Position Title: Superintendent

Salary: $153,000 – $185,000

Closing Date: March 3, 2008

Downloads:

• Job Application
• Job Brochure

The Position

The Alvord Unified School District Board of Education seeks a Superintendent who will build on the achievements and leadership of the District. The Board expects to provide a superior education for all students and prepare them for the challenges of the 21st century. Applicants who are visionary leaders with pragmatic skills and strategies to achieve excellence among students, staff and the community are urged to apply.

The Community

Riverside is the heart of one of the fastest growing areas in California. Riverside’s proximity to larger cities like Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Diego, as well as the mountains and beaches of the region, attract many people.
Visitors and newcomers are taken by the City’s distinct sense of place, an identity that delineates it from the suburban sprawl that otherwise defines much of the region. The City of Riverside has been designated as one of the most livable mid-size cities in America. It is a vibrant, yet peaceful city of strong, affordable neighborhoods, and a multi-cultural city of arts and culture. It has been a popular resort since the turn of the century, and is rich in carefully preserved history and tradition. Riverside is a thriving city full of economic opportunity.

Riverside is the twelfth largest city in California with an unusually large number of cultural and recreational amenities, such as: the Riverside Art Museum, Riverside Metropolitan Museum, UCR’s California Museum of Photography and the March Field Air Museum. The Riverside County Philharmonic Orchestra, California Riverside Ballet, Riverside Little Opera Company, Community Playhouse, Performance Riverside and three hundred volunteer organizations provide options to suit every interest. Twenty-one city parks and four nearby regional parks cover hundreds of acres. 

The City of Riverside has launched a community-driven strategic planning process, including a general plan update. Riverside has significantly redeveloped its beautiful, historic downtown (which is anchored by the world famous historic Mission Inn Hotel), launched one of two downtown wireless malls in California, and embraced multiple green-oriented environmental strategies. The City also boasts four institutions of higher learning: University of California at Riverside, Cal Baptist University, La Sierra University, and Riverside Community College, with a student population of over 40,000, which make major contributions, not only to the intellectual assets of the community, but to the cultural and economic base as well.

The District

The Alvord Unified School District is nestled in Southern California’s Inland Empire and serves approximately 20,000 students. Covering roughly 30 square miles, the District serves the western portion of the City of Riverside and a small portion of eastern Corona, including unincorporated surrounding county areas. Alvord is named after William Alvord, a land investor who was involved in the early development of the area in the 1870’s.

The demographics of the District are as follows: 71.8 percent Hispanic, 15.4 percent White, 4.4 percent African American, 3.3 percent Asian, 2.5 percent Other, 1.7 percent Filipino, 0.5 percent Pacific Islander and 0.4 percent Native American. Over fifty percent of District students are considered English learners, and 64.6 percent receive free/reduced price meals.  In addition, 21.9 percent of graduates are eligible for UC-CSU admissions, and the District’s current one-year drop out rate is at 1.1 percent.

Community support through the prior passage of a $57 million bond measure, State support through the California school facility program hardship funding, and the most recent 2007 Measure H $196 million bond measure, have made construction of new schools and classrooms, the building of a new high school to relieve overcrowding and the modernization of all school sites feasible.

Alvord Unified is supported by a strong educational community that includes parents, students, staff, local businesses, community members (including the Alvord Educational Foundation) and the extremely active and dedicated PTA Council. Currently, there are fourteen K-5 elementary schools (9 on multi-track year-round and 5 on traditional calendars), four 6-8 traditional middle schools, two 9-12 comprehensive high schools, and one continuation high school, an alternative education center and an adult education program. Support is provided to the community and ever growing student population through 4 service centers. The District employs more than 900 teachers and 700 classified and non-teaching support staff. Teachers, support staff and administrators work closely with parents and the community to create an excellent learning environment.

Alvord has a reputation for maintaining high academic standards and innovative learning environments for all students and is constantly improving curriculum and instruction as prescribed by State standards. The teachers in Alvord are trained in effective teaching practices through on-going professional development programs that play a major role in the effort to build and maintain quality educational programs. The Alvord Unified School District looks confidently toward a time of continued growth, educational achievement and academic excellence.

Selection Criteria

The following criteria represent standards to be used in the evaluation of applications and in the selection of the Superintendent.

• Professional Experience and Preparation
• Classroom teaching experience required
• Experience as an Assistant Superintendent and/or
• Superintendent required
• School site and district level administrative experience required
• California Teaching and Administrative Credential or eligibility for California certification is desired
• Experience as a K-12 administrator desired
• Doctorate desired
• Bilingual (Spanish) preferred

Personal Characteristics

• Has the courage to do what is right for kids
• Demonstrates a strong sense of ethics, including honesty and fairness
• Has collaborative, inclusive leadership style; involves staff and community in the decision making process
• A “people person” who is approachable, accessible, possesses exceptional empathetic listening skills and can effectively communicate both verbally and in writing, with all stakeholders
• Works to build a climate of trust
• Ability to bring people together to work toward a common goal
• Possesses a strong work ethic; gets things done; follows through on commitments
• Honest and forthright; a person of integrity and trustworthiness
• A proactive and creative problem solver who has the courage to deal with difficult issues
• A visionary, future-oriented leader who is able to take the District to its next steps of development
• Is adaptable, fair, affable and open-minded with actions demonstrating that students are the focus of decision-making
• An enthusiastic and energetic team player and team builder who recognizes the abilities and contributions of all

Professional Skills and Abilities

• A strong instructional leader with experience working in a school district with the challenges and diversity of the Alvord Unified School District
• Hold high standards of achievement for all students
• Has expertise in fiscal matters that allows for the oversight of the budget, supervision of the budget development process and long-range fiscal planning in an environment of shrinking enrollments
• Able to build strong coalitions and partnerships with all segments of the community, including business and local government agencies
• Develops trusting relationships throughout the system by holding people accountable, yet recognizing and celebrating success and excellence
• Has demonstrated background of understanding state and federal mandates (including NCLB, program improvement, English language learning, response to intervention and special education) and knows how to successfully meet their requirements
• Is an effective communicator who establishes formal and informal methods of communicating with all stakeholders on a regular basis
• Experienced in successfully building and maintaining positive relationships with employee associations/unions and their leadership
• Understands facilities issues and supports a strong maintenance program

Board/Superintendent Relationships

• Open and honest with the Board; provides leadership to build a strong governance team
• Works openly with the Board to ensure that its members receive all information about the operations of the school’s and District’s personnel issues before the Board hears about them from the community, including advice
• and recommendations necessary to make informed decisions
• Works effectively and efficiently to implement Board actions, foster a common vision and commitment, maintain a strong governance team model, and establish strong Superintendent/Board relations
• Works well with Board members individually and collectively- understands how an effective governance team works and provides direction and support to all members
  

Application Procedure

All applications will be held strictly confidential.  Each applicant is requested to follow the procedures listed below.  Those applicants wishing additional information should contact the CSBA adviser at (916) 669-3297.  For duplication purposes, please do not bind application materials.

Applications are to be sent to: Alvord Unified School District
c/o Dr. Gilbert G. García, Executive Search Consultant California School Boards Association,Executive Search Services
3100 Beacon Blvd., Suite Alvord West Sacramento, CA  95691

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date, March 3, 2008 (5:00 p.m.), to be considered:

• A completed Application Information Form.  (Please complete as instructed; do not complete by stating “see attached résumé”.)  The Application Information Form and brochure may be downloaded via CSBA’s Web page at www.csba.org
• A personal letter of application stating reasons for interest in the Alvord Unified School District Superintendent position
• A résumé providing biographical background information about educational preparation, experience and achievements
• A placement file and/or five (5) current letters of professional references describing the applicant’s performance in previously held positions

It is the applicant’s responsibility to arrange to have placement papers or reference letters forwarded in time to meet the March 3, 2008 (5:00 p.m.) deadline.  Additional brochures may be requested by calling the CSBA 24-hour Brochure Request Line at (916) 669-3296.

Selection Procedure

A professional screening committee will evaluate the qualifications of each applicant. The Board and the screening committee will use the described criteria during the screening, interviewing and final decision-making process.  After receiving and studying the report of the screening committee, the Board will select and interview the top candidates. 

The Board will select candidates for the final interviews, conduct the interviews and select the Superintendent.  Any applicant who contacts a Board member with the intent of influencing the Board’s decision will be disqualified.

Travel expenses for those candidates selected for interviews will be the responsibility of the candidate.  

Salary and Contract Terms

The Alvord Unified School District Board of Education will offer a salary range of $153,000.00 - $185,000.00 plus fringe benefits to the successful candidate, based on that individual’s experience and qualifications. The Board intends to offer a multi-year contract.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to provide the District with employment eligibility and verification of citizenship in compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

Board of Education