Today my husband got on a plane and flew to Cincinnati for his brother's surprise 50th birthday party. We have this little thing we do when we fly...we check out the pilot and decide, simply by looks and age, if we think he is capable of handling the plane and getting us to our destination safely. Somehow this little check makes us feel better about flying and gives us hope that we'll get there safely.

I watched a special on the travel channel the other night about Disney Cruises (yes, I was coveting) and they did an entire segment on the Captain. They talked about how he navigates the boat, the special equipment that he needs, the special training he gets, and the special deck that he stands on when navigating the ship into port. It was impressive, to say the least, and even though I've yet to cruise I realized the enormity of the responsibility of his job.

This is the time of year when I begin to hear parents talk about where they are going to send their children to school the following year. It seems that everyone is checking out all the schools and evaluating the different programs and options. For parents with children on the spectrum I find this to be especially true and more often than not I get asked my opinion. I'm not going to go into the whole private school vs. public school vs. home school debate because each child is different and each situation unique. I do have some wisdom from my years as both teacher and parent that you might find helpful if you are in this boat.

First, find out who is at the helm!

Who is steering the ship? Who is piloting the plane?

In most cases there will be a District Superintendent who is considered to be the pilot or the captain. In a private school it might be a Superintendent or a Board of Education. Look for that person and make it a point to find out exactly how that person is leading the school. Find out about that person's background...how long did he/she spend as a teacher before becoming an administrator? What types of administrative roles did this person have prior to becoming a Superintendent? How long has the person been in the school district you are investigating? What do people in the community think about this person and his/her leadership style? What do administrators think of the leadership? How are the teachers feeling? Is this person involved in statewide committees and local committees? Is this person involved in local activities? Is the person in the district for the long haul? This will mean that you will need to do some homework, but it will be well worth it. If there is a great leader it is very likely that individual schools are being well led and running effectively. The leader sets the tone!

I would also recommend that you try to meet the Superintendent. Please don't stop by his/her office expecting an audience, but do call ahead and ask for an appointment. See what kind of reception you get. If you are warmly welcomed, you will most likely be welcomed throughout the district. If not...you might want to rethink some things! Don't plan to take a lot of time and go prepared with questions about the district. Don't go in expecting this person to be able to answer individual questions about your child and his/her needs. That is more appropriate for a building administrator. Be positive and be on time. Do your homework ahead of time...know basics about the district, take a look at the website, be familiar with testing results and demographics. Does this superintendent communicate with the community on a regular basis? if so, familiarize yourself with this communication. All of this will begin to give you a feel for who is steering this ship!

When moving to Texas a few years ago we had narrowed our search to two areas. We had been told that the Superintendent here was very approachable and would certainly be willing to sit and talk with us. We were coming from an area where the Superintendent was anything but friendly and there's no way we would have ever been given an audience with him, so we were astounded that this Superintendent would be so welcoming. We ran out of time and it didn't happen. I regretted not meeting with him. I knew his name and a little bit about him and liked what I heard from others, so I let it go. I brushed it off with the thought of "Why would someone so important really care about our family anyway?"

Approximately 2 months after moving here our son got hurt during football practice and tore his ACL. The trainer called us and told us to come to the facility. Not good news 2 weeks prior to the District Cross Country meet! When we arrived at the facility the trainer, the head football coach and several other coaches that we did not know met us. There was also a well-dressed man standing next to Patrick consoling him and assuring him that he would be fine. Neither of us had any idea who he was nor did we really care at that moment. After speaking with the trainer and coaches and consoling Patrick, this man asked to speak with me. He introduced himself to me as the Superintendent of schools and went on to tell me how much he admired Patrick and how much of an impact he had already made in the school community. He then told me that he didn't know my daughter as well, but was looking forward to getting to know her. He assured me that the district personnel would do anything they could to help Patrick through what was to be a trying time in his life and asked what he could do to serve us. I must have looked like a deer in the headlights and asked him how in the world he knew my kids. He simply responded that he makes a point of knowing each child because the kids are the heartbeat of the district. At that moment I knew that we had made the right decision and that our schools were in capable hands.

When we got home I asked Patrick how he had come to know the Superintendent and he said "Mom, he meets the Cross Country bus each Saturday morning at 5 before we leave. He stands at the door, shakes our hands, and wishes us luck." Cross-country, the forgotten fall sport, and the Superintendent gets up out of bed to see the kids off...wow.

The people at the helm have a grave responsibility when it comes to the education of our children. They wear many hats and answer to many people. The job is not always glamorous or easy but is vital to a well run school district where children are able to learn and become all we want them to be. They are responsible for steering the ship of education in the right direction. Please don't overlook the importance of these people. When you find a good one, don't forget to let him/her know that you appreciate the work done on behalf of children.