Hawthorn District 73, Meet Your New Superintendent

When Nick Brown left the business world many years ago to become a teacher, he did so with the desire to give back.

"I do think that education, teaching, is a calling," said Brown.

Brown has been living out that calling ever since, serving as a teacher for seven years, a principal for seven years and then as a superintendent for the past seven years.

In July, he joined as its new superintendent.

"I can't tell you how much I look forward to getting up and coming to work in the morning," said Brown. "The superintendency is a great job."

Brown has worked for a number of school districts, most recently the Porter Township schools in Valparaiso, IN. It's a district of about 1,580 students, Brown said. He not only served as the superintendent, but he also wore the curriculum and technology director hats.

"You really immerse yourself in the superintendency," said Brown. "It gave me a wealth of experience quickly."

He said he was drawn to the superintendent role in District 73 because he "was thinking I wanted a different challenge." He likes the diversity of the District 73 community and the programs its schools have to offer, including the Bernstein Model and Understanding by Design.

After just over a month in the district, Brown said "it was a great decision. I'm really impressed with the staff."

He's been spending much of his time trying to meet as many of those staff members as he can. Brown has taken the time to sit down and chat with various district leaders, including principals, to "try to give them a chance to meet me and see what their strengths are."

He'll continue to get to know people as the school year begins.

"I hope (the school community) understands that I'm very passionate about children. This is about helping kids learn. What can I do every day to help children reach their fullest potential?" said Brown. "I'm an advocate for their children."

In being that advocate, Brown aims to help the staff reach an even higher level of success. He also wants to look at where the district is heading technologically and examine how technology is used in instruction.

"What do we want kids to be able to do with technology?" Brown asked. As the district looks to replace some equipment in the next couple of years, Brown said it will be important to consider how the district will use technology.

Interactive whiteboards, for example, can transform instruction, Brown said. Moodle, he added, can also be a great tool. The open-source software allows students to answer questions electronically, for example, which can provide for more in-depth responses than students might otherwise give, Brown said.

"Technology isn't just the answer. It's how we utilize that," said Brown.