Becoming a New Superintendent of Schools

The role of a school Superintendent is constantly changing and now encompasses more roles and responsibilities than before (Abraham, 2018). The average tenure of superintendents is about 3.18 years, with the number being even lower for superintendents serving in large urban school districts (Council of Great City Schools, 2010). While states continue to revamp superintendent preparation programs, many of the skills and traits needed to successfully address the transition to a superintendency still remain unaddressed. Therefore, this study evaluates the lived experiences of four superintendents transitioning to their first superintendency. They document challenges and successes during their first year through journals of their lived experiences. Additionally, this study will analyzed traits demonstrating by superintendents during their tyro transition to overcome challenges of a first year superintendent.