Position Title: Superintendent

Salary: Competitive and Negotiable

Closing Date: June 26, 2008

Downloads:

• Job Application
• Job Brochure

The Position

The River Delta Unified School District is seeking a superintendent with strong leadership skills who enjoys the visibility and opportunity for interaction with people living and working in the district’s various small communities. He/she must possess a vision and focus on educational excellence for all students.

The successful candidate must have demonstrated the ability to establish an atmosphere of integrity and trust that unifies all segments of the school district and the communities.

The Community

River Delta Unified School District is located in three counties-Sacramento, Solano, and Yolo. Although the district is a tri-county district, it is managed by and part of the Sacramento County Office of Education in Sacramento. Within these three counties, the district serves the communities of Clarksburg, Hood, Courtland, Locke, Walnut Grove, Ryde, city of Isleton, and the city of Rio Vista.

Here, in the Sacramento Delta area where the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers converge, each community is unique with its culture, rituals, and traditions. The history of the Chinese and Japanese settlers is still apparent in buildings constructed some 50 to 100 years ago. Within this district, one can find narrow streets shaded by large, overhanging trees.

Rio Vista is becoming one of the fastest-growing communities in Solano County, and is located 45 miles northeast of San Francisco and 35 miles southwest of Sacramento.

Due to the maze of rivers and sloughs that make up the Delta, the district is located in the heart of a great recreational area. Boating, water skiing, swimming, and fishing become favorite past times. For those who enjoy the mountains and snow, Lake Tahoe and the High Sierras are within easy driving distance. The metropolitan areas of Sacramento, Stockton, Oakland, and San Francisco provide ample opportunities for city life.

The district is located near many outstanding colleges, junior and vocational colleges, and universities. California State University Sacramento, University of the Pacific, and the University of California Davis are all within commuting distance.

The main industry is agriculture. Within this Delta are some of the richest farmland in the United States. Fruits, grains, and vegetables are among the major crops.

The District

The district is initiating a district-wide management program based on a program from Santa Clara County. The Thin Client program is centralizing teachers throughout the district. Work continues on the improvement of student test scores. With a strong English development program in place, test scores are improving for English language learners. New grants of nearly $12,000,000 are directed at improving student achievement, including a grades 6–12 Pathways program. The district is also investigating a partnership with the University of California, Davis.

Small schools are spread throughout the district, including: Bates Elementary (Courtland); Mokelumne High (Continuation) (Courtland); River Delta Community Day (Courtland); D.H. White Elementary (Rio Vista); Rio Vista High (Rio Vista); River Delta High/Elementary (Rio Vista); Riverview Middle (Rio Vista); Clarksburg Middle (Clarksburg); Delta Elementary Charter (Clarksburg); Delta High (Clarksburg); Isleton Elementary (Isleton); and Walnut Grove Elementary (Walnut Grove). The ethnicity of the student body is comprised of 49 percent white, 45 percent Hispanic, and 6 percent other. Total district enrollment is approximately 2,100 students.

The district also offers adult classes at Wind River High School (Rio Vista).

Adopted budget information for the 2007–2008 school year is:

• Beginning fund balance: $2,745,920.02
• Revenue: $19,326.365.47
• Expenses: $20,076,696.34
• Ending balance: $1,977,520.15

The second interim for fiscal year 2007–2009 was approved with a positive certification. The community approved nearly $23 million in general obligation bonds for school facilities in 2004.

Candidates are encouraged to visit the district’s Web page, www.riverdelta.k12.ca.us, for additional information.

Selection Criteria

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

Professional Experience and Preparation

•  Master’s degree required
• California administrative credential required
• Doctorate degree preferable
•  Central office experience required preferably at the superintendent level

Personal Characteristics

The Board of Trustees is seeking a person who:

• Understands and appreciates the benefits of small/rural schools and communities 
• Displays honesty and integrity
• Is a people person with strong public and human relations skills
• A hands-on visible and accessible leader on school sites and in the community
• Has the ability to unite and to bring the communities together to support the schools
• Is a team builder, including building both the district office team and the management team staff
• Is an excellent listener and considers alternative opinions and ideas
• Is an excellent communicator with board, staff and community
• Is willing to learn the culture of the school district and communities before initiating changes
• Is a confident, energetic, caring person who has a sense of humor

Professional Skills and Abilities

The Board of Trustees is seeking a person who:

• Is a strong curriculum leader with demonstrated ability to work with staff in developing a K–12 articulated curriculum
• Understands and is sensitive to the unique needs of a diverse student population
• Develops trusting relationships throughout the system by holding people accountable, yet recognizing and celebrating success and excellence
• Knows how to budget effectively — is creative in finding and using resources, including new grant opportunities
• Understands and has had experience in school construction programs, including school modernization projects
• A leader who is able to listen and collaborate with staff and community, but still make and stand by tough decisions
• Is able to work with other public and private agencies to maximize use of resources
• Understands the concept of governance, including the roles and responsibilities of the board and the superintendent
• Has a thorough understanding of technology and its potential for enhancing the educational and administrative systems

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:

River Delta Unified School District
c/o Dr. Del Alberti, Consultant
California School Boards Association
Executive Search Services
3100 Beacon Blvd., Suite River Delta
West Sacramento, CA 95691

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date, June 26, 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 River Delta 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 June 26, 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.

Both the board and the Superintendent Search Advisory Committee, consisting of staff and community members, will interview the selected candidates. After the interviews, the SSAC will report to the board the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the 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.

Applications Close: June 26, 2008 (5:00 p.m.)

Interviews are tentatively scheduled for July 25, 26 and 27, 2008.

Salary and Contract Terms

The River Delta Unified School District Board of Trustees will offer a competitive and negotiable salary, based on that individual’s experience and qualifications, plus fringe benefits. The board intends to offer a multi-year contract.

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 Trustees