equate a better leader, “I try not to…
continue the myth that more hours
makes you a better leader, because it
does not. It makes you a tired, worn-
out leader…”. Despite this realization,
many superintendents interviewed
were willing to work extra hours dur-
ing peak or busy seasons, acknowl-
edging the ebb and flow of workload
that comes with the executive level
leadership.
Tip: Protect your time at home by lim-
iting phone use and being intentional
about quality time spent together.
Spend an additional hour at work on
Friday afternoon to clear out your
inbox and tie up loose ends so you
can spend the time at home worry-
free.
• Spousal Support- One theme that
emerged from the study was having
a supportive and equal partner. A
partner who is willing to share house-
hold responsibilities is critical to the
success of women leaders. One par-
ticipant stated, “I have been fortunate
to have a really good partner that has
picked up the slack wherever slack
has been. I think that’s really the key
there. You work in collaboration and
partnership”.
Tip: Read Drop the Ball by Tif-
fany Dufu and consider creating
a spreadsheet of all household
duties, then divvy up these respon-
sibilities between you and your
partner to ensure shared responsi-
bilities in the home.
In conclusion
Chasing the ever-elusive perfect
balance between being an excel-
lent worker, involved mother, reli-
able friend, supportive wife, and
so on, leaves women feeling burnt
out, guilty, and unsuccessful. We
owe this equitable representation
to ourselves and we must model the
importance of self-care to future
generations.
Monica Peterson is a Program Specialist at
Central Unified School District.
Exemplary
Woman in
Education
Award
We are seeking nominations for outstanding women in educational leadership for
our Exemplary Woman in Education Award, to be presented at the 2017 Women in
School Leadership Forum in Huntington
Beach, September 25–27, 2019. The award is sponsored by ACSA and NASS.
The nominee should serve as a role model for other women and demonstrate:
n A passion for the profession.
n A commitment to grow and develop others (seeking mentors to better herself and
by becoming a
mentor to others).
n A demonstrated desire to give back through public and/or community service.
n Advocacy for the value of school administrators and contributes to the
improvements of the profession.
n Nominee must be an ACSA member to qualify. The award will be presented at a
luncheon on Thursday, September 27, 2019 at the Women in School Leadership
Forum.
Nomination deadline is Wednesday, July 31, 2019.
Submit your nominations here: www.acsa.org/womensaward
Thank you in advance for helping us
honor and celebrate exemplary women
in school leadership.
May | June 2019
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