The Denali Borough School Board is seeking a superintendent for its 740 student district. The Denali Borough, gateway to Denali National Park, is located 250 miles north of Anchorage, and 100 miles south of Fairbanks.
Timetable
The Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB) is conducting the search. Closing date for receipt of all application material is February 8, 2012. Finalists will be invited to the district for an on-site interview at Board expense March 5-6, 2012. The new superintendent is expected to begin work on or before July 1, 2012.
The following items must accompany all applications:
• completed application (available on line)
• confidential placement file including academic transcripts
• minimum of three confidential AASB reference forms (available on line)
• current resume
• current administrative certificate copy
Candidates who do not possess an Alaska Type B Certificate should begin the process with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development.
Application material should be sent to:
Association of Alaska School Boards
1111 W. 9th St., Juneau, Alaska 99801
Phone: (907) 463-1660 / Fax: (907) 586-2995
Email: inylen@aasb.org
Contract Provisions
The Board will offer a 260 day contract with an attractive benefit package. A salary range between $105,000 -$115,000 is being offered the successful candidate.
The School District and Instructional Program
The Denali Borough School District has a history of strong community and parental involvement and innovation. Each of the three school sites is a community center. 2011-2012 Enrollment in each site is: Anderson (30), Cantwell (22) and Healy (170). Teachers and community members actively support students in a variety of ways. The schools are well maintained and respected by students.
PEAK (520 students), the district’s statewide correspondence program, also provides opportunities within the District for families who either live remote or are advocates for home schooling.
The Denali Borough School District led the state in technology integration and has maintained a 1:1 digital learning environment in each of its schools. Each middle and high school student has a laptop computer assigned to him or her for the school year. All sites are wireless environments and have videoconferencing capabilities at multiple levels.
A formal School Business Partnership Program has brought a number of opportunities for students. DBSD is an active partner with the Murie Science and Learning Center in Denali National Park and shares resources to pursue student programs.
The District has a history of using its Strategic Plan as a guiding document. The Plan has not been updated in the past three years. The Board wants the district to get back on a planning schedule to address critical issues that include the completion of a District-wide Curriculum and building on the history of strong communication and collaboration among all aspects of the school community. The School District has recently become a partner with the Association of Alaska School Boards in its Quality Schools/Quality Students Service (QS2). This service provides financial and consulting support to districts in the areas of Leadership, Community Engagement, Students and Staff. An updating of the district’s Strategic Plan is an integral part of this partnership.
Board Identified Priorities
• Revise and update the District’s Strategic Plan.
• Review and develop a district-wide curriculum.
• Improve communication among schools, with the Board and District Office and the community.
• Continue to support and develop partnerships.
Qualifications of the Candidate
The Board of Education recognizes that selecting the Superintendent is one of the most important decisions it will make. The Board is committed to a selection process that is fair and open to all qualified candidates. Priority will be given to candidates whose experience and background closely matches the following characteristics.
Professional Experience – Qualifications
• Hold, or be able to obtain, a Type B administrative certificate with a superintendent endorsement in the State of Alaska.
• Broad experience as a school administrator with prior superintendent experience desirable.
Desired Background
• Experience in curriculum and instruction.
• Ability to support partnerships with community members and organizations.
• An understanding and prior involvement with budget development.
• Understand the application of technology to instruction, learning, and assessment.
Personal Characteristics
• Capacity to develop relationships built on honesty and straight-forwardness.
• Ability to create a supportive “team” environment with the board and fellow administrators.
• Be active and visible within the district and Borough.
Denali Borough
The Denali Borough School District, located in Interior Alaska, includes three schools along an 80-mile stretch of the George Parks Highway as well as a statewide correspondence school; PEAK (Parents Educating Alaska’s Kids). The School District administrative office is located in Healy, in the center of the district.
The Denali Borough was formed in 1990 and includes the communities of Anderson, Clear, Cantwell, Healy and a number of smaller settlements.
Anderson: Located forty miles north of the Borough seat, the City of Anderson was incorporated in 1962.
Clear: The Clear Air Station is located 5 miles from Anderson. The entrance to the Clear Air Station is located 3 miles from the main highway and is gated for security. The small community known as Clear is located along the George Parks Highway at Milepost 280 and encompasses residential homes and businesses.
Cantwell: Cantwell, with a population of over 220, is located 40 miles south of the Borough seat. In the winter, Cantwell becomes a fantasyland for snow machiners and ice fisherman alike. The wide-open tundra covered with deep snow makes this a winter playground.
Healy: The largest community and the Borough seat, Healy is located on the George Parks Highway. Healy has the largest population with more than 1,000 permanent residents.
Denali National Park and McKinley Village: 17 miles south of the Borough seat lies the community of McKinley Village and Denali National Park and Preserve. Approximately 200 year-round residents reside within a 19 mile stretch of the George Parks Highway. The largest concentration of households is in the Village View Subdivision.
The Borough experiences a cold, continental climate. Temperatures range from -40 to +80 F. The average annual precipitation is 12.7 inches, with snowfall of 49.3 inches. Daylight ranges from almost continuous in the summer to minimal in the winter.
For more information on the Denali Borough School District please visit www.dbsd.org.
