In many school districts, the technology department operates under constant pressure, responding to outages, fixing broken devices, and troubleshooting system failures at a moment’s notice.
It’s a stressful environment where each day feels like working in an emergency room, reacting to crises as they come. While this mindset might keep things afloat in the short term, it’s unsustainable and prevents the department from evolving into a strategic asset for the district.
We must transition to an operating room approach where preparation, precision and proactive planning are standard. In the operating room, every tool is in place, every team member understands their role and the focus is on long-term outcomes rather than simply surviving the next crisis.
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As someone who has served as a district technology leader and currently as an Assistant superintendent of technology and learning, I’ve experienced this shift firsthand. Earlier in my career, we constantly reacted to network outages minutes before high-stakes testing or scrambled to replace devices before key learning initiatives.
Over time, I realized that if we didn’t evolve our approach, we’d remain stuck in a cycle of crisis management that drained resources and morale.
Why the emergency room approach fails over time
In reactive environments, the team spends most of its time putting out fires. There’s little opportunity to analyze root causes, develop long-term solutions or implement preventive measures.
This leads to several issues:t
- Burnout: Constant crisis management wears down even the most dedicated professionals.
- Inefficient resource use: Recurring issues consume time, talent and budget.
- Missed opportunities: When all focus is on today’s crisis, innovation and long-term solutions take a back seat.
Operating room mentality: What it looks like in practice
Adopting an operating room mindset means creating a structured, efficient, highly skilled department that operates clearly and purposefully.
1. Right tools for the job
Surgeons don’t operate with outdated or broken instruments—and neither should your tech department. Invest in modern tools that support efficiency.
- Automation Platforms: Automate device management, software updates and ticket triaging.
- Monitoring Systems: Implement proactive monitoring to identify issues before they escalate.
- Asset Management: Maintain up-to-date inventories to streamline repairs and replacements.
2. Right people in the right roles
Every person has a defined role in the operating room. Similarly, your tech department needs clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
- Strategic Leadership: Focus on long-term planning, budgeting and aligning initiatives with district goals.
- Technical Specialists: Handle specialized tasks to prevent over-reliance on generalists.
- Support Technicians: Train frontline staff to fix issues, educate users and prevent recurring problems.
3. Scheduled, predictable workflows
Plan and document all technology work with precision.
- Preventive Maintenance: Schedule regular updates and hardware maintenance to reduce downtime.
- Project Timelines: Establish clear plans and milestones for new initiatives.
Communication Protocols: Keep stakeholders informed through regular updates.
4. Data-driven decision making
Just like operating rooms rely on patient data, your tech department should use data to make informed decisions.
- Track ticket trends to identify recurring issues.
- Use analytics to assess system performance.
- Evaluate ROI for new technologies to support long-term goals.
Proactive leadership: The final shift
Proactive leadership focuses on solutions, not problems. Leaders must set a vision, empower staff to lead initiatives, prioritize professional growth and celebrate successes when teams prevent issues or deliver improvements.
Action plan: Moving from reactive to proactive
- Define Your Vision: Set clear long- and short-term goals with measurable outcomes.
- Invest in Tools and Training: Prioritize the budget for automation tools and staff development.
- Implement Preventive Structures: Establish maintenance schedules and communication protocols.
Strategic success starts with the right people
Building a proactive and successful technology department is never a solo effort. I am fortunate to work alongside an incredible team of dedicated professionals who make our shared vision a reality.
Victor DeMedeiros leads our field technicians with a sharp focus on efficiency and delivering high-quality customer service, ensuring that break-fix issues are resolved quickly and effectively. Luis Vultao has his finger on the pulse of our network infrastructure, maintaining the critical balance of safety, stability and productivity needed to keep our district connected and secure.
Jason Kowal takes the lead regarding large-scale projects, managing everything from camera system upgrades to Wi-Fi expansions and complex technical rollouts across the district. Amanda Cenerizio plays a vital role in ensuring that all of our digital applications meet stringent data security standards while also leading the successful launch of key tools like our districtwide ParentSquare communication platform and ClassLink.
Behind the scenes, Jennifer Carling ensures our district schedules and staff data are accurate and seamlessly managed, providing the foundation for smooth daily operations. Daniel Souza, our dedicated database administrator, keeps our district’s data systems running efficiently and aligned with all state reporting requirements.
All this work can’t happen without a keen eye on budget and resources and Lisa Sylvia keeps all the finance, ordering, and receiving in check. This talented and cohesive team enables us to move beyond reactive tasks and strategically support a safe, innovative and effective learning environment for every student and educator we serve.
The key is having our team work hand-in-hand with instructional leaders and Russell Levendusky supports curriculum leaders to bridge the gap between technology and learning.
Transforming a tech department takes time. But by adopting the right mindset, investing in tools, empowering the right people and focusing on long-term outcomes, districts can build technology teams that operate with the precision of an operating room.
The result? Fewer crises, improved learning environments, happier staff and a technology department that’s seen as a strategic partner in driving success.