Position Details
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District: Auburn Union School District 2013
Position/Title: Superintendent
Salary: Competitive and negotiable
Closing Date: Monday, March 31, 2014

The District

Auburn Union serves the foothill community of Auburn, located 40 miles northeast of Sacramento on the scenic western slope of the California High Sierra.  AUSD educates 2100 students in preschool through eighth grade at four elementary schools (Alta Vista Community Charter, Auburn Elementary, Rock Creek Elementary and Skyridge Elementary), and one middle school (E.V. Cain STEM Charter). The District currently employs 129 certificated and 109 classified staff and operates with a total budget of $19,453,000. The Board recently completed an in-depth strategic planning process which resulted in clearly identified goals and objectives placing the academic achievement and overall well-being of all students as the highest priority.

Auburn Union School District Socio-Economic Indicators:

School Enrollment % Free/Reduced Lunch
Alta Vista Community Charter: 121 46.3%
Auburn Elementary: 490 59.8%
Rock Creek School: 289 89.6%
Skyridge School: 485 41.1%
E.V. Cain STEM Charter: 686 48.3%

The Community

Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the area represents the essence of California—the art and culture of the nearby big city and the heart and hospitality of a small foothill community. Auburn offers a distinct “four season” climate and is ideally situated only 30 miles from the State Capitol of Sacramento, yet in less than two hours you can be having lunch at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. If you head east towards the Sierras, in the same amount of time you could be skiing down the slopes of Squaw Valley in the winter or water skiing on Lake Tahoe in the summer.

The Position

The Board of Trustees of the Auburn Union School District announces an opening for the position of District Superintendent and invites well-qualified educators to apply. The Board is seeking a Superintendent with strong leadership skills who is committed to academic excellence for all students. The ideal candidate will be someone who has a demonstrated history as a strong leader with excellent communication skills. The Auburn Union Superintendent must be a “generalist” with experience in all areas of district and school administration, including instruction, finance, budget, personnel and special education. The candidate selected will assume leadership of the District effective July 1, 2014.

Selection Criteria

The following criteria represent standards to be used in the evaluation of applicants and in the selection of the superintendent:

Professional Preparation

  • Appropriate administrative credential to serve as superintendent of a K-8 school district
  • An earned Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university
  • Experience as a classroom teacher, site level and/or cabinet level district administrator
  • An earned Doctor’s Degree from an accredited college or university desirable

Experience

  • Demonstrated ability to provide effective visionary leadership and strategic planning to focus human and material resources towards the primary goal of quality education for students
  • A record of ability to accomplish long range planning, including the establishment of clear goals and objectives with long term follow through, in concert with Board, staff, and the community
  • Demonstrated success in developing and maintaining productive Board/Superintendent/Staff relations with honest and open two-way communication
  • A record of ability to refine, improve, and implement curriculum, instruction, and management strategies by working with and through people and utilizing their talents and skills
  • Demonstrated knowledge of curriculum content and teaching strategies at K-8 levels and the ability to model for teacher development
  • Record of being a highly visible educational leader within the school district and community
  • Demonstrated knowledge of the California Education Code and ability to interpret and implement it
  • Record of involvement in positive, cooperative staff relations that are productive for students and mutually beneficial to all
  • Demonstrated success utilizing community resources to assist and support the total educational endeavor
  • Demonstrated success in maintaining district solvency and in creative approaches to program development and enhancement
  • Knowledge of and desire to pursue grants and alternative funding
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse populations
  • Demonstrated knowledge of the California Common Core Standards and 21st Century teaching and learning

Personal Characteristics

  • Clear demonstration of honesty, integrity, openness and a strong sense of confidence in oneself and others
  • Ability to communicate in a straightforward and sensitive manner with all members of the educational community, in both oral and written expression
  • Commitment to promote the concept that all children have identifiable talents/skills which will be emphasized in the educational program of the district
  • Ability to listen and to be open to new ideas and divergent opinions and to secure meaningful involvement of staff and community to improve the quality of education for students
  • Ability to develop trust and collaboration between various groups within the district and the community
  • Recognition that change is vital in any organization and that necessary change can best take place when those affected by the change are actively involved in the process
  • Recognition of the importance of keeping the Board informed and knowledgeable regarding issues and problems and providing the Board with recommended solutions to facilitate the Board’s decision-making processes
  • Courage to make recommendations, and when necessary, unpopular decisions in the best interest of children
  • Willingness to “do it all” as often as required in a small school district

 


Application Procedures

All applications will be held strictly confidential. Each applicant is required to follow the procedures listed below. Those applicants wishing additional information should contact the Board advisors: Cathy Bean at 530-416.2375 and/or Joe Condon at 310-901-3749.

Applications must be submitted on-line to:
DLAssoc.com
Auburn Union School District
c/o Cathy Bean or Joe Condon
Dave Long & Associates, Executive Search Services

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date of March 31, 2014 (5:00 PM) to be considered:
  • A completed Application Information Form. (Please complete as instructed; do not complete by stating "see attached resume".) The Application Information Form and brochure may be completed via Dave Long & Associates' web page at DLAssoc.com.
  • A personal letter of application stating reason for interest in the Auburn Union School District superintendent position
  • A resume 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


Selection Procedure

A professional screening committee will evaluate the qualification 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 candidates for the 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 Board of Trustees of the Auburn Union School District will offer a multi-year contract with a competitive and negotiable salary, plus fringe benefits to the successful candidate, based on the 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 Trustees

Term Expires

Daniel Berlant, President

2014

Lashaun Byer, Clerk

2014

Woody Hoffmann, Trustee

2016

Sandra Scott, Trustee

2016

Debbie Goodrich, Trustee

2014


Application Timeline

March 31, 2014 (5:00 p.m.)