Fairbanks North Star Borough School District 

The Fairbanks North Star Borough Board of Education is seeking an exemplary superintendent who is well prepared to lead Interior Alaska’s premiere school district.  The school board is highly interested in candidates who have demonstrated the capacity to be an innovative leader, with visionary experience in education and community relations.  The successful candidate must genuinely respect the district’s mission, its core values, and the collaborative process through which an excellent and equitable education is provided to all students.  Clear communication with staff, teachers, the district administration, and the school board is essential.  The Fairbanks community values partnerships and personal relationships; the school board is looking for a superintendent who can develop and facilitate meaningful partnerships with parents, businesses, UAF, the military, and the local government.  The school board is open to non-traditional superintendent candidates who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the private, public, or non-profit sectors.

The following items must accompany all applications:

• Completed application (available at aasb.org) and cover letter, a confidential placement file if available
• Minimum of three confidential AASB reference forms primarily from board members and/or individuals who have supervised the candidate
• Current resume, academic transcripts, and a copy of any certifications (e.g. Alaska Type B Certificate with superintendent endorsement)

Application material should be sent to:
Association of Alaska School Boards
1111 W. 9th St., Juneau, Alaska 99801
Phone: (907) 586-1083
Email: lmiller [at] aasb [dot] org

Application Deadline:                        March 19, 2010
Selection of Semi-Finalists/Finalists: April 2-3, 2010
Finalists on Site:                               April 15-17, 2010

The new superintendent is expected to begin on July 1, 2010

The Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB) is assisting the Fairbanks North Star Borough Board of Education in the search for a new superintendent. Dr. Bruce Johnson is the Search Consultant. AASB staff will assemble all candidate files and conduct the preliminary background check on each applicant. 

Candidate qualifications

• A combination of formal education, training and experience that demonstrates expertise in leadership and management at a significant level of responsibility is required.
• Previous experience as a superintendent, assistant/deputy superintendent, principal, or senior educational manager with an Alaska Type B administrative certificate is desirable.
• Applicants with a non-educational background are encouraged to apply.  Such candidates must have a proven track record of outstanding leadership in corporate, non-profit and/or other large organization(s).

Skills and Experience 

Effective Educational Leader

o  Demonstrated experience making data-driven decisions related to instruction

o  Political smarts and management prowess

o  Proven ability to lead an organization with multiple tiers of management

o  Experience collaborating and building trust with diverse community stakeholders

o  Ability to prioritize competing demands

Management and Organizational Ability

o  Management skills in implementing change in a large organization

o  Knowledgeable of the process used to develop a multimillion-dollar budget

o  Experience planning, operating, and evaluating programs

o  Knowledge and application of policies and administrative regulations

o  Demonstrated knowledge of organizational communication

Effective Interpersonal Skills

o  Experience interacting with a governing board

o  Ability to build consensus and implement decisions using a collegial process

o  Demonstrated ability to model and create positive relationships

o  Superb conflict resolution and mediation skills

Effective Communication

o  An understanding of internal and external outreach and the value of feedback

o  Ability to model effective teamwork

o  Effective communication that cultivates collegiality and professionalism

o  Thoughtful listener with excellent oral and written communication skills

o  Experience effectively communicating with organizational stakeholders

o  Ability to be an articulate and effective spokesperson

Compensation and Contract Provisions

The Board is interested in offering a multi-year contract for the successful candidate with a salary range of $145,000 – 155,000 (DOE). The contract will include a 261-day work year with 30 days of annual leave. Additional benefits include a comprehensive family health plan; life and disability insurance; retirement; sick leave; eleven paid holidays; $8,000 professional expense account; and relocation financial support.

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Mission and Core Values

Our mission is to provide an excellent and equitable education in a safe, supportive environment so all students can become productive members of a diverse and changing society.

District Core Values

• Student learning is at the center of everything we do.
• High achievement evolves from high expectations and educational opportunities.
• Quality education requires highly motivated, skilled, supportive teachers, administrators, and support staff.
• Active partnerships with the family and community support successful student learning.
• Respect for the diversity and dignity of individuals and groups is essential.

District Goals, Initiatives and Commitments for the Board and Superintendent

Primary Performance Goals (http://www.k12northstar.org/district-priorities)

A. Improve overall performance for all students.

B. Increase the graduation rate and reduce the dropout rate.

C. Improve math skills of African American students, Alaska Native/American Indian students, and Students with Disabilities (SWD) to meet or exceed the state Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) in math.

D. Improve writing skills of Alaska Native/American Indian students, Students with Disabilities (SWD), Limited English Proficient students (LEP), and Economically Disadvantaged students to increase the percent proficient and advanced, and/or meet or exceed the state Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) in language arts.

Commitments and Focus

Student Learning: Improving the achievement of all students is a critical component for the leadership team. Ongoing implementation of RTI, Career Pathways, Professional learning communities and data-driven decision making are all factors creating success for all students.

Communication: Crucial to the district will be maintaining trust, confidence and respect with internal and external audiences through effective communication. Relationships between friends, neighbors, and colleagues are very important in Fairbanks; people are accustomed to sitting down with neighbors to discuss important issues, and aren’t afraid to voice their opinion.

Family and Community Involvement: The district is committed to meaningful family and community involvement based on mutual trust and open communication. School Board policy 1154 states, “the school district considers parent involvement a means of promoting better understanding among pupils, parents, and staff. Parents are welcome in the school and their support and assistance are sought. Each school shall develop with, and distribute to parents a parent involvement policy.”

Diversity: The Fairbanks community is a diverse one -- culturally, ethnically and in regard to people's chosen lifestyles. This diversity is reflected in the schools. As of October 1, 2009, enrollment by ethnicity was White (64%); Alaska Native (23%); Multi-Ethnic (8.2%); Hispanic (7.4%); Black (6.4%) and Asian (2.6%). The district must continue to address the needs and perspectives of families with differing lifestyles, political orientations, and viewpoints, including the unique requirements of families associated with the two military installations: Ft. Wainwright Army Post and Eielson Air Force Base.

Staff Development: Closing the achievement gap in identified areas (especially math), and addressing differentiated instruction (including how boys and girls learn differently, special education, and learning styles) are important areas of emphasis for staff development. Addressing dropouts and improving overall student attendance remains a high priority that will require ongoing staff training.

Technology: The district values the use of technology, and remains focused on its plan to efficiently integrate instructional technology. All schools are wired, every teacher has a computer, and the district uses its technology blueprint to effectively integrate technology into the curriculum. All schools use instructional technology such as classroom projectors, computer labs, SMART Boards, document cameras, and a variety of instructional software to enhance student achievement in reading, writing and math. The district uses PowerSchool Premiere, a student records management system for teachers, students, and parents–it has a substantial parent involvement component.

Current Initiatives to Improve Student Performance

1. Implement recommendations from the Secondary Review Process.
The four goals created through public forums held in February and March 2008:

• Create a climate of respect
• Better prepare students for life after high school
• Implement structures to support student achievement
• Establish a culture of high expectations

The district will use a variety of programs to address its goals, such as bullying prevention; Ignition; Peer Mediation; Safe and Civil Schools; Advanced Placement Classes; Career Academies; Career Pathways; Professional Learning Communities; Middle School Concept; and Personal Learning Plans to name a few.

2. Develop a plan to address North Pole attendance area K-8 overcrowding.

A committee has been formed to review concerns about zoning and capacity in the North Pole area. Over the past several years the kindergarten through eighth grade (K-8) student population in the North Pole attendance area has increased about 3% each year. Four schools are affected by this growth in population: Badger Road Elementary, North Pole Elementary, North Pole Middle, and Ticasuk Brown Elementary. The school district is determining near and long-term steps to deal with the expected growth in population.

3. Implement Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI). The district is undertaking an important new initiative this year called Response to Instruction and Intervention. RTI is "a well-integrated system intended to provide high quality, standards-based instruction/intervention that is matched to students' academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs. There is a continuum of intervention tiers with increasing levels of intensity and duration. In RTI, collaborative educational decisions are based on data, frequent monitoring of student performance and rate of learning.

4. Implement a plan for using formative assessment to improve writing skills (e.g. Thinking Maps/Write…from the Beginning/Write…for the Future, MY Access!, and Six Traits Writing).

Ongoing Commitments

• Focus instruction and resources on areas of need, such as career and technical education, math and writing improvement, and the gender achievement gap.
• Support class sizes that are conducive to learning.
• Invest in quality professional development to meet district goals.
• Recognize and respect multicultural perspectives.
• Use data-supported decision making and annual school planning.
• Provide graduation success strategies and challenging courses and instruction, which are inspirational and innovative.
• Provide educational options to families and students.
• Engage families to promote student success.
• Continue implementation of the Technology Blueprint.
• Increase communication with, and support for, students and families of diverse cultures.
• Use technologies, including PowerSchool Premier, to enhance learning, monitor student progress, involve parents, enhance communication, and maintain efficient district operations.
• Enhance school safety and student wellness.
• Recruit, hire, and retain a diverse workforce with the talents and abilities to fulfill the district’s mission.
• Maintain excellent school facilities and manage capital improvement projects.

The Community

Alaska isn’t just a place. It’s an experience. It is one-fifth the size of the contiguous United States. Alaska borders two oceans and three seas. It has over 3,000 rivers, 1,800 islands, 19 mountains over 14,000 feet, the tallest mountain in North America, and more than 100,000 glaciers (half the world’s total).

The Fairbanks North Star Borough includes the city of Fairbanks (the second largest city in the state), the City of North Pole (home of Santa Claus), Ft. Wainwright Army Post and Eielson Air Force Base. Altogether, approximately 100,000 residents reside in the borough. Although the city was founded in 1902, its site along the shores of the Chena and Tanana rivers has been home to Alaska Natives for thousands of years. The city grew into a thriving mining camp with the discovery of gold in the nearby hills. Today, the small boomtown has a diversified economy, with oil, gas, gold and coal mining, military, tourism and the University of Alaska as key components.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks is an important component of the town, offering 197 degrees in more than 120 disciplines. The university sponsors numerous cultural events (such as the internationally renowned Summer Arts Festival) and boasts exceptional research facilities (including the Arctic Region Supercomputing Center, the Geophysical Institute, and the Institutes of Marine Sciences, Northern Forestry, and Arctic Biology). The Museum of the North with its unique architecture, outstanding exhibits, and outreach to all Alaskans is a major attraction and a stupendous educational partner.

Fairbanks is a study in contrasts. In summer, the sun shines more than 20 hours a day. Summer temperatures average about 60 degrees F., but it is not uncommon for the temperature to reach 90 degrees F. in July. At the winter solstice, the sun shines less than four hours, and although temperatures can drop to -50 degrees F., the average winter temperature is about -5 degrees. Additional information regarding the Fairbanks North Star Borough can be found at:

http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/
http://www.explorefairbanks.com
http://www.fairbankschamber.org/
http://www.uaf.edu
http://www.tvcc.uaf.edu

The District and Instructional Program

The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District serves an area roughly the size of Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island combined. The district’s budget of $223 million serves over 14,400 students in 34 schools. The schools range in size from a small rural elementary school of 100 students to comprehensive high schools of over 1,200. All are in excellent condition; over the past fifteen years, the district’s oldest schools have been replaced or renovated and all schools are on a regular preventative maintenance program.

The district offers a comprehensive academic program in a technology-rich environment. Career-technical education, special education, advanced placement, specialized University courses, a wide range of electives, extracurricular activities, and a variety of student activities provide a well-rounded educational experience. Elementary schools offer recess, general music and physical education; band and orchestra lessons can start in 4th grade; and an award-winning visual arts program integrates art lessons with subject areas at all grade levels. Outstanding special education is provided district-wide, as is the Extended Learning Program. Currently twenty-two credits are needed to graduate, although the requirement will change to twenty-two and a half at the start of the 2010-2011 school year.

The district’s assessment program includes state-required standards-based assessments (SBA) in grades 3-10, the TerraNova CAT in grades 5 and 7, and a High School Graduation Qualifying Exam. Other assessments may include the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessment, an early screening profile for all entering kindergarteners, and ACT or SAT tests.

The district is committed to small class sizes. Surveys of public school parents indicate a high level of satisfaction and support for the schools. The district operates under a system that is neither totally autonomous nor totally centralized. Each of the district’s 34 schools are expected to respond to their school community’s desires and expectations within a framework of strong central leadership that sets goals, allocates funding and staffing, and supervises individual schools to achieve maximum accountability and consistency across the district.

A school board, whose seven members are elected to three-year terms, governs the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. The board bargains with three employee groups: the Fairbanks Education Association with approximately 1,000 members; the Education Support Staff Association with nearly 850 members; and the Fairbanks Principals’ Association with 45 members.

http://www.k12northstar.org/

The District at a Glance

Most Recent Audit
	Current Budget	$223,928,650
	Local Support	$52,089,600
	State Support	$135,153,450
	Federal Support	$29,615,570
	Other Sources	$7,089,700
Number of Employees
	Teachers	976
	Support Personnel	829
	Students	14,400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fairbanks North Star Borough and Surrounding Region

The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District is an equal opportunity employer.