Small Districts…Big Expectations
Leadership is Stronger When It Is Shared.
“A think tank for small learning communities”
A practical, confidential, and caring network for the leaders carrying the full weight of small-district leadership.
The reality of the role
Leadership Can Be a Lonely Path.
In a small district, one leader often carries responsibilities that would be divided among an entire administrative team elsewhere. Superintendents and principals oversee curriculum, staffing, special education, transportation, budgets, and board relations, all without the support of a team of central office supports.
The Small Districts Leadership Consortium is a new initiative led by Richard Freedman and Matthew J. Murphy designed to provide the backbone of services available to leaders of large districts to smaller learning communities. Whether you are a leader in an urban, rural, or suburban district the expectations and requirements to manage a complex and comprehensive district experience is similar.
Join the Small Districts Leadership Consortium
why join
The Support You Need, When the Work is in Front of You.
The Consortium is designed to bring together leaders from districts with similar needs and create a supportive, engaging, and informed cohort that leaders can turn to. Members will gain both a trusted community of leaders who understand the unique deficits and needs that small learning communities represent. The role of small district leaders is unique to small districts and often misunderstood by boards of education and peers in larger systems.
This initiative is an outgrowth of conversations started between them when sharing stories about the very real capacity differences between leadership expectations in districts both small and large. The glaring difference is the lack of a “team” to get the work done. This work also comes from a deeper interest and concern about the work-life of educational leaders and the enduring capacity and desire to stay engaged with this powerful work.
This is not another vendor conference or top-down professional-development program. It is a practical, confidential, and caring network built around candid conversation, useful resources, and relationships with peers who understand the work because they have done it.
Small-district leadership can be isolating, but It does not have to be. The Consortium makes it easier to find the right people, practical ideas, and trusted support when you need them.
about us
Created by Leaders Who Have Walked in Your Shoes.
The Small Districts Leadership Consortium was founded by two experienced public-education leaders who believe leadership is stronger when it is shared.
Both Matthew and Rich have worked in and led small school districts, giving them firsthand knowledge of the opportunities and challenges that come with small-district leadership. They understand what it means to wear multiple hats, make consequential decisions with limited resources, and lead without the large administrative teams available in bigger systems.
Together, as prior teachers, supervisors, assistant superintendents, and superintendents in districts both large and small, Matthew and Rich created the Consortium to give small-district leaders something that can be difficult to find: a trusted network of peers who understand the work, share practical knowledge, and ensure that no leader has to navigate the job alone.
Dr. Matthew J. Murphy
Dr. Matthew J. Murphy is an award-winning, recently retired K–12 superintendent, interim administrator, adjunct professor at Ramapo College, and mental-health advocate. During a career spanning every level of public education, from classroom teacher and principal to curriculum leader and superintendent, Matthew developed a deep appreciation for the demands placed on district leaders and the importance of purposeful, people-centered leadership.
Richard Freedman
Richard “Rich” Freedman is an experienced educational leader whose work has reached the school, district, and state levels. A passionate advocate for public education, Rich brings a broad perspective on leadership, collaboration, and the practical challenges educators face across different systems and communities.
membership
Professional Learning & Instructional Support
Members receive preferred access and discounted rates for specialized services that can strengthen the work across their district.
No Leader Should Have to Navigate the Job Alone.
Join our collaborative leadership consortium designed specifically for small school districts seeking high-level support, professional learning, and access to innovative educational services without the cost of building these systems independently.
Ready to Get Started?
brought to you by
