Too many hats, too many bosses, but still the best job.

You only have to check the classified employment listings in Education Week or AASA's Job Bulletin to recognize the abundance of opportunities and the apparent dearth of applicants for superintendent positions. Even mainstream publications have pronounced the job's loss of luster.

New Jersey Monthly, in a September 2002 article titled "The Best and Worst Jobs in New Jersey," rated the job of school superintendent as one of the 14 worst. It stated, "Tight school budgets, no job security, modest salaries and board of education meetings that run past midnight are just a few of the complaints that have New Jersey's school superintendents retiring in droves."

Yet many of us manage to find satisfaction enough in our daily superintendent lives to stay the course. We thrive on the non-stop action: problem-solving; intensive, personal interaction with numerous constituencies; and simply the newness that each day brings. There are, granted, challenges that no one relishes but even these have their own unique aspects and ultimate rewards.

Powerful Impact

To me, a superintendent for 13 years and a professional educator for 31, the job's first and foremost appeal is the potential to positively affect the instructional program for thousands of youngsters. Whether I serve as the catalyst for a change or merely an informed champion, I believe that touching the lives of so many children is indeed one of the most gratifying aspects of my work.

Many of the improvements that we can influence exist well beyond our tenure or may serve as building blocks for our successors. So while a single accomplishment may fade away, opportunities left by our legacies serve an even greater purpose.

When I consider how I am contributing to the betterment of children in my community, I think about the switch our middle school made from the traditional 40-minute class period to alternating days of 78-minute sessions that enabled us to include band, orchestra and chorus within the school day rather than before and/or after school. As a result, student participation in the choral and instrumental music programs have doubled. The schedule change also has provided all middle school students with a chance to study a world language in both 7th and 8th grades, thus expanding their high school options.

I also can take pride in the growth of our program for students with autism. We have gone from one to five self-contained homerooms, benefiting the students and their parents. The capacity to influence locally the quality of the autism program from initial placement through 8th grade promotion has garnered overwhelming support from parents.

Sometimes when we enhance our instructional program, we also improve our financial standing. By returning dozens of students with disabilities from out-of-town placements to our own classrooms, we made a significant impact on our transportation budget while dramatically improving the quality-of-life issues for the parents of these children. "Win-win" ventures are gratifying and memorable.

Recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers is another multifaceted challenge. It begins with collegial relations with local teacher-training institutions and support for student teachers. A strong, well-orchestrated mentoring program guarantees that new staff members get on the right track quickly. Enticing teachers and administrators to remain in the district is much harder--and often costly. A comprehensive and well-communicated supervision and evaluation program maximizes our ability to keep the best and the brightest teachers.

The opportunity to recruit and develop new administrators also brings an exceptional degree of satisfaction. As superintendents, we can create a professional and well-orchestrated recruitment process and a responsive administrators/supervisors contract. It is imperative that it be not only financially competitive in terms of starting salary, but more importantly that it allows for professional development that may invariably affect recruitment.

As superintendents who recommend appointments and reappointments, we are truly the gatekeepers of our profession. We are obligated to ask the tough questions and sometimes conduct those difficult non-renewal conferences. However, we are also in a position to recognize aspiring administrators, rewarding them with entry-level positions or going to bat for them with our colleagues. Last year, our district sent four individuals into administrative positions in other school districts.

Democracy in Action

One of the most frustrating and challenging tasks we confront annually is marketing the budget. It cannot be ignored, yet there is never a guarantee that honesty and hard work will be rewarded. The variables are numerous, obviously changing from district to district. Most have little to do with a high-quality education.

Last year our proposed operating budget was defeated by two votes out of 2,600 cast, a result that was sustained in a recount. My hope is that this disappointing result served as a true lesson in democracy for our parents. The defeat came after 14 budget presentations to a wide range of audiences, a special budget newsletter that was mailed to every resident and letters and phone calls by teachers to community members.

All professions have their idiosyncrasies as well as their pluses and minuses. The superintendent's position is no different. Even after an exhausting day when I have changed my hats at breakneck speed, when I have felt overwhelmed by complex challenges and when too many people seem to be offering me the right answer, it is still the best job in the world.

Jack Farr is superintendent of the Flemington-Raritan Regional School District, 50 Court St., Flemington, NJ 08822. E-mail: [e-mail]