By all measures, Florence, South Dakota is a small town—with a population hovering around 400 and a single school district serving the entire community. But what’s happening inside Florence School District 14-1 is anything but small, thanks to the visionary leadership of Superintendent Reed Mitchell. A South Dakota Hall of Fame Act of Excellence honoree, author of Cardboard Confessionals, and motivational speaker, Mitchell is proving that deep community connections, bold innovation, and a heartfelt commitment to students can create transformative change—even in the most rural settings.
Over the past decade, Florence’s student population has grown by an astounding 40 percent. For Mitchell, that growth is both a point of pride and a logistical puzzle. “Every school district has problems,” he admits. “I guess I’ll take the problems we’ve got, but they’re problems nonetheless.” Chief among those challenges is a limited tax base to support necessary capital improvements and the need for staffing that keeps pace with enrollment.
Yet Mitchell refuses to let constraints define his district. Instead, he focuses on what matters most: building relationships and creating opportunities for every student to thrive.
When COVID-19 disrupted traditional learning, Florence faced not just academic setbacks but social and emotional ones as well. “We really took steps back during COVID,” Mitchell reflects. “It’s hard to put in interventions for social interaction, especially with the rise of technology… We’re starting to see the ramifications of that.” Recognizing the toll of isolation and screen time, his team has prioritized smaller class sizes, targeted interventions, and a positive environment where students feel seen and supported.
The heartbeat of Mitchell’s leadership is personalization. In Florence, he says, “we really strive to make sure that every student has something that they can be involved in.” Whether it’s esports, trap shooting, Future Farmers of America, or culinary arts, students have countless avenues to connect and contribute. One new program, ProStart, has students entering culinary competitions at the state level. “I wasn’t invited—for good reason,” Mitchell jokes. “I can taste it, but the cooking thing’s not really for me.”
This sense of humor is part of what makes Mitchell so approachable. He’s the kind of superintendent who regularly visits kindergarten classrooms just to give high-fives. “On tough days, I sneak down to the kindergarten room, give about 15 high-fives and a couple hugs, and then I’m right back at it. It gives you a why.”
His leadership style is rooted in empathy and fueled by a belief in the potential of every student. That belief inspired his book, Cardboard Confessionals, a project born from a sociology assignment involving seven high schoolers who answered deeply personal questions like “What makes a meaningful life?” and “What is something you’ve given up on?” Their candid responses revealed hidden struggles and unexpected wisdom. “All people that we come across every day have a story, and it’s worth getting to know that story,” Mitchell says. “The first step to helping them is to understand what they’re going through.”
The project grew into a speaking platform that has touched audiences well beyond the classroom—from teachers and students to nurses and financial planners. Mitchell’s message is clear: connection, understanding, and storytelling are the keys to meaningful leadership and education.
Even as Florence navigates the challenges of modern education—from learning loss to the complexities of AI—Mitchell remains both practical and hopeful. “AI’s not going anywhere,” he says. “We’re trying to teach kids the appropriate way to use it… and make sure they’re still learning the material they need. It’s confusing and hard to toe that line, but that’s what we’re trying to do.”
In an era when public trust in education has taken a hit, Mitchell is actively working to shift the narrative. He’s a vocal supporter of South Dakota’s “Public School Strong” campaign, which aims to spotlight success stories and counter negative perceptions. “There’s so many good things happening… but we tend to not focus on them,” he explains. “We do good work building relationships with students and giving them a platform to succeed.”
That platform, Mitchell believes, is especially powerful in small districts like his own. “I don’t think I’d trade it for much,” he says. “Here in a small district, I can serve kids every single day.”
Whether he’s guiding policy, expanding career and technical programs, or simply handing out high-fives in the hallway, Reed Mitchell exemplifies what it means to lead with heart, humility, and hope. His story is proof that big impact doesn’t require a big city—just big commitment.
Catch the full conversation with Reed Mitchell on the Education Leadership Edge podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube.