Position Details
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District: Pixley Union School District
Position/Title: Superintendent
Salary: Competitive and negotiable
Closing Date: Friday, April 16, 2010

The Position

The Board of Trustees of Pixley Union School District invites qualified, successful leaders to apply for the position of district superintendent.

The ideal candidate will be someone who is a strong leader with excellent communications and interpersonal skills.

The superintendent must be a "generalist" with experience in instruction, finance, budget, personnel, and special education.

The successful candidate will also be someone committed to becoming part of a rural community and being highly visible and involved in the Pixley community and schools.

The Community

Pixley Union School District is located in Pixley, California (population 2,987), Tulare County, in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California's Central Valley, one of the world's richest agricultural areas. Pixley's vast agriculture industry of farms, orchards and dairies utilizes the latest production technologies and provides most of the local employment for residents.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and the Sequoia National Forest are close by for all-season outdoor recreation: hiking, water and snow skiing, fishing, white water rafting and boating. Pixley is within a four hour drive of either San Francisco or Los Angeles and a 2-1/2 hour drive of California's central coastline. Visalia, the Tulare County seat is 25 miles north and Bakersfield is 46 miles south. Tulare County is a family-oriented lifestyle and offers affordable housing attractive to people from all areas of the state and country.

The County of Tulare provides the Pixley community a local sheriff's substation, fire department, public library and a 20 acre park with picnic arbors, children's play area and athletic fields. Pixley has many local organizations such as the Town Council, Chamber of Commerce, The Pixley Foundation, a local 501(c)(3), Woman's Club, Lion's Club and the Pixley Food Pantry. Volunteers provide activities such as the folkloric dance group, organized youth sports, Girl Scout Troop, Tulare County Sheriff's Explorers, Volunteers in Patrol and Police Activities League. The AT&T Foundation and Great Valley Center funded a $600,000 community technology project titled "Pixley Connect" to bring technology education and training to the Pixley community. Education is important to Pixley residents.

Tulare Joint Union High School District designates Mission Oak High School (18 miles north) for Pixley students and operates the Tulare Adult School-Pixley Center located on the Pixley Elementary Campus. John Muir Charter School, operated by C-SET, in Pixley is another high school option. College of Sequoias provides adult education classes in Pixley. Tulare County Office of Education operates a Head Start Preschool program on the Pixley School campus. These resources working in step with Pixley School programs provide a seamless spectrum of family resources to Pixley students and families.

The District

The District is increasing in enrollment and currently has 1,019 students enrolled in two schools. Pixley Elementary School has 707 students. In the fall of 2009 Pixley Middle School opened a new campus adjacent to the elementary school and serves 312 students.

Pixley Schools are seen as the learning, social and recreational hub of the community and recognized by students and families as the "go to" resource for school/community needs. Pixley has an Even Start Literacy Preschool, "Early On" School Readiness Program, ASES Afterschool Learning Program, Migrant Education, Pixley Cadet Corp Program, Character Counts! Program and Healthy Start Service Center. The Tulare County Library, Pixley Branch is located on the school campus with a joint use agreement for students and community. Previous Pixley School students include a U.S. Congressman, State Assemblyman, Stanford PhD candidate, University of California and Ivy League graduates, High School Valedictorians and many more success stories.

The student population includes approximately 89.1% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% Caucasian, 1.3% African American, .8% Asian, and .1% Others. The district has a general fund budget of $9.1 million and is served by 50 certificated and 54 classified employees.

The mission of Pixley Union School District is for all students to master grade level standards, develop character, and become independent thinkers. Students will demonstrate learning through ongoing, multiple assessments; intervention and support are provided through a network of resources to ensure success for all.

Our mission is defined by asking the following:

  1. What are students supposed to learn?
  2. How do we know if they are learning
  3. What do we do if they are not learning
The top five priorities for the district that was adopted by the Board in February, 2010, are:

  1. Student Progress (Program Improvement)
  2. Fiscal Responsibility
  3. Safety
  4. Teamwork and Communications
  5. Community Involvement

 

Selection Criteria

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

Professional Experience and Preparation

  • Masters degree and administrative credential required
  • Principal experience required
  • Classroom teaching experience required
  • Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, or other district level experience desirable
  • Bilingual ability desirable

Personal Characteristics

  • Has high integrity and is honest, fair, and trustworthy
  • Is accessible and easily approachable and has an "open door" policy
  • Is a "people person" with strong public and human relations skills and a sense of humor
  • Has excellent communications and listening skills and relates to people at all
  • Treats everyone equally and with respect
  • Is a team builder who will unify the district departments and staff
  • Is a strong leader who makes consistent and firm decisions in the best interest of children and takes responsibility for those decisions
  • Has a high level of energy, enthusiasm, and motivation, with a strong work ethic and highly professional demeanor
  • Is highly visible and active in the community, schools, and worksites and is committed to becoming part of the rural community the school district serves

Professional Skills and Abilities

  • Has a clear vision for education that maintains a focus on improving student performance
  • Has success in working with Program Improvement schools in improving student achievement and closing the achievement gap for culturally diverse and socioeconomic students
  • Is committed to work with the Board to develop a strong governing team and to provide the Board with relevant, timely, and accurate information, alternatives, and recommendations to make informed decisions in a timely manner
  • Is a strong visionary leader who sets achievable goals and holds self and staff accountable
  • Has excellent fiscal management skills as well as the ability to seek and find new funding grants
  • Has in-depth knowledge of the Education Code and other laws related to education programs
  • Has excellent knowledge of K-8 curriculum and understands current education theory, instructional techniques, curricular expectations, and laws and regulations at the state and federal levels
  • Has excellent delegation skills
  • Has the ability to create a district climate of cooperation and collaboration in working with staff, parents, and community members
  • Has the ability to create a district climate of cooperation and collaboration in working with staff, parents, and community members

 


Application Procedures

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 board consultant:

Dr. Wendell Chun at (209) 613-2409

Applications must be submitted online to:

DLAssoc.com
Pixley Union School District
c/o Dr. Wendell Chun, Consultant
Dave Long & Associates, Executive Search Services
31500 Grape Street, Suite. 3, #412
Lake Elsinore, CA 92532-9702

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date, Friday, April 16, 2010 (5:00 p.m.), 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 the Dave Long & Associates web page at DLAssoc.com.
  • A personal letter of application stating reasons for interest in the Pixley 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

It is the applicant's responsibility to submit placement papers or reference letters online by the Friday, April 16, 2010 (5:00 p.m.) deadline.

 


Selection Procedure

A professional screening committee of respected educational leaders 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 the report of the committee, the board will select and interview the top candidates.

The board will then select and invite 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 Pixley Union School District Board of Education will offer a multi-year contract of employment with a salary that is competitive and negotiable based on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate, plus fringe benefits.

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. The finalist will also be required to provide the district with certified transcripts that verify attainment of academic degrees and proof of appropriate credentials.


Board of Education

                                         Term Expires
Aaron Gay, President              2011
Betty Morehead, Clerk            2013
Joel Ramos, Member               2011
Sharon Herbert, Member        2013
David Williams, Member          2013


Applications Close

Friday, April 16, 2010 (5:00 pm)

Interviews are tentatively scheduled for April 30 and May 1, 2010.