Position Title: Superintendent

Salary: $115,000- $125,000

Closing Date: February 19, 2008

Downloads:

• Job Application
• Job Brochure

The Position

The Fort Bragg Unified School District Board of Trustees invites highly qualified, effective educational leaders to apply for the position of superintendent. The board is seeking an individual who has high professional and personal standards, has a vision of excellence in education and a commitment to accomplishing that which is best for all students.

The Community

The Fort Bragg Unified School District is located along the beautiful, rugged Mendocino Coast on scenic Highway One, halfway between San Francisco and the Oregon border. The population of the City of Fort Bragg is about 7,000, but serves as the commerce center for some 27,000 coastal residents. To the north and the south are fern-carpeted redwood groves and charming villages.
The community places great value on education and has a high interest in the success of the schools. This is evidenced through community support of all district activities, including the passage of a schools’ renovation bond.

The District

The schools in the district include three elementary (one K–2, one 3-5 and one necessary small school K-3), one intermediate (6-8), one high school and three alternative schools (one high school, one community day school 6-8, and one community day school 9-12). Enrollment is approximately 1,900 students. District programs are characterized by a balance between direct instruction, cooperative learning, small-group instruction and peer tutoring. The district is a leader in curriculum development and is known for its staff support and high standards. Two schools, Fort Bragg High and Fort Bragg Middle have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools. Redwood Elementary has been recognized as a highly performing school on the Academic Performance Index (API). The district operates a comprehensive program, which includes academics, a wide range of athletic activities and an emphasis on the arts.

Selection Criteria

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

Professional Preparation and Experience

• Master’s Degree
• Experience as a classroom teacher
• Experience as a site administrator
• Experience at the district office level, preferred
• Progressive and successful experience as a leader

Personal Characteristics

• Has demonstrated integrity and leadership qualities sufficient to gain the respect and confidence of the public and personnel of the school district.
• Is trustworthy, honest, straightforward, tactful and follows through on commitments.
• Possesses a sense of humor.
• Has the talent to inspire others, to build/maintain staff morale and to enhance performance throughout the district.
• Has experience with or appreciation for small, rural communities and will become a significant part of the community, as the district’s representative.
• Is an accessible, visible, and approachable leader.
• Listens actively and is willing to consider alternative ideas and opinions.
• Is collaborative and collegial.
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to students and their success.
• Exhibits courage, warmth and compassion in dealing with students, staff, parents and the board.
• Is creative, a visionary and has the desire, intelligence and pragmatism to take risks to achieve educational excellence.
• Promotes personal and professional growth in self and others.

Professional Skills and Abilities

• Able to effectively communicate to all stakeholders of the district.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and unity by honoring decisions and following through on commitments.
• Has the ability to manage curriculum, with a dedication to educational excellence and appropriate opportunities for all students, such as English language learners, special needs students and gifted students.
• Knows and understands school district finance and budget processes and has demonstrated the ability to manage all funds and resources by making responsible fiscal decisions consistent with the educational priorities of the district.
• Experienced in hiring and managing personnel, including supervising employee evaluation programs.
• Able to provide an appropriate balance among the academics, arts, school to career and extracurricular programs of the district.
• Has demonstrated the ability to maximize the use of available sources of state and federal funding, and has the vision and ability to creatively develop and sustain alternative sources of funding, including local bond issues.
• Recognizes that school business is a “people business”, and that all employees of the district contribute to the district’s productivity and deserve to be recognized for their contributions.
• Is an effective communicator, who establishes formal and informal methods of communicating with all stakeholders on a regular basis.
• Has the ability to work effectively with the board.
• Embraces the interest based bargaining concept and has experience in its use.
• Inspires and encourages creativity in school faculties and staff by providing for positive well-considered change, while maintaining programs of value.

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 advisor, Carol Perry, at 916-669-3297. For duplication purposes, please do not bind application materials.

Applications are to be sent to:
Fort Bragg Unified School District
c/o Carol Perry, Advisor
California School Boards Association
Executive Search Services
3100 Beacon Blvd. Suite Fort Bragg
West Sacramento, Ca 95691

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date, February 19, 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 Fort Bragg superintendent position.
• A résumé providing biographical background information about educational preparation, experience and achievements.
• A placement file and/or (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 February 19, 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.

Salary and Contract Terms

The Fort Bragg Unified School District Board of Education will offer a beginning salary of $115,000 to $125,000. The salary offered to the successful applicant will be competitive and negotiable, based on the individual’s experience and qualifications.

The board intends to offer a multi-year contract.

It is the applicant’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