Superintendents know they work and live in a giant fishbowl. School board members, teachers, community members and the news media have been known to scrutinize what kind of vehicle they drive, who they socialize with outside of work, whether they drink alcohol, where they live and when they leave the house each morning. But when the harsh glare of…

Citizens now expect access to information, particularly from public institutions like local school districts. They demand input and accountability. Cultural and technological changes, such as the Internet, make it possible for districts to comply. Yet transparency--the easily seen and understood actions of a school district and the thinking behind…

By the very nature of their business, public education has become vulnerable to legal attacks. The fear of being sued has forced public school teachers and administrators across the country to re-evaluate what they do and modify traditional curricular activities and co-curricular programs. In this article, the author relates how his own school…

When John Whritner was hired for his first superintendency, the school system he soon would lead had recently approved a town budget for education. By the time Whritner showed up for work in East Lyme, Conn., the fickle electorate had changed its collective mindset and reversed its approval by referendum. This article discusses how superintendents…