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Build Momentum for Education - K-12 Superintendent SeriesAuthor: Sarah Williamson and Chad Bolser
Welcome to Season 5 of the Build Momentum for Education podcast hosted by Sarah Williamson, the CEO of SWPR Group, an agency that supports public relations, communications strategies, and thought leadership support for school districts, education companies and startups, and Dr. Chad Bolser, Chancellor of Ivy Tech. This season, they explore a particularly unique perspective in thought leadership in K-12 education: humanizing the role of the superintendent. Throughout the many conversations we continue to have with superintendents, a clear theme has emerged about the need to bring more humanity to the role of the superintendency. In this special podcast series, we interview current and former superintendents and researchers to pursue the core question: how can we better see superintendents as real people navigating complex challenges to provide the best possible education for our K-12 students? We dig deeper into how this important work can help build community, invite collaboration and increase widespread engagement. Our lineup includes Dr. Susan Enfield of The Network of Distinguished Educators, Dr. Rainey Briggs of the Baraboo School District in Wisconsin, Dr. Randy Mahlerwein of Mesa Public Schools in Arizona, Dr. Adam Clark from Mt. Diablo Unified School District in California and Rachel S. White, the Associate Professor of Educational Leadership & Policy at the University of Texas at Austin (and many others) as part of the Superintendent Series: Humanizing the Role of the Superintendent.Tune in for new episodes every other Thursday, available on Spotify, iTunes, or your preferred listening platformt as we explore humanizing the role of the superintendent in K-12 education.Watch for episodes every other Thursday on Spotify, iTunes, or whatever platform you listen. We look forward to exploring thought leadership in education on this season of Build Momentum! Language: en-us Genres: Business, Education, Marketing Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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S05E15 - Balancing Two Districts and One Mission: A Journey Through Leadership and Change | Dr. Matthew Montgomery, Superintendent
Episode 15
Thursday, 22 May, 2025
In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Matthew Montgomery, the current superintendent of two school districts, Lake Forest Community High School District 115 and Lake Forest Elementary District 67, for almost four years. In addition to this unique setup, he is also the Lead Superintendent for Cohort and Partner Connections in AASA, The School Superintendents Association. Some Questions We Ask:Can you tell us more about your career as a superintendent for two school districts? (01:30)What are the most rewarding aspects of school leadership? (06:19)What is your take regarding the 2023 RAND study, and how do you cope with the stress that your role brings? (08:18)Has scrutiny of the superintendency changed over the years? (12:27)Do you think your experiences are similar or different compared to other superintendents across the nation? (15:23)What strategies do you incorporate to help the community understand your vision for the district? (19:15)What are your thoughts regarding humanizing the role of superintendency? (24:11)How can we better support district leaders? (28:51)In This Episode, You Will Learn:About Dr. Montgomery’s career (01:53)Rewarding aspects of school leadership (06:22)Thoughts about the 2023 RAND study and coping with stress (08:31)Scrutiny of the superintendency (12:37)Similarities and differences regarding superintendents’ experiences (15:40)Strategies for uniting the community around a vision for the districts Dr. Montgomery leads (19:29)Thoughts on humanizing the superintendency (25:04)How K-12 education system supporters can advocate for district leaders (29:03) Quotes:“I was a high school science teacher, and I always wanted to know what was happening in the principal’s office when they would close the door. … When I got to the principal’s office, then I was curious about what was happening in the superintendent’s office. And now I make the joke that when I’m in my office, if anybody walks in and closes the door, I’m like, ‘Oh, please don’t!’ [Now] I’ve had my fill of what happens.”“As a leader, you are a conduit for an incredible amount of stakeholder voices. You need to try to find some cohesiveness and then be responsible for helping lead them in the direction that they have defined.”“Leadership is the most rewarding and challenging role that people can experience, and it is a privilege to be given this responsibility.”“We need to have a community that understands that you need great people leading organizations. How we treat our leaders matters—and increases the likelihood when one leader leaves, you are going to find another great leader to follow.”Stay in touch with Dr. Matthew Montgomery:LinkedIn Lake Forest Schools Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:SWPR GROUP WebsiteLinkedInStay in touch with Chad Bolser:LinkedInAbout "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:Transformational Leadership Secret websitePurchase the print or ebook
