“Probably no relationship in a school district has a greater effect on educational success than that between a school board and its superintendent (Kowalski, 2006). » The key to any successful relationship is knowing yourself. To do this, you must start with open and honest communication. Communication involves listening and learning as much, if not more, than speaking. In developing a successful relationship with a new school board, I would immediately begin setting up meetings with each board member so that I could get to know each of them personally with the goal of developing both social and human capital. These meetings would be held at the convenience of each council member…preferably at mealtimes and at the restaurant of their choice. This will give me a better idea of ​​each member's preferences for time and location of availability for future reference. During each of these meetings, I will make sure that we cover several points:1. What school district history do they believe I need to know to help the district succeed in its efforts to increase student achievement?2. What is the board member most proud of about their school system and their service to the school system?3. What do they think is the most pressing problem facing the school board?4. What is their vision for the district? From these responses, I hope to be able to glean each board member's level of commitment to the district as a whole and/or to their specific community within the district. My first “meal meeting” would be with the chairman of the board, out of respect for his position. Afterward, I would try to schedule meetings with each board member based on their years of service on the board. A school board retreat... middle of paper ......ogan talks about “power with rather than power-over” in chapter 3 of the book The Politics of Leadership (2005). Kowlaski states “the most effective superintendents are those who work with their board members to build a team that clarifies goals and makes data-driven decisions (Kowalski, 2006). » My goal is to create a collaborative team that works in the best interest of every student in our district. By focusing on student success, we ensure success for all of us. There truly is power in numbers when all the numbers work together. Works Cited Fusarelli, LD & Petersen, GJ (2005). The Politics of Leadership: Superintendents and School Boards in Changing Times. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing. Kowalski, T. J. (2006). The school principal: theory, practice and cases. ThousandOaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc..