Name: Richard Rhodes

Title: Superintendent

Organisation: South Fork Union Elementary School District

Superintendent in both California and Alaska, USA over 25 years. Education Consultant United States Department of Education. Race to the top, Turnaround Leaders.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Educational Leadership!

I hope Richard's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as an Educational Leader?

Society does not support financially that children are our most precious commodity.

2. How did you become an Educational Leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I spent time in the military. I used the GI Bill to pay for college to become a teacher. I taught for a few years, then became a Principal and Interim Superintendent at 29. I am still serving as a Superintendent at 58 years old.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I am in the gym at 5 am a couple of days a week. I am training again to participate in triathlons. I am at the office around 7:00 a.m. I generally leave around 5:30 p.m. with occasional night meetings.

4. What's a recent lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of as an Educational Leader?

You can spend years building and developing a school system and in one day you can be gone. You will be replaced and the organization will continue 24 hours later. Keep it in perspective.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your journey as an Educational Leader so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted you?

The Bible. Servant Leadership.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young educator who aspires to be an Educational Leader, what would you say to them?

Learn to be content and live in peace. Change the things you can and accept the things you cannot change.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as an Educational Leader, so far?

This year we took a field that was vacant for 25 years and turned it into a baseball, softball, and soccer field along with a track for the Middle School.