By Nancy Blade

A leader affects the culture of an organization in numerous ways--both constructive and destructive. As the leader of a school district, the Superintendent is the chief architect--the person primarily responsible for facilitating the design and implementing the plans for student learning. While his or her authority is manifested throughout the widely varied and demanding duties of the position, the essence of his or her influence on school culture, as stated by Phillip C. Schlechty in Working on the Work, is based on "who the Superintendent is, what the Superintendent values, and the style of operation supported by the Superintendent."

Much like an architect, the Superintendent envisions building to improve a community, and he or she works with all stakeholders to create a vital, collaborative, and sustainable organization. The challenge lies in the requirement for a Superintendent to be the primary caretaker of the district culture while also the impetus behind constructing student-centered programs that might require change.

Some administrators work with constituents who hold firm to the belief that district culture should be passed on from older generations to younger ones as the "only and the right way" to do business. It is often presumed the stronger the culture is, the more a school district resists new ideas and influences. But a district can be carefully maintained and at the same time profoundly changed by a leader who understands that culture is embedded in people's values and experiences. Likewise, a leader who respects time-honored traditions can create new programs to build sustained results that affect student learning and reach into the future.

The ever-present challenge for a Superintendent comes in honoring the existing culture while building a vital and sometimes changing environment for learning. This process is evolutionary and dependant on everyone involved in constructing programs--it's a process that closely aligns the role of a school district leader to that of an architect.

Like an architect, a Superintendent attends to plans, drafts, and project designs. He or she facilitates collaboration among different communities to develop a vision. The Superintendent constructs ideas that adhere to state and federal regulations while creating something that serves a community over a long period of time. Both professions understand the power and evolutionary nature of culture, whether embracing and promoting an innovative structure or designing and facilitating an educational initiative.

The ideas espoused by renowned 20th century architects mirror the core qualities of a Superintendent. As stated by Michael Arad, the lead architect for the World Trade Center Memorial, the architect has "the dual role of designer and advocate," which presents the challenge of creating and negotiating needed "changes to ideas without compromising underlying intent" (The New York Times, November 4, 2011). In the manner of architect Frank Gehry, exceptional school district leaders take their ideas beyond the norm and are fiercely committed to an unwavering vision. Effective Superintendents believe, as Thom Mayne, founder of the Southern California Institute of Architecture, does, that insight and collaboration are essential to managing "the organization of a multiplicity of forces and systems"--and that it is key "to negotiate the values of who you are working with for who you are working for" (TED, April 2007).

Finally, the work of Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi demonstrates the long-term impact of an inspired vision. After 100 years, the church of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is still under construction. As it evolves, it continues to reflect communities working together to build toward his design. Similarly, an effective Superintendent develops and institutes plans that imprint the organizational culture in a district and create sustained change as teachers and the community work together to support the future of student learning and achievement results.

Culture is the essence of a school district--a place shaped by the values and ideas of the people in the organization as they create systems for improvement. As a Superintendent leads, assesses, reinforces, and transforms a school district, he or she is charged with holding fast to the ideals and carrying them forward, but at the same time building and protecting the strength of the school district--its culture.