Superintendents talk leadership and the power of story at Symposium

Association of California School Administrators

A panel on “The New Reality of the Superintendency” during the Superintendents’ Symposium

Planning Committee Chair Dana Eaton addresses superintendents during a general session.

LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.

Temecula Valley USD Superintendent Jodi McClay.

Retiring Needles USD Superintendent Mary McNeil, far right, and Jon McNeil, center.

Author and keynote Nic Stone spoke about tapping into the power of their stories.

Symposium attendees heard updates from ACSA’s Governmental Relations team on budget priorities.

Rocklin USD Superintendent Roger Stock.

Superintendent Ron Carruth.

Keynote Danny Southwick.

The conference was held overlooking Monterey Bay.

Superintendents talk leadership and the power of story at Symposium

February 6, 2023

About 600 superintendents from districts throughout California gathered at the 2023 Superintendents’ Symposium Jan. 25-27 in Monterey to discuss challenges facing school leaders, proposed education funding, working with their school boards and other topics.

Dozens of superintendents began their day Wednesday by attending the ACSA Superintendency Council’s open meeting. They heard updates from ACSA’s Governmental Relations team on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s initial plans for state spending on education and talked about legislative priorities moving forward in the budget cycle.

Attendees later heard from keynote speaker Danny Southwick on defining what talent means in high achievers and what distinguishes a high achiever from others in their fields.

“Across each of the domains, the trait that stuck out [was] that people had passion for what they did,” Southwick said. “They didn’t show up to work just going through the motions.”

Thursday’s keynote, author Nic Stone, discussed the importance of story and how to use it in spheres of influence as a school leader.

“Having a sense of your self-determined purpose is the heart of every story,” Stone said. “If the epicenter of the story is you, what are you trying to accomplish by the time you get to the end?”

The Member Assistance and Legal Support Team presented two high-interest sessions during the symposium. Around 100 new superintendents learned from sample superintendent evaluations provided by MALST Advocates Lloyd Wamhof, John Almond and Gary Rutherford and Lozano Smith Attorney Tom Manniello. The second session on superintendent contracts, presented by MALST Advocates Almond, Janet Morey, Rutherford and Wamhof, was attended by over 100 superintendents. It focused on four parts of contract language identified by survey results of California superintendents.

In an on-stage interview with ACSA Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Naj Alikhan, Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho encouraged superintendents to take risks and “lead from the front” to do what’s best for their students. He said partnering with community organizations is one way to do that.

“[They] are the wind behind your sail,” he said. “As long as you have that, you can continue to be risky, and that’s how you have a long tenure as superintendent.”