Super Ownership

How Superintendents Can Elevate K-12 Systems

John Barry

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English

Superownership Consulting
20 October 2025

Philosophy & theory of education; Educational strategies & policy; Business studies: general

An essential roadmap for anyone serious about unique transformational leadership in education

In Super Ownership: How Superintendents Can Elevate K-12 Systems, author John Barry distills several decades of leadership wisdom drawn from his distinguished career spanning the United States Air Force, public education, and nonprofit leadership and shaped into a blueprint for superintendents-and all educational leaders-who are committed to real, lasting change. His book challenges educational leaders to reject passive management in favor of proactive leadership rooted in data, vision, and an unwavering commitment to students. Barry makes a compelling case that leadership in education must mirror the standards of mission-driven organizations: clear goals, relentless execution, measurable outcomes, and above all, personal accountability.

Super Ownership is rich with practical frameworks, real-world examples, and actionable strategies that superintendents, principals, and educational innovators can immediately apply. The book explains how school districts, educational agencies, and mission-driven organizations can navigate a framework-unique to the Nation-that supports lasting transformational growth both internally and externally.

Above all, Super Ownership reminds us that leadership is a sacred trust. Barry's call to superintendents is clear: Own the mission and its outcomes and you will not only help elevate the schools and its students, but also the future of our nation.

By: John Barry
Imprint: Superownership Consulting
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 140mm, Spine: 16mm
Weight: 354g
ISBN: 9781966981138
ISBN 10: 1966981139
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 20 October 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

John L. Barry, Maj Gen, USAF (Ret), a highly honored educational and military leader, served as Superintendent of Aurora Public Schools from 2006-2013, overseeing 40,000 students, sixty schools, and a $500 million budget. Named Colorado's Superintendent of the Year, his team instituted Concurrent Enrollment in 2008 (college credit in the APS High Schools) that went nationwide. He has served as the Chairman of the Air Force Historical Foundation and Vice Chair of the National Aviation Hall of Fame. He is the former President and CEO of the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (WOTR) and President and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver (BGCMD). Prior to his educational career, he served in the United States Air Force for over thirty years as a fighter pilot, USAF veteran with 270 hours of combat time and Fighter Weapons School Graduate. He resides in Aurora, CO.

Reviews for Super Ownership: How Superintendents Can Elevate K-12 Systems

""According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United States has the 6th highest expenditure per K-12 pupil among its 38 developed nations. Yet, fully 27 OECD countries scored higher than the United States in the 2022 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) math scores. We do worse than nations with far smaller budgets, like Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Japan and South Korea spend less money per student than the United States, yet they saw higher achievement scores. Thus, it is time for us to give school superintendents the resources and autonomy they need to be successful and to hold them accountable for closing the achievement gap that jeopardizes America's future. John Barry's Super Ownership is a much-needed playbook on how to maximize their effectiveness in rescuing America's K-12 systems."" -Michael Poliakoff, President & Chief Executive Officer, American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) ""Super Ownership distills what we worked to cultivate in district leaders: clarity of purpose, disciplined execution, and the courage to align adults around student results. Drawing on a rare blend of military command, civic leadership, and instructional focus, John Barry offers a field guide that is both principled and practical-exactly what superintendents need when the stakes are highest."" -Tim Quinn & Shelley Keith, Managing Directors, The Broad Superintendent Academy ""In this timely book, you'll find the distilled wisdom of a proven commander and school superintendent-lessons that turn mission, ownership, accountability, and care for students into daily practice. A must-read for every school leader, especially school superintendents."" -Gen Ronald R. Fogleman, USAF (Ret), 15th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force