A superintendent is a leader, a role model, a top facilitator, a mentor. But most importantly, he or she is a servant.

If indeed Michael Snopkowski is any or all of those, then the Eastern Lancaster County (ELANCO) School District is in pretty good hands.

"If that's how the community sees me, then I couldn't ask for anything more," said Snopkowski, who's been ELANCO School District's superintendent for four years. "I don't think people get into education to kill time between summer vacations. Our teachers work very hard to create an environment so our children can pursue their dreams and aspirations. I really feel very positively that this community supports what's happening in our schools. Our teachers and parents are making sacrifices for our kids all the time."

Among Snopkowski's duties as superintendent are working closely with and implementing policies developed by the school board, managing staff and students, serving as a liaison between the school district and the community, overseeing budgets and generally being the face of the school district. A superintendent is also responsible for the direction of the school district.

"My biggest responsibility is to make sure our kids, our teachers and our staff are safe at school," said Snopkowski. "We are entrusted with parents' most prized possessions. My responsibilities are kind of varied, but they include supporting teachers and the administration to help students learn. My job is to serve every member of our school community and to make sure we are appropriate stewards of the things we are given."

Formally founded in 1954, ELANCO School District comprises Blue Ball Elementary School, Brecknock Elementary School, New Holland Elementary School, ELANCOnline Virtual Academy, Garden Spot Middle School and Garden Spot High School. A member of the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13, the school district serves about 2,530 students in kindergarten through 12th grade who reside in New Holland Borough, Terre Hill Borough, Caernarvon Township, Earl Township, Brecknock Township and East Earl Township.

"Those students are our community's children," said Snopkowski. "They're as diverse as our community is. They represent their parents. We have a lot of families in our district who own private farms. We have parents who work in Lancaster. What I see on a daily basis is kids coming to school with a hope and desire to make themselves better. They want to be around people who know them and respect them. We know that education can be very challenging, and we know that life can be challenging."

ELANCO School District employs more than 400 workers, including 260 full-time teachers, as well as administrators and support staff. The school district also utilizes outside sources for additional support staff in areas like transportation and food services.

"We have teachers who work incredibly hard," said Snopkowski. "We as a district really believe in what we're doing. Education impacts our children. I don't know anything in the world more important than the students in our classrooms. I know we're not perfect, but we want to do the absolute best we can. We're here for the service of parents and their children. I would encourage people to get involved and stay involved."

A native of North Tonawanda, N.Y., Snopkowski has an extensive education career that includes stints as a teacher, coach, athletic director, assistant principal and principal. He came to ELANCO School District in 2022 after serving as an assistant superintendent in the Avon Grove School District.

"I've been very fortunate throughout my career to have different roles in education," said Snopkowski, a father of five who resides in Chester County. "You learn from what you experience. My approach to this role is that whenever I make a decision, I want to keep the child at the center of it. If I have to do something, it has to be for the benefit of a child."

"As a school district, our job is to reflect our community, and this is a strong community in eastern Lancaster County," continued Snopkowski. "We're in an outstanding position financially, and that allows us to meet our students' needs in a variety of ways. I think overall, we as a school district could always do better. But we really believe in what we're doing."

For additional information, go to http://www.elanco.org.