Opportunity Profile
Superintendent of Schools
Location: Central Alberta

 
About Chinook’s Edge School Division

https://www.cesd73.ca/

Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD) is one of the largest school divisions in Alberta, serving over 11,000 students in 42 Central Alberta schools between Calgary and Red Deer, with its Division Office in Innisfail, approximately one hour north of Calgary.

In every school and department across the division, our focused efforts as a team ensure quality learning for the students we serve together. CESD’s 2,200 employees are devoted to student success through the divisional goals: Academic Excellence, Social Emotional Well-being, Career Connections.

Schools are located in 13 small communities that sprawl east and west from the Highway 2 corridor, conveniently providing Chinook’s Edge staff and families with the best of both worlds: a friendly, healthy and affordable small-town lifestyle combined with the proximity to big city amenities and the world-famous Rocky Mountains a short drive away.

CESD’s reputation for staff and student wellness, family-friendly communities that boast easy access to exciting cultural and recreational opportunities, and highly regarded quality learning environments make CESD a desirable division in which to live, learn, work and play.

Chinook’s Edge School Division is guided by an elected board of nine trustees. Trustees are elected every four years by, and accountable to, the community. The priorities of the publicly elected Board of Trustees are set through board policies and operationalized through administrative procedures. The Board of Trustees delegates day-to-day operations to the Superintendent who is responsible for meeting the expectations of the Board of Trustees.  

Review the Plans and Reports page for more information.

The Opportunity

The Board of Trustees is seeking a collaborative, inclusive and innovative Superintendent who has a demonstrated record of leadership as a senior executive in Canada’s public education system. With a strong foundation leading diverse communities, the superintendent will advance CESD’s commitment to quality learning and student success.

This person meets the Alberta Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard requirements, which defines the professional expectations that superintendents must demonstrate to create the conditions under which school leaders and teachers can do their best work. The next CESD Superintendent will be an innovative leader who will work with their team to identify opportunities and create an environment in which staff are encouraged to solve problems with creative solutions.

The Superintendent reports directly to the Board of Trustees and is accountable to the Board for the conduct and operation of the Division, achieving the Board’s goals, and adhering to Board policies, motions and provincial legislation. Reporting directly to the Superintendent is a senior leadership team of 5 associate superintendents:

Key Roles and Responsibilities

The Superintendent shall implement the policies, plans and decisions of the Board, including:

1.     Student Welfare

·       Ensure that each student is provided with a safe and caring environment that fosters and maintains respectful and responsible
        behaviours.

·       Identify and promote impactful and scalable solutions that support innovative educational practices in student wellbeing.

·       Ensure that learning environments contribute to the development of skills and habits necessary for the world of work, post-secondary
        studies, life- long learning and citizenship.

·       Ensure the safety and welfare of students while participating in school programs or while being transported to/or from school programs
        on transportation provided by the Division.

·       Ensure the facilities adequately accommodate Division students.

2.     Educational Leadership

·       Develop and implement the Education Plan for the Division in alignment with the Board-approved Strategic Plan.

·       Provide leadership in all matters relating to education in the Division.

·       Ensure that leadership is the shared responsibility of everyone within the organization and build leadership capacity.

·       Apply new approaches to educational leadership based on broader understanding of how social, economic, and technological changes
        shape the learning environment.

·       Ensure students in the Division have the opportunity to meet the standards of education set by the Minister.

·       Implement education policies established by the Minister and the Board.

·       Provide support and advise principals on matters related to school operations.

3.     Fiscal Management

·       Ensure the fiscal management of the Division by the Treasurer is in accordance with the terms or conditions of any funding received by
        the Board under the School Act or any other applicable Act or regulation.

·       Ensure the Division operates in a fiscally responsible manner, including adherence to recognized accounting procedures.

·       Foster innovative approaches and continuous improvement in operational and educational practices.

·       Ensure financial transparency and stable financial performance in a changing and challenging fiscal environment.

·       Actively seek out revenue generation opportunities to address priorities that may not be fully funded by existing sources.

4.     People Management

·       Have overall authority and responsibility for all people-related matters except those matters precluded by legislation, collective
        agreements, or Board policy.

·       Align all employees to a clear vision and clear priorities. Provide the conditions, resources, autonomy and capabilities for direct reports
       and other employees to effectively prioritize in line with the overall strategy.

·       Lead by example - influencing, inspiring, and encouraging employees to deliver positive change.

·       Actively and systematically develop the leadership skills, autonomy and career development of direct reports. Ensure direct reports are
        challenged and constantly growing their skills while ensuring they have the appropriate tools, supports, resources and mentorship
        required for success.

·       Ensure a comprehensive succession strategy is in place.

·       Establish organizational roles for staff and arrange the employment of staff necessary to conduct the affairs of the Division.

5.     Culture

·       Constantly monitor, understand and mitigate issues, pressures and constraints to a healthy and highly effective workplace culture.

·       Ensure effective, visible and equitable expectations and implications for accountability are in place across all areas of administration.

·       Ensure the safety, mental, emotional and physical wellness of all staff is paramount and supported with meaningful resources.

·       Create, support, nurture and encourage a culture of inclusion and innovation across the division.

6.     Policy/Administrative Procedures

·       Provide leadership in the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of Board policies.

·       Develop, maintain, and communicate Administrative Procedures that are consistent with Board and provincial policies, regulations and
        procedures.

·       Inform the Board of revisions to the Administrative Procedures Manual.

7.     Superintendent/Board Relations

·       Actively and systematically maintain a productive working relationship with the Board based on transparency, mutual trust, respect and
        integrity.

·       Recognize and respect the Board' s role and responsibilities.

·       Implement Board policies and ensure the review and evaluation of their impact.

·       Keep the Board informed of all Division matters, especially controversial and/or highly sensitive issues, in a timely and appropriate
        manner.

8.     Strategic Planning and Reporting

·       Support the Board in the development and approval of the Strategic Plan for CESD.

·       Lead the operationalizing and execution of the Strategic Plan and report regularly to the Board on results achieved.

·       Involve the Board as appropriate throughout the planning cycle (Board approval of process and timelines; opportunity for Board
        establishment of strategic priorities and key results early in the process; final Board approval).

9.     Organizational Management

·       Demonstrate effective organization skills resulting in Division compliance with all legal, Ministerial and Board mandates and timelines.

·       Report to the Minister with respect to matters identified in and required by the School Act.

10.  Communications and Community Relations

·       Take appropriate actions to ensure open, transparent, positive internal and external communications are developed and maintained.

·       Build and maintain effective, meaningful and impactful partnerships with parents, communities, municipal leaders, agencies and other
        external stakeholders.

·       Keep the Board informed through the provision of appropriate monitoring reports.

·       Ensure parents have a high level of satisfaction with the services provided and the responsiveness of the Division.

·       Actively seek, assess and strategically incorporate feedback from all relevant sources.

·       Act as an advocate for the Division and for public education.

·       Serve as Head of the Division under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

11.  Leadership Practices

·       Practice leadership in a manner that is viewed positively and has the support of those with whom they work most directly in carrying out
        the directives of the Board and the Minister.

·       Ensure the school division is recognized, respected, and viewed as a leader in the broader Alberta education sector.

·       Develop and maintain positive and effective relationships with provincial and municipal government departments, external agencies and
        provincial organizations.

·       Ensure that meaningful collaboration arises from relationships built on trust, honesty and respect.

Key competencies required include:

Building Effective Relationships

The Superintendent establishes a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment by building positive and productive relationships with members of the school community and the local community.

Modeling Commitment to Professional Learning

The Superintendent engages in career-long professional learning and ongoing critical reflection, identifying and acting on research-informed opportunities for enhancing leadership, teaching, and learning.

Visionary Leadership

The Superintendent engages with the school community in implementing a vision of a preferred future for student success, based on common values and beliefs.

Leading Learning

The Superintendent establishes and sustains a learning culture in the school community that promotes ongoing critical reflections on practice, shared responsibility for student success and continuous improvement. This includes providing a comprehensive range of programs and services to address the diverse learning needs of our student population.

School Operations and Resources

The Superintendent directs school operations and strategically allocates resources in the interests of all students and in alignment with the school authority’s goals and priorities.

Supporting Effective Governance

The Superintendent of Schools as referred to in the Education Act, as chief executive officer of the Board and chief education officer of the school authority, provides the Board with information, advice and support required for the fulfillment of its governance role, and reports to the Minister on all matters required of the Superintendent as identified in the Education Act and other provincial legislation.

Location: Central Alberta

Central Alberta is bordered by the Canadian Rockies in the west, southern Alberta and the Calgary region south, and northern Alberta and Edmonton to the north. It is the central part of the most densely populated area of Alberta, the Calgary-Edmonton corridor. It is a growing, innovative, prosperous region with a diverse economy. Communities are “unspoiled, uncrowded and uncomplicated” with amazing landscapes, natural attractions, and outdoor recreation, attracting people drawn to its mix of town and country lifestyle. View Visit Central Alberta and Central Alberta Economic Partnership for more information.

Express Your Enthusiasm

CESD is committed to equitable, inclusive and accessible employment practices and we encourage all interested candidates to apply. Email a cover letter and resume to Shalini Bhatty or Heather Fookes at calgary@leadersinternational.com indicating the job title in the subject line of the email.

·       Deadline to apply is December 11, 2024

·       The position will commence on a mutually satisfactory date in early/mid 2025.

Supervisory Officer (Superintendent of Education)

Company Summary

The Peel District School Board (PDSB) is dedicated to the achievement and well-being of each student. Every day, staff members at the PDSB are privileged to serve approximately 150,000+ students in 262 schools, and families of communities richly diverse and inspiring.

The PDSB recognizes that leadership must be responsive to the diversity that exists within our dynamic school communities. As such the PDSB is cultivating leadership that seeks to deeply understand the histories and lived experiences of students and communities, particularly those historically and currently marginalized in education. Guided by the Multi­ Year Strategic Plan, it is expected that all leaders in the PDSBcreate equitable and inclusive learning environments where every student can flourish as socially responsible, caring and contributing members of the global community. Superintendents of Education will support the work of schools to foster teaching and learning grounded in positivity, empathy, environmental stewardship and leadership.

The PDSB is actively committed to supporting school leadership teams in their work with educators and support staff to examine their data, analyze learning environments and instructional approaches through an anti-racism and anti-oppressive framework. System leaders at the PDSB recognize the significance ofparent/caregivers and community engagement as essential to student well-being, equity and achievement.Supervisory Officers with an inclusive approach to the engagement of parents/caregivers and community recognize and leverage their insights to eliminate individual and systemic barriers to enhance student success in all the Board's schools.

To successfully drive transformation in the district, PDSB is seeking leaders who will be committed to usingtheir positionality, power and privilege to engage in the active dismantling of all forms of oppression which historically and currently have a detrimental impact on the learning and working environments in education.

Job Summary

The PDSB is seeking qualified applicants for a Supervisory Officer Pool. We invite applications from school leaders who are innovative, collaborative and change-focused through demonstrated practice. The Board has remained steadfast in its efforts to eliminate disproportionate outcomes for students historically and currently marginalized. The PDSB strives to uphold the goals of the Multi-Year Strategic Plan which include student achievement, safety and well-being, equity and inclusion, and community engagement.

If you have been effective in your current role, and you are a critically reflective practitioner who has led staff toinnovative instructional programs that are culturally responsive and student centred, this position in the PDSBwill be of interest to you. If you are successful in this process, you will be a humbly confident leader,committed to anti-racist, anti-oppression practice, who empowers positive and equitable learning/teachingenvironments. You understand that high expectations of those whom you lead need to be coupled withempathy and active listening to ensure all voices are heard and all understand the Board's vision. Youhave been effective in your current role because you have supported reflection on instructional practice andteacher efficacy through teamwork. A priority for you is building trust in schools where student, teacher, supportstaff and community voices influence how schools work, and how students experience their learning. Youhave successfully supported the work of trustees in serving the differentiated educational needs of studentsand communities.

Key Responsibilities

As an accomplished leader, your track record demonstrates success in inspiring and supporting the work of the school improvement and equity process, while creating strong connections within and across families ofschools. Regardless of which panel you have served as a Principal, it is critical that you understand the different contexts of the elementary and secondary school leadership experience. You consistently address disproportionalities of outcomes for those who are underserved within the system through your focus on student achievement, safety and well-being, equity and inclusion and community engagement.

In your service to schools and communities, you build strong teams with Principals and Vice­ Principals, you invite student and community voices. As a new member of the PDSB leadership team, you will be invested inembedding trust and transparency into the leadership culture of the senior team. A servant leader, you willempower others, and you will act as a change agent through empathy, respect and optimism while consistently challenging and confronting inequity and exclusion. A leader of leaders, you will incorporate feedback, honour the expertise of others, and demonstrate self-awareness and a strong moral and ethical compass.

Qualifications

Applicants for Supervisory Officer are required to have all of the following qualifications:

• A minimum of five (5) years experience as an administrator (Principal or Vice-Principal), at least three (3) years of which have been in the role of Principal

• Successful completion of three (3) or more Supervisory Officer's Qualification Program Modules(Preference will be given to applicants that successfully complete the Supervisory Officer's Qualification Program by June 2025)

• Recent principal performance appraisal

• Demonstrated evidence of a clear commitment to Human Rights, Employment Equity and our board priorities highlighted in the Multi-Year Strategic Plan (2024-2028)

• Demonstrated transformational leadership evidenced in a variety of contexts; that includesimproved outcomes for students who are historically and traditionally marginalized that addressesdisparities in opportunity, achievement and wellbeing

• Evidenced leadership in innovation through modern pedagogical practices that leverage andpromote transformational skills and inclusive learning environments

• Focused leadership on transforming instructional practices through interrogating the curriculum and learning environment, that includes culturally responsive practice and high expectations for all learners, particularly those historically marginalized

• Demonstrated inclusive approaches to leadership that are student centred and include deep knowledge of special education related legislation and policies through a critical lens

• Proven ability to engage communities and families of all backgrounds in ways that are inclusive and designed to positively impact student success and wellbeing

Application Process

Applications are being accepted from November 11, 2024 to December 13, 2024. Interested applicants must submit the following items as part of their application package:

1. Cover Letter - maximum of 2 pages, responding to the following prompt: 

   • ​​​​​How have your leadership experiences prepared you for the role of Superintendent of Education atthe Peel District School Board

2. Resume demonstrating a variety of leadership competencies

3. Current copy of OCT Certificate of Qualification

4. Current PPA (please provide your most recent)

5. Completion of the PDSB Supervisory Officer Self-Assessment. (Interested applicants must email adminplacement@peelsb.com (mailto:adminplacement@peelsb.com) in order to request this form.The email subject line must include 'Expression of Interest'.)

Supervisory Officer Pool Virtual Information Session

Applicants that are interested in learning more about this opportunity are invited and encouraged to attend the Supervisory Officer Pool Information Session scheduled on Monday, November 25,2024 from 5:00pm to 5:45pm.

This Information Session will provide attendees with information about the PDSB, the Multi­ Year Strategic Plan and the future visioning for the Board. Highlights of the various leadership skills and competencies beingsought for the role will also be shared along with an outline of the specific stages of the selection process.

Click on the following link to register for the Information Session: Registration Link

Closing

Commitment to Equity, Anti-Oppression and Anti-Racism

The Peel District School Board is committed to equity in employment. We are committed to equitable hiringpractices that allow us to hire qualified staff who reflect the full diversity of the Region of Peel. We willprovide reasonable accommodation (e.g. an accessible location, rescheduling of interviews that fall on Days of Significance etc.) based on any of the human rights protected grounds, during the hiring process if advised in advance. We are also committed to inclusion, anti-oppression and anti-racist practices while also supporting the continuous growth and development of an equitable and empowered education system at the PDSB.

Criminal Background Check

Successful candidates must provide a satisfactory Criminal Background Check prior to commencing employment. Please review the requirements for the Criminal Background Check (https://www.peelschools.org/about/careers/criminal-background­ check/Pages/default.aspx).

We appreciate the interest of all applicants, but will only be contacting candidates whose skills, experience and qualifications best meet the requirements of the position. All communication to applicants regarding this job posting, including an invitation to complete skills assessments and/or a job interview if applicable, will be made through email.

Candidates are encouraged to regularly check their email as listed on their Talentlink account.

Land Acknowledgement

The land upon which we work, live and sustain ourselves is the ancestral and treaty lands of the Miichizaagiig Anishinaabek also known today as the Mississaugas of the Credit, the rightful caretakers and title holders ofthis land. We also recognize the rich pre-contact history and relationships which include the Anishinaabekand the Onkwehonwe. Since European Contact, this land continues to be home to Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. As responsible community members, we value the diversity, dignity and worth of all people.

Colonialism displaced and dispossessed Indigenous peoples of their ancestral lands and continues to deny their basic human rights, dignities and freedoms. We are committed to learning true history to reconcile, make reparations and fulfill our treaty obligations to the Original Peoples and our collective responsibilities to the land, water, animals, and each other for future generations.

Discover why you should consider a career

(https://www.peelschools.org/about/careers/Pages/default.aspx) with us!

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