Hansen was part of a coalition that advocated for Measure O, a $400 million local school facilities improvement bond that voters passed in 2016, a testament to the strong support for schools he has sowed in the community. “He regularly facilitates conversation and educational presentations with stakeholders, always with the intent of building strong, trust-based relationships and maximizing the resources available for the benefit of our students and families,” said Riverside Mayor William Bailey. “I am a firm believer in Dr. Hansen, his leadership, and most importantly, the results achieved by his collaborative leadership approach.” “Leadership and Self-Deception” — the first book from the Arbinger Institute. In addition, their second book, “The Anatomy of Peace,” as well as their last book in the series, “The Outward Mindset.” “See others as people, whose needs matter as much as mine.” — Arbinger Institute Marco Polo, so I can stay connected to my children and all of our grandkids in “almost real time!” Anytime we can choose work with family, or family with work, the conflicts are not as great (i.e., date nights or family fun time that involve a school or community related event).

1. Identify your big rocks ... and be clear. 2. Keep the tracks balanced ... so the train doesn’t derail. 3. Remember to lead in all directions (i.e., up, team, peers, students and self). 4. Autograph your work with excellence. 5. It’s always about the people. What are you most proud of accomplishing? I am most proud of the relationships that I have been able to develop throughout the years ... many dear friends (i.e., colleagues, students and parents). Who is someone who inspires you? My father ­— he went from being a farm boy to an attorney to a judge. He also served as a state legislator. He never quit, reached his goals, and helped many people along the way. My dad is a very kind man! What’s your pre-game ritual to get ready for a big meeting or presentation? Find a few minutes of alone time, take a short walk, and look up to notice all of the beauty. What was the best ACSA event you’ve attended? I have attended many conferences and recognitions; however, I have enjoyed the ACSA Academies most of all.  What bucket list item do you hope to accomplish this year? To take our youngest son and backpack to the top of Mt. Whitney in the High Sierra. The older children and I have already had that experience. The theme of the 2019 Leadership Summit is “Lead Well: Equity and Excellence.” What projects are you working on which have equity as their focus? Two years ago, we started the RUSD Equity Task Force. Through this work we have developed 10 clear actions to address “equity and excellence” in all aspects of our district, from policies and procedures, to individual actions and behaviors. We changed our district’s mission and core values to reflect a focus on equity and access for students. We are doing an in-depth analysis of our policies, practices, procedures and our entire professional development that affects all of our employees, students and greater community. We are creating a culture of “equity and excellence” around the belief: every student every employee every parent every day — all means all!