Description
HGSE’s new Initiative on Superintendent as Civic Leader helps superintendents navigate political challenges, build trust, and lead effectively. Join us to explore their evolving civic role in a changing landscape for education and democracy.
HGSE faculty member Jennifer Cheatham and three former superintendents, who are currently Senior Fellows for the Initiative on Superintendent as Civic Leader, will focus on what it means to lead school systems as democratic institutions: building broad-based coalitions across sectors; engaging families, students, and communities as partners rather than constituents; navigating polarization and misinformation; and using the bully pulpit of the superintendency to advance inclusion, equity, and civic engagement.
Panelists will share concrete examples of civic leadership in action—from community-wide visioning processes to cross-agency collaborations and student voice initiatives—and reflect on the skills, dispositions, and supports superintendents need to sustain this work over time.
This forum invites educators, policymakers, students, and community members to consider how superintendents can help renew faith in public institutions, foster civic learning and participation, and ensure that school systems serve as engines of both academic excellence and democratic vitality.
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