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Superintendent Search Executive Summary |
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February 26, 2008 |
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This report summarizes the findings of the Leadership Profile Assessment conducted by Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, Ltd. (HYA) for the School Board of the Roxbury Township School District. The data contained herein was obtained from reviewing over 125 completed Leadership Profile Assessment forms and meeting with more than 80 persons identified by the Board in individual interviews or focus group settings on Feb. 5 - 6, 2008. The questionnaire, interviews and focus groups were structured to gather data to assist the Board in determining the primary characteristics it might seek in its next superintendent of schools. Through this process, the consultants attempted to identify the personal and professional characteristics desired in the superintendent as well as the skill sets necessary to maintain what stakeholders valued and to address current and emerging issues which the District may be facing. There is general agreement among stakeholders that the Roxbury Township School District provides a good educational program for its students. Strengths of the school district that were cited with frequency include the quality and commitment of the staff, the caring and supportive community, wonderful co-curricular activities, the high involvement of parents, and the quality and achievement of the students. Constituents of the school district are especially proud that the students graduating from Roxbury High School are well-rounded and well-prepared for higher education. Many individuals noted that graduates return to the community to raise their own families in Roxbury. Residents of Roxbury Township appreciate the suburban setting of the community and its proximity to major highways and New York City. In spite of the satisfaction with the school district programs, the Roxbury Township School District has had difficulty passing annual budgets, which has resulted in significant budget reductions. Labor relations have been strained by negotiations that rarely settle prior to the expiration date of the agreement. There have been several leadership changes in the past decade in the superintendency and a high level of turnover of building level administrators. There is a widespread opinion that board members have for many years micromanaged and interfered with the ability of the administration to run the schools. There is a heightened concern that the current board operates in a quasi-administrative role instead of a policymaking role. Defining and establishing the appropriate roles of the board and the administration was the single most discussed issue by all stakeholders. Primary issues facing the District include maintaining its quality programs, passing the annual budget, implementing mandated programs, and ending labor contract difficulties. These challenges must be met within state-imposed budgetary and tax levy constraints. The continuing need to update technology creates additional financial pressures. Also a concern of many is the need to build effective and trusting working relationships among the School Board, central office administrators, school administration, faculty, community and parents.The superintendent that most feel would best serve the District is one who can set direction and effectively lead the Board and the Staff toward it. S/he should be an experienced, strong, confident and secure school administrator who is well grounded in professional knowledge. The superintendent must have excellent planning and organizational skills and be able to implement and utilize a rational system of accountability for all parties. The superintendent is expected to engage in the community, be visible and accessible to, and invite meaningful participation by, all constituent groups. This must be done not just to pass the budget but also to gain a generally positive impression of the District and a sense of a positive return on investment made by the community. The ability to communicate effectively, with openness and honesty, is essential. The financial challenges the district faces will require a leader who can find innovative ways to maximize limited resources. And last, but certainly not least, the superintendent should have students as the primary focus in making decisions and leading the Board. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: The Board is advised that the Profile Report is intended as a guide to the consultants in the recruitment of candidates and to the Board in the selection of a finalist. HYA will actively seek to find candidates who possess many of the desired characteristics and the leadership skills necessary to build upon the District’s tradition of excellence and successfully address the challenges that Roxbury Township faces now and in the future. Realistically, there is no individual who will meet every expectation of the Board or the community. Therefore, the Board should seek not to find the “perfect” person but rather the one who most closely matches the profile developed through this collaborative process involving representation by all constituent groups.
INTRODUCTION This report presents the findings of the Leadership Profile Assessment conducted by Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, Ltd. (HYA) for the Board of School Directors of the Roxbury Township School District. After the Board selected HYA to assist it in its search for a new superintendent, an assessment instrument was prepared to solicit input which would be used to help the Board clarify the characteristics it should seek in the new superintendent. The Board distributed the instrument to a variety of stakeholders including administrators, teachers, support staff, students and community members. The Board also invited a number of individuals and groups to meet with the consultants to discuss these characteristics in greater depth. Over 125 completed forms were returned by stakeholders and reviewed by the consultants. In addition, the consultants met with over 80 individuals during their visits. In developing this Leadership Profile Report, the consultants sought opinions, recommendations and general comments with respect to preferred candidate traits and qualifications as well as District strengths, issues and concerns which could bear upon future leadership requirements and influence the selection criteria for the next superintendent of schools. At the interviews and meetings, the consultants noted that the Board was seeking the views of a broad range of individuals to assist in the search process. It was agreed that the consultants would report the findings to the Board without revealing the identity of any individual contributor, enabling the Board to use the data as it proceeds to define the leadership characteristics and selection criteria to be used in identifying the next superintendent. It also was understood that the Board had the responsibility to define these characteristics and would use its prerogative to do so. The items that were presented with some consistency from the individuals/groups included in the assessment are presented in this report. The comments are listed alphabetically since no attempt was made to prioritize them. It should be emphasized that the data are not a scientific sampling, nor should they necessarily be viewed as representing the majority opinion of the District’s stakeholders or the respective groups to which they are attributed. Items are included if, in the consultants' judgment, they were repeated by a sufficient number of respondents to warrant the Board’s attention. The consultants wish to thank the School Board leadership and central office administrators and members of their staff for the assistance they provided in arranging the interviews, those with whom we met for their cordiality and responsiveness, and all who took the time to complete the survey forms. Respectfully submitted, February 20, 2008 Russell J. Schumacher Ronald C. Knauf Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, Ltd.
STRENGTHS
MOST FREQUENTLY CITED BY ALL GROUPS · Great kids · Outstanding performance and commitment of a vast majority of the staff members · Award winning and championship quality co-curricular programs · Strong academic program offerings, including extensive advance placement course offerings · Outstanding special education programs · Outstanding co-curricular programs, including music, school newspaper, fine arts and athletics · Achievement of students · Caring and supportive community where people stay and/or return to raise their children
BOARD MEMBERS· Community where people stay and/or return to raise their children · Comprehensive curriculum, special ed, A/P, meet needs of all · Strong parental involvement · Award winning and championship quality co-curricular programs · Strategic plan in place · Quality staff ADMINISTRATORS· District where the staff goes the extra mile · Great kids · Supportive central administrators · Staff development program
COMMUNITY· Great teachers and staff (hard working, happy & receptive) · Award winning and championship quality co-curricular programs · Strong programs such as A/P, special ed., school newspaper, music, fine arts and sports · Good kids · Strong community interest in schools (informed and involved) FACULTY· Curriculum that is diverse and challenging: we meet the need of all groups · Highly qualified and professional staff members · Award winning and championship quality co-curricular programs · We have a great program with very limited resources · Strong programs such as A/P, special ed., school newspaper, music, fine arts and sports
PARENTS· Good teachers, principals and staff · Award winning and championship quality co-curricular and sports · Breadth and quality of academic offerings · Students who historically have been highly motivated, capable and successful · Strong community interest in schools STUDENTS· Strong programs such as A/P, special ed., school newspaper, music, fine arts and sports · Great kids…Does the Board know how good we are? · Good teachers, principals and staff (visible and supportive) · Award winning and championship quality co-curricular programs SUPPORT STAFF· Great kids · Loyal staff members · Strong and varied curriculum · Good student achievement · Strong programs such as A/P, special ed., school newspaper, music, fine arts and sports
MT. ARLINGTON RESIDENTS ISSUES/CONCERNS/NEEDS
MOST FREQUENTLY CITED BY ALL GROUPS
· Passing the annual budget · Providing sufficient resources to operate a competitive District without overtaxing the public · Reordering the Board’s responsibilities to that of policy makers from its current quasi-administrative roles · Improving labor relations and negotiations process and results · Ridding the District of acrimony and creating a “team effort” atmosphere
MOST FREQUENTLY CITED BY SELECTED GROUPS
BOARD MEMBERS· Passing the annual budget · Providing sufficient resources to operate a competitive District without overtaxing the public · Building a positive and trusting relationship between the Board, all staff, parents and the community. · Building consensus among a Board with disparate viewpoints · Reordering the Board’s responsibilities to that of policymakers from its current quasi-administrative roles · Transitioning smoothly to a new superintendent
ADMINISTRATORS· Pass the annual budget · Finding innovative ways to obtain and effectively allocate financial resources · Changing a Board culture of blame to one of mutual respect and trust · Reordering the Board’s responsibilities to that of policymakers from its current quasi-administrative roles · Curbing the high turnover rate of teachers and administrators · Improving labor relations and poor negotiations process and results · Ridding the District of acrimony and creating a “team effort” atmosphere
COMMUNITY· Passing the annual budget · Improve the District’s labor and negotiation difficulties and improve staff retention · Holding staff accountable · Board and administration must overcome a lack of transparency and overcome the current credibility gap · Improving labor relations and poor negotiations process and results
FACULTY· Passing the budget · Creating an environment that attracts and retains good teachers · Ensuring adequate resources for the needs of all students · Ensuring competitive compensation for teachers · Improving communication, cooperation and inclusion in educational decision making among the Board, superintendent, staff and PTA/parents · Installing new, competitive technology for instructional and administrative use · Improving community confidence
PARENTS· Passing the budget · Attracting and retaining high quality staff and administrators · Building a better relationship between the Board and its constituent groups including teachers, administration, parents and community · Convincing the Board to make decisions based on system educational goals rather than personal goals and interests · Reordering the Board’s responsibilities to that of policymakers from its current quasi-administrative roles · Improving labor relations and poor negotiations process and results
STUDENTS· Improving labor relations and poor negotiations process and results · Providing students with an opportunity to express their feelings · Passing the budget · Start talking to each other and stop the community and District tension · Reordering the Board’s responsibilities to that of policymakers from its current quasi-administrative roles
SUPPORT STAFF· Passing the budget · Creating an environment that attracts and retains good staff · Improving labor relations and poor negotiations process · Reordering the Board’s responsibilities to that of policymakers from its current quasi-administrative roles · Improving how we communicate with the public
MT. ARLINGTON RESIDENTS · Improving labor relations and poor negotiations process · Passing the budget · Keeping educational levels high and cost down · Attracting and retaining high quality staff and administrators
CHARACTERISTICS DESIRED
MOST FREQUENTLY CITED BY ALL GROUPS
· Strong leader who is able to implement the strategic plan and pass the budget · Confident and secure, with “backbone” to do what is right, not a “yes person” · Experienced school administrator who is an educator · Good communicator, honest, direct, credible · Leader who sets the vision/tone of the District · Visible in the schools and active in the community · Quick study
MOST FREQUENTLY CITED BY SELECTED GROUPS
BOARD MEMBERS· Strong leader who is able to implement the strategic plan and pass the budget · Honest, bridge builder, relationship builder · Collaborator, who brings groups together · Cool under pressure · Civil and calm -- able to withstand confrontation · Develops and implements systems of accountability · Effectively faces and manages conflict · Excellent planner with strong organization skills · Good at delegation and managing; able to use human resources effectively · Great communicator and listener · Skilled in public relations · Treats Board’s members equally · Visionary leader who thinks outside the box yet not fad driven · Works well with multiple and sometimes conflicting constituencies
ADMINISTRATORS· Able to say “no” with kindness, when needed · Accessible and visible · An educator who works for student growth · One who does the right (not the popular) thing · Honest and ethical · Innovative · Organized; values other people’s time · Recognizes and uses the skills of others · Sense of humor · Team player · Great communicator and listener · Visionary leader who thinks outside the box yet not fad driven COMMUNITY· Honest and ethical · Strong leader who is a consensus builder · Creative, open minded and resourceful · Engages community as well as others · Open communicator; keeps all informed · Places children as his/her primary concern · Positive spokesperson for the District · Values public input · Enthusiastic to be in Roxbury · One who does the right (not the popular) thing · Visionary leader who thinks outside the box yet not fad driven FACULTY· Focused on students, not special interest groups · Guide for the School Board · Person of good character · Open communicator; keeps all informed · Persuasive and expert · Visionary leader who thinks outside the box · Honest, bridge builder, relationship builder · Collaborator who brings groups together · Strong convictions; speaks out for what is best for the District · Team builder; pulls administrators together · Uses data to makes informed decisions · Business and finance savvy
PARENTS· Maintains positive working relationship with parents and PTAs · Can pass the budget · Visible · Open communicator; keeps all informed · A strong leader · Honest, bridge builder, relationship builder · Collaborator who brings groups together · Experience in a community like Roxbury STUDENTS· Authentic · Friendly to students; understands their issues · Visible · Willing to listen to opinions of students and parents · Experience in a community like Roxbury · Know how to utilize the pent-up positive energy in the community · Great listener and communicator
SUPPORT STAFF· Current on educational issues · Follows through and delivers on promises · Supports school personnel · Follows through on plans and promises · Great listener and communicator · Visible · Knows how to pass the budget · Can manage the Board · Visionary who thinks outside the box
MT. ARLINGTON RESIDENTS
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