Five guiding principles anchor the leadership of Superintendent David Clendening, who has led near Indianapolis for 17 years. Individual student growth is No. 1.
“Everybody in every school could say that, but we really focus on trying to make the experience and learning unique to the kid,” says Clendening, a former Indiana Superintendent of the Year. “We don’t look at everybody as cookie-cutter. We want them to reach their full potential.”
Achieving the first principle requires hiring great teachers. Clendening and his team raised starting teacher salaries substantially with funds from a 2019 referendum.
He cites a new preschool center as proof that the district is following its second guiding principle: communication with the community. Among Franklin Community Schools multiple public-private partnerships is the 300-student facility that opened in August and was a priority for families seeking quality early learning options.
Another public-private partnership involves the construction of a $3 million agricultural barn that will house livestock, classrooms and a STEM lab while creating new career pathways for students in a state where agribusiness is a leading industry.
Partnerships that send students to learn in Europe and Japan illuminate the third guiding principle: collaboration. 91心頭istrators also work closely with staff in grade-level and content-focused professional learning communities that meet regularly to design instruction and interventions.
The other two guiding principles are systemic continuous improvement, which focuses heavily on financial stability and strategic decision-making, and trust.
“It’s getting as many people to tell us what they think the problem is through the voice of the customer, and then, weighing the best solutions for our district, and then coming back with the answers, and then tracking them,” Clendening explains. “If we follow the first four principles well, then I think the community trusts us.”
The keys to Clendening’s longevity
Being present in the community is key to the widespread support Clendening has earned during nearly two decades at the helm of Franklin Community Schools. He speaks regularly with PTO presidents and local service organizations, and shares district information and achievements on social media.
He also meets monthly with the president of Franklin College and the CEO of the city’s hospital to determine how the three organizations can help each other and the wider community.
“We find different ways to show that we want the community to be involved in the learning process,” he notes. “We are partnering with the parents in this educational journey.”
Clendening says he has maintained strong relationships with school boards by keeping members informed, engaging in long-range planning and having board members serve on district committees that cover everything from finance to agricultural programs to legislative issues to athletics and the arts.
“I’m very big on making sure they don’t get blindsided on anything that’s happening,” he says. “If we have a significant issue going on in one of the schools, I’ll be sharing information with them so that they’re in the loop.”
Why AI isn’t a ‘cheat code’
Clendening’s goals for the coming years include raising third-grade literacy rates to 95% and adapting instruction to a new state law that sets three diploma tracks for high school graduates: enrollment in higher education, enlistment in the military or entry into the workforce.
Like most other superintendents, Clendening and his team are examining how artificial intelligence will benefit students and staff. They believe AI has the potential to provide interventions for struggling students and expose others to career pathways.
“We don’t see it as a cheat code,” he concludes. “It’s not gonna replace the teacher and it’s not going to replace the kids having to do the work to learn. I think it’s gonna be a partner in the journey.”
