SCARSDALE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Superintendent Search Specifications Development Report November 4, 2013 SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC

Information Gathering... Invitational Meetings Open Meetings Online Survey SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC

MEETINGS/FOCUS GROUPS HELD SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC Open Community Meetings (51)Scarsdale Forum & Taxpayer Alert (4) SHS Students (11)STA Executive Committee (16) Open Meetings For Teachers (43)Coalition for Scarsdale Schools (6) Principals/Assistant Principals (10)Teachers-In-Charge (4) PT Council (22)Administrators (18) High School PTA (6)Former Board of Ed Members (9) PTA’s (29)STI Policy Board (3) Community Groups (18)Secretaries (8) Education Foundation Board (5)School Librarians (2) Open Meeting For Non-Instructional Staff (4)269 Total Attendees

742 Online Respondents SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC SCARSDALE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Input For The Search For A Superintendent of Schools The Scarsdale Board of Education has engaged School Leadership, LLC to assist it as it undertakes a search for a new Superintendent of Schools. The Board feels it is important to obtain input from members of the Scarsdale community as to the qualities that it should seek in a new Superintendent. Your assistance by completing this brief online survey will be greatly appreciated. PLEASE COMPLETE THE SURVEY NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 7, Thank you.

Online Survey Demography SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC

Online Survey: Top 5 Experience and Skill Factors To Be Sought In Candidates SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC

Items Identified Multiple Times As Strengths of the Scarsdale School District and Community A community of high achievers A beautiful community in which to live An excellent national reputation as a school district and as a community An ideal place for a teacher to teach Bright, motivated students Close to NYC and all it has to offer

Items Identified Multiple Times As Strengths of the Scarsdale School District and Community Community is supportive of the school district District is viewed as a national leader Good financial resources Highly-qualified staff Residents choose to move to Scarsdale principally because of the schools Teachers feel trusted and respected

Items Identified Multiple Times As Strengths of the Scarsdale School District and Community Very high expectations for the students Tremendous opportunity for professional growth of teachers Because of natural attrition, there will be multiple opportunities to select new leadership and instructional staff

Items Identified Multiple Times As Leadership Tasks Which Will Face the New Superintendent Assisting the Board in explaining to the community how children learn best and how funds support such learning approaches Better communication to assist people in understanding current education changes Better integration of and use of technology, including improving the web site Bring a focus to the economic realities with which all governments must deal

Items Identified Multiple Times As Leadership Tasks Which Will Face the New Superintendent Budgeting within the tax levy cap Bringing together a demanding community that recently defeated a budget proposal Continuing the fight against the over- emphasis on tests and test preparation Develop creative ways to move under- performing teachers out of the district Ending the “auto pilot” status of the elementary schools with respect to program improvement

Items Identified Multiple Times As Leadership Tasks Which Will Face the New Superintendent Enhancing communications with all stakeholders Ensuring the district does not lose any of its current, constructive momentum Giving serious study to the differences among the elementary schools--every student should have similar opportunities in the district Helping the district recover from and understand the recent budget defeat

Items Identified Multiple Times As Leadership Tasks Which Will Face the New Superintendent Helping the community at large see the success and value of the district’s programs Holding to what educators know is best and not caving in to what everyone else is doing because the State says so Implementing effectively tenure decisions and the collective bargaining process Increasing transparency in decision making throughout the district

Items Identified Multiple Times As Leadership Tasks Which Will Face the New Superintendent Leading a change in the business model of the district (how our work gets done) Meeting the strong demand for more transparency and collaboration Aligning programs and services across the five elementary schools Providing for genuine innovation at the elementary school level

Items Identified Multiple Times As Leadership Tasks Which Will Face the New Superintendent Not building the whole school system around the high school Re-evaluating the amount of autonomy provided principals in the district Removing the “bad wood” within the teaching staff and not simply falling back on “tenure” as an excuse Taking affirmative action when confronted with teachers who are not up to Scarsdale standards Ensuring common elementary school standards

Items Identified Multiple Times As Qualities, Skills and Experiences Which Should Be Sought In Candidates For the Superintendent Position A good listener A great and clear communicator A great communicator, especially in writing A person of high moral character A visionary Able to “navigate” within a demanding community and bring people together An unapologetic advocate for superior education

Items Identified Multiple Times As Qualities, Skills and Experiences Which Should Be Sought In Candidates For the Superintendent Position Collaborative Committed to academic excellence Communicates effectively with staff as well as the community Courageous Has demonstrated success in utilizing web sites to communicate effectively with the public Is collaborative and truly listens to staff

Items Identified Multiple Times As Qualities, Skills and Experiences Which Should Be Sought In Candidates For the Superintendent Position Is not a top-down leader Possesses a strong vision for public education Well-grounded philosophically while also being a good manager Writes well

Suggested Summary of Major Characteristics To Be Sought In Candidates An experienced, collaborative leader in a high-performing district who will recognize and honor the district’s many successes while, simultaneously, striving for improvement in its already-superior program SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC

Suggested Summary of Major Characteristics To Be Sought In Candidates A courageous, innovative and visionary educator, preferably experienced as a superintendent, who understands the complex demands of globalization and is able to engage district stakeholders in thinking about and planning for the future SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC

Suggested Summary of Major Characteristics To Be Sought In Candidates An open, highly intelligent and transparent communicator who seeks to listen, build consensus, and provide focused leadership toward the achievement of district goals SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC

Suggested Summary of Major Characteristics To Be Sought In Candidates A skilled assessor of staff and programs who places the best interests of all students at the core of all decisions SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC

Suggested Summary of Major Characteristics To Be Sought In Candidates Savvy about school finances, a skilled budgeter, and creative in balancing program, operational and facility improvements with school tax constraints SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC

Suggested Summary of Major Characteristics To Be Sought In Candidates Approachable, accessible, honest, fair- minded and a person of unquestioned integrity SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC

Recommended Paid Venues For Posting and Advertising The Vacancy... The New York Times national edition Education Week (twice) Web site of the American Association of School Administrators Web site of the NYS Council of School Superintendents Recruitment letter to 1,500 K-12 and university educators nationally SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, LLC