Listening First: Reflections on My First Year Leading Glassboro Public Schools

When I stepped into the superintendency in Glassboro on July 1, 2025, I knew I was joining a proud community that cares deeply about its children. What I could not have predicted was how clearly my first year would reinforce one essential leadership truth - leadership begins with listening.

Three experiences in particular have shaped this transitional year and continue to guide how I lead. My transition into Glassboro served as the focus of my AASA National Superintendent Certification Program^® capstone, which greatly enhanced my transition and gave me abundant support along the way. I hope my journey helps other superintendents who are transitioning to a new district or into their first superintendency.

Protest Became Partnership

Before my official start date, two community members publicly protested my appointment. They questioned the district’s direction and whether I could understand the needs of this community. It would have been easy to view that moment as opposition. Instead, I saw it as a chance to engage. It would have been easy to get offended at the inaccurate information they shared about me and my work. Instead, I saw it as a chance to share my story and invite them to become allies. As my best friend and trusted colleague Dr. Jeff Christo always reminds me, “Don’t get frustrated. Get curious.”

After they made their public comments and stepped into the back of the room, I walked right up to them and introduced myself. I let them know that I would be a superintendent who would build bridges across all types of divides, a leader who poured his heart and soul into the work, and I invited them to meet with me after I got settled in to discuss the realities facing the district.

That conversation became a model for how I approach leadership here: lean into hard conversations, respond with honesty, and treat critics as stakeholders, not adversaries.

In a small group setting, without formality or defensiveness, they shared their concerns. They spoke about student performance, trust in leadership, and fears about fit for the role. My role in that moment was not to correct or convince. It was to listen fully.

After hearing them, I shared my own journey; being raised by a single mother who used government assistance to help us put food on the table, the realities of turning around district performance, the lessons I’ve learned doing similar work in similar districts, and the data that paints a fuller picture of where the district stands. We reviewed performance trends, growth, and persistent challenges.

We walked out of my office with an agreement to work together in good faith. Suspicion shifted toward dialogue. That conversation became a model for how I approach leadership here: lean into hard conversations, respond with honesty, and treat critics as stakeholders, not adversaries.

Expanding Our Partnership with Rowan University

Glassboro’s proximity to Rowan University is not just geographic; it is an opportunity. This year, we have worked intentionally to move our relationship from adjacency to alignment.

We established regular leadership meetings to coordinate efforts and identify shared goals. Together, we partnered to open two pre-K classrooms on Rowan’s campus for next school year, expanding early childhood access for families. Having a physical footprint on Rowan’s campus is a strong signal of things to come, as we have created a joint goal of creating a more seamlessly unified grander campus encompassing both institutions. This will create a living laboratory where Rowan and Glassboro Public Schools staff would collaborate and provide additional services to students and families.

Listening Across the District: People First, Always

Perhaps the most meaningful part of this year has been time spent in schools, offices, and classrooms simply listening. We cannot lead effectively without listening and deeply understanding the current state of the district we have joined.

Programs can support improvement, but people drive it.

Teachers shared the complexity of meeting diverse student needs. Support staff talked about the unseen work that keeps systems running. Administrators reflected on balancing accountability with morale. In each conversation, one theme was clear: people want to do excellent work, and they want to feel valued while doing it.

When educators feel trusted and supported, collaboration and innovation increases. When communication is clear, stress decreases. When leaders listen consistently, culture strengthens. Programs can support improvement, but people drive it.

Looking Ahead

If I had to describe my first year in one word, it would be relational. Systems and plans are essential, but relationships determine whether those efforts take root.

The meeting that began with protest. The partnership growing with Rowan. The daily conversations in schools. Each reinforces the same lesson: listening is not a soft skill. It is a leadership strategy.

For superintendents stepping into new communities, my advice is simple: start by listening, even when it is uncomfortable. Consume and share information with context. Lead with both empathy and high expectations. Remember that every conversation, even the difficult ones, is an opportunity to build trust.

In Glassboro, I am listening with intention to our people, as a result they are more willing to move forward together. That may be the most important lesson I have learned in my career.