Position Title: Superintendent

Salary: $90,000 – $105,000

Closing Date: April 13, 2007

Downloads:

• Job Application
• Job Brochure

The Position

The Board of Trustees of the Siskiyou Union High School District is seeking an outstanding administrator to become our new superintendent of schools. Our ideal candidate will embrace our community and become a valued member of our leadership team.

We are seeking an experienced and visionary leader with exceptional organizational and interpersonal skills. He or she must have a collaborative and inclusive management style that builds partnerships and cooperative relationships. He or she must possess a strong understanding of curriculum and instruction as well as the ability to manage the challenges of a small, rural high school district. Experience in human resources, school finance and facilities is also required.

Our District has a history of stable leadership and a positive board/superintendent relationship. It is our goal to continue this tradition. We operate as a team with a focus on our students, schools, employees and the communities we serve. Our new superintendent will be a valued and active leader who will participate in local civic organizations and activities.

The Community

Our schools are located in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Siskiyou county. We are a world renowned community that offers a wonderful living environment and unlimited opportunities for recreation and a positive family life.

The communities served by our district are as diverse as Siskiyou County. Happy Camp, to the west, is dominated by the Siskiyou Mountains to the north and the Marble Mountain Recreational Areas to the south. Between these mountains and through Happy Camp flows the Klamath River.

The schools in the southeastern part of the district—McCloud, Mount Shasta, Weed, and Jefferson—are in open valleys surrounded by coniferous forests and lofty, often snow-covered mountains. Dominating the entire landscape is Mount Shasta, a 14,162 foot strato-volcano, well-known for its recreational opportunities and scenic beauty.

The district office is located in the city of Mount Shasta. The city and surrounding areas offer a full complement of services and businesses that include a hospital as well as medical, dental, optical and pharmaceutical services.

The Mount Shasta Ski Park, Lake Siskiyou and Castle Crags State Park are only minutes away and offer a wide variety of outdoor and year round recreational opportunities. Our communities are a paradise for lovers of the outdoors. We are a family-friendly community that cares about our citizens, our students and our natural resources.

A wide-range of cultural activities are available through the college of the Siskiyous, eight miles north of the district office, and in Ashland, Oregon, at the Southern Oregon University and the Shakespearean Festival. We are also an hour’s drive from Shasta Lake and the Redding area.

For information about our communities and housing, please visit these Web sites:

Siskiyou County Communities
www.co.siskiyou.ca.us

Dunsmuir Chamber of Commerce
www.dunsmuir.com

Business and Professional Chamber of Commerce of McCloud
www.mcloud.ca.com

Mount Shasta Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
www.mtshasta.com/chamber/chamber.html

Weed Chamber of Commerce
www.weedchamber.com

Siskiyou County Board of Realtors
www.siskiyoucountyrealtors.com

Our Future

Our district has been actively looking forward to and planning for the future. Please visit our district Web site at: http://siskuhsd2.sisnet.ssku.k12.ca.us/ to learn more about our envisioning the future project and to view our strategic plans.

The District

The schools, while rather small by most standards today, offer a wide-range of classes, including not only those required for University of California admissions but also numerous electives. Our schools and classrooms are well equipped. Each campus offers regional occupational programs as well as a variety of course and extracurricular offerings. The district recently completed a $7 million modernization project at all sites including technology updates. Our current district budget is approximately $9.3 million. We have a fiscally sound and stable school district, offering retirement benefits. We employ 67 certificated teachers, 5 administrators and 39 classified employees. We also operate our own excellent transportation system.

While facing the challenges of declining enrollment, our district has remained fiscally sound and well managed. We work diligently to maintain positive employer/employee relations with our staff. We strive to hire staff members who will become long-term residents with a passion for our students and our community.

Our student population is diverse and takes advantage of college and career pathways offered at each of our schools. All of our schools are committed to a rigorous standards based course of study. All our schools are fully accredited for six years by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. We have little crime or vandalism on our campuses. Student discipline, morale and attendance are good. Our students are proud of their schools and support all our extracurricular offerings. To learn more about the achievement of our schools, please visit our School Accountability Report Cards on our district Web site.

Selection Criteria

The following criteria represents standards to be used in the evaluation of applications and in the selection of the superintendent.

Professional Experience and Preparation

• High school classroom teaching experience
  
• Administrative experience at a site and/or district office
  
• Master’s Degree
  
• California Teaching Credential
  
• California Administrative Credential

Personal Characteristics

• Strong sense of personal and professional integrity and honesty
  
• A “people person” who is available, accessible and approachable
  
• Exceptional communication skills, the ability to listen and communicate clearly and effectively
  
• A creative problem solver who welcomes participation and involvement of parents, students and staff
  
• A person of high energy and stamina
  
• Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to multitask
  
• Displays a visible, hands-on leadership style and is willing to work side-by-side with staff and students
  
• A bridge and partnership builder. A person who seeks to build strategic partnerships and alliances
  
• A passionate educator who is a true advocate for students
  
• Maintains a sense of personal humility while empowering and inspiring others
  
• A good sense of humor and the ability to stay focused and keep issues in proper perspective

Professional Skills and Abilities

• A highly organized and focused leader with the ability to delegate when necessary
  
• A proven track record of excellence in site and/or district office administration and leadership
  
• Strategic planning and goal-setting experience
  
• Demonstrated leadership in curriculum and instruction
  
• Knowledge and skills in human resources, school finance and facilities
  
• Knowledge of state standards, NCLB and the implementation of state and federal mandates
  
• The ability to recruit, hire, train and retain administrators, teachers and support staff personnel
  
• Employee management and supervision skills
  
• Collective bargaining expertise and experience
  
• An awareness of charter schools and their impact on students and school districts
  
• Community relations and public relations skills
  
• An awareness and appreciation for the role of the Board of Trustees and the desire to work cooperatively as a team
  
• An understanding of the dynamics of a high school district and the challenges resulting from declining enrollment
  
• Decisiveness and the ability to make decisions in the best interests of students

Application Procedure

All applications will be held in strict confidence. Each applicant is requested to follow the procedures listed below. Those applicants wishing additional information should contact the CSBA adviser at (916) 669-3297.

Applications are to be sent to:

Siskiyou Union High School District
c/o Laura McGaughey and
Molly McGee Hewitt, Advisers
California School Boards Association
3100 Beacon Blvd., Suite Siskiyou
West Sacramento, CA 95691

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date (April 13, 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 and qualifications for the Siskiyou Union High 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 13, 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 who will be invited back for the final interview. A board-appointed Superintendent Selection Advisory Committee (SSAC) will interview the finalists and report the perceived strengths and weaknesses to the board. The board will then interview the finalists and make a selection. Any applicant who contacts a board member with the intent of influencing the board’s decision will be disqualified.

Travel expenses will be the responsibility of the candidate.

Salary and Contract Terms

The Siskiyou Union High School District Board of Trustees will offer a multi year contract and salary of $90,000–$105,000 (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.

Board of Education