HAYS CONSOLIDATED Independent school DISTRICT

SUPERINTENDENT POSITION PROFILE

Hays Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) is seeking a superintendent to lead the district to the next level of academic achievement and meet the challenges of steady district growth and change.  Hays CISD is located in North Central Hays County to the south of Austin, Texas on the IH 35 corridor.  The district covers over 221 square miles, and serves both the Kyle and Buda communities.

Hays CISD currently serves over 16,000 students on 22 campuses.  District campuses include two 4-year high schools (9-12), five middle schools (6-8), 13 elementary schools (K-5), an alternative high school of choice, and a disciplinary campus.  The student body of Hays CISD is 60.9% Hispanic, 33% White, 3.4% African-American, 1.7% multi-racial, .7% Asian, .2% American Indian, and .1%  Pacific Islander .  Nearly one half – 49.3%– of Hays CISD students are economically disadvantaged, and 14.5% are Limited English Proficient (LEP).  Hays CISD has 2,261 employees, and an annual operating budget of over $118 million.

Hays CISD is expecting to grow by a minumum of 4% per year over the next five years.  Enrollment has increased annually for more than 10 years, with significant growth occurring in the past five years.  The number of district campuses has tripled since 2000.  Two new elementary schools opened in 2010 to accommodate the district’s rapid enrollment growth.  The district will need to seek funding for additional schools in the very near future.

The superintendent will work as a team with a united, seven-member, elected Board of Trustees to provide the best possible education for Hays CISD students.  The Hays CISD Board of Trustees has adopted the following mission statement, goals, and strategies:

Hays CISD Mission Statement: 

The mission of Hays CISD, an innovative community of learners that values the diversity and legacy of the people, is to nurture students to become extraordinary citizens through unique, personal educational experiences.

District Goals:

Goal 1:  Improve performance in student achievement indicators.

Goal 2: Improve the culture of recognizing, welcoming and appreciating the contributions of parents, volunteers and mentors –partners in the district’s effort to provide exceptional educational experiences and to foster student achievement.

Goal 3:  Increase the racial and ethnic diversity of our teaching and administrative workforce.

Goal 4: Celebrate and support all district employees who are successful in creating a culture of high achievement.

District Strategies:

Strategy 1:  We will revolutionize the learning experience by meeting the needs of 21st Century learners through relevant curriculum and engaging instruction guided by personalized education plans.

Strategy 2:  We will remove barriers to student performance by assessing physical, social and emotional needs and providing necessary supports.

Strategy 3: We will create an employee-friendly organization based on the ideals of trust and communication.

Strategy 4:  We will actively establish relationships with community and business groups to enhance educational opportunities in support of the District’s mission.

Strategy 5: We will develop infrastructure to support robust technology integration across the organization and all curricula.

Strategy 6: We will infuse instruction with environmental stewardship and integrate sound environmental practices into facility design, construction, and operation.

The successful candidate must be able to work closely with the Hays CISD Board of Trustees to meet the academic, fiscal, and growth challenges currently facing the district.  He or she must exhibit a highly motivated, energetic, and positive attitude. The superintendent must have broad leadership skills to motivate and improve schools while also serving as the primary ambassador to the public for the district and the school community.

The successful candidate must bring a wide range of skills and expertise to the task of managing Hays CISD.  A leader with extensive educational and administrative leadership experience in elementary, middle, and high school environments is preferred.  A willingness to make a long-term commitment to Hays CISD is highly desirable.  A terminal degree in the candidate’s area of expertise is preferred.

Successful candidates should possess the following qualities/skills/experiences:

  • Always puts students first; a student-centered instructional leader who understands developmentally appropriate educational practices and has a strong background in elementary and secondary  teaching and learning.
  • A visionary leader who is articulate in discourse with an educated, highly motivated community.
  • Possesses strong instructional leadership skills and takes leadership on instructional issues based on best practice and current research.
  • A person of strong moral character and absolute integrity; a humble leader who inspires trust and treats others with respect.
  • Possesses highly effective communication skills; communicates effectively with the Board, employees, parents, children and community members on a regular basis.
  • A good listener who is able to provide constructive feedback and encourage opportunities for collaboration.
  • Possesses engaging interpersonal skills, and is actively involved with the students, parents, faculty, staff, and the community at large.
  • A resilient leader who listens to input relative to problems or concerns, weighs the data, makes a decision, and clearly articulates the reason for decisions within the district.
  • A visible presence in the schools who works closely with teachers and school leaders.
  • Ability to hire the right people to get the job done, able to delegate appropriately and evaluate performance on an on-going basis.
  • Works effectively with parents, engaging them as partners in support of student success.
  • Able to secure and promote positive student behavior.
  • Able to lead the community and district staff in the development of both long and short term goals for the district.
  • Understands Texas school finance and has the ability to work within the constraints of scarce resources.
  • Able to explain complex budget issues to the general public and function as a steward of the taxpayers’ money; makes decisions which support educational opportunities for students.
  • Able to develop and maintain strong relationships with the community, champions the schools and community through transparency and trust building.
  • Able to work cooperatively with Board members through collaboration and consensus building; proactively engages the Board of Trustees in decisions that best support Hays CISD and its students.
  • Bilingual, English and Spanish, is preferred.

Application Criteria:

  1. The superintendent will have five or more years of successful administrative experience managing people in a leadership position.
  2. Successful experience as a superintendent is preferred.
  3. The Board of Trustees prefers candidates who are prepared to make a long-term commitment to the district.
  4. A valid superintendent certificate or comparable certification or endorsement.
  5. Salary range is comparable to similar size districts and is negotiable with the Board depending on experience and qualifications.
  6. Once selected, the superintendent is expected to reside in Hays County, with a preference that he or she resides within Hays CISD boundaries.
  7. A terminal degree in the candidate’s area of expertise is desirable.

The Hays Consolidated Independent School District encourages all qualified candidates to apply by the deadline of April 5, 2013.  For more information and to apply, contact:

Gary Solomon, Lead Recruiter