ABSTRACT
Superintendents are in a unique position in that they are employed by boards of education to lead all aspects of school district operations, yet in a strange way, they also act as an educational parent to the board itself. Superintendents provide for the care of their boards, very simply, by ensuring that their lower-order needs are met before encouraging that their higher-order needs be met. Board members belong when the superintendent knows enough about them and their particular interests, so that principals and teachers send invitations to them for classroom visits and special events. Board members who have self-efficacy tend not to be insecure- not to delve quickly into conspiracy theories or rant about the haves and the have-nots at board meetings or on social media. They experience a boost in self-esteem when superintendents echo and contextualize their remarks during board discussions. Board members feel loved when they get cards, paintings, and drawings by students.
