The Board will employ building principals and other administrators, in addition to the Superintendent, to assist in the daily operations of the District.

The Board will consider applicants who meet or exceed the standards set by the Iowa Department of Education and the qualifications established in the job description for the position. In employing an administrator, the Board will consider the qualifications, credentials, and records of the applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability.  In keeping with the law, however, the Board will consider the veteran status of the applicants. The Board will look closely at the training, experience, skill, and demonstrated competence of qualified applicants in making its final decision.

In choosing an administrator, the Board will also consider the District's educational philosophy, financial condition, organizational structure, education programs, and other factors deemed relevant by the Board.

The Superintendent will make a recommendation to the Board for filling an administrative position, based on the requirements stated in this policy. The Board will act only on the Superintendent's recommendation.

The Board may contract for assistance in the search for administrators.

Approved:    July 2007
Reviewed:    January 2025

The length of the contract for employment between an administrator and the Board will be determined by the Board and stated in the contract. The contract will also state the terms of the employment.

The first three consecutive years of a contract issued to a newly employed administrator will be considered a probationary period. The probationary period may be extended for an additional year upon the consent of the administrator.  In the event of termination of a probationary or nonprobationary contract, the Board will afford the administrator appropriate due process, as required by law. The Administrator and Board may mutually agree to terminate the Administrator's contract.

The Superintendent shall create a contract for each administrative position. The Board may issue temporary and nonrenewable contracts in accordance with law.

Administrators who wish to resign, to be released from a contract, or to retire, must comply with applicable law and board policies.

Approved:    July 2007
Reviewed:    January 2025
Revised:       

The Board has complete discretion to set the salary of the administrators. The Board shall set the salary and benefits of the administrators at a level that will include consideration of, but not be limited to, the economic condition of the District and the training, experience, skill, and demonstrated competence of the administrators. The salary shall be set at the beginning of each contract period.

In addition to the salary and benefits agreed upon, the Administrator's actual and necessary expenses shall be paid by the District when the Administrator is performing work-related duties. The Board shall approve the payment of other benefits or compensation over and above the Administrator's contract. Approval of other benefits or items of an administrator's compensation shall be included in the records of the Board in accordance with board policy.

Approved:    July 2007
Reviewed:    April 2025

Administrators shall be hired by the Board to assist the Superintendent in the day-to-day operations of the  District.

Each attendance center shall have a building principal responsible for the administration and operation of the attendance center. Each building principal, as chief administrator of the assigned attendance center, shall be responsible for the building and grounds, for the students and employees assigned to the attendance center, for school activities at the attendance center, for the education program offered in the attendance center, and the budget for the attendance center. The Principal shall be considered the professional advisor to the Superintendent in matters pertaining to the attendance center supervised by the Principal. Although the principals serve under the direction of the Superintendent, duties of the principal may include, but not be limited to the following:

• Cooperate in the general organization and plan of procedure in the school under the Principal's supervision;

• Supervision of the teachers in the Principal's attendance center;

• Maintain the necessary records for carrying out delegated duties;

• Work with the Superintendent in rating, recommending and selecting supervised employees whenever possible;

• Work with the Superintendent or designee in determining the education program to be offered and necessary staffing. In the matter of courses offered, the final approval rests with the Superintendent who is, in turn, responsible to the Board;

• Ensure that proper care is taken of all school books, supplies, materials, equipment, furniture and facilities;

• Investigate excessive cases of absence or tardiness of students and notify the parents or guardians of unexcused absence or tardiness.  

• Make such reports from time to time as the Superintendent may require;

• Maintain the regular schedule of school hours established by the Board and make no temporary changes in the schedule without the consent of the Superintendent;

• Promptly notify the Superintendent whenever ventilation, sanitation or heating of the building is unsatisfactory after attempting to resolve it with the Director of Facilities.

• Contribute to the formation and implementation of general policies and procedures of the school;

• Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Superintendent.

This list of duties shall not act to limit the Board's authority and responsibility over the administrative positions. In executing these duties and others that the Board may delegate, administrators shall consider the District's financial condition as well as the needs of the students in the District.

Approved:    July 2007
Reviewed:    April 2025
 

The Superintendent will conduct an ongoing process of evaluating administrators on their skills, abilities, and competence. At a minimum, the Superintendent will formally evaluate administrators annually. The goal of the formal evaluation process is to ensure that the educational program for the students is carried out, ensure the District’s student learning goals are met, promote growth in effective administrative leadership for the District, clarify the administrator's role as defined by the Board and the Superintendent, ascertain areas for improvement, clarify the immediate priorities of the responsibilities listed in the job description, and develop a working relationship between the Superintendent and the administrator.

The formal evaluation shall include written criteria related to the job description as well as Iowa Standards for School Leaders. The formal evaluation shall provide an opportunity for the administrator and the Superintendent to discuss the written criteria, the past year's performance, and the future areas for growth. The evaluation shall be completed by the Superintendent and the administrator, and filed in the administrator's personnel file.

The Superintendent shall conduct a formal evaluation of probationary administrators and nonprobationary administrators prior to May 15.

This policy supports and does not preclude the ongoing informal evaluation of the administrator's skills, abilities and competence.

Approved:    July 2007
Reviewed:    April 2025
Revised:       December 2025

The Board expects administrators to continue their professional growth by becoming involved in professional organizations, attending conferences, continuing their education, and participating in other professional activities.

Administrators shall attend various conferences and events in which they are involved.  Prior to attendance at an event, the Administrator must receive approval from the Superintendent.

The Administrator shall report to the Superintendent after an event, as requested.

Approved:  July 2007
Reviewed:  January 2025
Revised:     January 2025
 

The Board strongly encourages administrators to be involved in the school district community by belonging to community organizations, and attending and participating in school district community activities.

Administrators will become involved in school district community activities and events. The Board may include a lump sum amount as part of the administrator's compensation to be used specifically for paying the annual fees of the administrator for school district community activities and events if, in the Board's judgment, the administrator's participation will further the public purpose of promoting and deriving support for the District and public education in general. It shall be within the discretion of the Board to pay annual fees for professional organizations and activities.

Approved:    July 2007
Reviewed:    January 2025

An administrative position is considered full-time employment. The Board expects administrators to give the responsibilities of their positions in the District precedence over other employment. An administrator may accept consulting or outside employment for pay as long as, in the judgment of the Board and the Superintendent, the work is conducted on the administrator's personal time and it does not interfere with the performance of the administrative duties contracted by the Board.

The Board reserves the right, however, to request the administrator cease the outside employment as a condition of continued employment. The Board shall give the administrator thirty days notice to cease outside employment.

Approved:    July 2007
Reviewed:    January 2025