Dr. Douglas L. Ragland
Retired Superintendent of Schools
"My Beliefs in Regards to the Responsibilities of the
Superintendent Towards the School and Community "
By Dr. Douglas L. Ragland
The most important role of the superintendent is to provide the best educational program in a safe environment for children based on critique, justice and care. The superintendent must be a leader in finance, instruction, and school law in order to succeed in this area. The superintendent must assess and critique the educational programs in all areas to make sure that everyone is treated fairly and just in the preparation of his or her skills in being in compliance with Lee vs. Macon, and unitary status, hiring practices must be legal and fair in complying with OCR Standards. The superintendent must make sure that there is equal access and opportunity for students, staff, and the community at large. My belief is that all children, schools, and communities should have parity and equal access.
The superintendent’s role in the community is to be actively involved in getting community involvement in schools and schools involved in the community, to be visible in keeping the public abreast of the district’s mission by educating and promoting the school system’s mission, to garner support for the schools by working closely with community businesses and leaders, to include all stakeholders in the community through a strategic planning process in an effort to strengthen our schools in the areas of academics, extra-curricular events, parental involvement, and community involvement, to be a representative of the school district in community and political affairs, to develop relations with alliances such as ministers, business and political leaders in an effort to be visible and supportive in our schools as well as the superintendent supporting their causes, and having programs such as music art in your schools where you invite the community free of charge to a central location in the district to show case the arts. The superintendent should be sensitive to the needs of the community and encourage all schools to participate with the community in fulfilling those needs.
These are in essence, my beliefs on the superintendent’s responsibilities toward the school and community.