Position Title: Superintendent

Salary: $165,000 - $180,000

Closing Date: August 31, 2006

Downloads:

• Job Application
• Job Brochure

The Position

The Union School District Board of Education is earnestly seeking a dynamic educational leader to fill the position of Superintendent. The ideal candidate will be an experienced educator with an established record of stable and exceptional leadership. We are seeking an individual who has a passion for education and for providing an outstanding education for the children we serve.

The Community

Ideally situated between the beautiful Los Gatos foothills and the culturally rich city of San Jose, Union School District occupies the southwest corner of Santa Clara County, encompassing seven square miles of family homes and neighborhoods. We are located in the famous Silicon Valley, home to the cutting edge of the world’s technology. Union School District is less than an hour’s drive from San Francisco to the north and 45-60 minutes from the beautiful beaches and forested mountains of Santa Cruz and the Monterey Peninsula to the south.

Our community enjoys an ideal mediterranean climate, with an average of 300 days of sun per year and an average temperature of 60 degrees fahrenheit.

The Santa Clara-San Jose region offers an almost endless abundance of cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities, both locally and through close proximity to the Bay Area. Residents living here have access to an extraordinarily diverse environment supporting a wide variety of outdoor activities. Culturally, the Bay Area offers incredible ethnic diversity, with the unparalleled richness of experience that it brings. Symphonies, operas, dance and drama companies, musical venues of all sorts, museums and numerous local colleges and universities provide more cultural activities than a calendar can hold.

The area’s low crime rate, excellent schools, and strong community involvement all contribute to the creation of a truly extra ordinary quality of life.

Additional information about the area can be obtained at www.sjchamber.com or www.losgatosweb.com.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Union School District is to enrich the community through learning. We are dedicated to children; to involve the community; to anticipate challenges; to take advantage of opportunities; and, to guarantee vital skills for all our children to pursue lifelong learning and become productive citizens.

To support its educational mission, the District will:

• Emphasize a safe, nurturing, child-centered environment in which all students will succeed.
  
• Enhance the educational climate by encouraging and facilitating the active participation of parents and community in the conduct of our mission.
  
• Maximize the level of student achievement through the establishment of challenging and measurable standards that accommodate the needs of all student population.
  
• Ensure the future viability of the District by providing for the effective, efficient utilization of District facilities and resources through prudent creative investing, pursuit of alternate revenue sources, and striving to balance expenditures with revenues annually.
  
• Articulate curricular programs and special projects with Campbell Union High School District to ensure a seamless transition for our students.
  
• Expedite the utilization of technology to enhance and support the instructional program.

The District

All of Union’s eight schools have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools. The District participates in the class size reduction program, with ratios of 20-to-1 in K-3; 29.5 in grade 5, and 24-to-1 in middle school. Active Home and School Club and School Site Councils at each site support strong community connections. Although the area is no longer predominantly agricultural, Union’s thriving schools still show the benefits of the careful tending and cultivating they have received through the District’s 140-year plus history.

Union Schools provide a strong, Districtwide curriculum that is outcome-based and linked to the state standards. Our eight schools provide a comprehensive K-8 instructional program, with a broad range of special services and programs to our 4400 students. Our district’s students typically score in the top 25 percent on state achievement tests; over 75 percent meet grade level outcome indicators in literacy as measured by locally developed assessments.

The District’s Literacy goal- every child reading on grade level by grade three- is supported by a carefully designed program incorporating extensive training, coaching, observations and collaborative team efforts. Our highly motivated staff works diligently to meet the changing needs of our student population. The Language Arts program offers a rich literature-based curriculum, emphasizing the integration of reading, writing, speaking and listening. The manipulatives-based Mathematics program emphasizes both concepts and skills acquisition at all grade levels. Our District is committed to enriching the student’s educational experience through the arts, through the Art Vistas and Clay Programs at the elementary schools, choral and instrumental music and programs and drama programs at many sites.

The Union School District has a history of stable, quality leadership and fiscal accountability. Joint partnerships with the community and local businesses, as well as proactive planning have enabled the district to thrive and grow.

Prospective candidates are strongly encouraged to visit the district’s Web site at www.unionsd.org.

Selection Criteria

The following criteria will be used in the evaluation and selection of the new superintendent.

Professional Experience and Preparation

• California Administrative Credential required.
  
• California Teaching Credential required.
  
• Master’s degree required.
  
• Teaching experience required.
  
• Administrative experience, preferably at the elementary level, required.

Professional Characteristics

• A demonstrated commitment to academic excellence.
  
• Has a successful record in school administration, team building and collaborative leadership.
  
• Can successfully assign responsibility, motivate and empower staff, and maintain strong systems for accountability.
  
• Has demonstrated experience and an in-depth understanding/knowledge of special education.
  
• The ability to recruit, select, train, mentor and maintain quality staff at all levels.
  
• Enjoys the challenges of executive leadership and embraces the opportunities of a diverse and challenging work environment.
  
• Employs exceptional public relations and communication skills.
  
• Has an in-depth understanding and knowledge of state standards and current instructional methodologies and assessment practices.
  
• Has a strong background in facilities, finance and school budgeting.
  
• Has a demonstrated commitment to the importance of staff involvement in decision making and planning.
  
• Collaborates well with parents and encourages active parent and community participation in all site and district educational programs.
  
• Understands and appreciates the governance team approach to educational leadership and values the partnership between the Board of Education and the Superintendent.
  
• Is sensitive to the expectations of staff members and understands the need for a positive approach to collective bargaining.
  
• Collaborates well with local and state agencies.
  
• Excellent planning and execution skills with an attention to detail.

Personal Characteristics

• A decision maker who is able to weigh options and make decisions in the best interests of students, staff and community.
  
• Active listening skills and the ability to communicate with all aspects of the school community.
  
• A hands-on, visible leader who is accessible and recognizable in the community.
  
• A high level of honesty, personal integrity and character.
  
• A good sense of humor.
  
• A sense of perspective. The ability to motivate others and to appreciate their contributions to the success of programs and projects.
  
• Strong interpersonal skills. The ability to bring together diverse groups of people and encourage team work and cooperation.
  
• Good problem solving and conflict resolution skills.

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 Director, Molly McGee Hewitt at CSBA (916) 669-3297. For duplication purposes, please do not bind application materials.

Applications are to be sent to:

Union School District
c/o Molly McGee Hewitt, Director
Executive Search Services
California School Boards Association
3100 Beacon Blvd., Suite UESD
West Sacramento, CA 95691

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date, August 31, 2006 (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 Union School District superintendent position.
  
• A résumé providing biographical background information about educational preparation, experience, and achievements
  
• 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 the completed application, including reference letters forwarded in time to meet the August 31, 2006 (5:00 p.m.) deadline. Additional brochures or applications 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 Union School District Board of Education will offer a salary of $165,000 to $180,000 (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