Gardendale Schools Superintendent Search Community Input

Report on Superintendent Search Community Input

Gardendale City Schools

May 8, 2014

Input Meeting Results

Meetings

Engagement Meeting Participants: Parents and Community – 12 Public Officials and Business Leaders – 8 School Administrators and Certified Staff – 11 School Support Staff - 0

Meeting Responses

Traits/Skills (Recurring Themes): • Visionary who can articulate the vision and build

support among stakeholders (i.e., employees, students, parents, community members)

• Innovator, forward thinker • Organizer (ability to organize a new district) • Instructionally focused on what is best for students • Communicator with all stakeholders • Listener, negotiator, and team builder who is accessible

Meeting Responses

Traits/Skills – (Recurring Themes): • Fiscally responsible • Community-minded • Ability to make informed, yet sometimes difficult

decisions • Holds self and others accountable • Experienced in leading successfully, whether that

means having been a prior superintendent or working closely with one

Meeting Responses

Challenges: • Keeping stakeholders informed throughout the

transition • Negotiating the Separation Agreement • Developing budget for new system and ensuring

adequate resources • Transitioning students and employees • Building support for the new district among all

stakeholders • Achieving excellence in all areas

Meeting Responses

Desired Changes to Strengthen District: • Lower class sizes, where needed • Allocate resources to meet school and teacher

curriculum needs, including technology • Improved communication • Improved academic performance • Better preparation of students for work/post-

secondary education • More community involvement

Community Survey Results

0.0%

0.4%

6.3%

7.2%

12.2%

23.2%

50.6%

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

Student living outside Gardendale

Student living in Gardendale

Parent/guardian of a student living outside Gardendale

Community member living outside Gardendale

Prospective employee of the Gardendale City Schools

Gardendale community member

Parent/guardian of a student living in Gardendale

Online Survey Respondents

4.60

4.64

4.69

4.71

4.71

4.71

4.77

4.82

0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00

Monitoring and assessing curriculum and instruction

Maintaining and increasing student achievement

Creating a positive climate for employees

Preparing and managing dollar budgets, facilities and projects

Leading a well-performing school system

Effectively managing employees and their performance

Demonstrated effective communication ability

Ensuring student safety and discipline

Importance of successful experience in: [1st Tier - All Respondents]

3.91

4.09

4.13

4.44

4.49

0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00

Cultivating partnerships with employee organizations

Leading in a diverse educational environment

Partnering with area business and industry

Leading innovation and technology initiatives

Successfully managing a school system of equal or larger size

Importance of successful experience in: [2nd and 3rd Tier - All Respondents]

4.62

4.63

4.67

4.69

4.73

4.75

4.78

4.79

0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00









Importance of successful experience in: [1st Tier - Parents ]

(Inside)

4.53

4.60

4.67

4.67

4.67

4.73

4.79

4.87

5.00

0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00










Importance of successful experience in: [1st Tier - Parents]

(Outside)

4.52

4.55

4.59

4.59

4.72

4.76

4.86

4.86

4.90

0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00

Preparing and managing dollar budgets, …

Leading innovation and technology …

Monitoring and assessing curriculum …

Maintaining and increasing student …


Effectively managing employees and …



Demonstrated effective communication …

Importance of successful experience in: [1st Tier - Prospective Employees]

4.36

4.49

4.56

4.57

4.64

4.65

4.67

4.67

4.71

4.80

0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00

Leading innovation and technology initiatives










Importance of successful experience in: [1st Tier - Community]

(Inside)

4.59

4.71

4.71

4.76

4.88

4.88

4.88

4.88

4.94

0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00

Monitoring and assessing curriculum …

Maintaining and increasing student …

Leading innovation and technology …

Preparing and managing dollar …


Demonstrated effective communication …


Effectively managing employees and …


Importance of successful experience in: [1st Tier - Community ]

(Outside)

37%

80%

47%

88%

86%

52%

16%

39%

10%

11%

11%

4%

13%

2%

3%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Have a doctorate

Have a master's degree

Have served as a superintendent elsewhere

Have classroom instructional experience

Have administrative (assistant principal, principal, coordinator)

experience

The superintendent should: (All Responses)

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

31%

80%

46%

85%

84%

57%

18%

42%

12%

14%

12%

2%

13%

2%

2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Have a doctorate





experience

The superintendent should: (Parents – Inside)

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

21%

73%

53%

80%

87%

64%

20%

40%

13%

7%

14%

7%

7%

7%

7%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Have a doctorate





experience

The superintendent should: (Parents – Outside)

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

45%

93%

38%

100%

100%

41%

7%

41%

0%

0%

14%

0%

21%

0%

0%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Have a doctorate





experience

The superintendent should: (Prospective Employees)

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

49%

81%

49%

89%

89%

45%

17%

38%

9%

9%

5%

2%

13%

2%

2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Have a doctorate





experience

The superintendent should: (Community - Inside)

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

47%

76%

59%

94%

76%

47%

6%

29%

6%

24%

6%

18%

12%

0%

0%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Have a doctorate




Have administrative (assistant principal, principal,

coordinator) experience

The superintendent should: (Community - Outside)

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

5.2%

11.6%

13.7%

17.7%

20.1%

21.3%

22.9%

42.6%

43.0%

51.8%

55.4%

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

Raising the graduation rate

Planning for facility needs

Planning for future enrollment growth

Generating additional funding

Providing cutting edge technology across all instructional programs

Holding employees accountable

Proactively ensuring the safety of students and employees

Ensuring students are prepared for work and/or college

Raising academic achievement for all students

Managing finances for present and future needs

Negotiating the separation from Jefferson County

Most important or significant issue/challenge: (All Responses)

9.2%

16.7%

16.7%

16.7%

25.0%

25.0%

41.7%

41.7%

53.3%

58.3%

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%











Most important or significant issue/challenge: (Parents – Inside)

6.7%

6.7%

6.7%

13.3%

20.0%

20.0%

40.0%

40.0%

40.0%

40.0%

53.3%

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%












Most important or significant issue/challenge: (Parents – Outside)

0.0%

7.1%

7.1%

17.9%

21.4%

25.0%

25.0%

32.1%

35.7%

57.1%

71.4%

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%












Most important or significant issue/challenge: (Prospective Employees)

3.6%

9.1%

10.9%

14.5%

14.5%

18.2%

20.0%

41.8%

43.6%

56.4%

60.0%

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%












The most important or significant issue/challenge: (Community – Inside)

5.9%

17.6%

23.5%

23.5%

23.5%

29.4%

29.4%

29.4%

47.1%

47.1%

58.8%

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%












Most important or significant issue/challenge: (Community – Outside)

4.47

4.53

4.58

4.63

4.63

4.66

4.78

4.87

0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00

Innovative: Seeks new ideas, comfortable with change

Collaborative: Seeks out relationships, builds strong teams, is inclusive, forms partnerships

Strategic Thinker: Change agent who has successfully set and achieved goals to solve significant problems

Knowledgeable of Laws: Knows Alabama and federal education laws

Successful Educator: Has a proven record for closing achievement gaps, understands the education process, has a

passion for learning and helping students achieve at high levels

Executive Ability: Understands recruiting, skilled at matching employees' skills with specific jobs, able to remove

unsuccessful employees, experienced at training future leaders

Articulate: Communicates effectively with others

Accountable: Takes responsibility and accepts consequences

Most important attributes: (All Responses)

4.08

4.12

4.40

4.50

4.53

4.55

4.60

4.64

4.75

4.83

0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00

Friendly: Shows kindness and warmth

Comfortable with Diversity: Can establish and maintain relationships with diverse populations.



Successful Educator: Has a proven record for closing achievement gaps, understands the education process, has a passion for learning

and helping students achieve at high levels



Executive Ability: Understands recruiting, skilled at matching employees' skills with specific jobs, able to remove unsuccessful

employees, experienced at training future leaders



Most important attributes: (Parents – Inside)

4.93

4.79

4.27

4.07

4.80

4.00

4.60

4.47

4.53

4.60

0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00





Executive Ability: Understands recruiting, skilled at matching employees' skills with specific jobs, able to

remove unsuccessful employees, experienced at training …





Successful Educator: Has a proven record for closing achievement gaps, understands the education process,

has a passion for learning and helping students achieve …

Most important attributes: (Parents – Outside)

4.34

4.48

4.62

4.62

4.66

4.69

4.76

4.86

4.90

4.90

1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00


Executive Ability: Understands recruiting, skilled at matching employees' skills with specific jobs, able to remove

unsuccessful employees, experienced at training future …





Successful Educator: Has a proven record for closing achievement gaps, understands the education process, has

a passion for learning and helping students achieve at high …




Most important attributes: (Prospective Employees)

4.18

4.22

4.40

4.54

4.56

4.64

4.75

4.80

4.82

4.95

1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00







Executive Ability: Understands recruiting, skilled at matching employees' skills with specific jobs, able to remove unsuccessful

employees, experienced at training future leaders


Successful Educator: Has a proven record for closing achievement gaps, understands the education process, has a passion for learning

and helping students achieve at high levels


Most important attributes: (Community – Inside)

4.35

4.47

4.59

4.59

4.59

4.71

4.76

4.76

4.76

4.82

1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00



Executive Ability: Understands recruiting, skilled at matching employees' skills with specific jobs, able to remove …


Successful Educator: Has a proven record for closing achievement gaps, understands the education process, …






Most important attributes: (Community – Outside)

Gardendale Schools Superintendent Search Community Input

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