Declaring snow days, budgeting, completing administrative tasks and working with staff members and the Octorara Area School District (OASD) Board of Directors are just some of the responsibilities of Steven Leever, the OASD superintendent of schools. But what is most important to Leever is helping Octorara students succeed at school and in life. He also enjoys having the opportunity to interact with students directly. Leever, who was appointed superintendent in April of 2023 by the OASD Board of Directors, recently shared information about what his job entails with the Community Courier.

Community Courier: What are some of your job duties? 

Leever: As superintendent, the duties are many. First and foremost, superintendents are responsible for the educational and learning environment of our schools. This means a lot of work with other district leaders (directors, principals, etc.) to ensure that learning is the primary focus of what happens in our schools. There is leadership development, recruiting the next generation of teachers, problem solving and communicating with our community. We work with the board to develop and implement policies to support our students. Developing a budget for the district is a yearlong task, and the superintendent is heavily involved in finance. I would say close to half my time is spent in meetings where we are actioning all the things that make the fulfillment of our vision to empower students to build successful futures a reality.

Community Courier: What is a typical day like?

Leever: Every day is different. Recently, we have dealt with a lot of weather-related issues. There are many meetings to push forward the learning initiatives that we are engaged in. I met with members of the public, with two state representatives last week, with parents, teachers and even students. We spend a lot of time planning and executing the various things that will allow our schools to continuously improve. 

Community Courier: What would people be surprised to learn about your job?

Leever: I think they would be surprised at how much fun it can be to read to our primary students. It is one of the most enjoyable things I get to do. I think people would also be surprised at the number of things that schools are doing for the well-being of students, and they would likely be surprised to learn of the diversity of tasks that superintendents are involved in.

Community Courier: What is your favorite part of the job?

Leever: Being able to witness our kids realizing their dreams, building their own successful futures. We get to see when our hard work translates into student success. The feeling that maybe you had a small part in the success of a student is very gratifying.

Community Courier: What do you do in your spare time?

Leever: We love to travel, watch sports and take care of the yard. I was able to travel to all of the Major League Baseball parks with my son over about 10 years. My wife and I are currently on a quest to visit all 63 national parks. We have been to 20 so far, and it will take us a long time to get to them all. Bryce Canyon (National Park in Utah) has been my favorite so far.