District Administration - May 2008 - (Page 24)

SUPERINTENDENT JEFFREY N. LINTON AdministratorProﬁle By Kurt O. Dyrli Part-Time Superintendent AFTER 35 YEARS IN EDUCATION, curriculum coordinator Jeﬀrey Linton faced mandatory retirement. “But I was 57, I still felt young and vital, and I thought I was too young to stop working entirely,” he says. Wanting to enjoy some beneﬁts of retirement while still maintaining a connection to education, Linton found the ideal position—as a part-time superintendent. Linton grew up in New Britain, Connecticut, attended Hobart College, and returned to Connecticut to teach middle school social studies and history in the town of Avon. Over the next 19 years, he went on to teach high school history, coach sports, and organize student council and summer day camps. Linton’s interest in administration inspired him to complete a master’s degree in educational administration and supervision at Trinity College and the University of Connecticut. He became a high school assistant principal in Avon, but budgetary issues caused him to be reassigned to the middle school and then the elementary school within just three years. In 1992, he moved to the district level, becoming director of curriculum and instruction for nearby Regional District 10, which includes nearly 3,000 students and serves two towns outside Hartford, a post he held for 13 years. “It was during that time that I encountered the educational use of computers and the Internet, and within seven years, we had placed multiple computers in every classroom and moved our curriculum, lessons and grade books online,” he says. When Linton was beginning his retirement in 2005, the nearby Barkhamsted School, a K6 school that comprises a tiny district with just 340 students in the 24 May 2008 Part-time Superintendent Jeﬀ Linton focuses on updating his small district’s technology. town of Pleasant Valley, was looking for a new superintendent. Filling the position was challenging, since the district is so small, and its oﬃce of superintendent is part-time. For Linton this was a perfect ﬁt. In order to keep his retirement beneﬁts, he was not allowed to work more than 40 percent of full time. Linton was also a perfect ﬁt for the district, which was fortunate to ﬁnd an administrator from a larger district with experience in a variety of positions. “I also didn’t want to move, and Barkhamsted is just a 15-minute drive away from my home, he says. Pros and Cons Being a part-time, small-district superintendent has challenges and rewards. “It can be a struggle, continually trying to do the best job I can and make sure I’m not working more than part-time,” says Linton. The limited resources of a small district are also a challenge, especially for Linton, who came from a district nearly 10 times the size of Barkhamsted. “Funding, particularly for technology, is tight, so we have to be creative,” he says. Linton is always seeking out grants, and relies on his staﬀ collaborating with one another for new training, as the district cannot aﬀord its own technology staﬀ and shares IT personnel with a neighboring district. But he also appreciates the beneﬁts of working in a small environment. “I really enjoy having regular, personal interactions with all of my staﬀ members,” he adds, noting that he is able to have a close mentoring relationship with his principal, 25 teachers, and 17 noncertiﬁed employees. Service and Learning Semi-retirement also aﬀords Linton more time with family, and to volunteer. He recently became president of the 1,200member CASCD, the Connecticut chapter of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, after serving on the board for the past 10 years. “CASCD is basically an education think tank,” says Linton. “We provide research, conferences, workshops and other resources for educators.” After a long career in education, Linton is still learning. “Through my tenures at the CASCD and at Barkhamsted, I have realized that many of the challenges we face in a small district are common to districts of any size.” Kurt O. Dyrli is a contributing writer for District Administration. District Administration Jeffrey N. Linton Superintendent Barkhamsted (Conn.) School Age: 59 Tenure: Since 2005 Grades: K6 Students: 340 Staff: 43 No. of buildings: 1 Web address: www.barkhamstedschool.org http://www.barkhamstedschool.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - May 2008

District Administration - May 2008
Contents
Editor’s Letter
Letters
News Update
Security Update
Curriculum Update
Inside the Law
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Book Excerpt
Addressing Food Allergies
Algebra: Changing the Equation
Stopping MRSA
Resources to Support Disabled Learners
Web Tools: The Second Generation
How Well Does This Web Site Work?
New Products
Speaking Out
Supervisor’s Opinion
Professional Opinion
Leadership Books
Research Center
Calendar of Events
Products Showcase
Understanding the Times

District Administration - May 2008