Beyond the Hire: Building a Strong Board-Superintendent Partnership
Good governance is about strong board-superintendent relations! Today’s podcast is about the board of education and its relationship with the new superintendent. We so clearly invest in hiring a superintendent; hours go into the interview process, searching for the right candidate, preparing for the interview, doing the interviews. And then making the decision to choose the right candidate. There is a well-deserved sigh of relief when that occurs, but the job of transitioning to a new superintendent is not over. For the board and others, it has really just begun.
Here with us today is Dr. Darcy Woodcock, to tell us a bit about her recipe for success as she has transitioned now in two districts, and what that transition for success looks like.
Host
Darci D’Ercole, Chief Governance and Leadership Development Officer, NYSSBA
Guest
Dr. Darcy Woodcock, Superintendent for Jamesville DeWitt Central School District
Resources (NYSSBA On Board Articles)
7 questions every school board should ask the superintendent (https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/08182026/7-questions-every-school-board-should-ask-the-superintendent-08182026.pdf)
7 Ways to build the board-supt relationship (https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/08182026/7-ways-to-build-the-board-supt-relationship-08182026.pdf)
Establishing a strong board-superintendent relationship (https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/08182026/establishing-a-strong-board-superintendent-relationship-08182026.pdf)
Evaluations-An opportunity to build a stronger board-supt relationship (https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/08182026/evaluations-an-opportunity-to-build-a-stronger-board-supt-relationship-08182026.pdf)
For better board-supt. relations, clarify (https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/08182026/for-better-board-supt-relations-clarify-08182026.pdf)
Hired a new superintendent - Great start (https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/08182026/hired-a-new-superintendent-great-start-08182026.pdf)
How to support your superintendent (https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/08182026/how-to-support-your-superintendent-08182026.pdf)
Little things can make a big difference for superintendents (https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/08182026/little-things-can-make-a-big-difference-for-superintendents-08182026.pdf)
Schedule your Custom Board Retreat (https://www.nyssba.org/schoolboardu/custom-board-retreat/) today! Contact Ellen Kramek at 518-783-3753 or via email at ellen.kramek@nyssba.org (mailto:ellen.kramek@nyssba.org).
Have a question about today’s topic? NYSSBA Leadership Development Trainers are here to help! Send you your questions to ld@nyssba.org (mailto:ld@nyssba.org).
Stock media provided by www.pond5.com (http://www.pond5.com)
30 Jun 2026
Why vote for your board president: The attributes of effective leadership
Have you ever sat in a board meeting where things just… unraveled?
The agenda starts strong but quickly goes off track. Conversations drift. Tensions rise. Voices overlap. And by the end of the meeting, you’re left wondering what was accomplished.
Now, here’s the important question: Was that a board problem or a leadership problem?
In many cases, it comes down to one critical role: the board president.
Today, we’re going to talk about what school boards should be thinking about when electing their board president. Because this decision is about far more than filling a seat. It’s about setting the tone, direction and effectiveness of your entire governance team.
Host:
Mark Snyder, Senior Leadership Development Manager, NYSSBA
Resources (NYSSBA On Board Articles)
7 key roles of every board president (https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/Events/precon-boa-2023/7_key_roles_of_every_board_president.pdf)
7 questions board presidents should ask themselves (https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/06302026/7-questions-board-presidents-should-ask-themselves-06302026.pdf)
School board vice presidents can be much more than benchwarmers (https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/06302026/school-board-vice-presidents-can-be-much-more-than-benchwarmers-06302026.pdf)
The role of the school board president (https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/06302026/the-role-of-the-school-board-president-1-06302026.pdf)
Schedule your Custom Board Retreat (https://www.nyssba.org/schoolboardu/custom-board-retreat/) today! Contact Ellen Kramek at 518-783-3753 or via email at ellen.kramek@nyssba.org (mailto:ellen.kramek@nyssba.org).
Have a question about today’s topic? NYSSBA Leadership Development Trainers are here to help! Send you your questions to ld@nyssba.org (mailto:ld@nyssba.org).
Stock media provided by www.pond5.com (http://www.pond5.com)
Stock media provided by Jeppe Reil/www.pond5.com (http://www.pond5.com)
2 Jun 2026
What I Wish I Knew About School Board Service
Host:
Ann Laszewski, Leadership Development Manager, NYSSBA
Guest:
Mark Snyder, Senior Leadership Development Manager, NYSSBA
Episode Description:
In this episode of the President's Gavel, we’re talking about something almost every board member thinks at some point: “I wish I had known that when I first started.” We’ll share a few of those lessons—so you can lead with more confidence and maybe help the next new member avoid a few surprises along the way.
We’ll talk about early challenges, a few unexpected realities and the kinds of insights that really only come with time—offering guidance to help you and the next generation of board members lead with more confidence and clarity.
Resources:
NYSSBA’s New Member Handbook: https://bit.ly/43EwshE
NYSSBA’s Onboard New Members Guide: https://bit.ly/3RzCI7M
NYSSBA’s Effective School Board Meetings FAQ: https://bit.ly/4vmR3Tq
NYSSBA’s Executive Session FAQ: https://bit.ly/4uFDizi
NYSSBA’s Public Comment Session FAQ: https://bit.ly/4fWi7o1
NYSSBA’s Social Media FAQ: https://bit.ly/4uFDwq8
On Board article: Congratulations on your election! Now what: https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/06022026/congratulations-on-your-election-now-what-06022026.pdf
On Board article: How to maximize your impact in your first year on the board: https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/06022026/how-to-maximize-your-impact-in-your-first-year-on-the-board-06022026.pdf
On Board article: Some things that I wish I had known during my first year on the board: https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/06022026/some-things-that-i-wish-i-had-known-during-my-first-year-on-the-board-06022026.pdf
Schedule your Custom Board Retreat today! Contact Ellen Kramek at 518-783-3753 or via email at ellen.kramek@nyssba.org.
Have a question about today’s topic? NYSSBA Leadership Development Trainers are here to help! Send you your questions to ld@nyssba.org.
Stock media provided by www.pond5.com
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