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My View

I鈥檝e often heard that the proper vantage for school leaders is 鈥渙n the balcony.鈥� But to my mind, superintendents should be positioned 鈥渙n the sidewalk鈥� to carry out their work.

As the leader of a 1,500-student district in northwestern Pennsylvania, I try to be helpful, grateful and visible. To me, visibility means visiting every school every week and attending at least one evening event each week.

Sometimes, a school visit takes the form of a formal walkthrough conducted in the company of a principal or director. I do classroom walkthroughs partly to model the method and partly to communicate to principals the importance of visiting classes.

Teachers can tell it鈥檚 a real walkthrough when two administrators are touring together, talking to students and taking notes. Afterward, feedback is delivered to teachers and staff by their immediate supervisor, not by me.