Making digital
media work in
school leadership
A California
superintendent goes
undercover to tell a
district’s story
Whether you fit into the classifica-
tion of Baby Boomer or Generation X, Y, or
Z, or any other letter in the alphabet, you
no doubt recognize digital media has upped
the game in an effort to vie for your atten-
tion. A growing and popular media is digital
storytelling.
As an incoming superintendent, I had
an ambition to better engage the Desert
Sands Unified School District’s 29,000 stu-
dents, 2,700 staff, and countless community
members. What started as a simple ambi-
tion to celebrate employees has evolved into
a partnership with DIGICOM Learning
and Indio High School’s Institute of Media
Production Arts and Creative Technol-
ogy career pathway students. Through this
partnership, IMPACT students receive
real-world experience in digital video pro-
duction and storytelling with guidance and
support from DIGICOM Learning, which
is headed by David Vogel, former president
of the Walt Disney Motion Picture Group.
Admittedly, the popular television se-
ries Undercover Boss always pulled on my
heartstrings. Thus, it made sense that I use
12
Leadership
Undercover Boss as the title of my video se-
ries, with my ambition to recognize employ-
ees mirroring that of the television series.
Knowing that there may be some copyright
concerns, I contacted the show’s producer. I
soon discovered that, on the advisement of
their legal counsel, I would not be able to
borrow the Undercover Boss title. “Not So
Undercover Sup” was born. In this video
series, I join my faithful sidekick, Public
Information Officer Mary Perry, under an
assumed alias as an intern. Together, we in-
filtrate various departments wearing a not so
undercover disguise. Our inaugural episode
featured staff from the district’s Nutrition
Services department. As an “intern” in that
department, I quickly learn that preparing
24,000 meals per day is a daunting task.
Once the first episode was finished, a red-
carpet premiere was held for the board of
education and the video’s cast and crew.
The second episode, which featured
transportation personnel, was premiered at
the fall convocation in front of all staff. The
By Scott Bailey