New Trier High School District

For years, the role of the K to 12 technology leader was often misunderstood as “keeping the blinking lights on.” If the internet worked, devices turned on and no one was locked out of an account, technology was doing its job.

That definition no longer comes close. Technology is now woven into nearly everything a school district does. It influences curriculum, cybersecurity, student data privacy, physical security, communications, long-range facilities planning, emergency response, business operations and the daily experiences of students and staff. Nearly every strategic decision made by a district creates a technology ripple effect.

That is why the relationship between the superintendent and chief technology officer is no longer merely operational. It is a strategic partnership and it has never been more important.

Technology leaders need a seat at the decision-making table before decisions are finalized, not an invitation after the work is already underway. When technology is brought in too late, districts often discover that a promising program does not meet student data privacy requirements, a newly purchased device cannot integrate with existing systems or a construction decision does not account for network connectivity, access control, cybersecurity or future capacity. These discoveries delay timelines, increase costs and create frustration that could have been avoided through early collaboration.

A strong CTO does not attend leadership meetings simply to explain technical limitations. Technology leaders are problem-solvers by nature. We are trained to examine how systems connect, identify dependencies, anticipate risks and find practical paths forward. The goal is not to be the person who says no. The goal is to help the district reach yes safely, strategically and sustainably.

The CTO also leads one of the few departments whose stakeholders include every person who enters the district. Students and teachers rely on instructional platforms, devices and secure connectivity. Staff depend on business, communication and operational systems. Families interact with registration tools, websites and digital communications. Visitors encounter electronic check-in, guest wireless access and physical security systems before they ever reach a classroom. 

Technology is not one department serving another. It is part of the infrastructure connecting the entire organization.

"The relationship between the superintendent and chief technology officer is no longer merely operational. It is a strategic partnership."

An effective superintendent CTO partnership begins with regular communication, shared priorities and mutual trust. The CTO must understand the superintendent’s vision and the district’s instructional and organizational goals; not just the technology plan. In return, the superintendent should engage the CTO early enough to assess feasibility, risk, cost, integration and long-term sustainability.

This partnership also requires shared accountability. Cybersecurity is not solely a technology problem. Digital literacy is not solely a curriculum problem. Physical security is not solely a facilities problem. These are districtwide leadership responsibilities that demand coordinated decisions across departments.

This is especially urgent as districts navigate artificial intelligence, expanding privacy requirements, increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats and growing expectations for secure, reliable access. Technical literacy can no longer reside only within the technology department. Superintendents and leadership teams do not need to become engineers, but they do need enough fluency to ask informed questions, understand organizational risk and recognize when technology expertise belongs in the conversation.

The most effective superintendent CTO relationships are built before a crisis, major purchase or construction deadline. They are built through consistent collaboration and a shared understanding that technology is not separate from the district’s mission. It is one of the systems that makes that mission possible.

If technology leadership is still being treated as the team that keeps the blinking lights on, it is time to reconsider the relationship. Invite your CTO to the table. Align your goals. Ask what risks and opportunities the district may not yet see.