Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)

Red Lake School District is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Superintendent

Application deadline: June 6, 2011

The Search

The Red Lake Public School District’s School Board is seeking qualified applicants for the position of superintendent. The search is due to the retirement of Brent Gish, who has served as superintendent for the past four years.

About the School District

The Red Lake Public School District is located in northern Minnesota on the Red Lake Nation. The approximately

1,258 square-mile school district serves students from the Red Lake Nation communities of Little Rock, Ponemah, Redby, and Red Lake. The school district is located approximately 30 miles north of Bemidji. Current enrollment in the school district is 1,350 students, pre-kindergarten through grade 12, plus some tuition-in students.

The school district maintains six buildings, including Red Lake Elementary School with 628 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade; Ponemah School (grades K-8) with 186 students; Red Lake Middle School (grades 6-8) with 218 students; Red Lake High School (grades 9-12) with 264 students; the Alternative Learning Center with 60 students; the adult basic education program and school district administrative services building.

The school district employs a full-time superintendent; full-time business manager; full-time special education director; five full-time principals; full-time building and grounds, transportation services, and food services managers; 168 licensed staff; and 140 non-licensed and support staff. Staff provide a range of educational and support service options for students.

The school district runs its own food service, transportation service, and building safety and security program.

The school district is committed to providing academic opportunities for all students. High-performing schools is an

overarching goal. Two of the school district’s buildings have been identified as turn-around schools. School district staff are committed to school reform and have embraced the Charlotte Danielson teacher evaluation model, differentiated instruction, professional learning communities, and data driven instruction. The school district has a new vocal and instrumental music program. Various extracurricular activities are also available.

About the Community

Red Lake Public School District, is located in Beltrami County and the northeastern corner of Clearwater County.

Medical, dental, and vision care clinics are located in Red Lake and nearby Bemidji. New gaming facilities and a convention center are also available locally.

A mixture of large and small businesses can be found in the area. The largest employers are the Red Lake Nation Tribal Council and U.S. Public Health Services. Small businesses include a fishery and convenience stores. The U.S. Forestry Service has an office locally. A range of places of worship can also be found in the area. Bemidji is a regional center for the arts. Bemidji State University, Red Lake Tribal and Community College, and Northwest Technical College are available to residents.

Leadership Profile

The Red Lake School Board has identified the following qualifications for fulfilling the role of superintendent. The ideal candidate is a strong and respected leader who will be committed to the education of Native students — someone who is an excellent communicator and gets along well with others, has strong personnel management and oversight skills, is knowledgeable about educational reforms, and understands Minnesota finance and laws. The school board is committed to finding a candidate who:

• Has demonstrated success in improving student learning and achievement, including a willingness to step in and

continue to move the school district’s adopted educational reforms forward;

• Is proactive in the pursuit of state and federal funding to support the school district’s bonding needs, including

advocacy and grant-writing skills;

• Has demonstrated an understanding of Minnesota school finance and budget development and implementation

process and oversight to ensure accountability;

• Has the skills and desire to assume the role of a chief executive officer and educational leader, including a desire to work with the school board to implement the school district’s vision of student achievement, keep the school board fully informed, and follow established policy;

• Has demonstrated success in personnel oversight and management, including the ability to execute fair and consistent personnel policies and procedures; ability to recruit, mentor, and develop principals and central office administrators; provide general oversight of all other personnel; and delegate authority while demanding accountability from oneself and others involved.

• Has previous superintendent experience (preferred, but not required).

School Board

The Red Lake School Board is comprised of new and veteran school board members dedicated to providing the best education possible for every student it serves.

Arnold Pemberton, chair (37 years)

Tom Barrett, vice chair (6 years)

Roy Nelson, treasurer (20 years)

Barbara Thomas (18 years)

Michael Barrett (2 years)

Nicole Desjarlait (2 years)

Superintendent Search Timeline

Announce vacancy May 10, 2011

Application deadline June 6, 2011

Screening June 14, 2011

Interviews begin June 16, 2011

Act to employ July 1, 2011

Superintendent begins July 15, 2011, or as soon thereafter as possible

Screening Team

A Screening Team from the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) has been selected to assist the school board in securing and screening applicants. The team will be facilitated by: Sandy Gundlach, Director of School Board Services, MSBA.

Salary and Contract

The salary for the superintendent will be in the range of $120,000 to $135,000, plus benefits and will be negotiated commensurate with experience and qualifications. The contract length is negotiable as provided in Minnesota statute.

Application Procedure

To be considered for this position, an applicant’s completed application must be received by the MSBA office by 4:30 p.m. on June 6, 2011, and must contain the following:

• A letter of application indicating a desire to be a candidate for the Red Lake superintendency, including a brief

description of the candidate’s qualifications for the position;

• A completed MSBA Superintendent Employment Application form from http://www.mnmsbasearchservice.org;

• A signed Superintendent Employment Application Certification, Consent, and Release of Information from

http://www.mnmsbasearchservice.org;

• Legal proof or other evidence showing the candidate’s qualification to be a superintendent in the state of Minnesota;

• A set of up-to-date credentials which includes a current resume, including any relevant information, at least three

current letters of recommendation, and official transcript(s).

Print three Character Reference forms downloadable from http://www.mnmsbasearchservice.org and distribute to persons familiar with your work history to complete and return directly to the MSBA Superintendent Search Service, Attention: Sandy Gundlach, 1900 W. Jefferson Ave., St. Peter, MN 56082.

Please contact Sandy Gundlach at 800-324-4459, ext. 128, or sgundlach@mnmsba.org with any questions or

to request the documents. All letters of application, credentials, forms, and copies of legal proof of administrative

qualifications should be addressed as follows: MSBA Superintendent Search Service, 1900 W. Jefferson Ave., St. Peter, MN 56082. Please mark any correspondence and/or envelopes “Red Lake Public Schools.”

Applicants are requested not to contact school board members unless called for an interview.

Red Lake Public School District is an equal opportunity employer, and the Minnesota School Boards Association is an equal opportunity search agency.

Red Lake Public School District is located primarily in Beltrami County in northern Minnesota.

2009-10 Financial Highlights

General Fund Revenue $27,391,156

General Total Expenditures $26,446,370

Unreserved Fund Balance $9,904,019

Total General Fund Balance $10,189,302

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 
Rendered 03/22/2024 03:50