Position Title: Superintendent
Salary: $120,000
Closing Date: September 20, 2007
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The Position
The Board of Trustees of the newly formed Scott Valley Unified School District invites qualified candidates to apply for the position of district Superintendent. The board is seeking a visionary leader who supports shared decision making, builds trust among staff and is actively involved in the community. This position will require great organizational skills because the district is new and must combine the policies, plans, budgets and staff members of the four inclusive districts.
The district is seeking an experienced administrator with K-12 experience in curriculum and instruction, as well as the ability to manage a small, rural school district.
The candidate must be able to oversee the finances, human resources and facilities of the new district. Finally, the superintendent is expected to be a valued and active leader who will participate in local civic organizations and activities.
The Community
Scott Valley, Siskiyou County, is nestled among three mountain ranges in the most beautiful part of Northern California. The valley and its surroundings are known for its hunting, fly fishing, skiing, back-packing and hiking, gold-panning, rock climbing and camping. The many family farms produce alfalfa, grains, milk and beef as well as alpaca wool. Cows, horses and mules share the wealth of feed with the deer. At one time, the area had a large timber industry which has declined recently.
The communities served by this new unified school district are Fort Jones on the north end of the valley. Quartz Valley to the west, Greenview in the middle with Etna and Callahan to the south. These communities have churches, small businesses, recreation, restaurants, civic organizations and medical offices. Several nationally known camps share the mountains and rivers with the communities.
It is a wonderful place to raise children in a safe and clean environment. Families have ranched here in the valley for 150 years and many of the staff members were born and raised in the area.
The valley communities are a short trip to Yreka and the southern Oregon communities of Ashland and Medford. Southern Oregon University and the Shakespearean Festival are located in Ashland, an hour’s drive from Fort Jones. Outdoor recreational activities abound in all four distinct seasons.
The District
Scott Valley Unified School District was formed in the November, 2006 election and is comprised of the Etna Union High School District, Etna Elementary School District, Fort Jones Elementary School District and Quartz Valley School District. The district also serves the students in Forks of Salmon School District.
The new district, with 680 students, has two PreK-6 schools, a K-8 school, 7-8 charter school, 7-9 junior high school, a comprehensive 9-12 high school, a continuation school and 4 community day schools. One of the elementary schools is a California Distinguished School and the high school has a six year WASC accreditation. All schools’ API scores are in the 9th or 10th deciles ranking.
Students have a high success rate for completing a post graduate degree. Every student graduating from the high school, who applies, is guaranteed at least a $1,000 community scholarship. Last year, more than $400,000 was awarded to the 50 graduating seniors. The dropout rate is small with a large percentage of students beginning and ending their schooling in the Scott Valley. The well-educated community highly values education and actively supports its schools.
The new unified district has a sound financial foundation. There is information about each of these districts/schools at www.sisnet.ssku.k12.ca.us.
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
- K-12 classroom teaching experience
- K-12 site administrator experience
- District office experience required, as a superintendent, assistant superintendent or director/coordinator
- Master’s degree required
- Possession of or eligibility for California Administrative Credential
Personal Characteristics
- Enjoys and appreciates nature, outdoor activities and living in a beautiful rural area
- Is a “people person:” with strong public and human relations skills
- An articulate communicator who is effective in both oral and written communications
- A visible and approachable person who welcomes the opportunity for involvement in schools and community
- A confident, caring person who also has a sense of humor
- Has the ability to create a district climate of cooperation and collaboration
Professional Skills and Abilities
- An organizer with skills to combine all of the policies, contracts, curricula, staff and community into one cohesive school district
- A leader who demands the same excellence and accountability he or she demonstrates. Forceful enough to run the school district and confident enough to consult with and involve others in the process
- A facilitator who, with the board, can develop and implement district short and long term goals and objectives
- A leader who understands politics and the energy and diplomacy to work cooperatively with local governmental, educational and community agencies to sustain and nurture the many successful partnerships enjoyed by the district
- A fiscal expert with the ability to oversee the budget and budget development process as well as knowledgeable in identifying new revenue sources available to schools
- Has strong leadership skills and is a person with courage who is willing to take risks to achieve educational excellence
- Is current and knowledgeable about K-12 student learning and achievement
- A user of technology who understands its applications in education and management of the school district
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:
Scott Valley Union School District
Dr. Del Alberti, Adviser
California School Boards Association
3100 Beacon Blvd., Ste. Scott Valley
West Sacramento, CA 95691
All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date, Thursday, September 20, 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 in the Scott Valley 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 September 20, 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 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 Scott Valley Unified School District Board of Education will offer a salary of $120,000 plus a benefits package (competitive and negotiable) to the successful candidate, based on that individual’s experience and qualifications. 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.