The Resilient Rural Leader

Book excerpt: The role of the rural education leader is complex and demanding, but the rewards of serving in a rural school district are innumerable. Learn how to work through challenges and maximize success in this often overlooked and underresourced field. In the United States, the umbrella term "rural education" applies to diverse place-based contexts ranging from remote mountain communities to midwestern agricultural areas to southwestern mesas and beyond. One thing these varied environments have in common is the need for creative, solutions-oriented leadership. In The Resilient Rural Educator, award-winning superintendent Melissa A. Sadorf draws on her extensive experience teaching and leading in a rural school district in Arizona to identify issues unique to rural education and explore ways to capitalize on local resources to provide the best possible education for all students. Topics Sadorf investigates in depth include the following: • Juggling multiple district roles while maintaining efficiency and effectiveness • Recruiting and retaining staff, teachers, and administrators in a rural area • Connecting students and families with needed services and resources • Solving the challenges of limited access to utilities such as broadband internet • Navigating the role of the rural school as the hub of the community • Managing community partnerships for mutually beneficial results Rural school districts serve approximately one in five students across the United States—students who deserve an equitable education. The insightful, innovative, and comprehensive strategies found in this book will help you and your district deliver that education to them.