Demistify the Role

One of my biggest goals as a superintendent is to help shed light on the role—a position that is often mysterious and misunderstood. It’s a role that many avoid explaining or sharing, but I believe that demystifying the responsibilities of this position is essential for transparency and to acknowledge the challenges it brings. Yesterday provided a perfect example of why this openness is needed.

Nearly a year ago, I committed to conducting a comprehensive policy review for Paint Creek ISD with TASB (Texas Association of School Boards). These reviews are recommended every five years or when a new superintendent comes on board, and in our case, both applied—making it long overdue. The process, as outlined by TASB, required meetings with various school roles, the vast majority of which fell under my position as the small school superintendent.

Fast forward to Friday: following an election, school boards must “canvass” the results, with the earliest opportunity being 72 hours after votes are counted. The Paint Creek ISD board of trustees decided that Friday would be the ideal time to do this.

As fate would have it, this coincided with our last home game—a highly anticipated event—and the day Mother Nature decided to bless us with enough rain to make up for the entire year. Torrential rain, board duties, and a pivotal policy review all came together at once. It was like something out of a movie: the trustees gathered, TASB representatives present, and what felt like Noah’s flood outside.

Despite the whirlwind, both the election canvass and policy review were completed successfully. The insights gained from the policy review were invaluable, reinforcing my understanding and foundation as a superintendent. While it would have been ideal to spread these responsibilities over different days, this is the reality of the job I signed up for.

The game, although relocated to Aspermont due to the rain-soaked field, went on as planned. Safety for our students came first, and the decision to move ensured they could play without risk of injury.

In those moments, I was reminded of my days as a principal—arguably the toughest job in education. It’s a role where you constantly pivot, adapt, and do whatever it takes to serve your school community. And now, as superintendent, I strive to share those moments openly—the wins, the hurdles, and everything in between—because it’s important to reflect the reality of this seat, a seat that deserves to be seen and understood.