Media Opportunity -- Education Reporters

ALBANY, NY (07/31/2008)(readMedia)-- With two months off during July and August, school superintendents must being having a quiet summer, right? Nothing could be further from the truth!

While summertime is a time for many educators - and students - to recharge and relax, school superintendents are busy working on many interesting issues that involve longer term thinking and planning and can be accomplished when the school year's crises aren't as pressing. Work they do during the summer months is essential to ensuring a successful academic year.

All across New York State, school superintendents are spending their summer on a number of tasks, including:

• Hiring and recruiting new teachers and administrators
• Applying for federal grants
• Overseeing building projects and renovations
• Reviewing curricula
• Updating policies
• Orienting new school board members
• Updating campus safety procedures
• Planning staff development programs
• Evaluating current faculty and staff
• Planning beginning of school year activities
• Setting goals for the upcoming academic year

Being a school superintendent means working year round to ensure that students are well served and taxpayers' dollars are well spent. Throughout the state, superintendents say they are often met with surprise when residents of their communities realize that they are working full time during the summer months.

To speak with a local school superintendent who can share with you some of the activities he or she is undertaking this summer and what that means for students and district taxpayers for the 2008-2009 academic year, please call Jo Ann Nelson at 518-427-1186 (office), 518-928-4134 (cell) or via email at JoAnn@AlbanyPR.com.