S05E06 - Leading with Joy | Dr. George Philhower, Superintendent, Eastern Hancock Schools

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. George Philhower, Superintendent of Eastern Hancock Schools in Indiana since 2021. Previously he was an administrator for 13 years at Western Wayne Schools, another rural Indiana district. He holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education from Cardinal Stritch University, a master’s in educational leadership and administration from the University of Indianapolis, and both an Ed.S. and Ph.D. from Indiana State University.

Some Questions We Ask:

• Tell us more about your career as a superintendent. (01:33)
• What brings you joy in being a superintendent? (03:32)
• What are your thoughts regarding the 2022 and 2023 RAND research, and how do you cope with stress in your career? (05:01)
• How has scrutiny of the superintendency changed over the years? (07:02)
• How are your experiences similar to other K-12 school leaders across the nation? (08:52)
• What is the best way to illuminate the humanity of district leaders? (10:16)
• In what ways have you developed a shared vision for your district with your community? (12:02)
• What is your advice for someone who’s just starting as a superintendent, and how can they build their community? (14:54)
• What advice can you give to superintendents who might be struggling with that? (15:51)
• As advocates for K-12 education, how can we truly support superintendents today? (17:12)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Dr. Philhower’s career in education (01:45)
• The joys of being a superintendent (03:42)
• His point of view on the RAND research and his strategies for coping with stress (05:25)
• Change in scrutiny of the superintendency (07:08)
• His experiences as a superintendent compared to others across the nation (09:16)
• Developing a shared vision for the district (12:07)
• His advice for superintendents who are just starting to build their communities of support (15:13)
• Different ways of rallying a community through storytelling (16:24)
• Advice for struggling superintendents (16:00)
• How supporters can all advocate for superintendents (17:28)

Quotes:

“I just really believe that if we do nothing, the gravity of the work we're doing, the gravity of the world, is not pulling us towards a place of joy. So if we're going to get there, it's got to be intentional. And that intentionality comes from just looking for things that bring you joy and looking for opportunities to cause moments of joy.”

“A face-to-face conversation or a phone call when you have questions or concerns is 100% the best way to resolve an issue.”

“We do what we call CAFE meetings. It stands for community and family engagement. We do those quarterly. We've got a network of employee partners and community leaders and anybody that's willing to sit down and chat with us that we meet with. And we'll get over 100 people at those meetings sometimes.”

Stay in touch with Dr. George Philhower:
Eastern Hancock Schools
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Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
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About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
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Transcript

SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Education leadership, superintendent role, humanizing superintendents, community engagement, strategic plan, joy in education, stress management, COVID-19 impact, teacher-student relationships, community partnerships, educational challenges, storytelling, mental well-being, school district vision, employee partners.

SPEAKERS
George Philhower, Sarah Williamson, Chad Bolser

Sarah Williamson  00:05
Hello and welcome to Build Momentum for Education, a Podcast where we explore thought leadership in education. I'm Sarah Williamson, the founder of SWPR Group, an agency that supports public relations, communication strategies and thought leadership support for school districts, education companies and nonprofit organizations,  And I'm Chad Bolser, Chancellor at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana. This season, we explore a particularly unique perspective in K 12 thought leadership, humanizing the role of the superintendent. Throughout the many conversations we continue to have with superintendents, a clear theme has emerged about the need to bring more humanity into the role of the superintendency. In this special series, we interview current and former superintendents and researchers to pursue the core question, how can we better see superintendents as real people navigating complex challenges to provide the best possible education for K 12 students?

Chad Bolser  00:58
We dig deeper into how this important work can help build community, invite collaboration and increase widespread engagement. 

Sarah Williamson  01:08
We can't wait to get started, so let's dive in.

Chad Bolser  01:12
Welcome to this episode of Build Momentum for Education. Sarah and I have the distinct pleasure to welcome Dr. George Philhower of Eastern Hancock, Indiana, to our podcast to talk today. Welcome George.

George Philhower  01:29
Thank you so much. I'm excited to be here. Big, big fan of your podcast.

Chad Bolser  01:33
Well, that's great. So tell us a little bit about your career as a superintendent and your current role at Eastern Hancock. We know that you have plenty of experience, but we'd love to hear about your story.

George Philhower  01:46
Sure. So I started my career as an educator. I was special ed teacher. Actually, I started my career in Wayne County at Centerville. It was where I first started teaching Centerville Elementary. Worked for a while. I actually met my wife at the Indiana soldiers and sailors Children's Home, which was in Knightstown, Indiana. It was a residential children's home at the time for kids that just came from hard places. We met there while we were in college, working in the summer. So that was my second teaching job. Was I got hired there. Worked with my wife. We actually got married on the chapel at that place. So it's kind of a special place to us. Found myself doing a lot of leadership roles. And so through some conversations with my wife, decided to take some classes. And during that first class, the very first administrative class, they told us that, hey, Administrator jobs are really hard to get, so if anything comes open, you should apply, and just to see if you can get the experience of getting your resume out there, and if you're lucky enough to get an interview, the first one is the hardest, and literally that next week, a job came open at Western Wayne Elementary in Wayne County again, and I applied, and I think maybe I was just the only person that applied, and I got the job, and I was an administrator at Western Wayne for 13 years, Chad you and I connected there, and then the last two of those were a superintendent, and then had an opportunity. I'd lived in Hancock County in Greenfield for a while, and had an opportunity to allow my personal life and my professional life come together. So now I'm the superintendent at Eastern Hancock. I'm in the middle of my fourth year. I almost said it's the beginning of my fourth year, but it's the middle of the year now. So now it's me two kids and a dog that rides a school together every day and loving life at Eastern Hancock. 

Sarah Williamson  03:23
I love that, and it's such an honor to have you on the show, George. It's about time you came on  Build Momentum. Welcome so happy to have you. 

George Philhower  03:30
Thank you for having me. 

Sarah Williamson  03:31
So we know that joy is so important to you as a leader, as a superintendent, what brings you joy as a sitting superintendent these days. 

George Philhower  03:42
Yeah. So at Eastern Hancock, we have a strategic plan, and we have four promises within our strategic plan, and the first one is joy. And I just really believe that if we do nothing, the gravity of the work we're doing, the gravity of the world, is not pulling us towards a place of joy. So if we're going to get there, it's got to be intentional. And that intentionality comes from just looking for things that bring you joy and looking for opportunities to cause moments of joy. And for us, sometimes at Eastern Hancock, those are really big things. You know, we believe that emotion submits learning, so how kids feel while they're learning is just as important as the stuff that they're learning. And so we want to give kids memorable experiences. And so some things that that might look like, or when fifth grade is learning about Paul Revere, we get somebody on a horse to come and dress up like Paul Revere and ride past their classroom window screaming, the British are coming so that they'll remember that lesson forever. But it also comes from the day to day interactions that our teachers have, and so, you know, the thing that brings me joy is just being at school and watching kids enjoy their time while they're learning. You know, there's a disconnect sometimes that as humans, we're programmed to enjoy the process of learning and growing and getting better, but at the same time, school is not something that a lot of kids are looking forward to. I just think we could do better. 

Chad Bolser  05:01
You know, we've had so many great conversations with superintendents, and we ask all of the guests about this RAND study in 2022 and 2023 that found that superintendents jobs are one of the most stressful in the country. What is your perspective on this and how have you been able to cope with the stress of your role throughout your career? 

George Philhower  05:25
Yeah, I think the stress of the job is undeniable, right? Like there's a lot of responsibilities that are coming, and the stakes are pretty high because we're dealing with kids and their futures. However, I think it's really important to remember why we ventured into this field in the first place. And you know, for me, it has a lot to do with making sure that we're designing schools that kids love to be at, and they love to be there because they know they're going to have fun, they know they're going to get to hang out with their friends, they're going to feel successful while they're there, and they're going to be surrounded by grown ups that they know love them. And just keeping that why in mind, I think, is the most important thing that we can do as we navigate those stressful experiences that are most of the time. Those are grown up things that we're dealing with that are not usually related to the kids, I think, also just remembering to take care of yourself. You know, early in my career, I felt like I needed to get everything done before I went home, and had learned that no matter what that list is there the next day, so just taking time to think about what I need to feel good about myself, I wake up really early every morning. I wake up at 4:45, this time of year. It's handy because we never know if you're going to school on time. But I wake up and I go for a run outside, or I work out every day, and that is my way to kind of have some time to myself, to get some thinking done, and also, I think the exercise is good also to decompress and help me make sure I'm starting out every day in a good spot.

Sarah Williamson  06:51
That seems to be something that we consistently hear from the healthiest superintendents, is they have figured out how to create that fit mind, fit wellness, mental well being is so important. I'm curious George, how do you think the scrutiny of your role the superintendent has changed over the past few years? 

George Philhower  07:08
I think COVID played a big role in like, the negative turn a little bit, because it was the first time for a lot of families that they felt like we were making decisions at school that impacted their kids in a personal level. And we weren't given a choice, but we were told that kids couldn't go to school at certain times, and we were told what kids could wear on their faces at certain times, and you know how far they could sit apart. And parents were accustomed to being able to make those decisions at home. And I feel like as a parent myself, I'm empathetic because, I like having control of where my kids go to school and all of those types of things that, you know, I get to decide if they're too sick to go to school. And I think that was really tricky for a lot of families. And then when you tie in the political conversations that, you know, it was certainly an area that the gravity of the work was not pulling us towards a place of joy. And, you know, I felt like that's where a lot of things started to change. And I really appreciate the theme of this season of your podcast, because I think it's easy to forget that there's humans, and I'm not just talking about the superintendents. It's important to remember those are my friends, and unfortunately, seeing a lot of them take some heat in places all over the country, that doesn't seem very fair, but it's easy to forget that all of the people we're dealing with are humans, and we're all entering all the spaces we're coming to feeling uncomfortable because we don't know all the answers. And I don't know COVID was one of the times as a leader that I had no idea. Like every decision I made, I did not know that I was making the right decision. And that also, I think, contributed to a lot of the unease that happened and unfortunately, has continued in certain pockets across the country. 

Chad Bolser  08:52
You know, as you talk you have such a unique experience and perspective on things, and we've heard so many of that through our conversations with superintendents like you, how representative Do you think your experience is compared to other administrators in your area, the state, and maybe you know as you talk to folks across the country, is it the same? Is it different? What's your experience with that?

George Philhower  09:17
I don't know. I think every superintendent probably thinks they're leading. I guess every superintendent would be lucky if they think about where they get to lead like I get to think about Eastern Hancock. You know, I enjoy going to work every single day. I love the educational experience that my kids are having. So I think everybody thinks they are having a unique experience, probably however. You know, leading a school district is challenging, and there's lots of commonalities as well, but I do feel blessed that I'm leading in a spot that my vision for what education should look like aligns with the vision that we have in the district, and when those two things align, that's a good spot to be. 

Sarah Williamson  09:54
George, I'm excited that you're so excited about our topic this season, about humanizing the role of the superintendent. We came to that conclusion that that is definitely a problem after we interviewed countless people for a book that Doug Roberts is working on around the superintendency and the challenges facing your role. And we just continue to hear that theme throughout all of our conversations. How do you think we do that? How do you think we go about illuminating the humanity of district leaders across the country?

George Philhower  10:22
Sarah, I think it's from what you're good at. It's telling stories of people. And you know, I've been blessed to be able to work with you, and one thing you've taught me is to not be afraid to talk about my own journey and my own beliefs about teaching and learning. And I think the more we tell our stories, the better we get to know each other, and the closer you get to each other, the more you see the humans behind the decisions that are made. I think if we're only getting our information from the news and from social media or wherever else, it's pretty easy to be jaded, but the closer I get to somebody, the more I understand that it's a person behind that. And so I really think what you're doing is the answer. It's that we need to just get better communicating our stories and explaining who we are as humans, and which justifies why we're making the decisions that we're making. Again, something you've taught me is that perhaps it's my ego sometimes getting in the way of that vulnerability, and I think vulnerability is usually the answer to most of the problems we face, and I think that's probably part of the answer here, is just being a little bit vulnerable and creating space for superintendents to tell their stories, and also creating space for everybody to tell their stories,

Chad Bolser  11:32
Being from the same area of the country that you are, and being able to see your school corporation as I drive on I 70. And can, you know, I honk at you periodically, as you can see, it right from the road. So for folks that are listening, if you're driving I 70, you can see Georgia School Corporation from the road, which is pretty cool. I know from experience, you bring community together. And have seen that work. How have you been able to do that, and how have you been able to collaborate with your community to create a unified vision for your district? 

George Philhower  12:07
Yeah, Chad, you're right. We're right next to I get lots of phone calls from people that say, Hey, I drove past your school and it made me think about you, which is pretty awesome. Sometimes of the year, we call that our north parking lot because sometimes it's just stopped. And we also joke that you can see us from the interstate, but Chad, as you know, you can't get to us from the interstate. 

Chad Bolser  12:26
You are exactly right about that. 

George Philhower  12:28
Yeah. So in terms of community, I think the work we're doing is a team sport. It's best done when we're collaborating as a community, trying to figure out, how do we prepare the next generation of community members for the community that we're living in, and what I've learned is that I've been in school my whole life. I went from kindergarten to elementary to middle school to high school to college, and then got a job in a school so I've only lived on a school schedule my whole life. That means I know a lot about school, like a lot however, I know nothing about anything else. So if I'm going to create help a kid prepare for a career that is anything outside the world of education, I'm going to need a lot of help. And we've been lucky at Eastern Hancock, and we have established a network of a bunch of employee partners that we work with who are helping us with those conversations. So we do what we call Cafe meetings. It stands for community and family engagement, and we do those quarterly where we've got a network of employee partners and just community leaders and anybody that's willing to sit down and chat with us that we meet with, and we'll get over 100 people at those meetings sometimes, and we talk to them about what's their best wishes for our kids for when they graduate, and what are the attributes that you need our kids to have when they leave and then they come back a few months later, and we tell them, here's the things that we've learned, we heard you say, and here's what we've done with that information. Did we get it right? And we are learning that we bring kids into that space and let those community partners hear from those kids, and we bring teachers in so that our teachers can learn. I think, another challenge that we're dealing with. You know, people complain about kids today sometimes, and I think kids today are incredible. If I would have logged the poor decisions I made when I was growing up on social media, I probably would have not been a superintendent. And the truth is, our kids have access to YouTube and Netflix in their pocket. Chad, they don't even have to tolerate a irrelevant TV show if we think that they're going to tolerate an irrelevant educational experience, then we've got another thing coming. And when I was growing up, I wasn't even allowed to ask, like my parents would have told me I was disrespectful if I would have asked my teacher, why do I need to know this? And I think kids today, they want to know and they deserve to know. Why do I need to know this? And those of us who have been educators our whole lives, we literally don't know how the stuff kids are learning in their classes apply in the real world, so it's going to require lots of partnerships with those experts from the real world who can tell us how do the things we're learning in our classrooms apply to day to day life. 

Sarah Williamson  14:54
Yeah, I love that, George. You talked earlier about the great work you're doing to share your story and communicate with your the broader community of your peers on the national scale. How do you think someone who's just trying to get started and tell their story and really build community? What do you think they can do a superintendent? 

George Philhower  15:13
Yeah, I think. So, I've kind of had a writing practice for a bit where I would jot down thoughts, and like sometimes those thoughts even sounded like sentences or paragraphs. But I think the world needs more of us to share our thoughts publicly, and I think that probably is it. And I think all of us have a preferred platform. I enjoy writing. There are probably others who prefer a video, and I think the more of us that can share our thoughts about how we see the world, the more we might have a chance to get to know each other a little bit better and learn from each other.

Chad Bolser  15:51
So what advice would you give to other district leaders who are struggling to build community as they listen to you? What advice would you give? 

George Philhower  16:01
Yeah, I think I would advise them to go visit their employee partners and their community leaders, attend every chamber and EDC and whatever other meeting that they possibly can, and start to build relationships. I think the closer I get to the work that's happening outside the school building, the more I understand that I don't know very much, so enter those spaces as curious as possible. I think a great strategy that we've used is take your teachers on field trips to employers. So our employers are craving employees, like if you go down wherever you are, if you're in Indiana, at least if you go around and I think it's the case in lots and lots of places, everybody's desperate for employees, and they're spending lots and lots and lots of money trying to figure out, how can we create a pipeline of reliable employees? So my experience has been that our employee partners are very eager to engage in conversations about, how can we build systems in place to help kids see a future that is bright and connected to the areas where they might be the employers. To me, it's all about relationships. So my advice would always be to put yourself in places where you can begin to build relationships with all of those partners. 

Sarah Williamson  17:12
Okay, I love that advice. And then I'm curious, as supporters of K 12 education, as our company and school board members, parents, even students. How can we support superintendents and really be cheerleaders for you today?

George Philhower  17:28
I think something I ask for a lot is grace and patience, unlike anybody else that I make mistakes quite often. And I think, yeah, that's the answer. And then when you have questions about something very similar to the other part of the conversation that we were having about community partners, just ask question. You know, one of my things that I say often is I'll meet you anywhere but Facebook. I've never seen where something was resolved in a healthy way over Facebook. So I will meet anybody anywhere except Facebook. So I think you know, a face to face conversation or a phone call when you have questions or concerns is 100% the best way to resolve an issue. And you know, get to know the person behind who's making the decision. And you often, the closer you get to somebody, the more you understand the decisions that are being made.

Chad Bolser  18:15
Okay, so George, where can our listeners learn more about you and connect with you directly.

George Philhower  18:21
Yeah. So even though I don't love Facebook, I found that LinkedIn is a pretty great spot. It seems to be a fairly happy place 99% of the time. So you can find me on LinkedIn. You can also email me. And if you look at our school website, where there's only one Eastern Hancock anywhere. So if you Google Eastern Hancock, our website rises to the top, and you can find me on there as well. And I'd love to connect with anybody that wants to chat. 

Sarah Williamson  18:45
So great to hear from you. 

Chad Bolser  18:46
Sarah, my suggestion is just roll down your window on I 70 and holler out and yell for George, and he'll come right out. That's been my experience.

George Philhower  18:55
That's a good idea. I like it. 

Chad Bolser  18:57
Yeah,

Sarah Williamson  18:57
That's great. Well, thank you, George. Appreciate it. Always appreciate hearing from you.

George Philhower  19:01
Thank you so much. 

Chad Bolser  19:03
Thanks for tuning into the Build Momentum for Education podcast. If you enjoyed listening today, we would love to hear your feedback, and we'd be grateful if you could leave us a review. 

Sarah Williamson  19:14
This helps us to share these powerful stories with even more people. If you liked what you heard, we'd be honored if you could share this episode with someone in your network, we look forward to seeing you next time on Build Momentum for Education.