In life, many things are a dime a dozen. There is an abundance of this and plentiful that. In education, in the pool of superintendents, this is not true. Some districts measure their greatness by the length their superintendent has remained. Other districts measure their decline by how many they have gone through in the shortest amount of time. Hartford wins this contest.

What is a school superintendent? It's a term coined in 1554 meaning to turn one's attention or to direct from above. This person is the executive in charge of all schools within the district. In some, they are considered rockstars receiving rockstar salaries, expense accounts and bonuses based on performance. Some are untouchable and require a set protocol before anyone can speak with them. Some are never seen or heard from only on special occasions. Again, Hartford wins this contest.

There exists a rockstar superintendent north of Hartford, but does not receive the salary of one, nor the expense account or bonuses based on performance. However, he works as if he did.

Meet "Tim."

Tim comes from the business world of Price Waterhouse after receiving his MBA and going to law school. He taught Math and Science Technology and later became a director of technology. While a director, he was asked to perform duties likened to the job description of an assistant superintendent. After five years, he now leads the district as its superintendent.

Why does "Tim" matter?

He mattered when he shouldered the responsibility and crisis of redistricting his schools. He had to add on to an elementary school, complete it in three months and with no money, all without disturbing teachers' and students' school day. He mattered when he used transactional leadership and engaged in shared service opportunities with his town. When the schools were in no position to move forward and brand themselves as the neighborhood school where students wanted to be, he offered his business sense and purchased oil for the town buildings when he purchased oil for his schools. He used his financial knowledge as a treasurer. The in-house IT department services his schools, as well as the town, including the police station and town hall. Building relationships in a small town like this, which will put money and services back into the schools, make it a place where people want to be, especially since many districts, like "Tim's" are in competition with the magnet schools in the area.

He matters when he plays four square with one of his second graders, and when he teaches on the leadership styles of Warren Buffett to his high school business students, and when he reads pictures books to his first graders sitting like a pretzel on the classroom carpet. This matters to "Tim," as he can see the stages of development unfold and realize that what he and his teams of teachers are doing is working and making a difference.

He's touchable, reachable, will take all the blame and distribute all the praise.

His rules to live by include keeping things simple in order to eliminate the red tape. Keeping initiatives to a minimum, because "if you have a hundred initiatives, you have none." Being human and making everything about kids first; "Anyone can line up buses, put oil in a tank, or put a new roof on a building . . . it's about the kids."

It's an ideal that is evident in his conversations, walkthroughs, meetings and interactions with everyone in his town. Lastly, he keeps his eye on the future, staying steadfast on closing the achievement gap with good instruction, attracting good teachers no matter the cost, and helping his staff grow professionally. He provides them with the tools needed to make his teachers and kids the best and brightest.

In his town there is no room for arrogance and "Tim" is the first to admit it and model it. By title he may be the "overseer" or the executive in charge, but to everyone he is "Tim."

Upon our interview and the reenactment of his road to the superintendents' office I was reminded of the following quote of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

Through it all, "Tim" is still standing; by his values, belief, schools, teachers and students.