Saying all the right things

In a recent article on the recently hired Superintendent of Springfield, MO, Dr. Norman Ridder had this to say to the teachers: "My mission is to become a humble servant-leader. It's my job to help you grow...It's my job to make sure you're happy. And if I'm not doing my job, I expect you to give a good swift kick where the sun don't shine most of the time."

He goes on to tell the staff that his vision was to help everyone he works with find truth. "The truth I'm talking about is what is your strength, what is your talent, and how to build on that. So it is so fine-tuned that eventually you are going to perform at the peak of your abilities."

You can read more about Dr. Ridder's vision and values here. As the servant-leadership model becomes more commonplace in education and teaching, it is quite clear that there is a great role model and practitioner in Springfield, MO to look to for guidance.