Why this superintendent likes to go where there’s a challenge
Superintendent Jeff Horton likes empowering staff and students to be their best selves. And recognizing that most school communities go through ebbs and flows, he’s also drawn to the challenge of transforming systems.
“I like to go to communities that are having some struggles,” he says on the latest episode of District Administration‘s “A Good Lesson Podcast,” with host Amy Dujon (listen below). “I’ll give you everything I’ve got.”
Horton, who is District Administration’s 2026 Superintendent of the Year, leads the Rush City School District in Minnesota. He previously served as superintendent of two other districts in the state.
A fellow leader once told Horton that superintendents should lead without fear of being terminated by the school board. “If you are afraid of losing your job, you are not giving that district everything it needs and you are not giving that community everything it needs,” he contends.
“You have to balance this mentality with understanding the organization and understanding your people and working to move them forward in a way that’s thoughtful, strategic and makes sense for them.”
Horton says there are five key ingredients to his leadership philosophy that apply to new and experienced superintendents:
- Talk to people: Ask questions and let people talk to you to identify strengths and areas for growth.
- Understand the research: Encourage staff and the community to reflect on the perception data and other indicators. This guides leaders in setting priorities.
- Portrait of a graduate: Determine the skills and attributes students should have when they complete high school.
- Make a strategic plan: Bundle the three previous steps into a living document.
- Budget: Develop a spending plan that reflects your priorities.
Among his recent achievements are fully staffing his schools. About a third of Rush City’s jobs were vacant when he took the helm. He spread his search for educators wide, looking outside Minnesota and the country for well-trained teachers with strong pedagogy.
“We have one of the biggest international teaching forces in the state,” he adds.
Listen to the full podcast below.
You can also subscribe to “A Good Lesson” on Apple and Spotify.
