Superintendent

ORGANIZATION:

Greenwood School District 50 is the largest of three school districts in Greenwood County and serves 9,145 students at 16 sites: eight elementary schools, three middle schools, two high schools, an early childhood center, a technology center, and one alternative center. The district is the second largest employer in the county with 1,211 employees working in certified and classified positions.

District 50 places a strong emphasis on providing first-class facilities and state-of-the-art technology to all students and staff. In addition, students of District 50 may take advantage of the Greenwood Promise, a place-based last-dollar scholarship program designed to reach beyond the boundaries of economic need and academic ability, and the Greenwood Edge, a program that enables high school students to earn a Manufacturing Production Technician Certificate through Piedmont Technical College.

Greenwood, South Carolina, is a vibrant, lively community. The economic center of the Upper Savannah Region, Greenwood is home to just under 70,000 residents and ranks as the 17th-largest city in the state of South Carolina. The city is home to beautiful Lake Greenwood, which spans 11,400 acres of tranquil southern splendor. A small-town feel is blended with the thriving and bustling environment of a big city to create an ideal place to live, work, and prosper. Uptown Greenwood was named one of 15 designees to receive the 2017 “Great Places in America Designation” by the American Planning Association. Home of Lander University and Piedmont Technical College, Greenwood provides a youthful energy as future Bearcat graduates grow and learn within the city. Greenwood also allows easy access to the rest of Upstate South Carolina and to Georgia.

For more information, please visit https://www.gwd50.org.

REPORTS/RELATIONSHIPS:

Greenwood School District 50 Superintendent is appointed by and reports to a nine-member, non-partisan elected Board of Trustees. Board members are elected to four-year terms. The Board is responsible for providing vision and leadership to ensure students the best available educational opportunities to improve their quality of life by establishing policies and monitoring the operations of the District.

The Superintendent is ultimately responsible for leading and managing, either directly or indirectly, the following functions/positions: Assistant Superintendent for Administration; Assistant Superintendent for Business; Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources; Assistant Superintendent for Instruction; Administrative Assistant for the Superintendent/Board; Community Services Coordinator; and all Principals. The Superintendent is ultimately responsible for leading the District’s 1,211 employees system-wide.

BASIC FUNCTIONS:

With a ‘student first’ philosophy, the Superintendent serves as the face of the organization and implements the Board’s vision by collaborating with faculty and staff to make all day-to-day decisions about educational programs, safety, finance, staff, and facilities.
Specific duties will include, but not necessarily be limited to:

• Administer the development and maintenance of a positive educational program designed to meet the needs of a diverse student body across the District. Continue to improve and enhance existing educational programs and continually investigate and implement appropriate uses of technology.
• Create a working environment and culture that allows the District to recruit, retain, and motivate a high-quality team of educators who are passionate about educating children. Seek regular opportunities for professional development and ensure appropriate professional and personal development for all District personnel.
• Prepare the annual budget for Board approval. Provide strategic and operational business and financial leadership to insure the District operates in a financially responsible manner consistent with all state rules and regulations.
• Represent the schools before the public and maintain, through cooperative leadership, both within and outside the schools, a program of communications and public relations that keeps the public informed of the activities, needs, and successes of the schools. Seek appropriate opportunities to promote the District in the community and the region at large.
• Serve as the primary liaison with government officials and representatives regarding legislation and appropriations affecting the District.
• Encourage and facilitate partnerships with local corporations, universities, and other educational institutions to promote learning opportunities for students and teachers.
• Recommend policies, guidelines, and procedures for adoption by the Board and execute on the policies, guidelines, and procedures adopted by the Board.
• Conduct continuous study of the development and needs of the schools; stay abreast of best practices and trends across the country, constantly seeking opportunities for growth and improvement.
• Visit the schools as often as is practical to observe and support the work of the instructional staff in the school setting; proactively engage with staff and students on a regular basis.
• Perform such other duties as the Board may direct.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Passionate, energetic, enthusiastic; exhibits a love for educating young people and enthusiasm for the educational process.
• Visionary leader who exhibits innovative thinking with the necessary skills and abilities to help the District pursue its mission.
• Superior management and leadership skills; able to revise/develop/maintain good management policies.
• Humility; willingness to listen, understand, and place the needs of the District ahead of self-interests.
• Superior interpersonal skills: visible and approachable; creates an atmosphere of acceptance; builds consensus and loyalties across a diverse group of stakeholders; community-oriented; transparent in interactions with the community; politically astute and savvy; able to understand the political dynamics of the community.
• Effective written, oral, and social media communication skills; able to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders; good listener.
• Exhibits high personal expectations and has high expectations for others.
• Able to recruit, develop, and retain highly qualified employees and lead others to do the same.
• Strong planning and concept development skills; strategic, creative, innovative thinker yet organized with the ability to prioritize appropriately.
• Appropriate financial acumen and financial management skills.
• Sound decision-making skills; understanding of data and data analysis; courage to make tough/necessary decisions.
• Knowledgeable in the use of technology as an educational and administrative tool.
• Seeks personal and professional growth opportunities.
• Appropriate educational credentials.
• Resides in District 50; enables connections to the community as a whole.

COMPENSATION:

Compensation will be commensurate with experience including a competitive base salary, benefits, and relocation assistance.