4 EDCAL February 11, 2019
Superintendents’
Symposium 2019
NASA rocket
scientist Adam
Steltzner talks
about the value
of teamwork
with his team
on inventing,
designing, test-
ing and retesting
the revolution-
ary “sky crane”
landing system
that successfully
placed the Mars
Rover.
ACSA President Holly Edds, left, and Vice President for Legislative Action Terri Rufert spend a few
moments with new Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond prior to his presentation.
Navy Colonel Arthur Athens, left, meets with Tom Murray, 2018 Superintendents Symposium
keynote speaker, following Athens’ presentation on the power of integrity.
Neuroscientist Ken
Wesson presented
to school leaders
Thursday afternoon.
He is an expert on
early brain develop-
ment, design, and
engineering, as well
as social-emotional
learning and curricu-
lum development.
Assistance
REGISTER TODAY! Targeted
By Trudy Arriaga and Frank Adelman
2019 Every Child
Counts Symposium
February 13-15, 2019
Anaheim Marriott
ACSA’s Student Services
and Special Education Council
presents this world-class learning
event each year, featuring
exciting workshops, informative
keynotes and opportunities for
skill development and networking.
The event is designed for both
beginning and veteran educational
leaders and focuses on the latest
in the field of student services and
special education.
https://goo.gl/Av2CzJ
The role of the superintendent has become increasingly complex. Staggering statis-
tics tell us that 3.18 years is the average length of tenure for large urban superinten-
dents and only an average of five years for all superintendents.
The two areas that are most frequently identified by superintendents as being
areas that require additional support and expertise are board governance and labor
relations/negotiations. ACSA recognizes and supports the essential role and needs
of the superintendent, and has developed and responded with the recently imple-
mented service of Targeted Assistance.
ACSA’s Targeted Assistance Consulting Solutions provides real time, one-on-one
support for superintendents in the areas of board governance and/or labor relations/
negotiations. The consultation is provided by experienced and successful superin-
tendents, CBOs and assistant superintendents with a broad range of expertise and
experience.
Former superintendents Frank Adelman and Trudy Arriaga are directing the service,
and are ready to match your district with an outstanding consultant and a menu of
services based on your needs.
In the area of labor relations and bargaining, the goal is to build vital knowledge,
courage and confidence from proposal to agreement. Fiscal review and solvency,
preparation and experience in labor negotiations and bargaining are essential to stu-
dent achievement. ACSA has a team of skilled negotiators who will work with you to
provide support that your district needs, such as fiscal analysis and contract review,
or they will assist you with the review, analysis and development of the bargaining
proposal. If necessary, the consultant will provide direct assistance at the bargaining
table. We will tailor the service to your needs.
Board governance is unique to the superintendent position and outstanding gover-
nance is essential to successful leadership. The ability of a superintendent to use
the governance structure to lead for equity is a key to student success. Strategies
to work collaboratively with the school board to engage in community building and
shared decision-making and to skillfully navigate a school district’s often turbulent
waters are essential.
Our team of experienced district leaders will work side by side with the superinten-
dent to strengthen relationships to work collectively and specifically with your school
board. ACSA consultants will help to develop practices to create a partnership of
professionalism and ethical standards, trust and efficiency with clearly defined roles
for your district.
A common vision will be developed in partnership to identify clear goals, targets
and a monitoring system. If needed, the consultant will assist to develop a formal
superintendent evaluation process and a board self-evaluation process, focused on
student performance and board expectations.
Why choose ACSA Targeted Assistance over other options? We guarantee an afford-
able and personalized process with partner ACSA colleagues who have done the
job successfully. The Targeted Assistance team provides expertise, experience and
results. Targeted Assistance guarantees ongoing, honest and confidential support in
a collaborative, problem solving environment. The feedback will be specific, targeted
and responsive. Targeted Assistance is superintendent-centered and available to
new and experienced superintendents.
El Monte Union High School Superintendent Edward Zuniga consulted with Targeted
Assistance to provide board governance assistance.
“Targeted Assistance provided an experienced superintendent to work on board/
superintendent governance in our district,” he said. “The experience was well
received and strengthened our governance team as we established protocol, proce-
dures and norms. A self-evaluation system allowed us to assess ourselves and hold
ourselves accountable to agreed upon standards to better serve our students and
our community.”
Contact Frank Adelman at [email protected] or (530) 339-0930 or Trudy Arriaga at
[email protected] or (805) 766-3377 for more information on how to access Targeted
Assistance in your district. You can also visit the website at www.acsa.org/targete-
dassistance. ACSA has the experience to help.