cation degree in school leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and subsequently accepted a position as assistant principal at Marlborough High School in Massachusetts. On September 11, 2001, Hardis was teaching in New York, on East 19th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues in Manhattan. Although a good distance from Ground Zero, events of that day are seared in his memory: My wife and my brother both worked just a couple of blocks from the World Trade Center and evacuated their buildings shortly after the second plane struck. Cell phones were relatively new at the time, and I remember frantically trying to reach them to find out if they were okay. The cell networks were all overloaded and it took what felt like an eternity to reach them. It was an incredible relief to know they were safely out of the vicinity and even more reassuring when my wife arrived at my school building. There is no busing for NYC public school students, so we waited with our students until late in the afternoon when the last child was picked up by his parents. From the first attack through the afternoon, it was hard to gain accurate information about what was really happening around us. Over and over again during that day, we heard what sounded like massive explosions, each of which shook the old, 12-foot windows on our school, which was built in 1889. I envisioned building after building being attacked by terrorists, but all I could see when looking out the classroom windows was the smoke from Ground Zero. These explosions turned out to be our Air Force jets’ breaking the sound barrier as they were scattered to protect New York’s airspace. I’ll never forget that dreadful feeling, believing that our city was under sustained attack. Another memory that sticks with me from that day was the disbelief on my students’ faces when I told them that the Twin Towers had collapsed. The idea that these fixtures of the city landscape were simply gone was very difficult for any of us to comprehend. I was very candid with my mid- dle school students that day, and in the months afterward, about what had occurred, why the United States had been attacked and by whom. Honesty and candor was always my approach to teaching history. In 2006, Hardis accepted the position of Beachwood High School principal. Looking back, he recalls that one of his first lessons learned was to be a straightforward and thoughtful communicator with students, parents and fellow staff. Over the next six years, Hardis excelled in his role as principal before being transitioned to the district’s central office as assistant superintendent, a transition he recalls as being humbling and sobering. He learned what it took to be an effective team member and gained a better understanding of the depth, breadth and high stakes of decision making at the district level. When discussing the district, Hardis feels grateful that the Beachwood community, residents and businesses alike, “consistently support our school system and give us the resources to provide programs for our students that far exceed what most schools our size can offer.” He also recognizes that the district’s staff is comprised of caring and talented educators who set a high standard for themselves; and that Beachwood students grow up in an environment “where parents and school staff operate as a team, protecting and guiding them so that our schools can be the dynamic, challenging, safe and respectful places we owe to our kids.” Hardis also explained that local school districts are often measured and compared by rankings and test scores, saying Beachwood has earned the reputation as a topnotch school system academically and for its steadfast commitment to the value of each individual student. When talking about the district’s student body and family dynamics, Hardis said, ‘’Anyone with kids in the Beachwood schools, especially Bryden and Hilltop, knows that Beachwood’s student population is wonderfully diverse. Our families hail from more than 40 countries around the world. Many of my kids’ friends or their parents were born outside the United States. Excellent jobs drew them to Cleveland. The cultural, religious, racial and linguistic diversity of Beachwood’s families are valuable assets to this community. “Beachwood also enjoys the legacy of multiple generations of families choosing to live here, giving our community a sense of rootedness that is hard to match. As superintendent, I want to leverage the amazing opportunities presented by both of these community dynamics.” As superintendent, Hardis looks forward to being visible by frequently being in the classrooms and cafeterias, and by attending concerts, sporting events and support organization meetings. Outside of his work responsibilities, Hardis said he enjoys spending time with family and friends. He and his wife walk the family Lab around the neighborhood and like to take on home and yard projects. When the weather is nice, Hardis is often found shooting baskets with his kids, reportedly with a minimum of trash talk. In closing, Hardis said, “Some people told us we were crazy to consider living in the community in which I work, but they were all wrong. My best connection to our district’s kids is through my own kids’ friendships and activities. As parents, my wife and I are thankful that our kids’ friendships form naturally with kids from a variety of backgrounds. Their lives, and ours, continue to be enriched from the experience.” And, of course we asked Hardis when he thinks a Cleveland sports team will win a championship. His response? “LeBron and Co. will be NBA champs in 2016. You can take that to the bank!” August 2015 n Beachwood Buzz 9