Benicia Unified School District

Position Title: Superintendent

Salary: Competitive and Negotiable

Closing Date: April 17, 2007

Downloads:

The Position

The governing board of the Benicia Unified School district seeks a successful experienced leader to serve as its next superintendent. The individual must have the ability to establish an atmosphere of trust to unify all segments of the school district and community. The new leader must have a proven record of being inclusive and regularly keeping stakeholders informed of district operations. The ideal candidate will have had a variety of educational experiences at many levels and should be willing to become a part of the community in order to achieve buy-in from community members.

The Community

The Benicia Unified School District is located in the San Francisco Bay Area, adjacent to the Carquinez Strait. This waterfront city is noted for it’s small town charm, history and quality of life. Founded in 1850, Benicia is a “main street” community that is family friendly. It was voted by a recent San Francisco Chronicle survey as the No. 1 place to raise a family in the Bay Area.

Our community, while predominantly residential, offers a downtown area complete with commercial boutiques and social venues. We are proud of our Avante Garde Artist Section, strong industrial base and our attractive parks and waterfront areas. Benicia is a delightful place to live and raise a family.

Located in northern California, Benicia is situated within driving distance to San Francisco, Sacramento, the wine country and the Sierra Nevada mountains. For more information about our community and housing, please visit the Benicia Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center at www.beniciachamber.com.

Mission Statement

By building bridges throughout our historical, culturally-rich and supportive community, our mission is to prepare all students for a successful future in a safe learning environment with diverse opportunities, enriched curriculum and high expectations.

Our Beliefs

We believe…
…our children are our future
…each individual has unique strengths, capabilities and talents
…each person has value
…in striving for a personal best
…in taking personal responsibility
…in life long learning
…in support and respect
…in continuous improvement
…in honesty and integrity
…in providing the opportunity for everyone to reach his or her potential
…knowledge is empowering
…education is essential to the future

The District

Our district consistently has the highest Academic Performance Index and scores the highest Scholastic Achievement Scores in Solano County. Many of our schools have been identified as California Distinguished Schools. School Match, Inc. has rated Benicia schools in the top 15 percent of all school districts nationwide.

The district has four elementary schools, one middle school, a comprehensive high school, a continuation high school, and a federal, state and locally supported preschool program. Our schools and programs serve approximately 5025 students in grades pre-K through adult education. Our professional staff includes more than 305 certificated teachers and 190 regular classified employees. Our district annual budget is approximately $39 million dollars.

To learn more about our district our school sites, please visit our Web site at www.benicia.k12.ca.us.

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
Site and district level experience highly desirable
Master’s degree required
California Teaching and Administrative Credential required or must be eligible for California certification

Personal Characteristics

Is respectful of differing opinions
Has a collaborative, inclusive leadership style; involves staff and community in the decision making process
Demonstrates a strong sense of ethics, including honesty and fairness
Demonstrates an appreciation for learning by being a lifelong learner
Enjoys being part of the community in which they work
Is approachable and accessible
Has the courage to do what is right for kids

Professional Skills and Abilities

Is an effective communicator who establishes formal and informal methods of communicating with all stakeholders on a regular basis
Is a good listener and responsive to input
Understands the power of technology as a tool and has demonstrated experience in this field
Has a good understanding of district finances and budget systems
Develops trusting relationships throughout the system by holding people accountable, yet recognizing and
Is a creative and resourceful leader with a good sense of humor
Has been involved in or lead a district in developing a comprehensive strategic plan
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:

Benicia Unified School District
c/o Barry Reed, Adviser
California School Boards Association
3100 Beacon Blvd., Suite BENICIA
West Sacramento, CA 95691

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date, April 17th (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/es
A personal letter of application stating reasons for interest in the Benicia 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 April 17th (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 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. The Superintendent Selection Advisory Committee will interview the final candidates and report the perceived strengths and weaknesses to the board. The board members will then conduct final 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 the initial interview will be the responsibility of the candidate.

Salary and Contract Terms

The Benicia Unified School district Board of Education will offer a competitive and negotiable contract to the successful candidate, based on that individual’s experience and qualifications.

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.