EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Regional School District 13 Superintendent Search - 2013 Community Assessment Report Reviewed and Accepted by the RSD13 Superintendent Search Committee (Board of Education) facilitated by: Dr. H. Kaye Griffin, Lead Executive Consultant C.E.S Executive Search Services Trumbull, CT September 2013
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION The Regional School District 13 (RSD13) Board of Education is conducting a search for a new superintendent of schools to fill the vacancy resulting from the resignation of the previous superintendent. The position is currently held by an interim superintendent of schools. The selection of the school superintendent is a state-legislated responsibility of Boards of Education in Connecticut. Therefore, the RSD13 Board of Education, in the role of Superintendent Search Committee, is fulfilling its duty by seeking the most qualified candidate to be the next superintendent. The Search Committee, in fulfilling their duty, believes that the new superintendent must be a "good fit for the district and meet the leadership expectations of the stakeholders in the school community as well as those of the Board of Education. To that end, the Board of Education negotiated a contract with Cooperative Educational Services (C.E.S.) Executive Search Services to help them conduct their superintendent search applying a search model which consists of the following components: Phase I: Research, Phase II: Recruitment, Phase III: Selection, and Phase IV: Transition. More information about each phase of the search process is available on the district website for those persons wishing to learn more about the work of the Search Committee. To implement the Phase I: Research component, the Board authorized the C.E.S. Executive Search Consultant, Dr. H. Kaye Griffin and the C.E.S. support staff member Sarah Saunders, to research the leadership expectations of all stakeholders throughout the Durham and Middlefield school community by collecting data that, when organized into a leadership profile or selection criteria framework, will guide them in the recruitment and selection of the next superintendent of schools. The end product of the research phase is the Community Assessment Report which provides documentation of the research data and equips the RSD13 Search Committee and community with a consensus profile of leadership attributes and personal characteristics they desire to see in the new superintendent. The leadership profile presented in the executive summary section of this report is based on the data collected as documented in Online Survey: Methodology and Raw Data section of the report and the Focus Groups: Methodology and Raw Data section. C.E.S. RESEARCH PROCESS The consultant applied an unbiased, structured research model involving administration of an online survey and face-to-face focus group meetings throughout the district and community. Seeking stakeholder input on a number of essential elements of superintendent leadership, the consultant asked the online survey respondents and the focus group participants to identify the skills, qualifications, and personal attributes and characteristics that they deem most desirable for the new superintendent. Additionally, participants were asked, from their own perspective, to identify and comment on the district's future challenges over the next few years - again, providing insight into the type of leader needed for the district. A total of three hundred and sixty-nine (369) people participated in the data collection effort directed by the C.E.S. consultant. Two hundred and thirty-four (234) persons responded to the online survey while one hundred and thirty-five (135) took part in the focus group meetings. 1
It should be noted that the number of participants exceeded the expected or normal participation range for a school community the size of Regional School District 13. Thus, the overall level of participation in the data collection effort suggests that RSD13's residents and school district employees are engaged, thoughtful, and committed to the continued and future success of their school district. The participant pool provided a reasonable cross-section of the school district's constituency or stakeholder groups, thus making it possible for the consultant to draw conclusions about the school community's preferred profile of leadership attributes and characteristics desired in their new superintendent. COMPILING AND INTERPRETING THE RESEARCH DATA When the focus group meetings and online survey had concluded, the data from each was aggregated and reviewed for major themes or trends. Although the online survey participants did not engage in group dialogue, their input is considered to be equivalent to that of the focus group participants in the overall analysis of the comprehensive data. The combination of data from the two data collection activities provided the consultant the opportunity to corroborate themes / ideas and focus on those leadership characteristics and future district challenges that are most representative (frequently mentioned) of the RSD13 from the perspectives of the district's constituents. Due to the sampling methodology, the information included in this report should not be considered scientifically accurate. For example: although the online survey was designed to be completed only once per each unique computer, it might have been possible for an individual to respond to the survey on two different computers. To control for that circumstance, the consultants eliminated responses that were identical and did not count them in the totals. Also, respondents to the online survey may have participated in both a focus group meeting and the online survey, thus expressing his/her opinion/thoughts more than once in the process. Therefore, the conclusions set forth in this summary may not reflect the opinion of a majority of any singular category of constituents represented particularly if the participation rate for that category was low. However, the high number of participants who took part in the data collection effort assures that many voices were heard. All data collected from the online survey and the focus group meetings has been shared in this report; however, C.E.S. policy prohibits publication of any comment that could be interpreted as an endorsement of a candidate for the position of superintendent, an opinion or personal comment about the current or past superintendent, or a comment, negative or positive, that focuses on any one person in the school community. Such comments, when they occurred, were redacted from the published report. It should be noted that the consultants found only one or two such instances in the data. Finally, the summary and conclusions, which are those of the consultants, are based on the data collected throughout the research phase of the search. The online survey results, with the exception of the open-ended questions, are rank-ordered with the most frequent response presented first on the chart. The focus group comments are not rank-ordered and are presented randomly within a focus group category. 2
APPLICATION OF THE RESEARCH DATA After reviewing the input from the constituents across the school community (the Community Assessment Report), the Search Committee will use the information as a framework for the new superintendent selection criteria and will screen applications and select candidates to interview with the data in mind. The Search Committee will first read and discuss the report to become better informed about the thoughts of various constituency groups regarding the challenges of the district and then discuss what implications they have for the leadership profile of the new superintendent. RESEARCH DATA SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Readers are encouraged to review the data sections of this report that accompany the Executive Summary to gain a better understanding of the leadership profile statements and conclusions presented in the composite of research presented in the form of a leadership profile. Dr. H. Kaye Griffin (Lead Executive Search Consultant) and her assistant Sarah Saunders, as well as the Board of Education / Search Committee, wish to express gratitude to those people who took the time to respond to the online survey and/or to attend one of the focus group meetings, and by doing so, participating in the search process. Their time and effort are much appreciated. 3
OVERVIEW Regional School District 13: Superintendent Leadership Profile The following sixteen (16) broad statements are based on the data collected in the focus group meetings through the online survey. These statements, in general, describe the profile of the district leader RSD13 stakeholders are seeking. Prior Professional Job Experience and Educational Background Criterion #1: The new superintendent should have had experience as a school principal (preferable) or other school-based administrator with comprehensive duties and responsibilities. Criterion #2: The new superintendent should have had experience as a classroom teacher or served in a certified position in a school that required working directly with students, curriculum, instruction, and assessment within the Pre-K-Grade 12 grade spans, with multiple grade-level exposure considered to be an attribute. Criterion #3: The new superintendent should have had experience serving as a school superintendent or assistant superintendent; however, a district office administrative position that required fiduciary, personnel management, and interaction with a board of education and the broader community duties and responsibilities would be considered as preparatory for the position. Criterion #4: The new superintendent should possess an advanced degree beyond a Master's degree; a doctorate degree would be preferred by some stakeholders; however, it would not be a necessary qualification in that a candidate s achievements, personal qualities, and leadership attributes would be considered more important criteria in the selection process. Leadership Achievement Record Criterion #5: The new superintendent should have achieved a record of facilitating and sustaining a positive district culture and school climate for students, staff, and parents as well as demonstrated a strong commitment to high standards that support excellence in the educational environment. Criterion #6: The new superintendent should have achieved a record of raising student achievement and improving overall student performance for students at all levels and abilities, including students with special needs and those with special talents, and fostering and promoting challenging high school programming that prepares students for a competitive, global society. Criterion #7: The new superintendent should have demonstrated the ability to create and sustain a climate of trust within and between the schools and the extended community, and be recognized as a collaborative consensus builder able to work successfully and respectfully with all stakeholders. 4
Specific Administrative Skills / Knowledge / Experiences Criterion #8: The new superintendent should have extensive knowledge and skill in personnel management, faculty relations, professional development of staff, team building, conflict resolution, evaluation of the staff, appropriate delegation of duties and responsibilities among the staff, and recognition programs that honor achievements of the staff. Criterion #9: The new superintendent should possess strong communication and public relations skills, including being able to speak effectively in the role of advocate for the school district to a variety of audiences at the local, state and federal levels. Criterion #10: The new superintendent should have knowledge of and be skilled in educationally sound and fiscally prudent budget development and management strategies, including being proficient in providing transparent and clear communication of budget information to all constituents throughout the RSD13 community. Criterion #11: The new superintendent should have knowledge and skill in leading RSD13 toward successful implementation of the Common Core curriculum initiative; should demonstrate expertise and leadership in facilitating future development, implementation, monitoring, and assessment of challenging and appropriate curriculum and instruction for all students; and should model and support effective use of technology in an educational setting. Criterion #12: The new superintendent should have knowledge and skill in managing school facilities and all areas of district operations and demonstrate a commitment to keeping students and staff safe, secure, and healthy in wellequipped school facilities that provide an exemplary learning and working environment. Personal Characteristics and Leadership Attributes Criterion # 13: The new superintendent should model the district's core ethical values, be trusting and trustworthy; be respectful toward students, staff, and parents; be approachable, personable, accessible, and friendly; and be an open-minded good listener who collaborates with stakeholders. Criterion #14: The new superintendent should be an intelligent, creative problem solver and decision maker; be thoughtful, reflective, and judicious; be impartial, fair, and objective; and be a strategic, innovative thinker with a clear vision for the school district - a leader / motivator who inspires others to support and work toward achieving his/her vision for the school district. Criterion #15: The new superintendent should be highly visible in the schools and community, be engaged in the RSD13 community by attending activities to gain a good understanding of the community and its people; he/she should be known by students, parents, and community members by being integrally involved in school and community life. Criterion #16: The new superintendent should be accessible to the students and make an effort to understand their needs and perspectives in the context of policy development and decision making, as well as support their academic and extracurricular interests, programs, and activities through attendance at student special events and activities. 5
DISCUSSION Prior Professional Job Experience and Educational Background Criterion #1: The new superintendent should have had experience as a school principal (preferable) or other school-based administrator with comprehensive duties and responsibilities. Criterion #2: The new superintendent should have had experience as a classroom teacher or served in a certified position in a school that required working directly with students, curriculum, instruction, and assessment within the Pre-K-Grade 12 grade spans, with multiple grade-level exposure considered to be an attribute. Criterion #3: The new superintendent should have had experience serving as a school superintendent or assistant superintendent; however, a district office administrative position that required fiduciary, personnel management, and interaction with a board of education and the broader community duties and responsibilities would be considered as preparatory for the position. Criterion #4: The new superintendent should possess an advanced degree beyond a Master's degree; a doctorate degree would be preferred by some stakeholders; however, it would not be a necessary qualification in that a candidate s achievements, personal qualities, and leadership attributes would be considered more important criteria in the selection process. Discussion: Prior Professional Job Experience and Educational Background Focus group and online survey participants strongly believe that the school district and community would benefit by having a person with some prior experience as a school principal or other schoolbased administrator with comprehensive experiences or responsibilities. Overall, there is a preference for a person who has followed a "traditional career path" in which he/she has had classroom experience followed by school-based administrator experience, and then experience at the district level in administration. It is clear that participants consider a breadth of educational experience at various levels to be important. This attribute echoes the participants' feelings that the new superintendent should have a good perspective of the work associated with teaching and leading at all school levels. Participants stated that a person who has a traditional career path background and has also served successfully in the role of superintendent or assistant superintendent in another school district would be desirable. However, it seems that experience as a central office administrator, other than that of assistant superintendent, would also be acceptable providing that the person has had extensive and comprehensive duties and responsibilities in district operations. The general sentiment of all groups is that the district has a number of significant issues that need to be addressed and experience with a district perspective and scope of responsibility would possibly enable resolution of these issues more efficiently and effectively. Participants also indicated that the new superintendent should have a strong background in education; he/she should have a deep understanding of leading, managing, and teaching at the school level. Teacher experience, knowledge of special education programs and services, and knowledge of contemporary curriculum issues would enable the new superintendent to lead the school district more effectively. In regard to the formal training of the new superintendent, most participants consider the experience, qualifications and personal characteristics of the candidates for the RSD13 superintendent position to 6
be more important considerations than having a doctorate degree. Some participants strongly prefer the doctorate degree, while some would be concerned if a candidate's concurrent enrollment in a program to earn a doctorate could possibly interfere with the time and attention required for leading the district and moving it forward. Overall, participants expressed the sentiment that the doctorate degree is not a critical factor in the selection process for a new superintendent of schools, but that scholarship and intelligence would be desirable characteristics in their new leader. Various groups or individuals offered opinions that, while not mentioned as frequently as the ideas and opinions discussed here, provide insight into the type of person they would like to have as an educational leader. (See participant comments in data sections of the report posted online.) Leadership Achievement Record Criterion #5: The new superintendent should have achieved a record of facilitating and sustaining a positive district culture and school climate for students, staff, and parents as well as demonstrated a strong commitment to high standards that support excellence in the educational environment. Criterion #6: The new superintendent should have achieved a record of raising student achievement and improving overall student performance for students at all levels and abilities, including students with special needs and those with special talents, and fostering and promoting challenging high school programming that prepares students for a competitive, global society. Criterion #7: The new superintendent should have demonstrated the ability to create and sustain a climate of trust within and between the schools and the extended community, and be recognized as a collaborative consensus builder able to work successfully and respectfully with all stakeholders. Discussion: Leadership Achievement Record Participants in the data collection effort feel strongly that the new superintendent should have a track record of leading a school or district toward achieving a positive culture and climate that sets the tone for how students, staff, and parents interact with one another and collectively share a commitment to high standards. They take pride in their schools and want to continue, under new leadership, their efforts to offer students excellence in educational experiences. The RSD13 community is seeking a superintendent who has demonstrated the ability to help a school district raise student achievement scores. Again, this goal should be accomplished in a context of a district culture and school climate where a positive learning environment is achieved through collaborative/cooperative/ team building leadership style. The new superintendent should be mindful of and foster the growth and development of all students, while assuring that special needs students, as well as students with special talents and interests, are served within the district whenever possible. Parents of high school students expressed a concern that reduction in electives and advanced placement course offerings serve to disadvantage students. Therefore, they desire a superintendent who will focus on maintaining a comprehensive high school program designed to meet the learning needs of all students and prepare them for the university and/or the career of their choice. Additionally, the ability to build on district strengths, while maintaining a proactive and sustained focus on educational needs, are key strengths needed for success of the new superintendent. The new 7
superintendent will provide evidence of having well-developed interpersonal skills that foster a climate of trust within the school district and the extended community. Respect for all constituents and sensitivity to their status is very important. This effort will require the new superintendent to be an excellent communicator with a clear vision for the school district. The new superintendent should have leadership presence without giving an appearance of being condescending, be a dedicated consensus builder, and have high personal standards for self and others and apply clear accountability standards. Various groups or individuals offered opinions that, while not mentioned as frequently as some other ideas, provide insight into the type of leadership achievement record that would most benefit the school district in the future. (See participant comments in data sections of the report posted online.) Specific Administrative Skills / Knowledge / Experiences Criterion #8: The new superintendent should have extensive knowledge and skill in personnel management, faculty relations, professional development of staff, team building, conflict resolution, evaluation of the staff, appropriate delegation of duties and responsibilities among the staff, and recognition programs that honor achievements of the staff. Criterion #9: The new superintendent should possess strong communication and public relations skills, including being able to speak effectively in the role of advocate for the school district to a variety of audiences at the local, state and federal levels. Criterion #10: The new superintendent should have knowledge of and be skilled in educationally sound and fiscally prudent budget development and management strategies, including being proficient in providing transparent and clear communication of budget information to all constituents throughout the RSD13 community. Criterion #11: The new superintendent should have knowledge and skill in leading RSD13 toward successful implementation of the Common Core curriculum initiative; should demonstrate expertise and leadership in facilitating future development, implementation, monitoring, and assessment of challenging and appropriate curriculum and instruction for all students; and should model and support effective use of technology in an educational setting. Criterion #12: The new superintendent should have knowledge and skill in managing school facilities and all areas of district operations and demonstrate a commitment to keeping students and staff safe, secure, and healthy in wellequipped school facilities that provide an exemplary learning and working environment. Discussion: Specific Administrative Skills / Knowledge / Experiences Participants in the data collection effort expect the new superintendent to be an excellent manager of human resources, a leader who knows how to work effectively with the staff to resolve conflict, to foster good faculty and staff relations, to delegate the work and allow staff to do their jobs, and to require effective performance evaluation of staff in the context of high standards. Building positive interpersonal relationships and trust is fundamental for the new superintendent to realize success with all other issues confronting the school district. This will require that he/she be visible in the schools and at community functions, be involved in student activities, possess strong communication skills, and work hard to understand the two communities that make up RSD13. Recognizing and acknowledging the accomplishments of students and staff are important to focus 8
group participants. Being able to resolve conflicts effectively in a professional and timely manner will contribute to positive interpersonal relationships. Communication skills again surfaces as a dominant theme. Effective communication in this sense refers to the context of the community. The new superintendent needs to first understand the community and develop effective communication strategies for various constituent groups, and then reach out to engage the community in developing a shared vision of excellence. Keeping everyone informed and being transparent in communications is expected. The new superintendent will need to reach out and find creative ways to build trust and support throughout the school district community. The new superintendent needs to understand and have an ability to be an effective spokesperson for the district and its students, advocating for the needs of the district locally, at the state and federal levels. Again, the need for effective communication skills appears to be a significant attribute for the new superintendent. Budget development and management skill was a recurring theme expressed by each focus group and often reiterated for within discussion of multiple questions within each focus group as participants went through the framework of questions. Essential to this area is, again, an ability to develop a climate of trusting relationships in the community and schools with all stakeholders/constituents. The budget development and management theme was elaborated upon by focus group participants throughout the various meetings. The ability to improve what participants viewed as a contentious budget development process is necessary to improve public relations and support for school initiatives. Transparency, effective, and clear communication of budget issues to a variety of constituents was emphasized and said to be needed to improve understanding of the operational budget. Leadership that applies creative thinking is needed to provide and sustain resources for priority goals in that the district, like so many other districts in this economic climate, faces the issue of constrained fiscal resources. Selection of a person with good business sense and good budgeting skills would resonate well with constituents. To achieve these budget goals, the new superintendent should be skilled at getting to know the community and learn to understand how town government works in both towns. Personal Characteristics and Leadership Attributes Criterion # 13: The new superintendent should model the district's core ethical values, be trusting and trustworthy; be respectful toward students, staff, and parents; be approachable, personable, accessible, and friendly; and be an open-minded good listener who collaborates with stakeholders. Criterion #14: The new superintendent should be an intelligent, creative problem solver and decision maker; be thoughtful, reflective, and judicious; be impartial, fair, and objective; and be a strategic, innovative thinker with a clear vision for the school district - a leader / motivator who inspires others to support and work toward achieving his/her vision for the school district. Criterion #15: The new superintendent should be highly visible in the schools and community, be engaged in the RSD13 community by attending activities to gain a good understanding of the community and its people; he/she should be known by students, parents, and community members by being integrally involved in school and community life. Criterion #16: The new superintendent should be accessible to the students and make an effort to understand their needs and perspectives in the context of policy development and decision making, as well as support their academic and extracurricular interests, programs, and activities through attendance at student special events and activities. 9
Discussion: Personal Characteristics and Leadership Attributes Basic expectations for a new superintendent include high ethical standards, trustworthiness, strength of convictions, and an ability to respond professionally and capably under pressure. People expect the superintendent to be accessible to them and not be intimidating toward anyone in the school community. Adherence to the district's core ethical values is very important to people in the school community. The new superintendent should be approachable and personable with all stakeholders. The new superintendent needs to be a good problem solver, knowing when and how to engage others in the process. He/she needs to be thoughtful, reflective and not quick to judge. Building the capacity of the administrative team to help realize the district vision through guidance and mentoring would be welcomed. Having confidence in the ability of the administrative team to carry out their responsibilities with accountability and without micro-managing them is expected of the new superintendent. The staff will follow a leader who inspires them to achieve excellence in their work and who forms a partnership with them to achieve a common vision for the school district. The new superintendent must be a motivator who can align efforts of school personnel and stakeholders toward achieving district goals and who will maintain a focus on the priority goals and provides time for results to occur and be evaluated. These desirable attributes would have the person be a visionary, an innovative leader, someone who uses data as a basis for decision making and leads by creating a school-community culture of continuous improvement. The new superintendent should have the ability to develop a cohesive and effective school district organization where functions, roles and responsibilities are defined from the Board of Education level through the rest of the organization to achieve established district goals. A clear vision communicated by the new superintendent is needed to guide this work and effective program implementations and evaluation skills of the new leader are needed for the district to be in a position to measure progress toward achieving the goals. Foremost in their thoughts is the willingness and ease with which the superintendent will engage in the life of the community and school activities, will be visible and become known by students, staff, parents and the community as more than just a name and face but also as a person who is genuinely interested in them and the community. The new superintendent needs to be a person who really wants to work in RSD13 and comes to understand and respect the community and its people. Again, it was emphasized that the new superintendent must be outgoing, friendly and approachable and have an appropriate sense of humor. Throughout all of the data collected, it is apparent that the new superintendent needs to make an effort to get to know people - students, staff, parents, community leaders, and citizens. Consistency in dealing with people in a professional manner is expected. He/she must be empathetic to the needs of employees and maintain balance in his/her own personal life. The person should be willing to make a long-term commitment to the school district to provide stability to the district. Various groups or individuals offered opinions that, while not mentioned as frequently as the ideas and opinions discussed here, provide insight into the specific personal characteristics and leadership attributes they would like to see in the new superintendent. (See participant comments in data sections of the report posted online.) 10
Issues and Challenges Facing RSD13 Several issues/concerns were raised about the future of the school district in light of the statements presented below. Although there was a wider variety of concerns / issues expressed (see raw data sections of the report) than represented in the list, the ones presented here appear to be of the greatest concern to most of the people who participated in the focus groups or took the survey. A. Trending Toward Declining Enrollment and Future Implications for District The new superintendent will need to work with the Board of Education and the community in responding to a demographic trend toward a declining enrollment in RSD13 and explore further the potential effects on and implications for utilization of school facilities, staffing profiles, distribution of funds, and composition of educational programs, including the future status of the contemporary and integrated day instructional models. B. Explaining, Clarifying, and Passing School Budgets The new superintendent will need to work with the Board of Education to advocate for the annual school budget through improved communications efforts that focus on (1) explaining the district's educational needs in the context of 21st century education; (2) clarifying well-crafted and responsible budget proposals for the community in order to sustain support of the taxpayers; and (3) passing school budgets in the first referendum. C. Implementing Education Initiatives: SEED, CCSS, Smarter Balance Assessment The new superintendent will need to lead the staff forward in their efforts to implement both state and federal education initiatives, focusing initially on implementation of the System for Educator Evaluation and Development (SEED), Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and the Smarter Balance Assessment program for administering state performance tests for students. D. Improving Student Performance Through Comprehensive Measures The new superintendent will need to work with the Board of Education and the community in meeting the challenge of improving student performance on standardized tests as well as through district-based qualitative assessments that measure student achievement comprehensively in all subject areas, including the visual and performing arts. E. Improving Communications and Public Relations Throughout the Community The new superintendent will need to work with the Board of Education and the school staff in meeting the challenge of developing and implementing a communications plan that more effectively and efficiently addresses the public relations and communications needs of the extended community in order to sustain support for the school district, particularly in the context of challenging economic times. F. Improving Effectiveness of District Governance Team The new superintendent and the Board of Education will need to work toward improving the overall effectiveness of the governance team by recognizing and adhering to professional standards that govern roles and responsibilities of superintendents and boards of education in the state of Connecticut as documented in the joint position statement approved by CABE and CAPSS in 2004. 11