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Weston Public Schools 2016 Superintendent Search
Leadership Profile Report Executive Summary
Prepared for the
Weston Board of Education Superintendent Search Committee
By
Cooperative Educational Services Trumbull, CT 06611
March 7, 2016
1
WESTON SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH – 2016
LEADERSHIP PROFILE REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary 2
Introduction 4
Demographics 5
Professional Experience 6
Achievement Record 8
Education Background 10
Significant Challenges 11
Personal Characteristics 14
Significant Issues 17
Appendix A (Focus Group Results) 20
2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Weston Board of Education employed the services of Executive Search Services at
Cooperative Educational Services to facilitate its search for a new superintendent of schools.
The initial phase of the search process involved an online survey and focus groups in order to
determine the most desirable attributes of a new superintendent. A total of 49 people
participated in one of six focus group sessions that were conducted on February 24, 2016 and
313 participants completed an online survey that was accessible from February 10-26, 2016.
Detailed results of both the online survey and focus groups follow this summary. The following
selection criteria are derived from these results and are summarized here for the Weston Board
of Education consideration.
Recommended Selection Criteria:
1. Superintendent experience is preferred but not necessary if the candidate
demonstrates the desired personal and leadership qualities.
2. The new superintendent should demonstrate an understanding of teaching and
leading in a contemporary public school.
3. The new superintendent should be capable of supporting teachers and school
leaders; meet the demands of various school reform initiatives.
4. The new superintendent will need to be able to build a positive school district
culture that supports learning, teaching, innovation, promotes excellence, and
engages in processes of continuous improvement.
5. The new superintendent will need to sustain strong relationships with town
officials and community agencies through collaborative partnerships and
effectively functioning teams.
6. The new superintendent must be an excellent communicator, advocating for
students, staff and schools in a credible, sensible manner by being visible and
active at school and community events.
7. A doctorate degree is not necessary for success in this position. Personal qualities
such as experience, leadership skills and interpersonal skills are viewed as more
important. All of these attributes being equal, the doctorate degree would be
preferred.
8. The new superintendent should be adept at team building, using expertise wisely
and faculty development in the context of long-term planning.
9. The new superintendent should possess acumen in all aspects of budgeting,
especially in communicating budget issues in a clear, credible manner to various
stakeholder groups.
3
10. The new superintendent will need to skillfully assess program effectiveness and
address issues where performance expectations are not at a high level.
11. The new superintendent of schools should demonstrate the following personal
characteristics:
Excellent communication skills, inspirational
Highly developed interpersonal skills, evincing a friendly and approachable
demeanor to all stakeholders and students
Strong ethical values; integrity, honesty, fairness
Visionary
Innovative; building on the successes of the district
A process oriented person, collaborative and inclusive
Strength of convictions, advocating for students, teachers and the community
Thoughtful decision making; always having students’ best interest in mind
Belief in the importance of education
12. The new superintendent will need to sustain and grow the culture of academic
excellence in the schools.
13. The new superintendent will need to manage enrollment decline systematically
but with sensitivity and credibility for all stakeholders.
14. The new superintendent will need to create a shared vision for the effective use of
technology and take appropriate action to realize that vision.
15. The new superintendent should be committed to the district for a long-term
relationship.
4
Introduction The Weston Board of Education has begun its search for a superintendent of schools. It is expected that the new superintendent will begin duties as soon as possible. The goal is to have a Superintendent on board as close to July 1, 2016 as is feasible. The election of a school superintendent is a state-legislated responsibility of the Board of Education. The Board’s goal is to find the most qualified person whose background and personal attributes best match the needs and expectations of the school district and the Weston Community. The Board of Education believes that assessing school and community opinion about desirable leadership attributes for a new superintendent will enable the development of a leadership profile to assist in the recruitment and selection of a superintendent of schools. To that end, the Board of Education has contracted with Cooperative Educational Services (C.E.S.) Executive Search Services. In order to develop this profile and community assessment, search consultants Tom Jokubaitis and James Ritchie prepared an online survey and conducted focus groups with school employees, students, and community members. In conducting the focus group sessions, C.E.S. consultants use a structured framework of questions. The intent of the framework is to seek opinions from each focus group as to what group members perceive to be the most desirable skills, qualifications, background of experiences, and personal qualities that Weston would like to see in the Superintendent. Six focus group sessions were conducted on February 24, 2016 for the following groups: (1) Public officials; (2) Administrators; (3) Elementary school teachers; (4) Secondary teachers; (5) High school students; and (6) Parents and community members. A total of 49 people participated in the focus groups. Each focus group began with introductions and clarification of purpose and the processes to be used in soliciting participant opinions. Consultants indicated they were there to listen to the opinions of the participants, to facilitate group discussion, and to answer questions about search procedures. Each focus group used guiding questions to frame their responses for the consultants. Responses were recorded and participants were asked to verify the accuracy of the record of responses to each question before moving on to the next. Questions focused on (1) Background experiences; (2) Achievement record; (3) Education background; (4) Expertise; (5) Personal qualities; and (6) Important issues. The record of opinions for each group can be found at the end of this report in Appendix A. In addition to the focus group sessions, an online survey was accessible to all Weston residents and school employees from February 10-26, 2016. The online survey utilized questions similar to those included in the focus group question framework. Data from the online survey and focus groups are blended in determining the recommended list of priority attributes for a new superintendent of schools. The Weston Community should take pride in the fact that 49 people participated in focus group sessions and 313 people responded to the survey. This report represents a composite of the Weston community’s vision of its next superintendent of schools. Upon review and acceptance
5
of this report by the Board of Education, it will be posted on the district website. The profile of the “ideal” superintendent presented in this report will serve as basic criteria for the Board of Education as it focuses on the recruitment and selection of a superintendent of schools.
The consultants and Board of Education express their sincere appreciation for those who took
time to attend focus group sessions and/or participate in the online survey.
Demographics:
A total of 313 people took time to complete the online survey that was accessible for thirteen
days. Respondents may have checked more than one category (334 for all categories checked).
Response Percent by Category
Category Number Percent
Resident, Non-parent 30 8.98%
Parent 190 56.9%
Student 34 10.2%
Certified Staff 52 15.6%
Non-certified Staff 21 6.3%
Town Official 2 0.59%
Other 5 1.5%
Total: 334
Others are represented by a parent of a former student, retired teacher, former student, parent of parochial school student, parent of future student, former non-certified staff member, and club advisor.
0
50
100
150
200
Resident, non-parent
Parent of aWeston Public
Schools student
Student Weston PublicSchools, certified
staff
Weston PublicSchools, non-certified staff
Town Official
30
190
3452
212R
esp
on
den
ts
Demographics
Survey Demographics
6
In addition to the online survey, six focus group sessions were conducted with participation
rates as indicated below:
Focus Group Participants
Administrators 11
Elementary teachers 9
Middle and high school teachers 6
Parents and community 9
Public officials 6
High school students 8
Total: 49
Observations:
The total number of online survey responses and their distribution across categories provides a
breadth and depth of perceptions of school district stakeholders. Parents of school-age children
and teachers represent the largest number of respondents, followed by students and resident
non-parents. This demonstrates a high interest in the schools and the selection of a new
superintendent of schools. It is noteworthy that the First Selectman participated in the focus
group session for public officials and that is clearly an indication of the importance of this
position to the community.
The focus groups and online survey addressed six basic themes as indicated by the following
summary for each question.
Professional Experience:
Q 1. – What work experience should the next superintendent have in his/her background?
It is clear that the majority of survey respondents want their new superintendent to have
considerable leadership experience at all levels of the school organization, as well as classroom
teacher experience. In addition, superintendent experience or central office leadership is also
regarded as important.
Experience Response Number Response Percent Superintendent 183 20.6%
Principal 223 25.1%
Classroom Teacher 195 21.9%
CO administrator or Assistant 123 13.9%
CO Supervisor 92 19.4%
Private Sector Leadership 72 8.1%
7
The following graph indicates the distribution of opinion about the types of experiences desired
in a new superintendent of schools.
Focus group opinions are summarized in the following: This is a highly visible and important position for this community. The new superintendent
should have the following background of experience:
Prior superintendent experience would be most beneficial but significant central office
leadership would suffice, as long as the candidate demonstrated the desired personal
and leadership qualities
The new superintendent, ideally, has experience at multiple levels of school district
organization, including classroom teaching and building level leadership; the critical
attribute is that the person can demonstrate an understanding of the work demands in
the contemporary school and can provide appropriate supports for teachers and
administrators
Suggested selection criteria:
Superintendent experience is preferred but not necessary if the candidate
demonstrates the desired personal and leadership qualities
The new superintendent should demonstrate an understanding of teaching and
leading in a contemporary public school
050
100150200250 183
223195
12392 72
Res
po
nd
ents
Experiences of candidate
Professional Experience
8
The new superintendent should be capable of supporting teachers and school leaders
meet the demands of various school reform and improvement initiatives
Achievement Record – Expertise:
Q 2. – What kind of achievement record or expertise do you believe the new superintendent
should have to demonstrate?
The following table demonstrates the category and frequency of online survey participant
opinion related to this question.
Achievement/Expertise Response Number Response Percent
Creating positive, healthy, and supportive learning environments
222 22.1%
Recruitment and retention of high quality personnel
159 15.8%
Building a culture of excellence 141 14.0%
Advocating for students. Staff, schools and the community
122 12.2%
Building an effective, collaborative leadership team
116 11.6%
Supporting a culture of school and district innovation
103 10.3%
Creating positive school/district cultures 101 10.1%
Providing high quality professional development
70 6.9%
Creating a climate of trust in the community
60 5.9%
Strategic planning 57 5.7%
Maintaining effective relationships with town officials
33 3.3%
Effective implementation of supervision and evaluation
24 2.4%
Increasing organizational productivity 25 0.25%
9
Online survey participants consider three topics as priority issues in this category: (1) building a
positive, healthy and supportive environment [for learning and teaching]; (2) recruitment and
retention of high quality personnel; and (3) building a culture of excellence. The next three high
interest topics reinforce these sentiments: (4) advocating for students, staff, and the schools;
(5) building a collaborative leadership team; and, (6) supporting a culture of innovation.
The following statements were written in by various survey participants (12) in the “other”
category:
Building trust and strong relationships with all district employees
Supporting art and music; enriching culture (3)
Honesty
Focus on social-emotional health of students
Initiatives should address a real need and result in real improvement
A safe environment for LGBT students; school does not feel safe
Individualized education
Maintain a culture of excellence
Everyone rowing in the same direction
Fiscal responsibility ~ declining enrollments ~ economic efficiency; Achieve budget
decreases (3)
Special education
050
100150200250
141 116
222
101
2560 33
7024
159
57103
Res
po
nd
ents
Achievements
Achievement Record/Expertise
10
Focus group summary: There are several consistent themes that emerge throughout the focus groups in this category:
There is great concern about ensuring that the school district has a positive culture as
well as a supportive community culture. This is manifest in such factors as collaborative
decision making, community partnerships, trusting and positive working relationships,
community pride in the schools, and effectively functioning teams.
The pursuit of excellence is a hallmark of this school district. The new superintendent
must be willing to sustain and grow a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous
improvement throughout the district. This will require a positive and healthy work
environment, optimism, and a high energy level.
Excellence in communication is a necessary skillset. The superintendent is the face of the
school district and must be able to advocate for the students and schools in a credible,
sensible manner that builds trust and confidence in all stakeholders. Being visible in
schools and at community events and engaging people constructively at these events
will facilitate effective communication.
Suggested selection criteria:
The new superintendent will need to be able to build a positive school district culture
that supports learning, teaching, innovation, promotes excellence, and engages in
processes of continuous improvement.
The new superintendent will need to sustain strong relationships with town officials
and community agencies through collaborative partnerships and effectively
functioning teams
The new superintendent must be an excellent communicator, advocating for students,
staff, and schools in a credible, sensible manner by being visible and active in schools
and at community events
Education Background:
Q 3. – Should the next superintendent have a doctoral degree?
The online survey results are illustrated on the following graph.
11
Online survey participants indicate that 54.1% do not think a doctorate is necessary, 22.6%
think it is preferred but not necessary, and 23.2% think it should be a requirement. Considering
the second and third options of this question, 76.7% of respondents would agree that the
doctorate degree is not necessary, provided that personal qualities and leadership skills are as
desired.
All focus group participants think a doctorate degree would be beneficial. However, a large
majority of participants consider the personal qualities of an individual, such as experience,
leadership skill, and interpersonal skills to be more important for success on the job. A few
participants in two groups think the community expectation would be for the successful
candidate to possess a doctoral degree.
Suggested selection criterion:
A doctorate degree is not necessary for success in this position. Personal qualities such
as experience, leadership skill, and interpersonal skills are viewed as more important.
All of these attributes being equal, the doctorate degree would be preferred.
Significant Challenges:
Q 4. – Given your understanding of the Weston Public Schools, what are the most significant
challenges that will face a new superintendent?
The following chart displays the number and percent of responses for each item in Question 4.
0
50
100
150
200
Yes Preferred but notnecessarily
No
73 71
170
Res
po
nd
ents
Answer to question
Should a doctoral degree be required?
12
Challenges Response Number Response Percent
Curriculum and instruction 212 17.2%
Faculty relations and development 164 13.3%
Vision for technology use 141 11.4%
Safe and secure facilities 115 9.3%
Leadership development 99 8.0%
Fiscal management 92 7.4%
Budget development 70 5.7%
Student activities (sports, extracurricular, etc.)
69 5.6%
Special education 47 3.8%
Communications 57 4.6%
Public relations 50 4.0%
Declining enrollment 44 3.6%
Negotiations and personnel 39 3.2%
Policy and governance 36 2.9%
Eighteen online survey participants chose to write-in additional comments. These are
summarized below:
0
50
100
150
200
250
115141
39
164
36 50
99
212
6947
7092
44 5719
Res
po
nd
ents
Challenges
Greatest Challenges
13
Need to understand what it is really like for students; students activities (3)
Hire the next superintendent from within the district
Support theater arts; fine and performing arts (3)
Expertise in a key area
Do not have to change things for the district to succeed; understands what makes the
district great (2)
Progressive education
Increasing enrollment
Innovative
Build a better gifted curriculum
Strive for excellence; do not accept less
Understands the value of all disciplines, not just the traditional
Special education
Online survey participants think that curriculum and instruction (17.2%) is by far the top
challenge that will be facing a new superintendent of schools. This is followed by faculty
relations and development (13.3%) and a vision for the use of technology (11.4%). The next
highest priorities are safe and secure facilities (9.3%), leadership development (8.0%), and fiscal
management (7.4%).
Focus group participants identified a number of challenges where the new superintendent
should possess or have the capacity to quickly develop understanding and skill. What the next
superintendent will need to be “good at” encompass the following:
Utilizing available expertise wisely; examine the organization for effective deployment of
human resources [people in places required to achieve school and district goals]
Building, managing, and communicating the school district budget effectively and
creatively; preferably with a long-term outlook anticipating needs and identifying
efficiencies.
Looking at programs and services objectively to determine if results measure up to
expectations for all students; challenge the status quo
Faculty development, coalescing people into supportive groups unified to achieve the
district vision and mission
Long-term planning in an era of enrollment decline; addressing facility and human
resource issues in a timely and sensitive manner
High school students desire to have their voices heard and hope to engage the new
superintendent in conversations about their views and needs
14
Discussion:
The result of the online survey and focus groups requires some discussion as several of the
higher priorities here tie-in to other sections of this report. The online survey highest priority of
“curriculum and instruction” probably ties into the Common Core State Standards as such
relates to a positive and supportive climate, faculty development, and using expertise wisely.
Faculty relations ties into creating a positive and supportive environment for teaching and
learning as the district pursues its quest for excellence; a clear vision for future use of
technology is also linked to these challenges as well.
Suggested selection criteria:
The new superintendent should be adept at team building, using expertise wisely, and
faculty development in the context of long-term planning
The new superintendent should possess acumen in all aspects of budgeting, especially
in communicating budget issues in a clear, credible manner to various stakeholder
groups
The new superintendent will need to skillfully assess program effectiveness and
address issues where performance expectations are not at a high level
Personal Characteristics:
Q 5. – What personal characteristics best define your ideal superintendent?
The following chart displays category and number of responses to the question of desirable
personal characteristics.
Personal Characteristics - N= 311 Online Survey Respondents
Category Frequency of Mention
Good communication skill; listening; clear; values opinions of others
142
Approachable friendly; visible 123
Ethical values; integrity; honesty; fair 80
Proven success in a high performing district; pursues excellence; passionate about education
59
Innovative; creative 40
Visionary; proactive 38
Decisions based on what is best for students; thoughtful; problem solver; decisive; strategic thinker
35
15
Interpersonal skills; engaging 32
Ability to lead with reason; strong; energetic 31
Collaborative consensus builder 24
Supports staff; professional development 23
Kind, thoughtful; empathizes; caring 21
Culture of trust 16
Intelligent 16
Cares about children’; pressures 16
Independent thinker; strength of convictions 14
Flexible 14
Long-term commitment; sense of community 11
Vision for technology 10
Budget; declining enrollment; business acumen 10
Advocates for the schools; students 10
Management skills 8
Curriculum choices; TC programs 7
Team builder 7
School/district culture; friendly environment 7
Recruitment and retention of high quality staff 7
Community minded; public outreach 6
Community minded; public outreach 6
Plans; measures beyond test scores 5
Calm demeanor; professional 4
Supports the arts 4
Dedicated to continued learning 3
Political savvy 3
Common sense 3
Delegates 3
Sense of humor 2
Special education 2
Discipline; zero tolerance 1
Academic and curriculum excellence 1
Safety and security 1
Servant leadership 1
Inspirational 1
Classroom experience 1
The results clearly show that good communications skills, including listening to and valuing the
opinion of others, is of high importance; along with being friendly, approachable, and visible in
the schools and at community events. Weston residents and school personnel place high value
on the ability of their school leader to communicate with clarity, credibility, and conviction.
16
They are also concerned that this person has a friendly demeanor, welcoming opportunities to
engage others in conversation in the schools and community.
Attributes of integrity, honesty, and fairness are also important. The new superintendent should
have a passion for education and a commitment to the pursuit of excellence. This is a high
performing district that looks to get better – continuous improvement is a part of its culture.
The third cluster of desirable attributes speaks to a strong leader who makes decisions based
upon what is best for students. This leader has a clear vision for the future of the school district
and welcomes others to join in innovative, creative thinking about possibilities to enhance
learning opportunities for all children and brings these ideas to fruition.
It is difficult to dismiss any of the desirable qualities listed. All have some bearing on the ability
of a new superintendent to establish him/herself as the educational leader in this community.
Focus group results closely resemble the online survey results, as presented below:
The new superintendent should possess the following characteristics:
Friendly and approachable with well-developed people skills; someone who likes people
and is comfortable interacting with children, exuding warmth and an ability to easily
connect with them
A process oriented person who listens, believes in the importance of education, and is
thoughtful in making decisions; a person who has strength of convictions and advocates
for children, teachers, the schools, and the community
A person who is passionate about education and exhibits ethical values
A great communicator; open, honest, transparent, and inspirational; is able to deal
effectively with the demands of the community and is viewed as credible and
knowledgeable
Innovative, creative, flexible, and builds upon the success of the school district
Discussion:
There is an overall consistency in the results of the online survey and focus groups. There are 43
categories of attributes mentioned from a total of 313 survey participants. It is a “tightly”
grouped set of responses, even more so when the lesser mentioned categories are not
considered. What seems remarkable to the consultants is the way in which this community has
distinguished itself from other communities who have recently sought new district leadership.
While the emphasis on excellence in communication, approachability, and ethics is not unusual,
placing such high value on vision, innovation, strategic thinking, and the pursuit of excellence is
not typical. Being a kind, empathetic, thoughtful, and caring superintendent is also not often
17
expressed in such groups. While budgetary issues are serious concerns, they have received less
attention here than it typically does in other districts. Those that claim Weston is a unique
community and school district have solid justification for those sentiments.
Suggested selection criteria:
The new superintendent of schools should demonstrate the following personal
characteristics:
Excellent communication skills, inspirational
Highly developed interpersonal skills, evincing a friendly an approachable
demeanor to all stakeholders and students
Strong ethical values; integrity, honesty, fairness
Visionary
Innovative; building on the successes of the district
A process oriented person, collaborative and inclusive
Strength of convictions, advocating for students, teachers, and the community
Thoughtful decision making always having students best interest in mind
Belief in the importance of education
Important Issues:
Q 6. – Going forward, what are the most important issues facing the Weston Public Schools?
This open-ended question was last in the online survey, inviting participants to write in their
opinions about the most important issues facing the school district. Each participant had
multiple suggestions. The chart below displays the range of issues expressed (40) and the
frequency that each issue was mentioned.
Important Issues – Number of people with write-in responses - N= 311
Category Frequency
Maintaining excellence; culture of academic excellence; innovation 107
Declining enrollment 90
Budgets; balancing costs; support 56
Curricula; updated; opportunities 47
Emotional health and safety/security 35
Excellence in teaching; teacher development; termination 30
Technology integration 26
Teacher commitment; retention; recruitment 23
Pressure of staff and students; tests 21
School climate and culture; positive environment 15
SPED services 12
Shared space; facility usage 10
18
Employee morale 9
Leadership 8
Community involvement; relationships 7
Communication 7
Building a sense of community (town and schools) 7
Arts 7
Vision 6
College admittance; guidance 6
Middle School 6
Drugs 6
Facilities; Hurlbutt School 5
Property values/taxes 5
Global citizens 4
Parent/student entitlement 3
Communications 3
STEM 3
Athletics programs 2
Bullying ; discipline 2
Advocate 1
Restructure priorities 1
Cutting edge 1
Senior center 1
Future orientation 1
Strategic planning 1
Kids in the middle 1
Class size 1
Alternative education 1
Mandates 1
The majority of online survey participants identified (1) maintaining a culture of excellence and
innovation in the Weston Public Schools as their high priority, followed closely by (2) managing
issues associated with declining enrollment. The next two issues receiving most mentions are
(3) budget-related concerns ranging from providing more resources to reducing costs and
sentiments about balancing needs with costs; and, (4) updating curriculum so it is suited to
Weston students with more and varied opportunities. The next cluster of issues are (5)
emotional health, safety, and security of staff and students; (6) ensuring excellence of teaching
in all classrooms; (7) updating technology and integrating it into the fabric of curriculum and
instruction; (8) recruitment and retention of high quality teachers and administrators; and (9)
reducing the test-induced pressure on students and teachers.
Focus group participants also identified some of the issues cited above as priority concerns. All
issues presented by participants are important. Several concerns coalesce around a few themes,
19
as follows:
Declining enrollment and related issues; facilities, staffing, budgets, grade re-
configuration, resource deployment – all require long-term planning
Recruitment and retention of high quality staff; morale is affected by frequent turnover
in key leadership positions; succession planning and strategic planning for continuity
Keeping students at the forefront of decision-making, policy development, and program
initiatives; resist change that is not in the best interest of students
Develop a realistic vision for the use of technology in the schools – follow-up with wise
purchasing decisions and clear expectations for implementing the vision
It is important to note that the frequency of mention for important issues may not be the same
as their relative importance for action. Issues need to be more clearly defined and placed in the
context of what is most important for the schools and community to act upon in order to
achieve the vision for the future of the Weston Public Schools.
Suggested selection criteria:
The new superintendent will need sustain and grow the culture of academic excellence
in the schools; decisions must be made in terms of what is best for all students
The new superintendent will need to manage enrollment decline systematically but
with sensitivity and credibility for all stakeholders
The new superintendent will need to create a shared vision for the effective use of
technology and take appropriate action to realize that vision
The new superintendent should be committed to the district for a long-term
relationship
20
APPENDIX A
FOCUS GROUP RESULTS
High School Students
N = 8
Professional Experience:
• Classroom and administration experience; need to understand life in the school
• Interacts with students; understands needs and aspirations; forms relationships
with students
• Understands business and schools; a business sense
• Collaborative decision maker, as appropriate
• Wise expenditures where most effective and needed; communicates effectively
Achievement Record:
• Willing to challenge the status quo
• Pursues excellence and innovation
• Build pride in the district and schools; bring people together
• Positive, optimistic leadership style
• Look to achieve excellence in all areas of school programs
• Systems thinker
• Some type of business experience might be helpful
• Empathy and ability to connect with people
Education Background:
21
• Personal experiences and qualifications more important than the degree;
preferred but not necessary
Expertise:
• Fiscal management, budget, public relations
• Communication – more visible in the schools – interacting with people
• Enable student voices
• Known by students – help others understand the work of superintendent
• Student activities
Personal Characteristics:
• Good communicator
• Friendly, approachable, out-going
• Active in community activities
• Active is school activities (freshmen orientation)
• Committed to the school district and community
• Knowledgeable about issues important to the student body
• Comfortable interacting with students
• Strong ethical values
• Passionate about education
Important Issues:
• Realistic vision for technology – wise purchasing
• Facilities – comfort – air conditioning
• Recruitment and retention of high quality teachers; ensure all classes are taught
by highly qualified teachers; effective assignment of teachers to classes
• Equity in grading classes and assignments required
22
• Need to fix middle school facility; look at how the middle school prepares
students for the high school
• Substitute teachers
Final Thoughts:
• Significance of the student voice
• Networking important
Administrators
N = 11
Professional Experience:
• Teaching and building level administration
• Personal qualities important; superintendent and central office experience not
essential
• Need to have a district perspective
• Nice to have experience at different levels
• Broad perspective and understanding of roles at various levels; needs to
understand the work; ability to lead
• Ability to empathize
• Understands the nature of the community; no layers of administration here
Achievement Record:
• Supportive and healthy work environment – positive energy – optimistic
• Utilize the skills and knowledge of others; build a team and value contributions of
people
• Maintains good relationships with elected official and town agencies
• Strategic planning and implementation; declining enrollment and space use
• Commitment to excellence and commitment to continuous improvement
23
Education Background:
• Personal qualities are more important; history as a continuing learner
Expertise:
• Knows how to manage decline
• Ability to delegate and trust people to do their job
• Public relations needs to be maintained – effective communication
• Understands dynamics of grade level organization
• Understanding of local tax base and impact on education – the push and pull in
the community
Personal Characteristics:
• Good communicator
• Strong ethical values
• Inspirational
• Process oriented – thoughtful
• Build on district success
• Incremental change, as needed
• Approachable and friendly
Important Issues:
• Facilities
• Build community spirit and fiscal support for strong schools – there is some
apathy – evident in school activities
• Financing
• School safety and security
• Advocate for the schools at local and state levels
Final Thoughts:
24
None
Public Officials
N = 6
Professional Experience:
• Highly visible position – very important in this town
• Central office or superintendent experience – need the district perspective
• Strong principal experience – understands work at multiple school levels
• Need to keep level of excellence; have had a good five years
• Need to focus on technology in the future – need someone who can lead this
initiative – needs to have an interest in pursuing this – is technologically astute –
embedding this into the curriculum
• Collaborative relationships with community
Achievement Record:
• Visibility in the community
• Collaboration with town agencies – encouraging staff to do the same – building
partnerships in the community
• Communicates well with the community – need to be able to address many
different audiences – build understanding of what it takes to operate the
schools/district
• People know who the superintendent is – viewed as a credible, sensible voice –
understands the fiscal capacity of the town and what is happening to the jobs of
people living here
• Creative thinker – effective problem solver – doing more with less
• Changing economic conditions
Education Background:
• Community perception is that an Ed.D/Ph.D would be expected
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• Personal qualities are more important
• Preferred but not necessary
• Needs to really know the subject matter of educational leadership
Expertise:
• All bullets (examples) are important
• Facility and organizational planning with declining enrollment
• Fiscal management – recognition of the source of revenue and its capacity –
long-term budget planning
• Know how to produce a budget that makes gain and gets community support –
creative management – turn savings over to improve opportunities
• Alignment of planning priorities with schools and community agencies
• Know how to deal with a highly educated population
• Bring people together on issues – avoid divisiveness
Personal Characteristics:
• Honest transparency – give real answers, not scripted – be truthful even if the
news is not good
• Tact and discretion
• Great communication skills
• Someone who likes people, warmth
• Comfortable working with others in the community
• Likes children – easily connects
• Visible at school and community activities
• Needs to understand how to deal with people in the community – needs to be
viewed as knowledgeable, credible in the way they communicate with the people
• Able to be able to deal with a demanding community
Important Issues:
• Reorganization – declining enrollments
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• Budget constraints – facility issues
• Outpacing the competition
• Pursuing excellence and continuing to grow
• Technology
• Branding the community and the schools; the best use of technology
• Develop community support – resource sharing – help unify the community
• Have a finger on the pulse of local issues and trends in the larger context
Final Thoughts:
• Openminded to all candidates
• Manage relationships with boards and agencies
Middle and High School Teachers
N = 6
Professional Experience:
• Recent or current classroom experience; understands the work of educating
• Someone who is able to connect with the schools and the people in the schools
• Superintendent experience not necessary; need to have central office
background – need that broad perspective
Achievement Record:
• Understand the needs of classroom teachers – how to be supportive
• Building a collaborative team – not a top down leadership style –work with people
to bring out their best
• Build a positive district culture and use that to enhance the cultures of each
school and departments
• Knows the teachers and staff in the district; rekindle the social glue that holds the
district together – a workplace that is family
• The superintendent Is the face of the district but also a part of the district
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• Builds trust and confidence in schools and community; demonstrate care for
others; empower others
• Creating a healthy and positive learning/work environment
Education Background:
• Personal qualities and relevant experiences are more important than the degree
Expertise:
• There is good representation of the listed expertise in the district – leader needs
to capitalize on that expertise
• Streamline organization; become more responsive – eliminate redundancies
Personal Characteristics:
• Willing to commit to the district for the long term
• Trusting
• Friendly and approachable – people skills
• Believes in the importance of education in our democracy; values education for
its own sake
• Define indicators of success in terms of real student success
• Recognizes the contributions of teachers to student success
• Approach new ideas/trends thoughtfully and with deliberation to not latch on to
fads; fresh ideas
Important Issues:
• Morale of teachers and staff
• A cohesive school district
• Kids are a priority and not a label
• Kids succeed and are happy in college; not just admittance
• Pressure on kids to achieve; current measures may not be appropriate
• Do not teach to the test; teach relevant curriculum; address the needs of the
“average” student
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• Address needs of non-college bound; consider social-emotional development of
students
• Special education is highly regarded and people move to town for these services
Final Thoughts:
None
Elementary School Teachers and Staff
N = 9
Professional Experience:
• Tech savvy – conversant with technology
• Superintendent experience would be helpful; central office/assistant experience
• Classroom teaching – understands teaching roles/responsibilities – understands
special education and laws
• Personalized education
Achievement Record:
• Good relationships with teachers and staff
• Consistent in terms of modeling actions
• Trust in others; reciprocal trust; understanding and respect
• Positive school and district culture
• Good communicator – open
• Advocate for students and staff; balanced perspective, fair to all
• Visible in the schools; participate in activities in schools and community
Education Background:
• Ed.D/Ph.D would be expected in this community; academic degree
• Personal qualities for an individual are important
Expertise:
• Special education
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• Professional development
• Work with people who possess expertise; facilitate and coordinate their work
• Faculty relations – building rapport
• Budget development - build community understanding and support of goals
• Curriculum and instruction – manage and support initiatives
Personal Characteristics:
• Good communicator
• Well-developed people skills; approachable
• Collaborative
• Innovative; creative
• Flexible
• Thoughtful decision maker – takes action – follows through
Important Issues:
• Ability to analyze district organization – future space use – enrollments –
dynamics of change – multiple stakeholders with varying perspectives; long-term
planning
• Declining enrollment – handle issues with sensitivity – good communication
• How resources are deployed
• Turnover of administrators
• Recruitment and retention of quality staff
• Commitment of leadership for the long-term; analyze reasons for turnover;
succession planning
Final Thoughts:
None
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Parents and Community
N = 9
Professional Experience:
• Classroom teaching experience – understanding the work of teachers to support
teachers
• Supervisory experience – know what it is to be a boss
• Politically astute – central office experience in a high demand district
• Business acumen
• Knows curriculum; cutting edge
• Knows facilities and facility planning – plan for future school use
Achievement Record:
• Innovative; creative – this is highly valued
• A culture of excellence for all schools and the district
• More open and less bureaucratic culture
• Positive and healthy learning environment
• Benchmarks of quality; alternatives to testing metrics; other indicators of success
• Collaborative leadership
• Ability to recruit and retain high quality personnel; hire people committed to the
district; succession planning
Education Background:
• Nice to have the doctoral degree but not necessary; personal qualities more
important
Expertise:
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• Appreciates the importance of the arts – ability to retain and even expand
opportunities for students – balance curriculum demands, incorporate more into
the wise and effective use – integrated ways to learn
• Open to surrounding oneself with expertise in the above to maximize impact;
collaborative
• Budget development, management, and skill communicating the budget
• Look at the district objectively and continually assess current program status to
determine priorities for improvement; keep things that are working – be willing to
change others
• Examine the organizational structure and align for efficiency
• Curriculum innovation – examine curriculum effectiveness
• Faculty relations and development
• Commitment to enrichment
Personal Characteristics:
• Approachable, friendly demeanor
• Empathetic
• Everyone should know the superintendent
• Strength of convictions – courage to express views – not afraid to take a stand –
advocate for the students, schools, and district
• Communications – persuasive – transparent/clarity.
Important Issues:
• Evaluating and auditing; positions, programs, curriculum delivery
• Declining enrollment; management of associated issues, budget, resources, etc.
• Professional development
• Safety and security; social-emotional development of students
Final Thoughts:
None
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