Believing in the Creative Kid

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A Superintendent Making History

Dr. Heidi Maier is making history. On November 22, 2016, when she became the superintendent of Marion County Schools in Florida, she also became the first female superintendent of the district since the early 1920s. She is the first superintendent from outside the district in several administrations and she is making a difference.

Part of the inspiration that inspired her to run for the superintendent position was the success of her son as a graduate of the district. Her son had many great opportunities to succeed on his journey through school, and she credits the choices and navigation of the district, implemented by her and her husband, as part of the reason.

Heidi wants to help other families have the same opportunities given to her son. As she describes it, “An impetus for me to run for superintendent was to open up doors of opportunities for all children in our district and to help the parents navigate the pathways.”

She understands and honors the authority of the parents and caregivers of the students in her district. Schools and administrators can sometimes think they know what is best for a child when in reality, no one knows better than the child’s family. It’s the foundation for how Heidi runs the district, and from the results, you can see how the students and families of the community are thankful.

About Dr. Heidi Maier:

Dr. Heidi Maier was elected superintendent of Marion County Public Schools in Marion County, Florida, in August 2016 and took office on November 22, 2016. In this capacity, she directly oversees the daily operations of a school district with 43,000 students, 6,000+ employees, and 52 schools.

Maier graduated from high school in Altoona, Pennsylvania. She started with Marion County Public Schools in 1999 and taught pre-K and kindergarten classes at Sunrise and College Park Elementary schools for six years.

Prior to becoming superintendent, Maier was the program manager of Teacher Education, associate professor of Early Childhood Education, and the University Center director at the College of Central Florida in Ocala.

Follow Heidi Maier on Twitter.

This article was published previously on the Huffington Post .

AuthorDr. Berger is one of many industry education correspondents for the Mind Rocket Media Group, An educator and former school administrator. His video interview work and conversational podcasts have been featured in various media outlets. He often hosts education panel discussions and develops strategic content. As an academic Dr. Berger is a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management. A former assistant principal, he has been an adjunct undergraduate professor and developer of online college courses. He is a passionate Detroit sports fan who has also adopted Nashville sports teams as his own. 

Contact the Mind Rocket Media Group if you are interested in an industry interview and a placement on EdCircuit.
Further Reading

1. Ocala Star Banner – Heidi Maier: The reading plan
2. OA Online – Teachers getting crash course in technology
3. Nature – The digital native is a myth