Position Details
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District: Hope Elementary School District 2009
Position/Title: Superintendent
Salary: Competitive and negotiable
Closing Date: Monday, April 13, 2009
Downloads:

The Position

The Board of Trustees of Hope Elementary School District is seeking a superintendent with strong leadership skills who is committed to academic excellence for students at all levels.

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

The superintendent must be a "generalist" with experience in all areas of district and school administration, including instruction, finance, budget, personnel, and special education.

The Board is seeking a dynamic, innovative, and creative leader to help the district continue their tradition of excellence. The successful candidate will also be someone who understands and embraces widespread parent involvement and is committed to being highly visible and involved in the schools and the community.

The Community

Quietly nestled between the ocean and the mountains, Santa Barbara represents the essence of California—the art and culture of the big city and the heart and hospitality of a small, coastal town.

The region’s climate, natural beauty, and small town feeling make it an ideal place to live, work, and raise a family.

There are five institutions of higher learning on the South Coast: University of California, Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara City College; Westmont College; Antioch College; and the Brooks Institute of Photography.

The District

The Hope Elementary School District is located within the city of Santa Barbara, California. The Board, staff, community, and parents are proud of the small town and small school environment in the district.

Hope ESD has just converted to a Basic Aid funded district. The district has 984 students enrolled in three elementary schools: Hope Elementary School, Monte Vista School, and Vieja Valley School. The Hope School District’s original school was established in 1870 and was called Pedregosa School. The first Hope School was built before 1888 on Hope Avenue. Vieja Valley School was opened in 1961, Monte Vista was opened in 1966. Hope School, closed due to declining enrollment in 1977, was reopened in September 1997.

The student population includes 68% White, 23% Hispanic, 6% Asian American, 1% African American, and 2% Others. The district has a General Fund budget of $9,030,000 and is served by the Superintendent and 66 certificated and 72 classified employees.

Hope School District Socio-Economic Indicators:

PAID

TOTAL

FRD

% Free/Reduced

Hope School 248 319 71 22.26%
Monte Vista 265 341 76 22.29%
Vieja Valley 273 326 53 16.26%
Districtwide 786 986 200 20.28%

Hope Elementary School District has long been noted for its excellent academic program and the wide variety of innovative and creative extra-curricular and co-curricular activities. The district’s overall Academic Performance Index (API) score is 893, with all 3 schools over the state goal of 800 or higher.

 

Vieja Valley School has previously been honored as a California Distinguished School. Monte Vista School has been both a California Distinguished School and a National Blue Ribbon School.

The district’s success is directly attributable to the excellent teaching and support staff, who have set high expectations for student achievement, and the strong parent and community support for the schools. The community approved a school bond in 1995 and refunded the bond in 2003.

School programs are supported by excellent parental involvement. The Hope School District Educational Foundation was founded in 1993 in response to state budget cuts and funding reductions for school programs. Its purpose is to secure resources through various fundraising efforts to enrich the educational programs at Hope, Monte Vista and Vieja Valley Elementary Schools and to encourage collaborations and communications among the three campuses and surrounding communities.

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
  • Masters degree and administrative credential required
  • Superintendent experience desirable
  • District level experience desirable
  • Principal experience required
  • Classroom teaching experience required, preferably at the K-6 level
Personal Characteristics
  • Has high integrity and is honest, consistent, and fair
  • Has excellent communication skills and is easily approachable
  • Is an enthusiastic and energetic team builder who is willing to recognize the abilities and contributions of all district staff, community members, and parents
  • Is a decisive leader who makes sound, difficult decisions, follows through, and takes responsibility for those decisions
  • Is a proactive, creative, and innovative problem solver
  • Is highly visible and active in the schools and community
Professional Skills and Abilities
  • Is a strong leader with a vision of where the district might go and what the district might become; can articulate that vision, incorporate other points of view, and decisively lead the district
  • Has demonstrated ability to manage the district’s finances, facilities, and resources in a responsible manner, as well as the ability to seek and find new funding sources
  • Has the ability to work effectively with the Board and provide the Board with relevant, timely, and accurate information, alternatives, and recommendations to make informed decisions in a timely manner
  • Has a commitment to academic excellence and a clear vision for education that maintains a focus on improving student performance
  • Has excellent knowledge of K-6 curriculum and instruction, understands current education theory, instructional techniques, curricular expectations, and laws and regulations at the state and federal levels
  • Has success in improving student achievement and closing the achievement gap for diverse socio-economic student groups
  • Values a balanced curriculum with extra-curricular and enrichment activities, including music, art, drama, and advanced studies programs
  • Has an understanding of all facets associated with declining enrollment
  • Is technology literate and supports the increased use of technology in classroom instruction and district and school site management
  • Has knowledge and experience in collective bargaining and the ability to create a positive climate in employer/employee relations 

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 adviser at 209-613-2409.

Applications must be submitted online to:

DLAssoc.com

Hope Elementary School District

c/o Dr. Wendell Chun, Adviser

Dave Long & Associates, Executive Search Services

All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date, April 13, 2009 (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 Dave Long & Associates’ web page at DLAssoc.com.
  • A personal letter of application stating reasons for interest in the Hope Elementary 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 April 13, 2009 (5:00 p.m.) deadline.

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 Hope Elementary School District Board of Trustees will offer a competitive and negotiable salary, plus fringe benefits 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.

Board of Trustees


Term Expires

Anthony Winterbauer, President

2010

Scott Orlosky, Clerk

2010

Christopher Gallo

2012

Patricia Hiles

2010

Chad Prentice

2012

Applications Close

April 13, 2009 - (5:00 p.m.)

Interviews

Interviews are tentatively scheduled for May 8 and 9, 2009.