Position Title: Superintendent

Salary: $150,000

Closing Date: July 5, 2007

Downloads:

• Job Application
• Job Brochure

The Position

The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board invites qualified educators with demonstrated strong leadership, communication and interpersonal skills to apply for the position of superintendent. The school district superintendent for the past nine years is retiring.

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

The superintendent must be able to demonstrate success in instruction, finance, budget, facility construction, personnel, special/alternative education and the ability to cooperate with public agencies and the local community. The successful candidate will also be someone committed to becoming highly visible and involved in the community, schools and district work sites.

The Community

Paso Robles is a community located in a beautiful setting of oak trees, rolling hills and vineyards midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco on the scenic central coast of California. The city is thirty miles east of Hearst Castle and the Pacific Ocean, just north of San Luis Obispo. Cal Poly State University, Cuesta Community College and a multitude of cultural events are in the county. The area offers a wealth of recreational activities and enjoys a smog-free climate.

The city of Paso Robles continues to grow with hundreds of new family homes under construction. Paso Robles has also grown economically as new businesses have opened. In addition, the Downtown Association has promoted the revitalization of the downtown. Agriculture, wineries and tourism are the economic foundation of the area.

Paso Robles reflects many characteristics of small town America. As it is growing, effort is being expanded to collaborate and cooperate with the district and other agencies for the benefit of all members of the community.

By utilizing shared resources and planning together, the community is benefitting economically. Students become the benefactors of this cooperation.

The District

Paso Robles public schools encompass an area of 600 square miles and serves approximately 6,900 students from the communities of Paso Robles, San Miguel and San Luis Obispo County. The district has six elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school (9-12), as well as continuation and alternative schools. The district’s special education programs are excellent.

There are 377 certificated personnel, 26 administrators and 303 classified staff members. The current budget is $52 million. The ethnicity of the student body is 55% White, 36% Hispanic and 9% Other. English learners make up 20% of the students, compensatory education 34% and 36% are on free/reduced price meals.

The district’s instructional program is child-centered and focused on providing a quality education for all students. Paso Robles offers students a number of innovative programs. These include: dual-immersion (K-12), English acquisition program, English immersion, endeavor program, culinary arts program, agriculture, college bound programs (AVID, MESA, CalSOAP, and advanced placement), fine arts/visual performing arts, and applied technology. There is also an extensive extra-curricular program.

The district enjoys support from its community agencies and various stakeholder groups. Bond issues have passed and have been used for construction of facilities and modernization. District facilities are attractive and well maintained.

Selection Criteria

The Board of Education is actively seeking staff and community involvement in the superintendent selection process. Finalists will be provided with data and information from this process before interviews are held.

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

Professional Experience and Preparation

• Master’s degree required and doctorate desirable.
  
• Successful experience as a site administrator and as a teacher.
  
• Successful experience as a superintendent, deputy, or assistant superintendent.
  
• Successful experience with a diverse district (i.e. socioeconomic, ethnic, literacy and multi-cultural).

Personal Characteristics

The board and the community anticipate that the successful candidate will be one who:

• A person who is highly visible and communicates regularly and openly with all segments of the district and community.
  
• A person with qualities of courage, foresight, integrity, passion, compassion and forthrightness with staff, parents, students, community and the board.
  
• A self-confident, creative, sensitive, honest, trustworthy person with a willingness to listen, to be receptive to new ideas and to be responsive.
  
• Accepts responsibility and holds staff and self accountable.
  
• Has the ability to create a district climate of cooperation and collaboration.
  
• A people-person with strong interpersonal skills, sense of humor and approachable.

Professional Skills and Abilities

• Has strong leadership skills and is a person with courage who is willing to take risks to achieve educational excellence.
  
• Has the ability to lead the district as it grows and plans for facilities, new construction, modernization, bond campaigns and site acquisition.
  
• Has expertise in the following areas: (1) high academic achievement; (2) fiscal management; (3) ability to select, train and retain outstanding staff members; and (4) understands collective bargaining with the ability to create a positive climate in employer/employee relations.
  
• Has a vision and a commitment to excellence in education and the leadership skills to articulate it.
  
• Incorporates diverse points of view, builds consensus and leads the district forward.
  
• Is an effective communicator who establishes formal and informal methods with all stakeholders on a regular basis.
  
• Develops trusting relationships throughout the system by holding people accountable, yet recognizes and celebrates success and excellence.
  
• Is able to build strong coalitions and partnerships with all segments of the community including business, local government and agencies.
  
• Has knowledge of regulations, research and best practices in working with English learners, special needs and gifted students.
  
• Has knowledge concerning the provision of differentiated curriculum and instruction to meet the needs of all students.

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:

Paso Robles Joint Unified School District
c/o Dr. Cynthia Grennan, Adviser
California School Boards Association
3100 Beacon Blvd., Suite Paso Robles
West Sacramento, CA 95691

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date, July 5, 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 Paso Robles Joint 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 July 5, 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 of respected education leaders 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 the candidates for the initial interview. Travel expenses for those candidates selected for the initial interview will be the responsibility of the candidate.

The board will select candidates for the final interviews and make the selection of the superintendent. Any applicant who contacts the board with the intent of influencing the board’s decision will be disqualified.

Salary and Contract Terms

The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board of Education will offer a multi-year contract of $150,000 (competitive and negotiable), plus fringe benefits 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.

Board of Education