Superintendent
Saint Paul Public Schools
MASA President
Whether we are leading in Greater Minnesota, suburban or urban communities, a few schools or many, our current times call for a different type of stamina. However, this isn’t an individual trait that leaders must possess alone, and instead an endurance that emerges from the strength of unified and purpose-driven communities. MASA is our community, and over the years, I’ve watched (and personally experienced) the boost that members provide to one another when it seems like the stressors have become too burdensome.
Recent years have tested the stamina of all leaders throughout our educational system. The agility required to lead during the pandemic, the ongoing mental health needs that continue to rise throughout our communities we serve, navigating the impacts of declining enrollment and the current rise and concerns around federal funding are just a few examples of situations that continue to push us to stretch further than we may have in the past.
I’ve recently learned about the concept of adaptive resilience, which is about the capacity to adjust our strategies, seek support, and remain focused on our core purpose when our original expectations and plans fall apart. This kind of resilience doesn’t come from individual determination. It rises when entire communities rally around common values and work together to overcome challenges.
This concept allows us to think about handling what has become regular disruptions with a lens of interdependence, as opposed to seeing the work as an individual district or leader’s responsibility. The notion of adaptive resilience made me reflect about how members of MASA continually come together to use our collective organizational assets to manage dynamics that arise. Our united legislative efforts alone provide multiple sources of energy and innovative thought. Our collaborative efforts within MASA and across advocacy groups led to increased funding for cross-subsidies and moved us from the guessing game on what funding we might receive to a committed baseline.
How might we rely on relationships with fellow administrators through MASA all the more? What might it look like to increase engagement amongst people who understand the unique pressures of our roles and can offer both practical wisdom and emotional support?
I know when I invest in those connections for myself, I’m reminded to foster the same networks within my own district: cross-functional leadership teams, collaborative problem-solving structures, and spaces where people can be vulnerable about struggles without judgment. Partnership and trust foster the inevitable ripple effect. Stamina isn’t about being the strongest person in the room. It’s about knowing that the answer is in the room and tapping into the collective wisdom.
Individual stamina eventually runs out—it’s a limited resource that wanes with every challenge we face alone. On the contrary, adaptive resilience rejuvenates and restores. This year, I challenge each of us to reach out to a colleague to encourage and for encouragement. Reach out for innovative brainstorming and when in crises. Share what’s working and celebrate something that you know is working for a colleague. We are better together.
