PILLARS OF SUCCESS The district’s operational and strategic approach is anchored in five core values, referred to by Superintendent, Christopher DiLoreto, as their “main thing.” He says the foremost value is academic performance, emphasizing student achievement and educational excellence. Equally important is resource management, encompassing the oversight of the district’s 650 employees, a vast 1 million square feet of facilities across six school buildings, nearly 300 acres of grounds, and a fleet of 80 school buses. Governance is another cornerstone, ensuring compliance with federal and state laws, and collective bargaining agreements. DiLoreto maintains that communication and collaboration also play a vital role, and the district focuses on efficient interactions with stakeholders, forming partnerships with booster clubs, nonprofits, and for-profit organizations. Lastly, he highlights the priority on safety and security, where the emphasis includes safeguarding students, staff, and facilities while addressing the importance of mental health support.“We strive to be the best in those five areas, that we refer to as our ‘main thing’,” DiLoreto affirms. GROWING LEADERS FROM WITHIN In addressing the leadership vacuum prevalent in public education, Jackson Local Schools has undertaken a proactive approach to succession planning, beginning when Superintendent DiLoreto and Assistant Superintendent, Barry Mason were approached by the Board of Education about enrolling in an MBA program. DiLoreto recounts, “That was really to look at what are the best business practices you can incorporate in a public school setting. We went through a traditional MBA that was not tailored to the K-12 public school sector.” He notes that during this time, the challenge of preparing for leadership transitions became evident, as many experienced staff members approached retirement. As a solution, the district began to embrace the philosophy of “building our bench” rather than relying on external hires, especially for roles requiring a deep understanding of public education. “We started to look at how we could partner with a local university and customize an MBA.The accreditation that a university must get for any degree, we certainly understand, but we wanted to make it more relevant,” he details.“As an example, if I’m sitting in a traditional MBA course, and I am analyzing a case study regarding the marketing of Starbucks or something that isn’t similar to the K-12 public school sector; compared to if I could market 3 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 08 JACKSON LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
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