INFORMATIONAL BROCHURE

SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION

WESTWOOD COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
 

WESTWOOD (located in Sloan, Iowa), a student-centered school district of approximately 600 learners, is seeking a dynamic educational leader to serve as superintendent/elementary principal starting July 1, 2012. 

The five-member board of education is seeking candidates with high integrity, outstanding leadership qualities, good communication skills, a strong focus on student achievement, a good background in school finance, and a good working knowledge of elementary education.

Completed applications must be postmarked no later than Thursday, February 23, 2012.

This vacancy is due to the resignation of Mr. Kirk Ahrends.  Kirk has successfully served the district as superintendent since July 1, 2001.  

The board will be offering a competitive salary and benefit package to the person selected as the new superintendent/elementary principal.

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT:

Organized in 1960, Westwood serves the communities of Holly Springs, Hornick, Salix, Sloan and Smithland.  All grades, K-12, are housed in one excellent facility—located in Sloan.

Their students excel in a wide variety of opportunities that the district offers in academics, arts, and athletics.

The district has an approximate enrollment of 600 students.

The staff consists of 100 + dedicated individuals.  The general breakdown of this number is as follows:

Teachers - 48.5

Associates/Aides - 27

Custodians/Maintenance - 6

Kitchen - 8

Bus Routes- 9

Building Secretaries - 4

Central Office Staff -2

Administrators- 2.8 (next school year: one FTE superintendent/elementary principal; one FTE 5-12 principal)

Their overall budget is approximately $10 million with the general fund around $6 million.

They have an approximate solvency ratio for FY11 of 3.12%.

THE CITY OF SLOAN:

Sloan is a small, friendly community conveniently located 20 miles south of Sioux City, Iowa, and 70 miles north of Omaha, and just a mile off of Interstate 29. It is a short drive from a wide variety of restaurants and shopping centers, as well as the Sioux Gateway Airport and Eppley Field in Omaha. It is located close to the Missouri River and the scenic Loess Hills. The City of Sloan is small town living at it's best!

The town covers .5 sq. miles.  As of 2007, the median age of Sloan residents was 38.4 years, with a population of 973 as of the 2010 census.

The town continues to grow, with the addition of a car wash, new housing development, Kum & Go and Subway, all built in the last few years. The library is renovating the old grocery store and plans on moving in to their new home in June 2012. This will increase the size of the library from 1000 sq. ft to 7000.

The town has a spacious park in the center of town with tennis and basketball courts, and children's play areas, as well as a covered picnic area. The Ray Nordstrom Sports Complex also has softball and soccer fields where the town youth teams play their games.

The town features 4 eating establishments, 3 convenience stores, post office, public library, a medical clinic, dentist office, veterinarian, and many more local businesses.

MISSION STATEMENT:

The mission of the Westwood Community School District is to provide the environment and curriculum necessary to allow each student to achieve his/her fullest potential.

PHILOSOPHY:

The purpose of the Westwood Community School is to provide opportunities for each person to become a secure, self-reliant individual who recognizes the significance of his own life and his ability to contribute to the lives of others.  Personalized programs must be developed which identify and accommodate the person's abilities, interest, needs, and creative potential.  The dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual and this heritage will be preserved.

For more information about the district please see their web site at http://www.westwood.k12.ia.us.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

All application materials should be mailed to:

Dr. Gaylord Tryon, President
G. Tryon & Associates
PO Box 265
Johnston, Iowa          50131-0265
Telephone                 515-727-5807
Email                         gtryon@mchsi.com
Web Site                   www.gtryon.com

Applicants, and/or their designees, are asked not to contact members of the Board of Education during this search process.

The application form is included on this web site. Please note the four narrative questions on page four of the application form.

In order to be considered for this position, your application materials must include and be presented in the following order (please do not staple, bind, or fold your application materials; please send everything on letter-size paper; please send everything printed on one side only):

a.       letter of application

b.       resume’

c.       completed application form (including the required signatures)

d.       written response to the four narrative questions on page four

e.       maximum of four recent letters of recommendation regarding your professional work (preferably, at least two from your current employer)

f.        photocopy of college/university transcripts

g.       copy of (or documented evidence of eligibility) a current Iowa school superintendent's endorsement, including your evaluator approval

APPROXIMATE TIMELINE:

January 29 & Feb. 5                         Position advertised in various sources

February 23                                      Application deadline; applications must be postmarked no later than February 23

March 19                                          Board receives all completed applications; selects 4-5 individuals for initial interviews

March 21                                          Initial interviews with the board of education

March 26-27                                     Interviews with key stakeholder groups and board of education

March 28                                           Target date to complete selection process

July 1, 2012                                       Start date for new superintendent/elementary principal

G.Tryon And Associates
P.O. Box 265
Johnston, Iowa
50131-0265
phone 515-727-5807
fax 515-278-2672
email: gtryon@mchsi.com