Learn. Adapt. Do.

I came flying through one of our hallways this week, in a polo shirt, new ink on display, when one of our custodians stopped me, and said “Hey, nice ink! Were you in the military?”

“Yes.”

I’m not sure why tattoos and the military go hand in hand, per se, and my ink certainly is very recent compared to when I was in the Army National Guard.

It’s been more than 22 years since I left, after six years of service as a 19D Cavalry Scout in the 1/107th Armored Cavalry, stationed in Stow, OH.

I have fond memories of my time in the military. And sure, it certainly wasn’t full-time active duty, and no trips to Afghanistan for me, but the camaraderie, the skills, and the experience is something I will always carry with me.

There’s something about being up and at it before dawn each day, and eating Skittles and peanut butter for breakfast in a Humvee on a battlefield during a training exercise at 4 AM.

I read something a while ago about Type I and Type II fun…

Type I is fun at the time, in the moment, while you’re doing it. Like playing with friends, being at a birthday party perhaps, or having a blast at a wedding reception.

Type II on the other hand… is reflecting, and realizing that at the time it wasn’t always so great, but looking back, you had a wild time.

The military was like that for me.

Doing constant pushups, dealing with sleep deprivation, always on the run, the countless “hurry up and wait” scenarios, the tireless chores, the details, the meticulous attention to getting it right and keeping your equipment ready to go, and the unforgiving environment of “this might kill you…” wasn’t exactly awesome at the time.

But looking back?

I loved every minute of it.

My time in the National Guard was spent honing my skills, gaining experience and discipline, learning to lead on the trail and in a gunner’s turret, and realizing that career wasn’t for me, after all.

And I’m better off for it.

When I left in 2003, the OHNG was re-organized, and soon many of my platoon mates left for overseas deployment post-911. I moved on with my life, started work, went back to school, and now, here I am, part of the machine that offers up enlistment as a real option for kids.

I tell those students what a great time I had, and all the things enlistment has to offer.

It’s a really great option for many, and the military, regardless of branch, creates a core from which society can bank on. A foundation worth exploring, if only for a couple of years, either in the National Guard, or active duty. Either will shape you into something new, and you’ll no doubt be able to conquer what’s ahead.

So here’s to Type II fun… it might suck in the moment, but remember to embrace it, look forward, and drive on.

Eventually, you’ll be able to look back, reflect, and thrive in the knowledge of how it shaped you.

Onward.

WHAT? | This study examined the lived experiences of school bus transportation supervisors and the impact of organizational support structures on their job satisfaction, engagement, and wellbeing.

HOW? | Through qualitative research, six supervisors from public school districts in a Midwestern state were interviewed.

Findings revealed widespread frustration due to inadequate support, excessive workloads, and lack of formal training.

Supervisors often worked long hours with no backup personnel, leading to high stress and difficulty maintaining work-life balance. Despite their dedication to students, those experiencing the greatest challenges were the most likely to consider leaving the profession, with two participants planning to transition out within six months.

A key issue identified was the disconnect between supervisors and district leadership, with many reporting that administrators had little understanding of their responsibilities.

To address these challenges, the study recommends a formal training pathway, structured mentorship programs, and increased leadership education on transportation operations.

The findings highlight a critical gap in research on school operational leadership, emphasizing the need for evidence-based policies to support transportation supervisors.

Strengthening these support structures is essential for improving job sustainability and ensuring the effectiveness of school transportation systems.

Johansson, A. E. (2025). Perceived Organizational Support in School Transportation [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1744053696312851

Interested in learning more, or collaborating on future projects? Me too! Let’s get in touch…

Andreas Johansson, PhD
e.andreas.johansson [at] gmail.com

May has been full of graduations. First, my own, at Kent State. Then graduation at our vocational school, TCTC, and last night, I attended and helped facilitate my first graduation as Superintendent.

I wrote the speech yesterday morning, about ketchup and my dad. Here it is, in its raw form how I wrote it.

Introduction

Ladies and gentlemen, Board of Education Members, President Johnson, family, friends, faculty, and most importantly, the graduating class of 2025:

My name is Andreas Johansson, Superintendent of Newton Falls Exempted Village Schools, and it is my pleasure to welcome you all today to Newton Falls High School graduation, here in the iconic Gene Zorn Gymnasium.

Recognizing Staff & Parents

I want to thank our staff for not only being here today but also for their passion, dedication, and grace in helping you, our graduates, navigate the last 13 years of your educational journey. 

Their dedication to the teaching craft is evident in all facets of our school; without them, we’d be lost. It is through their hard work and commitment to you, our students, that you are now graduating from high school and embarking on a new adventure we call life. 

Thank you, faculty!

[applause]

And to our families, parents, grandparents, community members, and audience members – without you, we could not carry on the mission of school. 

Newton Falls will forever be part of this community, and we look forward to your support in the years to come. We have big plans for next school year, and invite you to partner with us on the educational journey of your children, our students, and this country’s future leaders. 

Thank you, families and community members!

[applause]

Graduates – if I could ask you to stand, turn to the audience, and recognize those who made you what you are today…and let’s give them a round of applause.

[applause]

A Piece of Advice

I want to share one piece of advice with you today – something that has served me well in my whole life, and was instilled in me by my father’s action. 

It’s about making a decision. And what happens if you don’t.

But first, imagine for a moment, that you’re at the grocery store shopping for a backyard barbeque, and you need ketchup. Do you pick the regular Heinz, or any of the other brands, or do you go organic, or extra spicy? What about mayochup? Or something more sweet? What about the new hot honey that’s available?

It can certainly be overwhelming. But you have to pick a ketchup.

For those of you who are fans of economics, you know it’s the science of choice. 

You’re faced with a classic cost-benefit analysis. 

How do you maximize the return on your investment and get the ketchup that most people will like? What happens if you pick the wrong kind? What if no one likes ketchup, and everyone wanted mustard?

And worst of all, what if you don’t pick anything at all?

You see, making a decision isn’t easy. 

In life, you have to make decisions all the time – from easy things, like ketchup, or more difficult things, like who you’re gonna spend the rest of your life with. Or not.

And it all comes down to simple choice and willingness to act.

** Make the best decision you can, with the information you have at the time. **

Then drive forward, gather more information, and make another decision if you have to.

And if you made the wrong decision, make another one quickly. No need to look backwards. 

That’s sunk cost, stuff in the past, and no one’s interested in what you did last year, or in the last job, or what you served at the last barbecue. 

It’s what you do now, today, and consistently going forward, that matters.

** Here’s what happens if you don’t make a decision. **

Life decides for you, and you risk consequences you weren’t prepared for.

My dad was a rescue diver in the Swedish Coast Guard when I was your age. 

He was a hard man, and nothing faced him. He remained calm, mostly, steadfast in his belief that he could use his skills, passion, and experience to navigate the worst that the North Sea had to offer. 

I grew up 400 meters from that shoreline and learned a lot about leadership from him. 

Today is his birthday, and he’s turning 78. Spry as always, he was going to work on his new batch of chickens that just arrived yesterday. The price of eggs is not something he’s worried about. 

Always busy, always making decisions, and driving forward. He would probably take a break later today, he said, for another cup of coffee and a slice of cake. For his birthday.

** Here’s what happens when you don’t make a decision. **

Dad came home one week with a story of a couple he’d rescued from a storm. This story is one of many from his life on the open sea, and as a rescue diver, boat commander, and later, national incident commander for the whole country of Sweden, he’s full of examples where decision-making has mattered.

The couple, a husband and wife, had been sailing and forgot to pay attention to the weather. A storm had rolled in, and being inexperienced, one thing had led to another, and they were now in real trouble and had hailed the Coast Guard. 

Dad geared up, swam over in the stormy ocean waves, and told them what would happen next.

“You’re boat is sinking. I’m taking you to safety. You’re first,” he said to the wife. “I’ll be back for you in a bit,” he told the husband. 

In the water they went, to safety aboard the Coast Guard patrol boat, and he came back for the husband who was clinging to the railing of the now-sinking vessel. 

“Let’s go! It’s time to get off this thing,” he shouted to the husband in the storm. 

“No! I can’t leave this boat! But I don’t wanna die, either!” was the return message.

The husband refused to make a decision about staying or going. 

In choosing between life or death, or seeing his sailing vessel perish, or his bravery fail in the face of real danger, he became paralyzed. 

** Decision paralysis is a real thing. **

Just like you, in the ketchup aisle, picking between a million options, paralysis had set in, and he couldn’t take the next step to save his own life.

So, Dad decided for him. Fist to face, knocked him out, threw him in the water, and swam him to safety.

Here’s the lesson:

You have to get good at making decisions. Regardless of what you’re facing. 

It could be ketchup, or a new job, or a relationship, or travel plans, or tonight’s dinner. Or it could be life or death, or the choice between being content or truly happy.

Whatever you do, make the call, with the best information you have at the time, and drive forward. The worst thing that can happen is that you need to make another decision, quickly. 

And if you don’t, someone else will make the decision for you.

Lead your life. Make decisions. 

Carry on that legacy, which is you graduating from Newton Falls High School, today. The decision to do so, is a great one, and I stand ready to support you for the rest of your life.

And if you need help, or learn how to grocery shop, or learn how to drive, or anything else – we’re here to help, always. Make the decision to stay connected.

Newton Falls will always be the place where you started the rest of your life.

Never forget that. 

And never stop making the RIGHT decisions for yourself and others in your care.

*** Thank you. ***

It’s been a big year, with lots of changes – a new job, new challenges, finished my schooling at Kent State, and tons of projects and checkmarks behind me.

What’s next?

New projects. New opportunities. New horizons… there’s always something to do, if you look, and if you want to.

Welding, maybe?

Continue to improve on skills I already have, and refine those I need to sharpen?

Yes. All of that.

Once you realize there’s never a point you reach where you’re just done, and you can relax, and do nothing… like I suspect many envision retirement… it’s over.

So I don’t intend to stop.

Keep learning. It’s the only option.

I just defended my dissertation. Successfully.

TL;DR—We need to do a better job supporting our Transportation Supervisors and their departments of dedicated bus drivers, who make school possible every day.

Here’s why I spent two years examining organizational support for school transportation and the perceptions surrounding that support—from the central office to a district’s transportation supervisor.

And here’s where I stand as a researcher, educational leader, and, more importantly, someone who’s gonna do something about it.

As the researcher in this qualitative research study, Perceived Organizational Support in School Transportation, I recognized that my personal and professional background had significantly shaped the study’s focus, design, and interpretation.

My career in public education at the central office or cabinet level has included serving as Director of Technology Integration and Curriculum in one district and later assuming the role of Director of Technology and, subsequently, Director of Operations in another.

And now, as Superintendent – I am responsible for the whole organization.

In those early roles, I oversaw departments central to non-instructional operations—including transportation, maintenance, custodial services, food service, campus safety, and district-wide technology infrastructure.

My lived experience in school transportation leadership was not abstract or administrative—it was direct and deeply personal.

When I took over leadership of the transportation department, I was thrust into the operational realities of that role with no formal handoff or preparation.

I often began my day before 5 a.m. and worked well past standard hours to ensure the transportation system functioned safely and reliably.

I am still a licensed school bus driver and have performed every task expected of transportation staff and supervisors, from completing morning and afternoon routes to navigating contract management, hiring challenges, and mechanical issues.

This immersion in day-to-day transportation work gave me a rare and comprehensive understanding of the intense demands and emotional labor embedded in these roles.

This professional trajectory profoundly influenced the inception of the study. I chose to focus on school transportation supervisors because I had lived their experiences and had witnessed, both personally and professionally, how these individuals were undervalued and unsupported.

Despite being responsible for the safe daily transportation of thousands of students, these leaders often operate on the margins of organizational awareness and receive little formal support, mentorship, or recognition.

Their work only becomes visible when problems arise, yet they are foundational to the daily functioning of school districts.

My epistemological stance was, and still is, grounded in constructivism. I believe that knowledge is constructed through experience, language, and social interaction and that the perceptions of those living and working in a system are essential to understanding it.

This worldview shaped my methodological decisions, leading me to employ a qualitative research approach that privileged participant voice and allowed for deep narrative exploration.

I sought to understand not only what transportation supervisors experienced but also how they interpreted, internalized, and navigated the systems around them.

I acknowledge the complex power dynamics inherent in my role as a researcher. At the time of data collection, I was serving as Director of Operations, not yet a superintendent, and participants were aware of my professional background.

While this familiarity could have introduced a power imbalance, I found it instead fostered a strong sense of trust and empathy.

Participants often expressed relief that I “understood” the work, and several shared deeply emotional stories, including moments of crisis, exhaustion, and personal vulnerability.

All six participants became emotional during the interview, which I believe is an indicator of both the weight of their professional burdens and the trust they placed in the research context.

To reduce bias and ensure ethical rigor, I employed multiple strategies, including anonymizing data, sharing transcripts with participants for verification, and removing identifying district information.

Throughout the study, I remained aware that my insider knowledge, while valuable for context, could also skew interpretation. As such, I continually reflected on my assumptions and allowed participant voices to guide theme development.

I continue to reflect on the intricacies of research and leadership and on how we can drive change by better understanding how those we lead interpret their own surroundings.

This study was not just a scholarly inquiry; it was a professional and moral imperative. I see myself as an advocate for operational leaders—particularly those whose work is critical yet often invisible.

The transportation supervisors who participated in the study perform essential functions that enable schools to open their doors each day.

By amplifying their voices, I hope to influence educational leadership practices, broaden the discourse on organizational support, and ultimately contribute to a more equitable and holistic understanding of school leadership that includes those outside the instructional realm.

I am forever grateful to those who participated in this endeavor and helped me grow professionally.

Andreas Johansson, PhD

A few weeks ago, I was invited to speak to our community members and their students who were being inducted into the National Honor Society at Newton Falls High School. Believe it or not, I, too, was once in the NHS—that was a long time ago now!

I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some leadership lessons I’ve learned along the way, so I crafted a short speech, including the lessons below.

I wanted to expand and share why these lessons mean so much to me. I didn’t take the time to do so with the kids – there was a time limit – and so here’s the expanded version,

1. Lead by Example

People don’t follow words—they follow actions. Whether in your school, community, or future career, show up, work hard, and set the standard.

What you do speaks volumes over what you say, and people notice. Actions and taking steps forward to progress make all the difference. I pride myself on speaking up for someone, opening doors, and making things possible for others in service. It’s also what I love doing as a profession.

While building a following can be slow work, it’s worth it. Staying steadfast, setting the pace, and creating a vision (and then communicating that!) so that others may follow is one of the greatest feelings I treasure. I love making “maps” charting the way forward, and then reaching for the machete to get it done! Let’s go!

2. Stay Resilient

Leadership is not about being perfect. It’s about being adaptable. You will face obstacles, criticism, and setbacks. How you respond to those moments will define your growth.

It’s often lonely at the top, and the type of leader you are, in any position, will dictate how you will deal with that. The higher up in an organization you go, for example, the fewer people there are to help, advise, or share the burden with.

At some point, it might just be you. And if that’s true, you better be able to hold on to yourself, keep yourself mentally and physically in check, and make the decisions you know are best for the organization—even though some people won’t like it.

This type of resiliency doesn’t come overnight. It’s developed, honed, and strengthened over years of hard work, tough decisions, and focusing on what’s worth focusing on.

Not everything is important, certainly, and not everything is an immediate need.

The ability to prioritize and execute when the time is right will help build the resilience that keeps your leadership stable when the environment changes and the calm waters turn to whitecaps. <– a North Sea reference…

Be ready to make the best decision you can with your limited information, and stay resilient in your decision-making.

Doubting yourself won’t get you far. Make the call – you’re in charge. And if you need to adjust, do that. Become excellent at making decisions, and you’ll build resiliency through experience.

3. Build Relationships

Leadership is not about doing it alone. Surround yourself with people who challenge you, support you, and push you to be better. Learn from those who have more experience, and lift up those who look to you for guidance.

You can go hard and fast and discount others on your journey towards higher ground. But if you want to keep going after that, you’ll need a team, and often one that is distributed.

It’s helpful to curate, foster, and build relationships along the way, including those outside your chosen profession—you never know when you’ll need to reach out with a question or a crazy idea.

And who knows, you might need to switch paths at some point, so having a team in your corner, regardless, is key to a strong leadership foundation.

Relationships come in all shapes and sizes, too. It could be with colleagues, other professionals in the same trade, vendors, salespeople, the mailman or your local UPS delivery guy, or that retired neighbor down the street. Meet people. Put them on your team, and share passionately what you love doing. It will make them better leaders, too, in whatever area they operate in.

4. Never Stop Learning

I’ve been in education for years, and I can tell you — the learning never stops. The best leaders remain curious, humble, and open to new ideas. Embrace every opportunity to grow.

And be ready to grow in areas other than what you currently do—that means personally, too. Learn about yourself, your partner, your kids, how toilet repair works, or how diversified tax strategies might be helpful.

And spreadsheets. For goodness sake, invest some time in how those work and how they’ll work for you! Pivot tables aren’t as scary as they sound, and making a sheet sing is sweet music to anyone’s ears! ;-)

Learning isn’t always about getting another degree, although that might press you to do better, gain more insight and theoretical knowledge, or persevere in a multi-year project (like a dissertation).

Learning can happen anywhere – on the street, in a cornfield with your local farmer, or in your mind. If you look for learning opportunities, you won’t be disappointed.

And realize this—most people don’t look to grow, so if you do, you’re ahead of the competition. If you’re the competitive type, that is.

If you’re not, challenge yourself at least to grow as a person, to become the best version of yourself that you can be, and change the things that don’t work, mitigate what you can’t, and become even better at the things that make you… well, you!

Best of luck in your journey. I’ve only just begun…

This past summer, I was offered the opportunity to lead a school district as its superintendent. Of course, I accepted.

It’s a role I’ve prepared for over the past ten years at the central office level in a few different school districts. Along the way, I have often taken on responsibilities far outside my lane, worked on district initiatives, and held cabinet positions. I’ve paid attention.

I also engaged with formal instruction on leadership, school operations, finance, HR, and so much more – both in workshops, legal updates, graduate coursework at Kent State, and on-the-job training.

Sitting in personnel meetings, dealing with conflict and negotiations, writing the book on operations, holding people accountable, making it happen, and thinking outside the box to get stuff done have been daily habits since 2010…

In the past six months, I’ve had the pleasure of leading – unhinged. With passion, drive, and a steadfast belief that “we got this!” every day. Making decisions, setting the pace, and seeing progress fuels me, and it feels good to see it all in action.

Making connections, too, has been a new opportunity this fall. Over the past years, I’ve built a network, like you do, of like-minded individuals, people in the same field, or folks who knew something I didn’t.

Now, I’ve expanded, added, and enhanced my circle. I’ve been so fortunate to be supported by those before me – other superintendents, school leaders, mentors, coaches, and state organizations that hold it all together for us newbies.

The old saying about speed and leadership is true. “If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together…” Forging new friendships and professional relationships makes the journey all that more pleasant.

While a textbook can’t tell the whole story, sprinkle in some experience, the willingness to learn from others, and a few crumbs of humble pie, and you have a good mix of what it takes to lead in today’s school districts.

It’s not easy if that’s what you think. But that sounds like another blog post for another day… Here’s to 20 more years in educational leadership! Happy New Year!

I used to work for a major retailer back in college. Loss prevention. My mission was to protect assets from both external threats, like shoplifters, and internal threats, like employees that either stole time or expensive cologne.

There was plenty of both.

I learned very quickly about profiling, and while not ideal in many situations, it almost always rang true when checking the cameras or sales floor for potential would-be shoplifters.

They were always teenagers, always in pairs, always daring each other to act, and sneaking around so explicitly that it was easy to hone in on their behavior without much effort.

“Is this your first time?” we’d ask back in the office, recovered clothing in hand, about to make a phone call to Mom or Dad.

“Yes.”

Almost always, it wasn’t.

Mom or dad would show up, not surprised it had happened again, and wanting to take vengeance immediately. “Uhm, not here, sir or m’am. Not on our property. But after we release your son/daughter…”

No one had held them accountable. Much.

One girl, in particular, had a pattern so bold that once I caught on, it was easy to track her previous months of using our store as a rental closet. She wouldn’t steal, per se; she would just use our liberal return policy and carefully knot back on tags to get a new dress for Friday night and drop it back off on Monday or Tuesday for a full refund.

She was very upset when I asked why, what she was doing, and for how long she’d been at it. A trespass notice later, and I bet she found another chain to abuse with her scheme.

I accounted for her outstanding balance and store card. She was pissed off!

One time, I came in early to observe some of our long-time employees. The late-night cleaners worked alone and were never supervised, and yet no one bothered putting two and two together regarding missing merchandise.

It wasn’t difficult to record a video of a bottle of cologne traveling from underneath the counter, in a trash bag, out the back, and into the dumpster for later retrieval.

When I asked why, there was no answer, just a smirk and something about a “young fella who should’ve looked the other way…”

“How long?” I said.

“Oh, ’bout twenty years, I recon…”

I had a hard time calculating the overall loss, including clothing, jewelry, cologne, housewares, you name it.

Accountability catches up. Sooner or later, someone’s gonna notice, and when they do, get ready for some consequences.

Lehman Brothers, anyone?

I tell the kids on the bus that “this ain’t a carnival ride” and neither is life.

Keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times, do the right thing, and when things go south, and you’re in charge, you better claim ownership and take responsibility.

Even if you catch the guy who’s been with the company forever, doing something wrong.

Hold the conversation. Explain the impact. Set an outcome. Move on.

If you don’t, those around you will notice, and realize they can take you for a ride anytime they’d like.

And you’re not the village bicycle, are you?

Be accountable.

To those you lead. To those you work with. To yourself.

If not, why bother at all? No one will follow you anyway.

And yes, taking accountability is hard stuff. No one likes hard conversations. No one wants to follow the rules, policies, and guidelines all the time. Cutting the corner is so much easier.

But don’t be surprised when someone new rolls in with a different lens, and isn’t afraid of a little friction. Holding people to a standard is what allows us to measure forward progress. And if we can’t measure, it ain’t happening. Both losses and wins. Right?

Here’s the story you probably know nothing about.

I was…

Born in a fishing village during the Cold War.

State TV, two channels, no cartoons on Saturday mornings.

Parents divorced, no therapy.

Chernobyl blew up. Iodine pills for everyone!

Relocated to the US at age 17. Ended up in high school with 2,000 kids, speaking a different language, no ESL. What’s a guidance counselor?

Managed to get into Kent State.

Joined National Guard to pay for it all. Worked almost full-time throughout.

Called to active duty after 9/11. Had to drop all my classes, graduate late. Worked tech support job over the phone to make ends meet.

Interviewed with the CIA.

Decided to go back to school to become a teacher.

Ramen noodles to keep debt low.

New job, first child, new house in same year.

Another job. Finally at destination. 3 years.

Lost job. Filed for unemployment.

New job, less than half the pay. Now two kids.

And so on…

You get the idea. It’s not all a dance on roses. People struggle. Often unseen. Often without telling anyone. Often, by themselves.

Why am I telling you this? And why does it matter?

We took a cooking class the other day, and a few other folks were there. Most of them older, retired, happy-go-lucky, let’s drink some wine, “we’ve been getting together for 20 years” kind of a crowd.

I heard another accent, and shared a story with Sergeyi. Worse story than mine, out of Europe. Still conflicted. Ongoing conflict now. And I appreciated making the connection.

This country, after all, the land of the free, and home of the brave. And the story that comes with it… And those who live here? Often not from around here, if you bother to ask.

“What’s with the sob story above? You’ve had so many great things happen and been so lucky!”

Sure have.

It’s all about perspective, right? I could choose to focus on the bad parts, and I try hard not to each day. But some of them weigh you down like an anchor.

Imagine you’re on a line, and your goal is on the other end, across from you. A single plane. You’re in 2D world. At the end, there’s a door.

How do you get to your goal and open the door?

Take a step. That’s half the distance between you and your goal.

Your goal is now 1/2 the distance away.

Take another step.

Now, your goal is 1/4 of the distance away from where you originally started. Each step halves the distance.

Of course, by now you’ve figured out you’ll never reach the goal if you continue this way. Each step, only half-way closer… 1/2, then 1/4, then 1/8, and so on, ad infinitum.

But.

This is only theoretical in nature, of course. A hypothetical, silly, math problem. In real life, all you have to do is extend your arm, touch the handle, open the door, step through, and reach your goal.

Then on to the next one.

One step at a time…

Math can be silly. But remember—you still have to move forward constantly to reach any goal you set for yourself. I hope you brought your keys, too, because sometimes the doors are locked.

Start with your left foot. Off you go!