Building Trust with the Community Yields High Dividends: Lessons from a Superintendent
When planning for your district’s future, actively demonstrate comprehensive communication and a commitment to excellence. Involve the entire community intentionally to build trust, a key factor in fostering effective partnerships within your organization and extending to those you serve. Mayfield City Schools showcased these principles in their recent planning process, providing valuable insights applicable to any engagement approach you might consider.
Dr. Michael Barnes, Superintendent of Mayfield City Schools in Ohio, presented at Studer Education’s annual What’s Right in Education leadership conference. Reflecting on his 31-year journey in education, Dr. Barnes recognized the unique challenges that come with being a superintendent, especially when dealing with a diverse community. He humorously noted, “In terms of street cred, I have a significant amount, but that doesn’t come without its challenges because they feel that they have access to you all the time.”
When Dr. Barnes returned to Mayfield during the complexities of the COVID-19 era, he noticed a big issue: a breakdown of trust in the school community. The challenge was clear — rebuilding trust that had eroded during a time of uncertainty and division. To tackle this, Dr. Barnes implemented strategic approaches, focusing on mindset, a 100-day transition plan, and the “four anchors of trust” — access, relationships, stakeholder involvement, and progress monitoring feedback.
Rebuilding trust had a huge impact on Mayfield City Schools’ success. The district’s overall achievement score jumped by 10 points, earning it a prestigious five-star rating from the state of Ohio.
Dr. Barnes emphasized that community trust allowed for innovative approaches, like a fully personalized learning experience at the high school level. This initiative showed the benefits of trust, creating an environment where students thrive. As Dr. Barnes put it, “The only reason we could do this is because the community trusts the district,” highlighting the crucial role trust plays in shaping Mayfield City Schools’ future.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Think differently.
By questioning, “How do we know we’re winning?” educators are prompted to think differently about success, emphasizing the need for both qualitative and quantitative data to gauge the effectiveness of educational initiatives.
Plan differently.
The 100-day transition plan presented by Dr. Barnes serves as a blueprint for educational leaders facing challenges in trust and community engagement. Crafting this plan prioritizes trust-building through open communication, positive relationships, and community engagement.
Act differently.
Seize the transformative power of community trust to implement innovative, fully personalized learning experiences, revolutionizing traditional educational models and prioritizing individualized student growth.
