JOB DESCRIPTION - SUPERINTENDENT

JOB DESCRIPTION - SUPERINTENDENT

po1230Adopted January 1, 2002Revised August 15, 2024

1230– JOB DESCRIPTION – SUPERINTENDENT

Reports to:                              Board of Education

Employment Status:               Regular/Full-time

NOTE:  The below lists are not ranked in order of importance

DEFINITION:

The Superintendent of Schools is the chief executive and administrative officer of the Board.  The Superintendent reports directly to the Board, has all powers and duties imposed upon the office by statute, and has all executive and administrative powers and duties in connection with the overall operation of the schools which are not required by statute to be exercised directly by the Board or by some other officer.  The Superintendent exercises leadership through school administrators who comprise the Leadership Team.

MAJOR POLICY RESPONSIBILITY:

The Superintendent of Schools initiates and recommends policies for approval by the Board and develops policies recommended by the Board.  Following approval of policies by the Board, the Superintendent is responsible for implementing policies and ensuring that the overall operation of the schools adheres to established Board policies.  The Superintendent shall affect the position responsibilities by delegating, at his/her discretion, said responsibilities to assistants and subordinates with the knowledge that the delegation of power or duty does not relieve the Superintendent of final responsibility for the action taken under such delegation.

KEY FUNCTIONS:

  1. VISION, FOCUS of DISTRICT WORK, and Continuous Improvement: Superintendent shall establish a vision, develop a focused plan for achieving district goals, and expect continuous improvement. Effective superintendents facilitate the establishment of a vision for their districts. They articulate this vision clearly, creating a description of what the district can become. This vision drives the district’s work.

    Representative Elements:
     
    1. Develop a shared vision for the district.
    2. Expect, model, and support the effective use of data.
    3. Create and execute a coherent plan with a limited, achievable number of goals and objectives.
    4. Implement the district plan and monitor the strategies and activities for achieving the goals and objectives.
    5. Communicate the district’s vision, goals, and focused plan.
    6. Engage the board and key staff in a process that identifies objectives and details activities, resources, timelines, standards, and monitoring processes necessary for completion of the district objectives.
    7. Provide regular and year-end reports on progress.
  2. COMMUNICATIONS AND COLLABORATION: Effective superintendents have processes in place to:
     
    1. Facilitate communication and collaboration with the board of education and the district treasurer.
    2. Establish and maintain effective relationships with school personnel.
    3. Engage the external community.

Effective superintendents recognize the importance of involving multiple stakeholders to inform decision-making, communicate processes and celebrate accomplishments. To gain and maintain support for these improvement efforts and to sustain the focus on the goals, effective superintendents must communicate effectively with staff and stakeholders.

Representative Elements:

  1. Demonstrate communication competence with all stakeholders.
  2. Develop, implement, and maintain effective communications systems.
  3. Communicate effectively and openly, and demonstrate a willingness to collaborate with the board of education, the district treasurer, and the district staff and external stakeholders.
  4. Keep the public and staff informed about current educational practices, educational trends, policies, progress, and challenges in the district’s schools.
  5. Assess public and staff beliefs about matters pertaining to the schools.
  6. Promptly respond to staff and community concerns.
  7. Execute activities that build and sustain positive community engagement.
  8. Establish rapport with the media.
  9. Promote understanding, appreciation, and use of the community’s diverse social, cultural, and intellectual resources.
  1. POLICIES AND GOVERNANCE: Effective superintendents identify, prioritize, recommend and follow policies and governance procedures that maintain a focus on the central goal — ensuring the success of all students. Effective superintendents recognize the moral imperative to ensure the success of every child and recommend and enforce policies and governance practices accordingly. Effective superintendents value the importance of an effective working relationship with the board and enlist the board’s support for district goals.

    Representative Elements:
     
    1. Review, develop, and recommend policies for the district.
    2. Implement and continuously assess policies and practices.
    3. Identify and respond to societal and educational trends that affect the district and community.
    4. Advocate for children and families.
    5. Model and expect professional conduct.
    6. Prepare and submit to the board recommendations relative to all matters requiring board action, placing before the board such necessary and helpful facts, information, and reports as needed to ensure the making of informed decisions.
    7. Prepare the agenda for board meetings, attend and participate in all meetings of the board and its committees, except when own employment or salary is under consideration, and participate in all board deliberations, with no voting power.
    8. Keep the board informed of the activities operating under the board’s authority.
  2. INSTRUCTION: The superintendent leads the creation of instructional systems designed for high student achievement. The superintendent shall place a primary focus on improving instruction and enhancing student learning. As an instructional leader, the superintendent shall create a district culture and expectations that support effective data-based decision making at all levels of the system. The superintendent shall work with district and building administrators to identify, collect, analyze, and use relevant data to identify strengths to sustain and improvements to address. The superintendent shall promote, support, and use research-based best practices for curriculum design and instruction.

    Representative Elements:
     
    1. Require district-wide use of an established curriculum.
    2. Ensure the development and implementation of high-quality, standards-based instruction.
    3. Set expectations for and guide the creation of a comprehensive academic assessment system for the district.
    4. Ensure that the district curriculum, instruction, and assessment program are designed to provide full access and opportunity to all students consistent with available resources and legal mandates.
    5. Provide for high-quality professional development for all staff, aligned with district, state, and applicable national standards.
    6. Promote the use of effective and appropriate technologies to support teaching and learning.
    7. Direct and supervise extra- and co-curricular programs in the district.
  3. RESOURCES: Effective superintendents intentionally focus financial, human, time, materials, technological and facility resources in support of district goals for instruction and achievement. Superintendents take actions to achieve district goals. They support individuals at all levels in the district and assume that the central office is a support and service organization for the schools. Effective superintendents organize the district to provide leaders appropriate authority within their schools to make decisions and implement initiatives. To allow for this to happen successfully, superintendents provide adequate and equitable resources across the district.

    Representative Elements:
     
    1. Recruit, develop, evaluate, and retain quality staff and oversee human resource management.
    2. Organize calendars and schedules focused on district goals.
    3. Manage and prioritize fiscal resources to align expenditures with district goals.
    4. Identify and equitably allocate materials and technology to support district goals.
    5. Oversee the district’s facilities and operations.
    6. Assign and transfer employees as the interest of the district may dictate.
    7. Provide and implement a plan of assessment and evaluation for employees of the district, as well as personally assess and evaluate select administrative personnel.
    8. Provide a process for the creation of the annual tax budget and appropriation budget and recommend them to the board for approval.
    9. Recommend to the Board tax millage needed to maintain the district’s educational programs and provide leadership to tax levy campaigns.
    10. Provide bidding, purchasing, and accounting procedures that are cost effective and efficient.
    11. Provide appropriate regulations for the use and care of school properties.
    12. Manage and supervise the transportation of students and provision of food services.
  4. LEADERSHIP AND SPECIAL PROJECTS: This category provides an area to identify, address, and/or resolve tasks and emerging problems that are unique or crucial to the overall successful operation of the district. It is expected that the superintendent will demonstrate leadership skills in the carrying out of his/her functions. NOTE:

    Representative Elements:
     
    1. Construction projects: facilitation of coherent, well-planned process.
    2. Leadership in managing level and bond issues campaigns.
    3. Coalition building in the community for specific board goals.
    4. Enrollment trends and recommendations concerning facility needs.
    5. Leadership as demonstrated by the following skills: effective written and oral communications skills, sound and thoughtful decision-making skills; facilitator of building a culture of trust and high expectations; engages in self-development, facilitates conflict management, demonstrates creativity, anticipates problems, demonstrates entrepreneurial skills, is a self-initiator, demonstrates high ethical and professional behavior.
    6. Professional and personal development through participation in local, state, and national professional organizations; visits similar school districts, attends educational conferences, and reads current professional literature.

Qualifications:

  • Master's degree (M.A.) or equivalent
  • Appropriate state of Ohio certification/license
  • Previous administrative experience preferred (3 to 5 years)
  • Alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board of Education may find appropriate

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Knowledge of various academic areas and teaching methodologies
  • Ability to work effectively with others
  • Ability to communicate ideas and directives clearly and effectively both orally and in writing
  • Effective, active listening skills
  • Organizational and problem solving skills
  • Ability and skill to operate various computer programs
  • Ability to organize and compile data for various state and federal reports
  • General understanding of accounting principles
  • Ability to handle a multitude of tasks in a timely and simultaneous manner
  • Ability to handle constant pressure and stress

Additional Working Conditions:

  • Occasional evening work
  • Occasional exposure to blood, bodily fluids, and tissue
  • Occasional operation of a vehicle in inclement weather conditions, i.e., being prepared to work on all scheduled school days, except calamity days
  • Occasionally lift, carry, push, and pull various items up to a maximum of 25 pounds
  • Frequent repetitive hand motion, e.g., computer keyboard, calculator, writing
  • Frequent requirement to sit, stand, walk, talk, hear, see, read, speak, reach, stretch with hands and arms, crouch, kneel, climb, and stoop
  • Occasional travel, e.g., attending workshops outside of the district
  • Occasional interaction with unruly students
  • Occasional requirement to operate school district vehicle

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: In accordance with Board-issued contract.

**Southern Local School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, sex or disabilities.**

Southern Local School District Board of Education adoption date: 8/15/2024

The job description in no manner states or implies that these are the only duties and responsibilities to be performed by the position incumbent.  The incumbent will be required to follow the instructions and perform the duties required by the superintendent.

________________________________________________________________________
Board of Education                                                    Date

My signature below signifies that I have reviewed the contents of my job description and that I am aware of the requirements of my position.  I further certify that I have reviewed the contents of my job description.

____________________________________            ____________________________________
Signature                                                                    Date