Coronado Unified School District

Position Title: Superintendent

Salary: $165,000 - $195,000

Closing Date: March 27, 2008

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The Position

The board of education of the Coronado Unified School District is seeking for its next superintendent, a hands on visionary leader who enjoys the visibility and opportunity from working in a smaller community with a highly educated, sophisticated and involved constituency that holds high expectations for its schools and the district at large. This candidate should possess superior intellectual and interpersonal skills that promote effective interaction with educational, community and governmental agencies (including the military) to develop and maintain positive partnerships to enhance educational opportunities for children. A collaborative, inclusive management style that honors the contributions of all stakeholders, including employees and their professional organizations, is essential.

The Community

The city of Coronado is an attractive community of 27,000 residents (including 8,000 military personnel) located on a small peninsula that forms the western boundary of the San Diego Bay in southern California. Nicknamed the “Crown City,” Coronado is a world class resort destination connected to San Diego by a 2.3 mile bridge and is located approximately 15 miles north of the Mexico border. This small community is an ideal place for those interested in water sports and other outdoor activities. It features 28 miles of beaches, a dedicated 15 mile bike path, a 128 acre public golf course, 18 municipal tennis courts and 18 public parks. The climate is delightful year-round with daytime temperatures averaging 70 degrees.

Numerous cultural activities are available both within Coronado and neighboring San Diego. These include museums, art galleries, symphony orchestras, theaters and historic sites. Also available are several public institutions of higher education, including several community colleges, San Diego State University and the University of California at San Diego. Private institutions of higher learning in the area include the University of San Diego, Point Loma Nazarene College and National University.

The District

The district’s motto of “Quality Education for Life” clearly summarizes the mission of the Coronado Unified School District. “Through rigorous academic standards, high expectations and a coordinated curriculum, the Coronado Unified School District, in partnership with our small, involved community, will graduate students with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in higher education and careers, society and life with the confidence not only to dream, but to determine their futures.”

The Coronado Unified School District encompasses the same boundaries as that of the city of Coronado. The district enrolls approximately 2,900 students at two elementary schools, a middle school, a high school, a continuation/alternative education high school and maintains both a state-funded preschool and an adult education program. The ethnic composition of the students attending district schools is 77 percent white, 12 percent Hispanic, 4 percent Filipino, 3 percent African-American, 2 percent Asian and 2 percent other.

The school system is considered one of the finest in the state and is known for strong academic performance and extensive parent and community involvement. Each of the Coronado Unified School District schools has scored above 800 on the state’s accountability test. The district’s strong instructional programs are also reflected in the numerous honors earned by individual schools. Among these are four district schools being named California Distinguished Schools and two sites designated National Blue Ribbon Schools. Coronado High School has been selected as a New American High School and is a recipient of the 2007 silver medal award from U.S. News and World Report. The high school includes the Coronado School of the Arts which serves as a demonstration site for arts education.

The district employs 186 certificated and 146 classified staff members. The 2007-08 budget for all Funds is approximately $30,000,000.

Selection Criteria

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

Personal Characteristics

High integrity; honest, ethical, forthright and trustworthy in dealings with board, staff and community
Charismatic, positive and confident; strong leadership abilities
Able to build a climate of trust and respect among all stakeholders and the district
Highly visible and active in community life, schools and work sites
Able to quickly learn about the community and district, their values, cultures, traditions, mores, expectations, unique qualities and challenges; committed to keeping a finger on the pulse of the community
Possesses a sense of humor
Enthusiastic, energetic, a self-starter
With the small size of the district administrative staff, the candidate must thrive on new challenges and bring a collaborative, proactive, creative problem-solving approach
A people person who is open, approachable and accessible, possessing exceptional listening and communication skills
An innovative leader who can “think out of the box” and stimulate fresh ideas
A consensus builder capable of building an atmosphere of teamwork and engaging thoughtful and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders
Courageous, willing to deal with difficult situations, publicly take a stand on recommendations, articulate the reasons for decisions and do the right thing for all students

Professional Skills and Abilities

A visionary instructional leader who sees the “big picture” of education and is skillful in organizing and managing every facet of a school district
Knowledgeable about fiscal matters and budgeting, including short and long range financial planning in an environment of shrinking resources
Able to ensure an open, transparent process in budgeting and business operations and can explain district finances and fiscal challenges to stakeholders
Creative in finding resources, including foundations, parcel tax elections, grant writing, business partnerships and others
A strong instructional leader who knows curriculum and instruction, current research, reform efforts and mandates
Understands Special Education laws, programs, funding structures, legal issues and complexities
Possesses collective bargaining knowledge and negotiation skills
Able to build strong coalitions and relationships with parents, the community, city government, businesses, the military and state/federal governments for the benefit of children
Able to work effectively with the school board to foster a common vision and commitment and maintain a strong governance team structure with exemplary superintendent/board relations
Has successful experience in building and maintaining positive relationships and trust with employees and their associations
Prefer knowledge and experience working in a district or community with similar demographics as those of the Coronado Unified School District

Professional Experience and Preparation

Classroom teaching experience
High school experience preferred
Experience as a site administrator
Experience as a district office administrator preferred

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:
Coronado Unified School District
c/o Dr. Bill Diedrich, Adviser
California School Boards Association
3100 Beacon Blvd., Suite Coronado
West Sacramento, CA 95691

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date: March 27, 2008 (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 Coronado 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 March 27, 2008 (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 Coronado Unified School District Board of Education will offer a multi-year contract and salary of $165,000 - $195,000 (competitive and negotiable) to the successful candidate, based on that individual’s 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.