Superintendent – North Adams Public Schools

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position: Superintendent

Job Goal: To administer and supervise the North Adams Public Schools, directly or
through the proper delegation of authority, within the framework of the
General Laws of the Commonwealth, the Regulations of the State
Department of Education, the policies and rules of the North Adams
Public Schools, and the terms of the collective bargaining agreements
negotiated with all employee groups.

Supervision: Responsible to the school committee for the effective an efficient
operation of the school system and to the state board of education for the
compliance with laws of the commonwealth and regulations of the board.
Responsible for total professional and non-professional staff of the school
system. Advisory and service relationship with public and private agencies
and organizations of the community.

Education, Work Experience, and Licensure:

Required: No person shall be appointed superintendent of schools
unless he/she meets the certification requirements of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The school committee is
at liberty to add qualifications above and beyond those
required by the Commonwealth for certification.

Performance Responsibilities:
1. Lead community groups, the school committee, and the staff in the
formulation and re-examination of educational purposes.
2. Recommend policies for enactment by the school committee and develop
administrative regulations consistent with these policies.
3. Provide leadership in the study and improvement of the curriculum and of
methods of instruction.
4. Help guide the dissemination and application of research and theory to the
continual improvement of the educational program.
5. Provide leadership in the evaluation of the total educational program.
6. Advise the school committee in planning the administrative organization and
staffing of the public school system.
7. Recruit and recommend election of all professional and non-professional staff
members.
8. Assign or delegate to others the assignment of responsibilities to all personnel.

9. Provide leadership for the staff in the further development of their skills,
knowledge, and attitudes.
10. Assume responsibility for the appraisal of all personnel.
11. Provide leadership in interpreting the nature and needs of the educational
program to the community, and the nature and needs of the community to the
school committee and the school staff.
12. Utilize the instructional resources of the community (both human and
material) for the enrichment of the school program, and help the community
utilize the educational resources of the school for the enrichment of the
community.
13. Give leadership to the school committee and the staff in translating the needs
of the educational resources of the school for the enrichment of the
community.
14. Direct the planning for needed new educational facilities and the efficient
maintenance and operation of existing facilities.
15. Oversee the general business administration of the school system so that both
funds and facilities are used with greatest effectiveness and efficiency in
carrying out the educational program of the school.
16. Maintain relationships with other governmental agencies and keep informed
concerning total community needs and resources to the end that the taxable
wealth of the community is used for the greatest total benefit of the
community.

Special Knowledge/Abilities For Position:

Emergency Powers; From time to time, emergency situations might arise which
would call for immediate and decisive action by the superintendent of schools, which,
under more normal situations, would clearly be beyond the scope of his/her duty and
authority. It shall be the policy of the school committee that the superintendent shall act
in emergency situations so as to preserve and protect the lives and property of pupils
and staff personnel. In those situations which might arise within the schools where the school committee has provided no guides for administrative action, the superintendent shall have the power to act, but his/her decisions shall be subject to review by action of the committee at its next
regular meeting. It shall be the duty of the superintendent to inform the committee
promptly of such action and of the need for policy. When circumstances of weather,
power failure, lack of water or heat, work stoppage, epidemic or other civil or natural emergencies make it impossible or unsafe to open or keep open any or all of the schools in the system, the superintendent shall have the power to close one or more schools so affected.

Physical Requirements: The position requires a moderate amount of walking,
standing, sitting and climbing stairs and step stool
whenever necessary. Activities also include moderate
physical exertion in body movement such as reaching,
bending, twisting, grasping, pushing, and pulling of objects.
The position requires lifting objects of 20 pounds on a
frequent basis, and over 20 pounds occasionally. There is a
frequent requirement of fine manipulation associated with
the required use of a computer, typewriter, keyboard,
calculator, and other business machines.

Environmental Conditions: The occupant is required to work indoors. The regular
chemical solvents are toners, inks, and cleaning fluids.