Appendix F

Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent Interview

Questions Pages 125-126

DATE OF INTERVIEW 8/12/19 NAME OF SUPT./ASST.SUPT. Rick Jones

1. Tell me about your district. Ohio County Schools serves over 5500 kids, it is of a large
geographical area, ranging from city to rural. There are 13 schools: 9 elementary, 4
middle, and 1 high school. We have over 800 employees in both service personnel and
professional staff.

2. Tell me about your job duties and responsibilities. Prior to the bond: overseeing 800
employees and whatever makes way to me that has not been dealt with in the chain of
commands leading up to me. I am responsible for overseeing all building maintenance,
supervising principals, working with our Human Resource Director, Susan Nolte. I am
responsible for interviewing and recommending employees. After the bond: I am the
leader when it comes to the bond, I initiate what takes place and come to a group
decision with other bond members.

3. What are your strengths? Dealing with people and creating solutions. I have a very
diverse job background, so I am very understanding in all educational areas.

4. What are your goals? I am content in my position and this is it! I intend on staying in this
position and do not aspire to go further in my career.

5. What are your present major concerns? The bond…it is consuming my life. It is very
challenging to oversee the 65 million dollars and make certain the voters and state
department are satisfied with the allocation of the funds. We have to make certain we
make it worth it!

6. What future concerns are anticipated? The Cracker Plant. We do not have enough
room in our buildings to take on excess students that will come. These are actually good
concerns, but where will everyone go? Some of our building are already at capacity.
New housing developments will be built and pop up all over, so it is concerning as to
where those will happen and what schools will need to accommodate these students.

7. What have you done to improve this district’s capacity to better meet the needs of
students? Technology! Every student now has a chromebook and the county is 1:1. I
have helped create an atmosphere for everyone to come together, promoting STEM and
Coding with our younger ages. Physical spaces are improving and the staff feels
supported. I have helped to make this a great district.
 8. What do you need, expect, or hope for from your principals? Run your shit! I always tell
my principals this. It is your school…building, community, teachers, run it and don’t
expect anyone else to. It is yours! See others as your peers, learn from them. I want
assistant principals to grow and take on responsibility to be prepared to one day take on
the role of head principal. We want our assistants to turn into head principals, each one
of them.

9. From your experience from working with your district/school, what advice would you give
a new administrator? Don’t look at it as being a boss, you have the power to support
staff, students, and workers. Make it happen…

10. What activities would you suggest I undertake during my internship to better understand
and/or work with your district? On the job, attend meetings and be a part of anything that
you can.

11. Are you concerned with the excess levy being passed by voters? No, it’s simply about
renewal. So many of our staff are directly impacted by this levy that they will go out and
vote. Their relatives and friends will go out and vote. I do not see it being any issue as it
impacts so many in our community. It is already in existence, so it does not add on
anything to taxes, it’s just a renewal.

REFLECTION: What insights were gained from the interview?

Mr. Jones was correct when he stated that he is good with dealing with people.
He is very straightforward and wants what is best for our district, staff, and students. He
wants to make the community a better place. His job role takes on much of the frontline
of communication between all stakeholders in our educational system. I am not certain
how he as the time in the day to accomplish everything he does and continue to flourish
to meet the needs of our community!

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