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SuperintendentSearchService

NorthwestArcticBoroughSchoolDistrictSuperintendentVacancy

Kotzebue,Alaska

TheBoardofEducationoftheNorthwestArcticBoroughSchoolDistrictisconductingasearchforasuperintendent.Thesuccessfulcandidateshouldhavestrongskillsinmanagingprincipalsatmultipleschoolsitestoimprovestudentsuccessthroughbothacademiccorecurriculumaswellascareer/technicaleducation.Demonstrateexperiencewitheffectiveteacherrecruitingandretentionefforts.Integratingindigenouscultureintothecurriculumwillenhanceacandidate’spotentialforselection.Theboardisespeciallyinterestedinaprovenleaderthatrecognizestheimportanceofindigenouslanguage\culturepreservationanditsimpactonstudenthealthandacademicsuccess.TheSuperintendentisalsoresponsibleforoversightofadministratorfunctionsoftheDistrictOffice.Candidatesshouldbepreparedtodemonstrateahistoryofworkingcollaborativelywithboards,diversecommunities,andschoolstaff.Asalaryrangebetween$145,000–165,000(DOE)fora260-daycontractwithanattractivefringebenefitpackageisbeingofferedtothesuccessfulcandidate.TheAssociationofAlaskaSchoolBoards(AASB)isfacilitatingthesearch.ClosingdateforallapplicationmaterialisJanuary10,2020,11:59pmAST.TheNWABSDBoardofEducationwillselectfinalistsonJanuary15–16,2020.FinalistswillbeinterviewedinpersoninKotzebuetheweekofJanuary28,2020.TheAssociationofAlaskaSchoolBoardsusesanonlineapplicationsystem.Pleasevisitwww.aasb.myrevelus.comtocreateacandidateaccountandcompleteanonlineprofileinordertoapplyforthisposition.PleasevisittheAssociation’swebsiteataasb.org/superintendent/formoreinformationaboutthissearchandguidanceonhowtoapplythroughtheRevelusonlineapplicationsystem.VisittheNWABSDwebsiteatwww.nwarctic.orgformoreinformationaboutthisuniqueAlaskanschooldistrict.CandidatesapplyingshouldpossessanAlaskaTypeBCertificatewithasuperintendentendorsementorbeintheprocessofobtainingitinordertobeconsideredforthisposition.

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Mission/VisionTheBoardofEducationrecognizesthatselectingthesuperintendentisoneofthemostimportantdecisionsitwillmakeandisseekingacandidatethatcanassisttheBoardinmeetingitsmissionandgoals.Themissionis:

Toprovidealearningenvironmentthatinspiresandchallengesstudentsandemployeestoexcel.

Thevisionis:

Tograduateallstudentswiththeknowledge,skills,andattitudesnecessaryforasuccessfulfuture.

QualificationsoftheCandidate

ProfessionalExperiencesandPersonalCharacteristicsMinimumQualifications

• HoldorbeabletoobtainanAlaskaTypeBcertificate• HaveorbeworkingtowardanAlaskasuperintendentendorsement

DesiredBackground

• Alaskaexperiencepreferred• Ruralexperienceisdesired• Experienceinworkingwithindigenousstudentsandcommunities• Demonstratedbackgroundinschoolfinance• Experienceinpersonnelandcontractnegotiations• Experienceinimplementingsuccessfulteacherretentionstrategies

PersonalAttributes

• Evidenceofworkingcollaborativelywithstaff• ExamplesofeffectivecommunicationwithBoard,staff,andcommunities• Examplesofinvolvementwithcommunities• Examplesofleadingadistricttoincreasestudentachievement

TheBoardiscommittedtoaselectionprocessthatisfairandopentoallqualifiedcandidates.Prioritywillbegiventocandidateswhoseexperiencesandbackgroundcloselymatchestheabovecharacteristics.

CompensationTheBoardisofferingacompetitivesalaryrangeof$145,000–165,000(DOE)fora260-daycontract.Acomprehensivebenefitpackageofpaidvacation,medicalandlifeinsuranceandrelocationpackageisincluded.

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TimetableApplicationdeadline:January10,2020Selectionoffinalists:January15-16,2020InterviewswithBoardinKotzebue:January28-30,2020Employmentbegins:July1,2020

BoardIdentifiedPrioritiesfortheNewSuperintendent1. Focusonincreasingstudentachievementincludingstandardizedtestresultsonthe

PerformanceEvaluationforAlaska’sSchools(PEAKS).Thereshouldbeadeliberateplanofimprovementforthedeliveryofinstruction,whichincludesindigenouslanguage,andcultureimbeddedwithinthecurriculum.

2. Implementaplanforbuildingateamapproachtothedeliveryofeducationthroughoutthedistrictthatinvolvesstaff,families,andcommunities.

3. Createatransparentbudgetprocessthatsetsclearprioritiesforstudentachievementandinvolvescommunities,tribal,andbusinesspartners.

4. Prioritizethe“reinvention”ofthedistrict’sAlaskaTechnicalCenter(ATC),inconjunctionwiththenewlycreatedATCAdvisoryBoard,tobetterservestudentsandcreateaworkforceavailabletoindustryandbusinesswithintheregion.ProvideoptionstotheBoardforthiseffort.

5. Focusonstrategiesandmethodstosignificantlyimproveteacherretentionratesforallschoolsinthedistrict.

TheNorthwestArcticBoroughSchoolDistrict

“LeadingtheWay”TheNorthwestArcticBoroughSchoolDistrictBoardofEducation,comprisedof11Boardmembersfrom8differentcommunities,isproudoftheeducationalprogramofferedtotheapproximately2116students.Studentsareprovidedrich,comprehensiveprogrammingfromall13pk-12schools,theboardingschoolandtheadultvocationalcenter.Despitebudgetarychallenges,theDistricthasbeenabletocontinueitsyouthleader,counselor,andvocationalprograms.InterestedhighschoolstudentsareaffordedavocationaleducationthroughtheStaroftheNorthwestMagnetSchoollocatedinKotzebue.

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Highlycompetentandqualifiedstaffthatisextremelydedicatedtoeachchild’ssuccessguidestudents.AllschoolshavethrivingInupiaqBilingualLanguageandCultureprogramswithinstructorsthatareculturalambassadorsfortheschools. TheDistrictisheavilyinvestedinthepositivebehaviorinterventionsupportprogram,Safe&CivilSchools,whichwasinitiallyimplementednearly8yearsagoandhasresultedindramaticallyreducingsuspensionsdistrict-wide.TheDistrictalsostrivesforcontinualimprovementofmeetingstudentneedsthroughthelongstandingimplementationofRTI(responsetointervention)process.TheDistrictenjoysoutstandingcommunitysupportasevidencedbytheannualfundingfortheYouthLeaderprogramandthenewschoolbuildingsandrenovationsforeveryschoolthroughouttheregion.TheDistrictandRegionalSchoolBoardrelyuponactiveandengagedAdvisorySchoolCouncilstoprovideanimportlinkbetweeneachvillagecommunityandtheirschool.Curriculumsarereviewedandrefreshedona6-yearcycle.Studentshaveextendedopportunitiesforavarietyofcourseworkthroughdistrict-widedistancedeliveredcoursesthroughvideoteleconferencing.Allclassroomsareequippedwithnewultra-HDSMARTBoardsandAppleMacMinis.6-12thgradestudentshave1:1Applelaptops.Elementaryschoolshaveacomputerlab,roamingiPadcartsandminilabsintheirrooms.AllofthesetechnologyprogramshavegonethroughregularlyscheduledrefreshplanstokeeptheDistrictcurrentandadequatelysupporttheadoptedcurriculum.

TheNorthwestArcticBoroughSchooldistrictisknownthroughoutthestateforitsexcellentfacilityoperationsandmaintenancestaff.Theseessentialdistrictemployeeshavehelpedtoprovideexemplarystaffhousingforeachofthevillageschools.TheBoardhasplacedapriorityonimprovingandmaintainingteacherhousingthatsupportsthegoalofretaininghighquality,effectivestaffwhichleadstoimprovedstudent

success.ItisessentialforthenextsuperintendenttohavethevisionandcapacitytosupportthisimportantBoardpriority.

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District Profile Current Total Budget $80,559,466 Capital Budget $575,180 Special Programs/Grants $16,040,314 Operating Budget $63,943,972

Revenue Local $11,588,633 State $43,905,034 Federal $21,341,002

Fund Balance Appropriated FY18 2,269,359 Unappropriated $0 Adjusted Base Student Allocation $6,932

Number of Employees Administration 28 Certified Staff 192 Non-certified Staff 155

Total 375 AverageTeacherSalary $76,630 NumberofStudents 2116 SchoolFacilities Schools, Teacher Housing, Other 106 BoardofEducation 11 DistrictAdministration Superintendent 1 Assistant Superintendent 1 Curriculum Director 1 Human Resources Director; Assistant Director 2 Administrative Services Director 1 Special Programs Director 1 Technology Director; Assistant Director 2 Maintenance Director 1 State & Federal Programs Director 1 Alaska Technical Center Director 1 SchoolAdministration Principals 13

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NorthwestArcticBoroughDemographics

TheNorthwestArcticBorough(NAB)isthesecondlargestboroughinAlaska,comprisingapproximately36,000squaremilesalongtheKotzebueSound,Wullik,Noatak,Kobuk,Selawik,BucklandandKugrukRivers.Theareaencompasses35,898.3sq.milesoflandand4,863.7sq.milesofwater.Theregionexperiencesatransitionalclimate,characterizedbylong,coldwintersandcoolsummers.Temperaturesrangefrom-52to85degreesFahrenheit.Totalprecipitationaveragesnineinchesperyearandaverageannualsnowfallisforty-seveninches.

History,CultureandDemographics

Inupiatpeoplehaveoccupiedthisregionforatleast10,000years.“Kikiktagruk”wasthehubofarctictradingroutes.KotzebueSoundwas“discovered”in1818bytheGermanLt.OttoVonKotzebueonbehalfofRussia.In1899apostofficewasestablishedinKotzebue.MostcitiesintheNABdevelopedassupplystationsforInteriorgoldmining,andweresettledaroundschoolsandchurches.NABwasincorporatedasaFirstClassBoroughin1986andbecameaHomeRuleBoroughin1987(NorthwestArcticBoroughCode).Thepopulationofthe

communityconsistsof85.8%AlaskaNativeorpartNative.NABpopulationisprimarilyInupiatEskimo,andsubsistenceactivitiesareavitalpartofthelifestyle.Residentsrelyoncaribou,reindeer,belugawhale,birds,fourspeciesofseals,berries,greensandfish.Theunemploymentrateatthattimewas15.55%,although46.42percentofalladultswerenotintheworkforce.Themedianhouseholdincomewas$45,976;percapitaincomewas$15,286.

CommunitieslocatedwithinNABincludethesecond-classcitiesofAmbler,Buckland,Deering,Kiana,Kivalina,Kobuk,Kotzebue,Noorvik,Selawik,andShungnakandtheunincorporatedcommunityofNoatak.Thereare12schoolslocatedinNAB,attendedby2,011students.

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EconomyandTransportation

Activitiesrelatedtogovernment,mining,healthcare,transportation,servicesandconstructioncontributetotheeconomy.TheRedDogMine,90milesnorthofKotzebue,istheworld’slargestzincandleadmine,andprovides370directyear-roundjobsandoveraquarterofNAB’swageandsalarypayroll.TheoreisownedbyNANARegionalCorporationandleasedtoTeckAlaska,whichownsandoperatesthemineandshippingfacilities.TeckAlaska,ManiilaqAssociation,theNorthwestArcticBoroughSchoolDistrictandKikiktagrukInupiatCorp.(KIC)areNAB’slargestemployers.Thesmallercommunitiesrelyonsubsistencefood-gatheringandNativecraft-making.134NABresidentsholdcommercialfishingpermits.TheCityofKotzebueisthe“hub”ofnorthwestAlaskaandisthetransferpointbetweenoceanandinlandshipping.Kotzebuedoesnothaveanaturalharborandisice-freeforonlythreemonthseachyear.Deepdraftvesselsmustanchor15milesoffshore,andcargoislighteredtothedockingfacility.Localbargeservicesprovidecargotoareacommunities.RalphWienMemorialAirportsupportsdailyjetserviceandairtaxistoAnchorage.