School leadership takes on many different forms.
Sometimes it means setting a vision, making difficult decisions, supporting staff, celebrating students, or taking responsibility when things do not go as planned.
And sometimes it means being handed the reins to a Scottish Highland cow at Cow Patty Bingo and being told, very clearly, “Do not let go under any circumstances.”
Standing there with Ember on Sunday, I couldn’t help but recognize the leadership lesson in that instruction.
When a community hands you the reins, it places its trust in you. You become responsible for something larger than yourself—something powerful, occasionally unpredictable, and deserving of your complete attention.
In that sense, holding Ember’s reins was not entirely unlike serving as the superintendent of a public school district.
The responsibility is real. The trust matters. And letting go simply isn’t an option.
I was entrusted with the leadership of Newton Falls Exempted Village Schools, and I do not intend to let go of that responsibility. Ever.
Our students, staff, families, and community deserve leadership that holds on—through the celebrations, the challenges, the uncertainty, and even the occasional Cow Patty Bingo.
P.S. Ember was an absolute sweetheart—friendly, gentle, and considerably easier to work with than her job description might suggest.
Onward! 🐮🐯