Internship

Left to Right: Arlene Ackerman, USP Graduate, CEO, School District of Philadelphia, Mentor Superintendent; Robert Peterkin, Program Director; Tom Payzant, Former Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools, Mentor Superintendent.

Following the coursework phase, which requires residency at Harvard, each participant in the Urban Superintendents Program assumes a full-time, six-month internship. The internship is under the direct guidance of an urban superintendent who serves as role model, teacher, and mentor. Interns shadow and debrief with their superintendents in their daily activities, observing and discussing what is done, why, and with what results. Interns also undertake assignments that contribute to school district priorities and stretch their leadership capacities. In October and December, they return to Harvard for five-day seminars.

The internship placement is in a school district new to the student and involves relocation to the site. Internships begin in early August and end in late January. Between 1990 and 2008, USP students undertook internships with more than 75 superintendents, including those in Atlanta, Boston, Long Beach, Miami-Dade, New York City, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Saint Paul, Spokane, and Tucson.

Superintendent Carl Cohn, San Diego Unified School District
Jennifer Cheatham, Intern, 16th Cohort

Left to Right: Jennifer Cheatham, Intern, 16th Cohort; Superintendent Carl Cohn, San Diego Unified School District

Jennifer's internship in San Diego began with an 8-week shadowing period during which she studied every aspect of Dr. Cohn's work, debriefing with him on a regular basis in order to understand all that he does and why. During this time period, Dr. Cohn gave her complete access to all that a superintendent does, says, and thinks in his efforts to improve student performance across a district.

During the remainder of her internship, Jennifer has taken on several projects of high priority to the school district, all of which have given her opportunities to collaborate across departments and to move beyond her comfort zone. She was able to work closely with the Chief of Staff on an analysis of the central office organizational structure. And for her change project, she was given full responsibility for developing every aspect of the instructional program at Lincoln High School, a new complex of Gates-funded small high schools, which will open in the fall.

Overall, the internship has helped her put theory into practice, deepened her understanding of the superintendent's role in systemic reform, and helped her grow as a leader and educator. Jennifer and Dr. Cohn have built a strong relationship based on honesty and trust which has served them well throughout the internship experience.

Superintendent Barbara Pulliam, Clayton County Public Schools
Darienne Driver, Intern, 16th Cohort

Left to Right: Superintendent Barbara Pulliam, Clayton County Public Schools; Darienne Driver, Intern, 16th Cohort

Under the tutelage of Dr. Barbara Pulliam, Darienne has experienced first-hand the dynamic nature of the superintendency. Dr. Pulliam is an authentic leader and has brought innovation and accountability to the Clayton County Public Schools system. Darienne has developed a valuable relationship with Dr. Pulliam and the internship has become one of the most influential experiences of her career.

The internship began with a phenomenal entry plan, created by Dr. Pulliam, in which Darienne was formally introduced to the central office administrators, who were well-acquainted with the requirements and structure of the USP internship. The first two months of the internship consisted of shadowing and observing Dr. Pulliam. Darienne actively participated in meetings and engaged in conversations with educational leaders and county officials. Darienne is involved in several change projects, which include updating the Balanced Scorecard, starting the Superintendent's Teacher Advisory Council, and drafting a new strategic plan for the district. She is also serving on the Blue Ribbon Commission on School Discipline.

Through the internship, Darienne has developed a better understanding and appreciation for the superintendency. She hopes to continue serving children in urban school districts as an educational leader.

Superintendent Pat Forgione, Austin Indedependent School District
David Lussier, Intern, 16th Cohort

Left to Right: Superintendent Pat Forgione, Austin Indedependent School District; David Lussier, Intern, 16th Cohort

David began his internship by shadowing the Superintendent. He has also worked on the approval of the FY 2006-2007 Budget, high school redesign, and the alignment of central office and campus systems to support improved teaching and learning. His major projects included the design of a new principal pay for performance plan and the launch of a district-wide strategic compensation initiative to address the areas of recruitment, retention and recognition of exemplary teachers and principals.

David attributes the success of his internship to two factors. First, Dr. Forgione took his role as a mentor very seriously and was not only generous with his time, but he also encouraged David to be a critical friend, who pushed his thinking on a range of issues. This type of open dialogue allowed David to test many of his ideas and to develop a deeper understanding of successful school leadership. Equally important was the degree to which the central office staff took an active role in contributing to David's learning as colleagues and teachers. Taken together, David believes that his internship experience has provided him with the tools and experiences he needs to succeed as a district leader in the future.

Lisa Pilaski, Intern, 16th Cohort

Maggie Mejia and Lisa Pilaski

Lisa's internship began with eight weeks of shadowing Superintendent Mejia. During that time, she learned about all aspects of the organization, began to develop relationships with district leadership and a variety of stakeholders, and benefited from unique access to Dr. Mejia's thought- and decision-making processes.

Lisa played a key role in the development of the district's 2006-2008 Strategic Plan, "Success for Every Student By Name." She guided the Superintendent's Cabinet in the creation of clear, measurable objectives linked to student achievement that serve at once as a roadmap for future work and as a progress monitoring tool.

In collaboration with Dr. Mejia, Lisa lead the conceptualization the district's 7-12 Initiative. She headed up the work of the Middle School Committee, designing authentic professional development opportunities for middle school principals to dialog and reflect upon their practice, and engage their staffs in continuous improvement.

For Lisa, the internship has been an incredible experience. Every day, she applies what she learned through USP coursework, her own research and previous experiences. Dr. Mejia's strengths as an instructional, managerial and political leader have been an excellent model, and working with her has contributed to Lisa's own growth as a leader. She and Maggie will continue to build upon the strong mentoring relationship they enjoy long after her internship "officially" ends.

Superintendent Rudy Crew, Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Nikolai Vitti, Intern, 16th Cohort

Left to Right: Nikolai Vitti, Intern, 16th Cohort; Superintendent Rudy Crew, Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Nikolai's internship has reaffirmed the way in which he views the work of strengthening urban schools and their communities. At the same time, however, the internship has forced Nikolai to broaden and expand that view as well. Dr. Crew and his staff welcomed Nikolai into their family but with that acceptance came high expectations and significant responsibility; both of which Nikolai believes have made him a stronger leader and person.