Dr. Grenita Lathan, Superintendent of Schools; Springfield, MO

• Dr. Grenita Lathan views her role as chief advocate for Springfield Public Schools, its students and employees. She takes that responsibility seriously and keeps her focus on efforts to positively impact the 24,500 students and 3,500 employees who learn and work at SPS
• First off, the superintendency seems to 1be one of the most rapidly changing roles in public education. In your opinion, what is the primary function of a superintendent of a large public school district today?
• Whether it's through School Improvement Plans, or working alongside stakeholders, legislators, etc - How important is it for you to have accessible and accurate data when making decisions about your district’s future?
• Have you noticed a correlation between parent engagement and student outcomes in your district?
• Preparing students for the “digital age” has been an evergreen term/phrase for the better part of 25 years now.
  • In 2023 what exactly does this look like anymore - “Preparing students for the digital age?”
• In my previous years as a public school teacher, I observed that large-scale technology rollouts can be disastrous in the absence of effective planning and implementation. Do you have any recommendations for other superintendents who are considering a district-wide tech initiative?
• The face of education is constantly changing. What is one recent trend that you think will have a major influence on school districts in the years to come?
• Is there one particular innovation or achievement that you are especially proud of in your time with Springfield?
• Generic and broad question - How do schools improve?
  • Easy to say “test scores” or more resources or better teachers, etc
  • So Utopian
• From where we stand, the superintendent (like many “CEO” roles in organizations or companies) is a pretty thankless position. How do you balance keeping the peace, motivating people, doing what’s best for kiddos, providing resources to educators, etc without it all crumbling down on your emotionally?
• I always found it interesting how far down the road school leadership groups are working on the Vision, Mission, and roadmap for where the district is going for the next 5-10 years. Talk to us about how much preparation goes into getting a district to be a top-tier district.
• When a district needs/wants resources in order to improve facilities, etc how do bonds and levees work?

During the 2022-2023 school year, Dr. Lathan’s work will focus around three key goals:

• Review and revise the strategic plan
• Increase student performance
• Enhance communication

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