Keyes Union School District

Position Title: Superintendent

Salary: $98,029 - $127,904

Closing Date: March 30, 2007

Downloads:

The Position

The Board of Education of the Keyes Union School District invites qualified educators with demonstrated strong leadership, communication and interpersonal skills to apply for the position of superintendent. The school district superintendent of the past 10 years is the newly elected superintendent of Stanislaus County.

The ideal candidate will be someone who is a strong leader who has demonstrated success in improving student achievement, the ability to lead the district’s facilities and construction program and the ability to work effectively with all segments of the school community.

The superintendent must be a “generalist” with experience in instruction, finance, budget, personnel, special education and cooperation with public agencies and the local community. The successful candidate will also be someone committed to becoming highly visible and involved in the Keyes community, schools and district work sites.

The Community

The Keyes Union School District is located in central California in Stanislaus County. The city of Keyes, with a population of 4,575 (2000 census) is off California State Highway 99, located between the larger cities of Ceres and Turlock.

California State University, Stanislaus is just a 5-minute drive away, while UC Merced and the University of the Pacific in Stockton, are within 40 minutes.

Keyes offers a myriad of recreational activities within close proximity to where people can enjoy swimming, boating, skiing and fishing at the nearby Modesto Reservoir, Turlock Lake, New Melones Lake and Lakes McClure and Don Pedro. Yosemite National Park and the high sierra are about one hour away. The San Francisco Bay is approximately 100 miles from Keyes.

Mission Statement

The Keyes Union School District is committed to providing students a quality, balanced education that promotes academic excellence, a positive learning experience in cooperation with the home and community while developing positive self-esteem and social skills necessary for maximizing their life-long potential.

The District

The Keyes Union School District has an enrollment of approximately 1,263 students, including charter schools. The Keyes Union School District serves the Keyes community, as well as parts of Ceres and Turlock. Schools with the district include the Keyes Head Start program and Keyes state preschool program, Keyes Elementary School (K-5), Barbara Spratling Middle School (6-8), and the Keyes to Learning Charter School (K-12).

The Head Start Program and the state preschool program are designed to service Pre-K students in the community.

Keyes Elementary School services approximately 580 students in grades K through 5. The school’s mission of developing life-long learners and productive citizens is manifested through a demanding curriculum taught by dedicated professional educators. Keyes Elementary is in its third year as a reading first school. The goal is to have all students reading at grade level by the end of third grade.

Barbara Spratling Middle School opened its doors on January 8, 2002. Spratling Middle School serves approximately 250 students in 6th through 8th grades. Students and staff are excited about establishing a middle school identity through curriculum, athletics and student activities. The eighth grade graduates attend Pitman High School in the Turlock School District.

Keyes to Learning Charter School services approximately 330 students and was the first charter school within the district and is a home/community based charter school. The district is proud of their successful charter education program.

The Keyes Union School district is proud of its educational tradition. The district is excited about the challenges and opportunities associated with new partnerships in education. Students strive to grow beyond the rising expectations with support from exemplary staff, involved parents, caring communities and supportive parent teacher clubs.

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
Experience as a superintendent desirable
District level administrative experience desirable

Personal Characteristics

Has high integrity and is honest, fair and trustworthy
Is a strong leader who is decisive and can make fair, consistent, and tough decisions
Accepts responsibility and holds staff and self accountable; follows through
Has strong communication skills; open and honest communications with the board, staff and community
Has the ability to create a district climate of cooperation and collaboration
Has a high level of energy and motivation; is proactive, organized, with a strong work ethic and professional Is a “people person” with strong interpersonal skills and has a sense of humor
Is accessible and easily approachable by students, staff’ and community members
Is highly visible and active in the community, schools, and work sites

Professional Skills and Abilities

Has strong leadership skills, is a person with courage who is willing to take risks to achieve educational excellence
Has a vision and a commitment to excellence in education and the leadership and management skills to articulate it, incorporate other points of view, build a consensus to support it and to decisively lead the district
Demonstrates decisive leadership in unifying the sites while maintaining appropriate site individuality
Has expertise in curriculum development, program planning and evaluation strategies which will result in high academic achievement
Is knowledgeable and experienced in managing district finances and resources in a responsible manner, as well as the ability to seek and find new funding sources
Has the ability to select, motivate, train and retain outstanding staff members
Has the ability to lead the district as it grows and plan for facilities, new construction, and modernization projects
Demonstrates an understanding of collective bargaining and the ability to create a positive climate in employer/employee relations

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 adviser at CSBA (916) 669-3297.

For duplication purposes, please do not bind application materials.

Applications are to be sent to:

Keyes Union School District
c/o Dr. Wendell Chun, Adviser
California School Boards Association
3100 Beacon Blvd., Suite Keyes
West Sacramento, CA 95691

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date, March 30, 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 Keyes Union 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 30, 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 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 Keyes Union School District Board of Education will offer a salary of $98,029-$127,904 plus fringe benefits (competitive and negotiable) 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.