SCHOOL POLITICS, PARENTS MAKE SUPERINTENDENT HIGH-RISK JOB

Some days, after Jack McIntosh has talked with four or five unhappy parents, and a teacher announces she's quitting and the Board of Education president is upset, McIntosh wonders why he sticks with the job of being a school superintendent.

But, he said, superintendents are an optimistic lot.

"I bounce back the next day and know we can accomplish anything if we all work together," he said.

McIntosh has been superintendent at Oran public schools for six years, the average length for school leaders in this area. He is leaving to become superintendent at East Prairie.

Leading a school district, large or small, is risky business. Superintendents in the region have an average tenure of 5.7 years.

Nationally, superintendents average between three and seven years on the job. A recent poll in St. Louis County, showed the average stay of a school superintendent there is 2 1/2 years and dropping.

"Most superintendents are not naive about what lies ahead," said Dr. Richard Farmer. But he agreed superintendents are optimistic.

Farmer is chairman of the department of educational administration and counseling at Southeast Missouri State University.

He is also a former superintendent in Illinois for 27 years. His longest tenure at a school district was 11 years, but he was never fired. "It can be done," Farmer said. "But it's a high-risk occupation."

Farmer said being superintendent is a highly political job and intensely people oriented.

"They are working with the most precious resource any community has -- the children," he said.

As a result, in a short period of time, a superintendent can make enough unpopular decisions to prompt a resignation. Other times, a superintendent is fired because of the decisions he makes.

"Superintendents are highly vulnerable," Farmer said. "But fortunately hope springs eternal and everyone thinks it won't happen to them."

In urban areas, superintendents are often blamed for gang activity, drugs and violence at school. Farmer said as these societal problems invade rural school districts, superintendents in these areas will also be held responsible.

"If you're going to play the game, this is the playing field you work in," he said.

McIntosh agreed.

"You take the heat for whatever goes on in the school district," he said. "As one politician said `The buck stops here.'"

Wherever superintendents work, they deal with some of the same issues -- drugs, discipline, athletics versus academics, whether to build new schools.

"It's hard to please everyone," he said. "I wish I could, but I know I'm going to make so many people mad every year."

Despite the precarious position of superintendents, Farmer said, the pool of potentials is growing.

Farmer also predicts the glass ceiling will crumble and more women will become superintendents increasing the number of superintendent candidates.

McIntosh has enjoyed his six years at Oran but couldn't pass up the chance to move to East Prairie, a bigger school with a higher salary. And, it's a good career boost.

"You always have to be excited about your job," McIntosh said. "If not, the teachers pick up on it." People feel bad and worry and it filters down to the students.

Some days McIntosh feels like a salesman selling educational programs and ideas. Other days he's more like a cheerleader encouraging his staff so it can encourage students.

Luckily, he said, seeing children learn always sparks excitement.