Policy 121 - Superintendent of Schools
Adopted on June 22, 2023
Effective July 1, 2023
The Board of Education vests the primary responsibility for administration of this County in the Superintendent of Schools. The appointment of that officer is, therefore, one of the most important functions the Board can perform.
The Board of Education of the school system believes that, in general, it is the primary duty of the Board to establish policies and that of the Superintendent to administer such policies. Policy should not be originated or changed without the recommendation of the Superintendent. Certain of the Board's actions must be initiated and guided solely by the recommendation of the Superintendent. The Superintendent should be given the latitude to determine the best method of implementing the policies of the Board.
Development of Administrative Guidelines
The Board of Education delegates to the Superintendent the function of designing and implementing the guidelines, required actions, and detailed arrangements under which the County will operate. These administrative guidelines shall not be inconsistent with the policies adopted by the Board.
The Board itself will formulate and adopt administrative guidelines and rules only when required by law, and when the Superintendent recommends Board adoption.
The Superintendent may also issue such administrative and student handbooks as s/he may consider necessary for the effective administration of the schools and distribute them to employees and students and/or their parents.
As long as the provisions of these administrative guidelines and handbooks are not inconsistent with Board policies, or with Federal/State law, they will be considered to be an extension of the policy manual and binding upon all employees and students.
A copy of the County's administrative guidelines manual and a copy of each handbook shall be made a part of the Board's reference materials and made available to the public upon request.
The Superintendent shall maintain a current organizational chart to which immediate reference can be made by the Board or any employee of the Board.
The Board shall retain oversight supervision of such procedures.
The Board is responsible for determining the success of the Superintendent in meeting the goals or objectives jointly established by the Board and Superintendent through annual evaluations of the Superintendent's performance. The Board, in formulating its position with regard to the performance of the Superintendent, shall rely, whenever possible, on the objective outcomes for its evaluations rather than on subjective opinions.
Appointment of the Superintendent
Whenever the position of Superintendent shall be vacant, the Board shall appoint a Superintendent of Schools as chief executive officer and fix his/her salary and term of office which shall be no less than one year and no more than four years.
The appointment of the Superintendent shall be made on or before June 1st for a term beginning on the first day of July following the appointment.
A County Superintendent who fills a vacancy caused by an incomplete term shall be appointed to serve until the following first day of July.
The Board shall actively seek the best qualified and most capable candidate for the position of County Superintendent.
Recruitment procedures shall be prepared in advance of the search and shall include the following:
- the preparation of a written job specification for the position of Superintendent
- preparation of written specifications of qualification in addition to proper State licensing
- where feasible, the opportunity for applicants to visit the schools of this County
- the requirement that each selected candidate for the position be interviewed by Board members in a format that encourages him/her to express his/her educational philosophy
- consideration of all applicants fairly without discrimination on the basis of race, gender, age, religion, ethnic background, or disability.
The County Superintendent shall hold a professional administrative certificate endorsed for Superintendent, or a first class permit endorsed for Superintendent.
No person may be employed as Superintendent of this County unless s/he has signed an employment contract with the Board. Such contract shall include:
- the term for which employment is contracted, including beginning and ending dates;
- the salary which the Superintendent shall be paid and the intervals at which s/he shall be paid;
- the benefits to which s/he is entitled;
- a conspicuous clause that informs the superintendent that if the State board intervenes in the operation of the county school system pursuant to 18-2E-5, the State Board may vacate the office and void the employment contract;
- such other matters as may be necessary to a full and complete understanding of the employment contract.
At the expiration of the term(s) of service the Superintendent is eligible for reappointment for additional terms of not less than one nor more than four years, at the Board's discretion or, may transfer to any teaching position in the county for which s/he may be qualified and has seniority, unless dismissed for statutory reasons.
The Superintendent so appointed shall maintain his/her residence within the County, or of a contiguous county in West Virginia.
Any candidate's intentional misstatement of fact material to his/her qualification for employment or the determination of his/her salary shall be considered by this Board to constitute grounds for his/her dismissal.
The person selected for the position of Superintendent shall be required to file with the President of the Board a certificate from a licensed physician certifying that a tuberculin skin test has been conducted within four months prior to the beginning of the term as Superintendent, of the type Mantoux test (PPD skin test), approved by the Commissioner of Health, that certifies the Superintendent does not have tuberculosis in a communicable state based upon the test results and any further study.
A County Superintendent who is certified by a licensed physician to have tuberculosis shall have his/her employment suspended until the local health officer, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, approves a return to work.
A County Superintendent who fails to complete required examinations shall be suspended from employment until a report of examination is confirmed by the local health officer.
The President of the Board, immediately upon the appointment of the Superintendent or interim superintendent shall certify the appointment to the State Superintendent.
Duties of the Superintendent
The Superintendent of Schools shall strive to achieve County goals for students by providing educational direction and supervision to the professional and service personnel staff and by acting as a proper model for staff and students both within and without the school setting and the County.
The Superintendent shall be directly responsible to the Board of Education for the performance of the following duties and responsibilities in addition to those required by law:
A. ensure that all aspects of County operation comply with State laws and regulations as well as Board contracts and policies
B. ensure proper implementation of the current County-wide instructional plan as it applies to each building
C. strive to increase the efficient use of County resources in the daily operations of the schools
D. assign staff to achieve the maximum benefit toward the attainment of educational goals
E. evaluate the progress of the professional and service personnel staff toward the attainment of educational goals
F. analyze the results of instructional program development as it applies to the Board's educational goals
G. recommend changes in instructional or staffing patterns based on an analysis of staff and program progress
H. work cooperatively with parents and community groups concerned with programs in the schools
I. work cooperatively with the Board and administrative staff
J. strive toward the highest standards of personal conduct
Evaluation of the Superintendent
The Board shall at least annually evaluate the performance of its Superintendent in accordance with a process and criteria authorized by State Board of Education Policy 5309 and local policy. The local board shall not evaluate its Superintendent under a process that has not been approved by the State Board. Once the evaluation policy and evaluation forms are approved by the State Board, the local board cannot amend its policy without approval by the State Board.
The Board is not required to evaluate an interim superintendent serving pursuant to W. Va. Code 18-4-1.
During any period that the State Board intervenes in the operation of a school system pursuant to W. Va. Code 18-2E-5, the Board shall not evaluate the Superintendent's performance unless directed by the State Superintendent to do so.
The Board shall complete the evaluation of the Superintendent by June 30th (or by March 1st for a contract set to expire by June 30th of the current school term).
The evaluation process shall, at a minimum, require the Superintendent and Board to establish written goals or objectives for the Superintendent and a timeline to accomplish these. The Board shall evaluate the Superintendent on his / her success in improving student achievement generally across the county and specifically as it relates to the management and administration of low performing schools. The evaluation may also cover the performance of the Superintendent in the areas of community relations, school finance, personnel relations, curricular standards and programs, and overall leadership of the County as indicated primarily by improvements in student achievement, testing, and assessment.
The evaluation of the Superintendent shall occur in executive session. At the conclusion of the evaluation, the Board shall make available to the public a general statement about the evaluation process and the overall result. Additional information about the evaluation may be released only by mutual consent of the Superintendent and the Board. The Board may use the evaluation results to determine:
- Whether to extend the contract of the Superintendent;
- Whether to offer the Superintendent a new contract; and
- The level of compensation or benefits to offer the Superintendent in any new or extended contract.
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