Georgia's Clarke County School District is nestled within a demographically complex region. While the financially secure University of Georgia can be found in the county, the college's fiscal strength has not necessarily spilled over into the lives of the "townies." Rather, Clarke County ranks as one of the top five most-impoverished counties per capita in the country.

This reality means the local public schools have a number of challenges, poverty included, that they must deal with before even beginning to educate students. Still, somehow, the district has not only succeeded in pushing student achievement, but has also been lauded for its efforts. Earlier this month, the district's superintendent, Dr. Philip Lanoue, was named the American Association of School Administrators' Superintendent of the Year for 2015.

The feat highlights his ability to overcome adverse situations and lead both his teachers and students to success. In a Q&A with Blackboard, Lanoue discussed what he has done to make his district so remarkable. Here are some of the takeaways district leaders across the nation can learn from Lanoue.

1. The health of your students matters

Realizing the impoverished reality of his district, Lanoue and district administrators worked with AASA to bring insurance to 350 students and their families. Lanoue told Blackboard that he and his team "know [healthy students] will directly relate to success in and out of the classroom."

2. It's okay to mix things up and actually reinvent the wheel

Lanoue also told Blackboard that many of the classrooms in his district have been under a pretty constant metamorphosis in an attempt to adapt to the needs of the digital world. In order to go 1:1 with devices in grades 3-9 and "update the instructional protocols," Lanoue and his staff had to lean into the discomfort and get used to trying things differently.

3. Prove the naysayers wrong

While many may say the digital divide is expanding in low-income communities, Lanoue has a different opinion. He believes that he and his staff are actually closing the chasm. While the district is basically 1:1, another neat tidbit is the district allows almost all of its students to take their devices home. This allows students to get used to technology and continue learning outside of the classroom. "I think the introduction of digital tools that change instructional practice may be the biggest game changer in closing the achievement gap," Lanoue told Blackboard. "I really do. Even though research would say it’s going to create a larger gap between those in poverty and not, I say it doesn’t have to. Only if you want it to."

4. Use technology to become better communicators

According to Lanoue, one massive asset of technology is that it allows districts to become transparent. Information about the schools is easily reported, allowing families to feel more connected to the district and feel more invested in what's happening. Lanoue explains that this tech approach pervades the school from an administrative level to the classroom. For example, it has school blogs to get info out to the world, Blackboard-created webpages where parents can talk to each other and the schools, and student "portals" that grant access to digital resources. On a recent parent survey about tech and schools, the district found that 99% of parents believed digital tools helped them feel like "more effective" parents.

5. Never underestimate the importance of professional development

According to Lanoue, Clarke County School District has 14 professional development days a year. During this time, educators, in collaborative learning times, analyze student data. "We talk about performance a lot. It’s about performance and practice," the superintendent explains to Blackboard. In addition to the formal professional development, Lanoue visits schools to talk with their "leadership teams of teachers" about goals and improvement plans. 

6. Never judge a book by its cover

At the start of each school year, Lanoue asks his teachers to reflect on two questions about their classrooms: “Who do you see?” and “What aspirations do you have for them?” He says that if a teacher's answer changes because of superficial aspects like dress, "then those teachers need to go somewhere else." He explains that while the school is all about the data, it also recognizes that behind the numbers, there are actual human beings. "For us every data point has a face. If it doesn’t have a face, it’s not worth the conversation."

7. Know your role

While Lanoue is all about leadership and teachers feeling empowered, he also knows where to take the reins. School instructional content and programming is one of those places. "I have to know it, I have to talk it, I have to understand it, and I have to push it," he says.

It's difficult to motivate educators and students if you are not fully aware of where students in each grade need to be academically and what they are working on.

8. Schooling doesn't stop on campus, nor does the role of a school leader

Currently, Lanoue is speaking with housing authorities and local government to get more educational opportunities outside of the classroom. Making sure students are making healthy choices, eating well, and staying active all tie into the way schools successfully run.