Just west of Utica, New York, Vernon Verona Sherrill Central School District (VVS) is a small, rural district making a big impact. Superintendent Martha Group believes her district—and schools in general—are at a turning point, where they must dramatically shift how they operate to serve a world of constant change. Much of this change, of course, has been spurred by technology. And despite the district’s size, Group is determined to make VVS a leader in equipping students for previously unimaginable careers. 

VVS has successfully integrated technology with their curriculum and used it as a vital tool for building trust in their community. Group believes this success wouldn’t be possible without her collaboration both with Director of Student Programs and Communications Sondra Whalen, APR, and Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Mark Wixson—whose role encompasses technology decisions. When the team sat down with SchoolCEO earlier this year, questions about the frequency of their collaboration drew laughs. “Teamwork is our core value,” Wixson explains. “We meet weekly as part of a leadership team, but we’re also in constant communication. It’s definitely more of a ‘When do we not?’ situation.” 

Wixson, Group and Whalen all expressed how their different priorities and viewpoints complement one another. From Group’s perspective, “we need to use technology to support student achievement and to give all of our stakeholders a clear view into what’s happening in our schools.” Whalen thinks of herself as a bridge between the district’s leadership and the broader community, and Wixson acknowledges that it’s his role to make sure everything, technologically speaking, connects together at the seams. 

All three leaders believe their collaboration intensified as a result of the pandemic and cite their district’s quick, successful transition to online learning as a major testament to their teamwork. In this collaboration, Group provided leadership and direction; Wixson ensured their technology infrastructure was able to accomplish Group’s vision; and Whalen strategized how to best communicate the rapid changes to families and other stakeholders. “When it came to the pandemic, people were looking for information. They wanted to feel connected and they needed to know what was happening. Our team had to make sure all of that happened,” Whalen tells SchoolCEO. 

When it comes to the future, the VVS team believes that intensive collaboration and trust will be a key to navigating the changes still on the way. For starters, like many districts, VVS is anticipating difficult budget decisions. To consolidate costs, Whalen will be taking over some of Wixson’s duties once he retires later this year. 

Furthermore, the team feels both excited and nervous about the continually changing role of technology in school districts. “With cybersecurity threats becoming more common and AI becoming a more usable tool, school districts need to be ready to be both vigilant and creative,” Wixson explains.