We met with Mark Dubois, Superintendent of Western School Corporation and a proud member of our Kokomo CEO Board. Mark’s path to leadership looks a little different, with an MBA instead of a PhD, he approaches education through a business lens.
He walked us through the many moving parts of running a district, from managing multiple budgets to ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used wisely. “My job is to make smart decisions with taxpayers’ money.”
When it comes to leadership, Mark’s philosophy is simple but powerful: set the bar high and don’t lower it. He reminded us that failure is part of learning — but standards should never drop. “It’s okay to fail, but you don’t lower your standards.”
He also emphasized that strong leaders build strong teams. He reminded us that leadership means being part of the team; whether you’re driving results or, in his case during COVID, driving a school bus to help cover shortages.
“Whether you’re at the top or the bottom, you’re still part of a team. Leadership is a work in progress. There’s no end game. You’re always improving.”
