The job posting application for D49 Superintendent is on the McPherson & Jacobson website.

https://macnjake.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=253

The Board of Education is seeking an experienced educational leader to serve as Superintendent. The Board wishes to have the successful candidate assume the responsibilities of the position no later than July 1, 2023.

McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C., Executive Recruitment and Development has been engaged as the consultant in a search for outstanding candidates. The firm will assist the Board of Education in identifying and screening the candidates.

The Qualifications

The candidate must have the background, skills, and abilities essential for outstanding educational and organizational leadership.

Specifically, the Board of Education is seeking a candidate who has demonstrated the ability to consistently and effectively meet the following expectations:

Educational Leadership

• Lead the creation of a professional environment that fosters and recognizes high performance.
• Oversee the complete educational operation of the district in accordance with the direction established in the strategic plans.
• Create and support a culture of research and development across the district.
• Facilitate and evaluate the implementation of innovative programming.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to develop and implement measures of workforce and post-secondary readiness.
• Evaluate district strategies and student results and develop objectives for improvement and growth.

Business Leadership

• Direct the receipt, management of investments and expenditures of the district’s funds to ensure proper and maximum returns on these funds. Forecasts short-and long-range cash requirements and obligations as a basis for sound financial funding mechanisms.
• Provide leadership for the development, maintenance, enhancements, and continual improvement to the district’s comprehensive financial data systems.
• Ensure maximum and effective participation in all available local, state, and federal grants.
• Assure protection of the assets of the district by enforcing and promoting internal controls, internal auditing, and ensuring proper insurance coverage.
• Direct the preparation of the district budget, the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and other reports as required by the board of education and state and federal agencies.
• Direct the administrative activities required for all financial aspects of mill levy and bond issue elections.

Operations Leadership

• Lead and promote a culture of continuous improvement throughout all operations departments.
• Provide administrative direction and leadership to department members.
• Ensure efficient and lawful functioning of the district through standard operating procedures and policies.
• Direct the development of policies and regulations.
• Promote income generating opportunities in designated areas through relationships with other school districts, related entities, and business and community agencies.

Strategic Leadership

• Formulate and implement a strategic plan that guides the district and supports innovation.
• Develop simplified reporting structures for actionable performance metrics for all schools and departments.
• Develop and implement policies for innovative educational programming.
• Recommend proposed revisions to the organizational structure.

People and Community Leadership

• Build effective structures for communicating with staff, parents, and community members.
• Represent the district in civic and professional associations and activities at the local, state, and national level.
• Ensure effective management of staff performance.
• Provide timely, consistent, concise, and efficient communication to the Board of Education.

Additional Qualifications

• Master’s degree required.
• Ten years combined educational experience, of which at least five years must be administrative.

Salary Range:  $230,000 - $260,000 plus incentives and benefits commensurate with experience and qualifications, subject to negotiation.

Search Timeline

• Posting Date for Applications: March 24, 2023
• Closing Date for Applications: April 5, 2023
• Board of Education Selects Finalist(s):  April 20, 2023
  • Peter Hilts announced as sole finalist 
• Superintendent contract presented: May 4, 2023
• Start Date: No later than July 1, 2023

An important part of McPherson & Jacobson’s work is gathering feedback from D49 stakeholders. When the superintendent search was announced, the firm invited all interested stakeholders to complete a short, three-question survey. The results of the survey can be viewed in this PDF report.  

Stakeholder Input Report Superintendent Search 2023: PDF

McPherson & Jacobson presentation to the Board of Education and discussion of the hiring process for the D49 Superintendent, on March 22.