Mary Kay Gallagher, Superintendent of Northville Public Schools, shares her inherent belief in the tremendous importance of collective work and shared leadership. “The leadership capacity work occurs when you’re looking at how your principals have a voice in what's happening in your district and at the building level when teachers are involved in looking at their sphere of influence and where they have impact, and the idea of leading from everywhere in your organization. It's not about your title; it's about your action.”
Woven throughout the podcast conversation with Mary Kay Gallagher, Superintendent of Northville Public Schools, is her inherent belief in the tremendous importance of collective work and shared leadership. She was hired in Northville as the Early Childhood Program Coordinator in 1985, and has held various district leadership positions, becoming Superintendent in 2011.
Her leadership journey
Mary Kay Gallagher was hired to begin a pilot early childhood program, "adding a full-day childcare program, along with expanding our after school programs, and involved in K-2 curriculum development.” As Moraine Elementary School Principal, she noted it was “a great opportunity to build leadership capacity across our teachers and students and become a National School of Character as a result of shared leadership.” As Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services, Mary Kay Gallagher “had the opportunity to move our district goals more in the direction of alignment with learning communities and Rick DuFour’s work, which continues to be a foundation.” She noted as superintendent, “moving the district goal setting processes to focus on learning and growth mindset, in a five-year cycle so that long term continuous goal setting really centered around our vision and purpose” is a point of pride.
A culture of learning, leadership and the focus on learner voice and agency
“I think over the course of time in Northville, the growth in our culture of learning and leadership has been really instrumental, along with that focus on learner voice and agency which research bears out to be critical. Our vision work in moving to build on a tradition of excellence along with that whole idea of opening a world of possibilities for and with our students is something that I’m really proud of, our work collectively.”
“Northville has had a longstanding commitment to a multi-tiered system of support (M.T.S.S.) providing intervention and support: bringing students together through peer pals, peer links and our unified teams. We've had the great fortune to have a center-based special education program as a part of our Northville community and that's been a strength of ours, in terms of bringing different learners together and building on each other's strengths... We have marginalized students that we need to continue to give thought to and the greater work that we have to do in fostering inclusive school communities."
In 1997, Northville was one of the founding members of the Galileo Teacher Leadership Consortium. “Galileo impacted Northville Schools through its work on leadership and Linda Lambert’s building leadership capacity. One of the big principles was making sure we had our Galileo leaders on our school improvement teams and that whole idea of building shared vision. Utilizing a D.C.I. Chart (Decision Maker, Consulted, and Informed), we surveyed our staff on their preferred participation in decision making. Those pieces really became part of our school community, our work on intrinsic motivation, student voice, and how you engage teachers in supporting our kids in their learning. The work with Stephen Covey continues to be a driving force.” This reference is to Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and maturity continuum from dependence to independence to interdependence.
Leader in Me Lighthouse Schools affirm the role of shared leadership and student voice
“All six of our elementary schools are Leader in Me Lighthouse Schools and have adopted that framework. Why I think that's so powerful is it addresses what our teachers are doing. There's that teacher lighthouse team and teacher feedback, our student leaders, and then that family connection. That framework involves everyone and also connects academic goals to the social-emotional learning goals.”
Leadership at all levels and voice in the organization
“I think that leadership capacity work rises to the district level because you're really taking a look at how your principals have a voice in what's happening in your district, and then at the building level, teachers are involved in looking at their sphere of influence and taking a look at where they have impact, and that idea of leading from everywhere in your organization. It's not about your title; it's about your action.”
"As I have applied that to the role of the superintendent, it certainly gets more challenging because you have more voices in your ears. You're answering to your community, you're answering to seven individual board members, so there's a lot of variables in the mix. But if you can build systems where that voice is a part of your process, I think that's tremendous. I also think the more recent work on teachers as facilitators, leaders as facilitators, Carolyn McKanders’ work, has been very impactful in terms of having protocols, norms you set up and processes for bringing divergent voices together and still being able to move the work.
During the myriad of challenge so the pandemic, "people either felt left out of decision making or felt like their voices weren't heard. As we come back together I’m trying to figure out those systems that allow you to continue to have the voices and have the right people at the table and make sure you have structures in place for hearing voices. Do that in ways that are effective in terms of moving on decisions a little more quickly...Then set up systems for feedback loops and monitoring and adjusting.
Collaborating and capitalizing on collective expertise
“We, as a profession, need to continue to move forward on how we collaborate and work together, and how we share that work with our students because we can't be reinventing the wheel in every classroom… We've made some tremendous growth with technology expanding access to content area experts, connecting with kids across the world, and finding new ways to gather and support one another... our kids have the opportunity of all these global connections, but they also have the impact of the weight of worry and concern for an entire globe on their shoulders too. “
“We have to capitalize on the collective expertise because we have seen firsthand and more extensively the impact of trauma on learning. We need knowledgeable folks; we need to work together. We definitely have to make sure our teachers, our professionals, our counselors, social workers, mental health providers, all have the tool sets and the materials and equipment and opportunities to impact our kids. We really need as a society to make that investment in the future of our world.”
Advice for aspiring leaders: Create a shared vision and coherence by listening.
If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. - African Proverb
“Leading a school district isn't about your personal vision, it is about shared vision and coherence and you only get there by listening. When you are listening and having conversation, you have to be very thoughtful about facilitation and be mindful of what you say and what you do…The greatest thing that you do as leaders in the thoughtful work is gather folks together. I have had the great fortune to connect with other superintendents. We've move away from the idea of mentorship just across our team, so I think you need to have those thought partners.”
I think the thing about leadership is we all have egos and you can't do this work without having some strength and fortitude and commitment to your values. You do have to check your ego at the door because this is about the work, it's about the kids. It's about our collective work. It's not about you or getting that title of superintendent, it's about our collective work."
Covey, Stephen R., The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Simon & Schuster, 30th Anniversary Edition, May 19, 2020.
DuFour, Richard, DuFour, Rebecca, & Eaker, Robert, Revisiting Professional Leading Communities at Work, Solution Tree, Tenth Anniversary Edition, January, 2008.
Lambert, Linda, Leadership Capacity for Lasting School Improvement, Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development; 59843 Edition, Alexandria, Virginia, July 1, 2003.
Bob Maxfield:
Welcome to Podcast for Leaderful Schools, coming to you almost live from the Galileo Institute at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. My name is Bob Maxfield and my wonderful co-host, Dr. Suzanne Klein, is with us today. We're doing probably episode 220 of this series right now. But in the last year or so we've interviewed a really interesting series of guests who have unique and interesting insights on public education, during and after the pandemic.It's been a sea change time for public education and we hope that our listeners have followed along as we've brought a variety of voices to that conversation. Today is no different. Our guest is Mary Kay Gallagher who is the Superintendent of the Northville Community Schools; she's going to be retiring this year after 37 years of service, exemplary service to that school district, which is a pretty remarkable feat in and of itself. She has served as superintendent in the district since 2011. Welcome Mary Kay let's begin, though, by giving you a chance to reflect on your service in Northville that led to becoming superintendent. So what positions have you held? That is really, for our listeners, an interesting journey, for that's a pretty unusual one.
01:19 --> 05:10
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
Yes, thank you for having me today. I was hired into Northville Public Schools in April of 1985, as the Early Childhood Program Coordinator. We were in the midst of enrollment declines across Michigan and the district was closing Moraine Elementary School as a result of declining enrollment and had the vision and foresight to open an early childhood program, which was somewhat pilot experimental. And so I actually joined NPS (Northville Public Schools) then at $10 an hour, no benefits, coming right out of school at a time when teaching positions weren't available. And I really think as a result of the pay offered, I had this opportunity where more experienced folks might not have been willing to do that, so I was hired in to begin that program. We encompassed community education programs that were already a part of the district, but added a full-day childcare program along with expanding our after school programs, and so that program launched and it continued to grow and I had the opportunity to get involved also in kindergarten through second grade curriculum development. I was in that position for nine years, and then had the opportunity when Moraine reopened as an elementary school to take the position as Moraine Elementary School Principal. Our early childhood program had moved downtown to our Main Street School. I was in that position for 12 years and really had a great opportunity to build leadership capacity across our teachers and students. That's when the Galileo program launched, that I know we'll talk more about, and in 2002 we became a National School of Character, really as a result of shared leadership.
And then I became Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services and was in that position for five years. And again was really involved in the Galileo Leadership Program during that time in my position there, and really had the opportunity to move our district goals more in the direction of alignment with learning communities and Rick DuFour’s work. And so that work continued to be foundational and then became superintendent in 2011, as Bob said, and I've been serving as superintendent for 11 years so…
What's changed over the course of time? When I joined the district, we had about 3200 students, we now have over 7,200 students and I think we've really grown in our diversity as a school community, with our students and families speaking over 50 languages. And we've also had our building and facilities age and have had the opportunity to make some tremendous improvement to those facilities and really move our environments to more flexible learner-centered classrooms. So that work was inspired by our entire community, and we'll talk a little bit more about Galileo's influence in that work too. So lots has happened over the course of the past four decades so…
05:11 --> 05:47
Suzanne Klein:
And it sounds like you've had an interesting role to play, Mary Kay, as you began and then moved through the changes you described as Northville was expanding its reach in terms of the number of students it served, but also looked at how the district was going to effectively serve every child who came every day.
So, putting your superintendent hat on for reflection for a minute, I know that there are issues that have woken you up in the middle of the night, but I also know there are things that you're very, very proud of. Let us in a little bit on your thinking about both of those. Why don't we start with the ones that you're very proud of?
05:48 --> 09:48
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
I would say what I'm most proud of, and this goes back to my early childhood days, so that over the course of time here in Northville Schools, I think the growth in our culture of learning and leadership has been really instrumental. And that focus on learner voice and agency, I think we're seeing that bear out in the research how critical that is. I think our vision work in moving to build on a tradition of excellence, but that whole idea of opening a world of possibilities for and with our students is something that I’m really proud of, our work collectively. Northville has had a longstanding commitment to what we now call multi-tiered systems of support with that peer intervention, early intervention, and certainly we've continued to build on the work of many folks in that regard.
I think more recently too, that focus that's on the academic end of things, but also on those social-emotional health and well-being side of that equation, I think the work that Northville, it's been a longstanding commitment, bringing students together so through peer pals, peer links, our unified teams. We've had the great fortune to have a center-based special education program as part of our district over the course as well, since they de-institutionalized special education. That's been a part of our Northville community and that's been a strength of ours in terms of bringing different learners together and building on each other's strengths.
And then I think the other piece I would say, is really moving our district goal setting processes to focus on learning and growth mindset and also moving to five-year cycle, so that we weren't jumping from thing to thing, year after year, but that long term continuous goal setting really centered around our vision and purpose. So those are those are things I'm proud of.
When we think about the things that keep us up at night, so that list has certainly grown I think, in the past in the past couple of years, but school safety and security that gnawing thing of how do we make sure we're going about creating safe and secure environments. Certainly I believe very strongly in all of the work that we just spoke about and M.T.S.S. (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) and how we're providing an intervention and support is foundational to that work, but then there's that crisis response piece.
I think the growing polarization and divisiveness across our country has come into our schools, and I think that has created tremendous challenges and certainly has set forth the more, the greater work that we have to do in fostering inclusive school communities. We certainly have marginalized students that we need to continue to give thought to. And then the pandemic, you know the needing to be more agile and flexible and respond more quickly than ever before, and be able to shift on a dime, has challenged our schools and organizations tremendously. When you think about how many students we have in our schools and needing to move organizations that quickly, I think that’s had some learning opportunities but it's definitely challenged our systems, from my lens.
09:49--> 10:55
Suzanne Klein:
Well, and waking up in the middle of the night and trying to decide which way to pivot based on the information from the previous day, I know has been very much the life of anyone working in schools, particularly those that are in the superintendent's central office, principal chairs. It’s also been on the shoulders of our teachers and that whole notion you talked about earlier Mary Kay about teacher voice. Certainly makes me think of the Galileo Teacher Leadership Consortium; Northville being one of the founding members in 1997 and I know that's something that you're very proud of as part of the district's heritage and mindset, to use the same word you used a few minutes ago. It's a lens through which you view how effective the schools are. So, as you think about that experience with Galileo, how might other superintendents as you would be offering advice from your perspective, do that effective support for both principal and teacher leadership; that notion of leading from the middle of the organization, not just the central office, what advice would you offer?
10:56 --> 11:30.780
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
Well, I guess I'm going to start and just speak a little bit to how Galileo kind of impacted Northville Schools and our leadership and that goes back to the principal leadership. I think one of the foundational pieces at that time in Galileo was Linda Lambert and leading leadership capacity. And I can tell you I had like six Galileo leaders that were part of our Moraine School community, so I myself didn't go through the Galileo program, but one of the big principles was making sure we had our Galileo folks on our school improvement teams, and so that whole idea of building shared vision and we did the DCI Chart (Decision Maker, Consulted and Informed) where we actually surveyed our staff on: what decisions do you want to be involved in making; what decisions do you want to just be informed about; and what do you need to just know about once the decisions been made.Those pieces really became part of our school community, our work on intrinsic motivation, and student voice, and how do you engage teachers in supporting our kids in their learning, all of that kind of led to our growth within our elementary school. But then the work with Stephen Covey continues to be a driving force. (This reference is to Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits and maturity continuum from dependence to independence to interdependence.)
And then we were invited out to that conversation with Sean Covey and they launched Leader in Me Schools.
12:36-->12:36
Suzanne Klein: Yes
12:37-->12:45
I bought 11 copies of that book that night. And we had book studies across the district,
12:46-->12:46
Suzanne Klein:Wonderful
12:46 --> 13:27
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
and that led to two of our elementary schools going on the Leader in Me journey and becoming Lighthouse Schools. And now years later, all six of our elementary schools are our Leader in Me Lighthouse Schools and have adopted that framework. Why I think that's so powerful is it addresses what our teachers are doing ;so there's that teacher lighthouse team and teacher feedback, our student leaders, and then that family connection, so that framework involves everyone. It also connects academic goals to the social-emotional learning goals.
13:28-->13:28
Suzanne Klein: Yes
13:28-->16:33
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
I think so many times and in the programs that are out there they're either character education programs or they’re academic programs and the connecting of the two together has been powerful and I think that leadership capacity work rises to the district level because you're really taking a look at how your principals have a voice in what's happening in your district, and then at the building level, teachers are involved in looking at their sphere of influence and taking a look at where they have impact. So, and that idea of leading from everywhere in your organization; that it's not about your title it's about your action. So as I have applied that when I think about the role of the superintendent, certainly gets more challenging because you have more voices in your ears and you're answering to your community, you're answering to seven individual board members, so there's a lot of variables in the mix. But if you can build systems where that voice is a part of your process, I think that's tremendous. I also think the more recent work on teachers as facilitators, leaders as facilitators, Carolyn McKanders’s work, that's been very impactful in terms of having protocols, norm set you set up, and processes for bringing divergent voices together and still being able to move the work. Because I think so often we just get caught up in planning and never actually executing and I think having some of those structures in place have been powerful for us. We're certainly not doing it perfectly, and I think one of the pandemic challenges is the speed of information and changes and the ways in which we had to pivot.
In some cases, in many cases didn't allow for those structures to be followed and so people either felt left out of decision making, or felt like their voices weren't heard. And so I think, as we come back together now trying to figure out those systems that allow you to continue to have the voice and have the right people at the table and make sure you have structures in place for hearing voices. But do that in ways that are effective in terms of moving, moving on decisions a little more quickly. I think another lesson has been you don't have to be perfect at what you do, you need to do something and then set up systems for feedback loops and monitoring and adjusting. So I think that's probably another piece of, of learning that we are trying to grow from.
16:34--> 17:33
Bob Maxfield:
You’ve just made a wonderful transition to our next question which is reflecting on the impact of the pandemic , but before I even get into that, let me just take a loop back. Your description of the impact of Galileo on a district and what needs to be involved in systemically engaging it in the entire culture of the community was marvelous, so congratulations for that. That was one I would like to capture and print, so well done. But let's get back to the notion of the impact of the pandemic, I mean some argue that it's brought out the worst in some people, it's caused, it's certainly revealed flaws in some systems. But, regardless of whether it's a strong system like yours, or whether it's a little more challenged, lessons were learned and things are being done to reset and reimagine so talk a little bit about what changes have occurred in Northville during those last, during the last couple years.
17:33 --> 23:40
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
Well we've had a number of things you know; we had a good process with our district goals and a vision around a unified content management system as one example. I think what the pandemic did was fast forward that. So in many ways we leapt forward with it because we had to decide on a unified content management system, because we had a million things going on before: we had Google classroom, we had some people using a variety of different programs, and so we initially drove our kids nuts and our families nuts with 8 million logons and that kind of thing. So we've certainly had rapid movement toward unifying our content management system and finding some unified passwords and single access, so that that's been a huge learning curve for everyone. But we moved more quickly on that than would have definitely been the case otherwise, so that was a lesson learned.
I think we were challenged to, and folks rose to the occasion, in terms of finding new ways to connect with one another, to facilitate learning. We figured out different ways to gather. Our PTAs, our parents and Community found different ways to safely still connect and offer opportunities for kids, so that that was awesome. We've certainly strengthened our appreciation for nature and use of outdoor spaces, we use them more fully, we use them year round in different ways. So, I think and hope that that's something that we would continue to do. We've also, from my lens you know, we've talked about virtual access and online learning, we certainly have strengthened our ways of offering online learning in more engaging ways, but at the same time, I think we've really had the importance of human connection reinforced. And we’ve learned how many different aspects of our school communities and our learning environments are important to our children and families, you know going out on the playground and being able to interact with all kids.
We had small group, we were fortunate and I think that we got good outcomes in our elementary schools where our kids were fully 100% in person, but they were in small cohorts and we had some rotating teachers. So we also learned that, in many ways, our small cohorts the kids got to know each other better and explored some different friendships, but then they also learned the limitations of being in a group of 15 and not interacting outside of your cohort.So we definitely learned that our kids and our families value gathering and being able to connect with other kids and make different choices with peer groups. And I think we've also learned as we're recovering and coming back together.
In many ways our kids are having to relearn being a part of a peer group and part of those daily interactions. And we're seeing that: coming into kindergarten, coming into sixth grade, coming into high school, it isn't just our youngest kids, so I think that's been a lesson learned. We've certainly realized that we need the in-person. We've also been stretched; we saw more people participating in parent teacher conferences. We had more dads, for example, and full time working parents that were able to connect. So as we move forward from the pandemic, really trying to figure out what that mix of in-person and hybrid learning is; offering more opportunities when we do our parent camp and workshops, having a combination of virtual offerings with in-person, parent conferences same thing, so we're trying to figure out what that mix might look like. So those are, that's just a handful, certainly I think that's what we've been hearing from across our schools so we're doing that. And I think we've also, while still challenged on how to execute this system-wide. But I really think we've made some tremendous growth in using technology differently, and instead of just transitioning what we used to do with a pencil to something that we're doing on a tablet now, I mean just really looking at technology expanding access to content area experts, and connecting with kids across the world, and in finding new ways to gather and support one another. And I don't want to miss this either, I think we knew this before but saw it in action: project based learning, our STEM focus, hands-on, real life problems, being able to manipulate materials and collaborate together that can be done in an online environment certainly, but that gathering with people and putting your hands on objects and being able to collaborate and create together, that's something that I think our kids missed during that time that we're really seeing a need for. so…
23:42 --> 24:44
Suzanne Klein:
Considering all the pivoting that you had to do, you've come out the other end of those experiences in Northville with a wealth of new learning about: how systems work, what new systems are needed, what kind of supports are needed, what kind of connections with parents, what kind of professional development for teachers.It gives you in your head a menu of things to attend to, not only as superintendent, but building the systems with others in the district. Knowing that they're going to be some changeovers and leadership not only in Northville, but in other places all over the country and certainly we're no different here in Michigan, when you think about the increased rate of retirement for school level leaders, teachers, and support staff, how do we as a profession, not only recruit, prepare, and then retain high talent teachers and administrators? What has the pandemic lessons taught you, plus your life experience in Northville schools?
24:45 --> 28:56
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
Well, you know we've had our eyes opened on the necessity and the value of every person across our organization: in our food services and with our bus drivers, with our substitute teachers, and then our professionals: our teachers, our administrators, absolutely.I think we've got to address wages, and I think if you look back to when we had pension reform and then looked at when we saw declining numbers in our teacher development programs, I think there may be a correlation there. We used to offset the wage scale with the benefits and future opportunities, so we absolutely have to address that if we are… Dave Rogers, who's our Assistant Sup. for Human Resources, kind of puts it this way: you know when you've got a couple of different students entering college and you look at a five year teacher preparation program and a year-long internship without pay and then future earning potential, and you compare teaching to other, you know, STEM fields and other avenues, you know that they're just not competing. And I know this about what we need in our educators, we need our brightest and our finest and our creative thinkers and our innovators to be there, teaching our kids and working with our kids, so I think that absolutely has to be thought about.
And then certainly I think, out of the pandemic we experienced it at the local level, which has happened in every single school district I think, parents and families have simultaneously garnered a greater appreciation for teachers and the challenge of that work. Now how do we translate that into, you know, across our society valuing our teachers and our principals, our facilitators, our educators? So I think those things are absolutely critical to our future. And then we also as a profession need to continue to move forward on how we collaborate and work together, how we share that work with our students, because we can't be reinventing the wheel in classroom after classroom after classroom. We have to capitalize on that collective expertise because we were called upon, I mean we did a big lesson that I think I neglected to mention before is we knew this before, but it's certainly been increased, or you saw it firsthand more extensively, is the impact of trauma on learning. And so what we need to be there to offer our kids, we need knowledgeable folks, we need to work together. So we definitely have to make sure our teachers, our professionals, our counselors, social workers, mental health providers all have the tool sets and the materials and equipment and opportunities to impact our kids. We really need to as a society place that investment in the future of our world.
We also saw that whole interconnectedness across the globe, I think we've experienced that firsthand with supply chain and a myriad of other things, and so I think that's been another significant piece, is that our kids have the opportunity of all these global connections, but they also have the impact of the weight of worry and concern of an entire globe on their shoulders too.
28:57 --> 30:02
Suzanne Klein:
Well, that leads into the next question that I have for you. One of the initiatives here from Oakland’s Galileo Institute has been looking at how we might support not only teacher leaders but school superintendents, knowing that the jobs that they have are tremendously important in local communities and for creating successful learning conditions, not only for students, but for staff, engagement for parents, community support of the efforts and priorities of the school district, all the things that you've been describing over your interview that Northville has worked so hard on creating, developing, and maintaining. As you think about entering into a superintendency, if you were starting from the beginning, as someone was starting from the beginning, what advice, what are the two or three things, Mary Kay, that you would be talking with that person over coffee about saying, “you know what, if you get these right, this is going to be a start of very successful opportunity for learning and teaching in your organization.” What would you be talking with them about?
30:03 --> 30:12
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
A couple of things, I think first you got to be authentic, be yourself, listen, listen, listen.
30:13 -->30:13
Suzanne Klein: mm-h mm.
30:14 --> 33:18
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
And I think the other is a quote comes to mind, you know, that I just shared in a recent presentation, you know, “if you want to go fast go alone, but if you want to go deep you go together.” And so, you know, leading a school district isn't about your personal vision, it is about shared vision and coherence and you only get there by listening, hearing.And I also know, I think one of the things that you always have to be mindful of, that is a challenge, is people take your words in whatever form they might be, and then that becomes “the thing”. So you when you are listening and having conversation, you have to be very thoughtful about facilitation and about what comments you're making so that you know, so I often will say, “we're brainstorming here” or “we're sharing conversation, this isn't a decision”, you know that kind of thing, so you always have to be mindful of what you say and what you do. And I think the other thing about leadership is, we all have egos and you can't do this work without having some strength and fortitude and commitment to your values, I mean I sleep at night by keeping my focus on kids and asking myself is this decision and can I lay my head down on the pillow tonight with the decision. But at the same time, you do have to kind of check your ego at the door, because this is about the work, it's about the kids, it's about our collective work, it's not about, you know, Mary Kay Gallagher or getting that title of superintendent, it's about our collective work. So that that's advice that I would share, and just remember you're not alone. I guess the greatest thing that you do as leaders in the thoughtful work is gather folks together, because it can be a lonely position, so I have had the great fortune to, you know, connect with other superintendents and so, and for me that that also has been other women that have led districts, you know, they've been peers with me, Andrea in Livonia and Monica in Plymouth Canton. (Andrea Oquist, Superintendent of Livonia Public Schools, and Monica Merritt, Superintendent of Plymouth-Canton Community Schools) I think you need to have those thought partners. And that actually is other advice too, we've kind of moved away from the idea of mentorship just across our team, we’ll often begin conversations with, “I just want a thought partner on this.” So those kinds of strategies, I think, as a superintendent you need to be mindful of too.
33:19 --> 33:40
Bob Maxfield:
I think, I think that any new superintendent would be wise to listen to just exactly what you just said in the last three or four minutes. That's wonderful, wonderful advice. So before we end, I'm going to ask you to tell us something about what your future plans are, but before we do that, though, is there anything that you'd like, that you wish you'd said today, that we just didn't think to ask?
33:41 --> 34:44
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
I, you know, I just have had the incredible opportunity to learn with and from so many different people that across Galileo, across Northville schools, and in my own education. I went to Detroit Public Schools and had a principal by the name of Dorothy Fisher. I was part of Region Seven Middle School, which was during voluntary desegregation in Detroit. I went to Dominican High School and Dan Hogan had a culture that was set up like a student Congress and faculty Senate and the Executive Branch was the principal. I had the opportunity to have voice in my education in Detroit, at Dominican and at Michigan State, and then across my career, and so education matters. It makes a difference; it offers opportunities. And I went from $10 an hour in early childhood to superintendent here in Northville so I’ve been incredibly blessed.
34:43 -->34:47
Bob Maxfield:
As Superintendent, we can make 12 or $13 an hour.
34:48 --> 34:55
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
Yeah, exactly, my husband often reminds me of that when we take a look at the hours, but anyway…
34:56 -->34:58
Bob Maxfield:
So what's next, what's next for Mary Kay Gallagher?
35:00-->35:16
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
Time for family and friends, I am looking forward to taking classes at Schoolcraft just for the joy of learning, being a part of book clubs, and I'll stay involved in our Rotary Club and volunteering and you might find me in the lunchroom one of these days.
35:16 --> 35:17
Suzanne Klein: I love it.
35:18 --> 35:31
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
Really I’m just looking forward to more flexibility with time and not having quite so many things that keep you up at night, so, but hopefully just, yeah keep my brain working.
35:31-->35:34
Suzanne Klein: and not to worry about snow days.
35:35 -->35:40
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
Exactly I’m going to bestow my wand upon Dr. R.J. Webber.
35:41 --> 35:49
Bob Maxfield:
What you'll hear from Suzanne and me is that for the first couple of years you're still gonna be waking up in the middle of the night when there's a snowstorm, so it’ll happen.
35:50-->36:04
Mary Kay Gallagher (she/her/hers):
Yes, yes, you have, I can imagine, I …that's my next conversation, is to get your words of wisdom for how, because I have a little, no small amount of fear over not doing enough with my time, so…
36:05 --> 36:16
Bob Maxfield: I have no doubt you'll use it well. So thank you Mary Kay Gallagher, wonderful interview, lots and lots of wisdom worth sharing and I'm so glad you were able to join us for this.
36:15 -->36:18
Mary Kay Gallagher: Well, thank you for stretching my comfort zone.
36:20-->36:20
Suzanne Klein: Our pleasure
36:21-->36:38
Bob Maxfield:
You were very comfortable. So to our listeners, thank you for being part of this installment of Podcasts for Leaderful Schools, as always we're coming to you almost live from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Please stay tuned as we continue this very engaging series about the future of public education.
References
Covey, Stephen R., The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Simon & Schuster, 30th Anniversary Edition, May 19, 2020.
DuFour, Richard, DuFour, Rebecca, & Eaker, Robert, Revisiting Professional Leading Communities at Work, Solution Tree, Tenth Anniversary Edition, January,2008.
Lambert, Linda, Leadership Capacity for Lasting School Improvement, Association for Supervision & Curriculum;59843 edition (July 1, 2003), Alexandria, Virginia.