Board Policies Vol. 4: 3000s

3100s

3200s

3300s


3100 Superintendent of Schools

The Board of Education shall by a majority vote appoint a Superintendent of Schools for a term not less than three years and not more than five years. The Superintendent shall serve as the chief executive officer of the school district Board and as such shall carry out the policies established by the Board.

Ref: Education Law §§1711; 2508

Adopted April 8, 1997
Revised and Adopted June 18, 2013
Revised and Adopted February 11, 2019

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3110 Qualifications of Superintendent

The Superintendent of Schools shall be duly certified as required by the Commissioner’s Regulations.

The Board of Education reserves the right to set minimum requirements above those of certification for any candidate who seeks the position of Superintendent.

Cross-ref: 3111, Selection of the Superintendent
Ref: Education Law §3003
Education Law §1711
8 NYCRR §80-3.10

Adopted April 8, 1997
Revised and Adopted June 13, 2013
Revised and Adopted February 11, 2019

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3111 Selection of the Superintendent

The Board of Education recognizes that the selection and appointment of the Superintendent of Schools is among the most important priorities of the Board.

Through its employment policies, the Board will attempt to attract, secure, and retain a qualified Superintendent. The selection program will be based upon finding an individual who will devote himself/herself to the education and welfare of the children attending the district’s schools and the efficient and responsible administration of the school system.

The Board will establish a search committee or hire a consultant to assist the Board in the hiring process. The responsibilities of the search committee/consultant and the procedures to be followed will be clearly established by the Board prior to the commencement of the recruitment process. The committee, if not experienced in the recruitment of administrative personnel, will undergo training so that the process may be conducted in an efficient manner. The Board will interview the candidate and make a final decision.

Recruiting procedures shall enable the Board to seek qualified candidates from a variety of sources. The Board adheres to the practice of recruiting and hiring personnel without regard to religion, race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, or disability. The Board will have the responsibility to determine that the candidates meet certification and other requirements established by the Education Law and the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education for the position of Superintendent.

Upon selecting a new Superintendent, the Board will negotiate the terms and conditions of employment with the successful candidate.

Cross-ref: 3110, Qualifications of the Superintendent
Ref: Education Law §§1711(1), (2), (3)
8 NYCRR §80.4

Adopted April 8, 1997
Revised and Adopted June 18, 2013
Revised and Adopted May 28, 2019

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3120 Duties of the Superintendent

The Superintendent of Schools, as chief executive officer of the School District Board of Education, will have the following specific powers and duties:

Relationship with the Board

1. to serve as the executive officer for the Board and be charged with the responsibility for implementing the policies of the Board. He/She shall work with the Board President and Vice President in planning the agenda for each meeting, shall attend all meetings and participate in all regular and special meetings of the Board and executive sessions of the Board as mutually agreed;

2. to develop a harmonious and close working relationship with the Board, and to promote the effective and respectful communication of all points of view. He/She shall treat all Board members impartially and alike, refraining from criticism of individual or group members of the Board. He/She shall go to the Board when serious differences of opinion arise in an earnest effort to resolve such differences immediately;

3. to serve as a resource person and advisor to the Board. He/She shall keep the Board informed on issues, needs, and operation of the school system. He/She shall offer advice to the Board, based on thorough study and analysis, on items requiring Board action;

4. to provide a continuous appraisal of all school policies originating with the Board. He/She shall advise the Board on the need for new and/or revised policies and suggest draft policies to satisfy those needs; Educational Direction and Leadership

5. to develop administrative principles and procedures for implementing Board policy. He/She shall ensure the enforcement of all provisions of law, rules and regulations, and Board policy relating to the management of the schools and other educational, social and recreational activities. He/She shall interpret for the staff all Board policies and applicable laws, rules and regulations;

6. to understand and keep informed on all aspects of the instructional program at all levels. He/She shall have responsibility for the supervision of instruction and shall bring to the school, in a leadership capacity, the best in educational thought and practice. He/She shall, on a continuing basis, review and update the educational program of the school, and keep the Board informed of all changes in curriculum;

7. to recommend to the Board for its adoption all courses of study, curriculum guides and textbooks to be used in the schools;

8. to encourage a positive approach to student behavior and discipline;

Personnel

9. to develop and implement sound personnel practices, consistent with law, board policy and collective bargaining agreements, including recruitment, hiring, assignment, supervision, evaluation, promotion, and discipline of all personnel. He/She shall develop procedures for the selection of staff members. He/She shall establish standards for teacher selection, and shall provide a framework for continuing in-service training of all professional staff members;

10. to recruit qualified professional, civil service, and non-certified personnel;

11. to nominate employees for appointment, promotion, transfer or dismissal in accordance with the policies of the board and the procedures outlined by the law. He/She shall make recommendations to the Board regarding salary and tenure of all employees. He/She may temporarily suspend any employee for cause and shall promptly report such suspension to the members of the Board. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, he/she is authorized to reemploy all employees upon the adoption by the Board of the budget for the following year;

12. to supervise and evaluate all staff members. He/She shall work for good morale and be impartial, firm and fair in dealing with staff;

13. to encourage in-service education and the professional growth of staff through conferences, workshops, group discussions, committee/individual studies and use of consultants;

14. to advise the Board, in conjunction with the Board-designated negotiator(s), in all collective bargaining matters;

Financial Management

15. to prepare and present to the Board a preliminary annual budget in accordance with a schedule established with the Board. He/She is responsible for ensuring that the budget, as adopted by the Board and approved at the annual meeting, is properly administered. He/She shall ensure that regular reports are made to the Board on the status of the budget;

16. to establish efficient procedures to maximize income, safeguard investments and provide effective controls for all expenditures of school funds in accordance with the adopted budget. He/She shall ensure that all necessary bookkeeping and accounting records are maintained by the district;

Facilities Management

17. to supervise operations, maintenance, alterations and repair to buildings and grounds, insisting on competent and efficient performance;

18. to evaluate physical plant needs and recommend to the Board improvements, alterations and changes in the buildings and equipment of the district;

Community Relations

19. to supervise the public relations activities of the district. He/She shall keep the public informed about the policies, practices, and problems in the district’s schools, and provide leadership in changing attitudes and practices for the future. He/She shall develop friendly and cooperative relationships with the news media

20. to establish and maintain an effective working relationship with all segments of the community: parent-teacher organizations, local and state government, other school systems, institutions, agencies, civic organizations, and the general public. He/She shall solicit and give attention to problems and opinions of all groups and individuals;

Personal Qualities and Growth

21. to demonstrate outstanding qualities of leadership with ability to delegate authority and responsibility effectively and to hold subordinates accountable;

22. to exhibit good judgment, common sense and perception;

23. to exhibit the ability to face controversy, remain true to convictions and to live with a high pressure job;

24. to speak well before large and small groups, expressing ideas in a logical and forthright manner;

25. to maintain professional development by reading and course work, attending conferences, working on professional committees, visiting other districts, and meeting with other superintendents;

Management Functions

26. to coordinate and manage the district so that the school organization operates smoothly and efficiently. He/She must be able to coordinate the processes essential to achieving a smooth operation in all areas of the school district organization:

  • Planning: determining needs, objectives and goals;
  • Organization: assigning roles, responsibilities and establishing lines of communication;
  • Control: ensuring that progress is being made toward priorities, disciplining, making necessary staff reallocations and changes and evaluations;
  • Decision-making: data-collecting, analyzing data and choosing appropriately from a variety of decision-making techniques;
  • Problem-solving: sensitivity to problems, formulating problem statements, and using a variety of problem solving techniques;
  • Communication: giving and receiving information effectively both orally and in writing, facilitating the exchange of information, views and opinions;

27. to develop regulations which stipulate appropriate internal controls which comply with State/Federal laws and that such regulations shall be appended to this document; and

28. to perform such other duties as the Board may determine.

Cross-ref: 0320, Superintendent’s Evaluation
0320-E, Superintendent’s Evaluation Form
Ref: Education Law §§1604(8); 1711; 1804

Adopted April 8, 1997
Revised and Adopted June 9, 1998
Revised and Adopted June 18, 2013
Revised and Adopted February 11, 2019

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3200 Administrative Organization

The Superintendent of Schools

The Superintendent of Schools is the chief executive officer of the district. The Superintendent is directed to establish how administrative decisions are to be made and executed in his/her absence. If the Superintendent is unavailable or unable to make such designation(s), the Board President is authorized to designate an appropriate individual or individuals to temporarily carry on the duties of the Superintendent until the Board of Education can be convened to address the situation.

Leadership Team

The Board of Education recognizes that the quality of the district’s schools is in large measure dependent upon securing maximum participation of all members of the district’s administrators and leadership. The Board believes that a team approach to leadership best capitalizes upon shared strengths in cooperative decision making, and that open discussion of issues facing the district will result in the development of better ideas for their resolution. The Superintendent is therefore directed to implement a leadership team concept for school administration.

School Building Administration

The Superintendent of Schools will delegate administrative authority to the Building Principal of each school and to his/her assistant(s) within the district’s system for the internal management of the schools, within established Board of Education policy and administrative regulations.

Organizational Chart

The Superintendent of Schools shall maintain a current administrative organization chart showing the relationship among the various administrators and staff, which shall be attached hereto as 3200-E.

Adopted April 8, 1997
Revised, Adopted June 17, 2014
Revised, Adopted January 26, 2021

Note: This replaces the following policies:

  • 3210 ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
  • 3230 ORGANIZATION CHART
  • 3250 SCHOOL BUILDING ADMINISTRATION

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3200-E Organization Chart Exhibit

Download and print the organization chart.

If you are unable to access this file, please email communications@guilderlandschools.net to receive the information in an alternative format.

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3240 Line and Staff Relations

The following principles shall govern the administrative operation of the school system:

  1. The Superintendent of Schools shall have specific responsibility for overseeing district programs and services.
  2. Each employee in the school system shall be responsible to the Board through the Superintendent.  Responsibility shall flow from the Board of Education, to the Superintendent, to the district staff.
  3. Each member of the staff shall be informed as to whom he/she is responsible and for what functions.
  4. Whenever possible, each member of the staff shall be made responsible to only one immediate supervisor for any one function.
  5. All employees shall have the right to appeal any decision made by an administrative officer to the next higher authority and through appropriate successive steps to the Board.  Each staff member shall be informed as to whom he/she can appeal in case of disagreement with an immediate superior.

Adopted April 8, 1997
Revised, Adopted June 17, 2014
Reviewed January 26, 2021

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3300 Policy Implementation

The execution, administration and enforcement of all policies of the district is the responsibility of the Superintendent of Schools. He/She shall report to and be accountable to the Board of Education and not any officer, committee or individual member of the Board, in fulfilling this responsibility.

Adopted April 8, 1997
Reviewed, Adopted April 9, 2013
Reviewed, Adopted February 11, 2019

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3310 Development of Regulations

Regulations set forth the procedures for implementing policies. The Superintendent of Schools shall be responsible for developing regulations consistent with policies of the Board of

Education and for modifying regulations as deemed necessary. In developing regulations, the Superintendent shall, whenever feasible, seek the advice and opinions of any staff member who will be affected by the proposed regulations, and establish procedures to ensure that such advice and opinions are received.

The Superintendent shall give due weight to the opinions of staff, including those offered by representatives of any bargaining units. The Superintendent shall inform the Board of any advice or opinions given by staff in presenting reports of administrative action or when presenting recommendations for action by the Board.

Ref: Education Law §§1709; 1711

Adopted April 8, 1997
Reviewed, Adopted April 9, 2013
Reviewed, Adopted February 11, 2019

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3320 Board Review of Regulations

The Board may review any regulation, at its discretion, to determine whether the regulation conforms with adopted policy.

Adopted April 8, 1997
Reviewed, Adopted April 9, 2013
Reviewed, Adopted February 11, 2019

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3330 Regulations Dissemination

Regulations promulgated by the Superintendent of Schools shall be included in the district policy manual and disseminated in the same manner as Board of Education policies.

Adopted April 8, 1997
Reviewed, Adopted April 9, 2013
Reviewed, Adopted February 11, 2019


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