Superintendent
The superintendent of the Provo City School District oversees all aspects of the district. Through administrators in targeted positions throughout the district, information is shared and coordination/communication occurs between the superintendent’s office and the schools. All district operations are governed by the superintendent, including hiring, facilities, finances, and all other aspects of district management.
The superintendent also works with an elected School Board. In Provo, the Board of Education is composed of seven (7) elected officials from specific areas throughout the city. The superintendent meets regularly with the board: providing presentations, reviewing policies, anticipating issues/needs to put before the board, and assisting the board by carrying out their collective wishes throughout the district.
The superintendent sets the tone as an instructional leader in the district. Each year, Mr. Rittel introduces a theme (an area of emphasis) for the district. Here are some of the themes that have guided the district in recent years.
- Hope and Urgency
- The Provo Way
- Time is Precious
- Know Thy Impact*
- The Kids We Have
*Know Thy Impact is borrowed directly from educational researcher John Hattie, author of a number of Visible Learning publications. Visible Learning is an evidence-based set of educational strategies and philosophies that look at those practices that have the highest impact on student learning. During the 2014-2015 school year, A District Improvement Plan: The Provo Way to Success for All Students was developed based on Dr. Hattie’s work. During the 2017-2018 school year, this District Improvement Plan will be revised and updated.
Other duties are placed before the superintendent, such as coordinating with local and state governments and agencies, and serving committees/boards/panels to promote/represent the interests of the Provo City School District specifically, and public education generally.
You are invited to follow the superintendent on Twitter and also to continue to check in on this page of the Provo City School District website to see updates on district information and activities emanating from the superintendent’s office.