Position Title: Superintendent

Salary: $138,000

Closing Date: April 25, 2007

Downloads:

• Job Application
• Job Brochure

The Position

The Board of Trustees of the Hanford Elementary School District invites candidates to apply for the position of superintendent of schools. The board is seeking a dynamic, visionary and experienced leader to continue our tradition of stable and effective leadership and governance. He/she must possess exceptional skills in communication, leadership, educational administration, curriculum and instruction and a passion for excellence. Our ideal candidate will embrace our vision and our district culture.

We are seeking a leader with the ability to continue to promote an atmosphere of integrity, trust and accountability at all levels. We are committed to establishing a strong governance team with our new superintendent. All five school board members are graduates of CSBA’s Masters in Governance program.

The Community

Our community is located in the heart of California’s rich San Joaquin Valley in Kings County. We are approximately two hundred (200) miles from the Los Angeles area to the south and the San Francisco or Sacramento areas to the north. Our central location allows access to a wide variety of housing, recreational and cultural options.

Hanford is a wonderful place to live and work. We are a growing community that supports and cares about families and children. Housing is affordable and available.

We offer an excellent quality of life for our residents.Hanford is a historic community that appreciates our rich history as well as the new growth opportunities available. Our downtown area is anchored by the historic Court House Square and includes the historic Kings County Courthouse, The Bastille, The Artesia Hotel building, our Old Fashioned Carousel, the Carnegie Museum and Hanford’s Fox Theatre.

For more information about our community, please visit the Hanford Chamber of Commerce at www.hanfordchamber.com or the Conference and Visitor’s Agency at www.visithanford.com or the City of Hanford official Web site at www.ci.hanford.ca.us.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide an educational environment which reinforces basic cultural values, ethical behavior including respect for others, personal integrity, responsibility and accountability. We will work together to provide students with a safe environment in which they can discover their potential and strengthen their motivation for living and learning. As tomorrow’s leaders, students will be prepared to participate and function effectively in society.

The District

We are proud of our nine elementary schools and two junior high schools and the 5, 500 students we serve. We serve a diverse and dynamic student population that includes 64 percent Hispanic, 24 percent Caucasian, 8 percent African-American, 1 percent Asian, 1 percent Pacific Islander, 1 percent Filipino and 1 percent Other students. They are served by 330 certificated and 351 classified employees. The district has a General Fund budget of $46 million. The Hanford Educational Foundation and active parent clubs provide additional financial support to the schools.

Woodrow Wilson Junior High School (1994) and Washington Elementary (2004) have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools. The District API for 2006 is 690, an improvement of 19 points from the 2005 Base API of 671. Special programs include after school programs at all 9 elementary schools, the Character Counts character education program, a district PE/wellness program, elementary school counseling and preschool classes operated in collaboration with Kings Community Action Organization.

School facilities are a source of pride in Hanford Elementary School district with four new schools built in the last 10 years. The district passed school bonds in 1993 and 1998.

Please visit our district Web site at www.hesd.k12.ca.us to learn about our schools and our district.

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

• Master’s degree and Administrative Credential required
  
• Principal experience required
  
• Classroom teaching experience required
  
• District level administrative experience desirable
  
• Experience as a superintendent desirable

Personal Characteristics

• Is honest, trustworthy, fair and has the highest level of integrity and ethics
  
• Is a strong leader who is decisive, directive, inclusive and/or collaborative as appropriate to the decision
  
• Is highly visible and active in the community, schools and worksites
  
• Is a people person with strong public and interpersonal skills and a sense of humor
  
• Is a team builder who recognizes the abilities and contributions of all district staff and motivates them toward excellence
  
• Has an open door policy, treats people with respect and has excellent listening skills to enable staff, parents and community members to debate district issues and concerns
  
• Is accessible and approachable by students, staff, employees, and community members
  
• Is sensitive and responsive to the educational needs and concerns of ethnic, cultural, special needs and socioeconomic groups
  
• Has a high level of energy and motivation; is proactive, organized, with a strong work ethic and professional demeanor
  
• Is committed to the Hanford Elementary School district and the larger Hanford community

Professional Skills and Abilities

• Has strong curriculum development skills and a commitment to academic excellence, a record of increasing student achievement, and success in closing the achievement gap between ethnic, socioeconomic and culturally diverse students
  
• Is an instructional leader with a vision of where the district might go and what the district might become; has the ability to articulate the vision, incorporate other points of view, build a consensus to support it and to decisively lead the district
  
• Is a strong leader who is decisive and can make fair, consistent and tough decisions; focuses on what’s in the best interests of students
  
• Has an in-depth understanding and knowledge of school budgeting and exercises fiscal responsibility
  
• Has excellent communication skills, both oral and written and a record of effective communication with staff, board and the community
  
• Has the ability to work openly with the board to ensure that its members receive all relevant information, advice and recommendations necessary to make informed decisions
  
• Is knowledgeable and skilled in negotiations and the ability to create a positive climate in employer/employee relations
  
• Has the ability to select, motivate, train and retain outstanding staff members
  
• Is knowledgeable in effective programs for English Learners
  
• Is knowledgeable in special education programs, its issues and trends

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:

Hanford Elementary School District
c/o Wendell Chun and Molly McGee Hewitt, Advisers
California School Boards Association
3100 Beacon Blvd., Suite Hanford
West Sacramento, CA 95691

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date, April 25, 2007 (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 Hanford Elementary 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 25, 2007 (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 member of the board with the intent of influencing the board’s decision will be disqualified.

Travel expenses for candidates will be the responsibility of the candidate.

Salary and Contract Terms

The Hanford Elementary School District Board of Education will offer an annual salary of $138,000, plus fringe benefits.

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