Duties

• Set and sustain high academic expectations for every student, and bring innovative solutions to close
  opportunity gaps in reading and math among our Black, Latino students, multilingual learners (MLL), and special education.
• Develop a culture of accountability where all stakeholders (students, families, teachers and staff)
  consistently work together to reach challenging goals.
• Build accountability frameworks to foster instructional leadership that strengthens teaching and learning, with particular attention to Evanston' s historically marginalized communities, multilingual learners and special education.
• Drive improvements in leading indicators, such as attendance, participation, and grades, while rigorously monitoring research and outcome data to track progress toward readiness for high school and beyond, and distinguish inputs from outputs.
• Champion social-emotional growth alongside academic achievement, so students feel respected,
  encouraged, and have a sense of belonging.
• Advance culturally responsive teaching and learning, especially for the students the system has
  historically served least well.
• Focus the district on what demonstrably works for students, and stop what doesn't.
• Engage partners, such as municipal governments, the high school district (District 202), parks, libraries,
• families, community organizations, businesses, and higher education institutions, to extend learning, wrap-around and support services, improve attendance, and increase student achievement.

• Align our community around a common vision for our district

• Articulate a clear, shared vision for District 65 and organize staff, families, the board, and partners around it.

• Serve as the district's chief ambassador with city, state, and regional leaders, and advocate for what
  students need.

• Help the district shape its own narrative with media.

• Engage families, staff, and community early and often during times of strategic prioritization and
  decision-making.

• Recognize and build leadership capacity in others, within the district and across the community.

• Set clear goals with each major community partner, review results regularly, and end or reshape partnerships that are not benefiting students.

• Build and retain a data-driven team that executes at a high level
  Execute well and measure progress to ensure that work is achieving stated goals.
  ? Recruit, train, and retain top performers who share a commitment to excellence, equity and student
  outcomes.
  ? Energize and motivate the team, and keep them engaged through periods of change.
  ? Build the systems, processes, and routines that turn plans into implementation, with clear owners, goals,
  and review cycles.
  ? Make disciplined and judicious decisions about programs and investments, prioritizing those with the
  greatest benefit to students.
  ? Build constructive relationships with labor partners and bargain in good faith toward sustainable
  agreements.

Manage and sustain the financial aspects of the district
? Maintain financial sustainability, meet budgets, provide transparency in all financial decisions.
? Align financial resources with student needs and district priorities through strategic and equitable
resource allocation.
? Develop and communicate a clear long-term financial strategy, including planning for major capital
investments.
? Establish clear expectations, accountability, and measures of success to ensure district resources and
programs deliver meaningful results.
? Navigate the financial implications of declining enrollment and district right-sizing.
? Clearly communicate the district’s financial position, challenges, and decisions to the board and
community.
Work in transparency and partnership with the School Board
? Develop long-range goals and plans, aligned with the board’s vision and priorities, consistent with
population trends, community growth, cultural needs, and appropriate use of district resources.
? Act as a thought partner to board members while providing timely, accurate information.
? Shape the board's annual agenda and calendar.

Qualifications

• At least 15 years of senior leadership experience at progressive levels of responsibility with evidence of
  successful organizational outcomes.
• Successful track record of collaboration with labor unions and collective bargaining.
• Experience managing sustainable finances for a large and complex organization.
• Experience working in conjunction with a school board to identify priorities, establish goals, monitor progress, and produce outcomes in service to stakeholders.
• Successful experience working in economically diverse, multicultural, and multilingual communities and environments with student demographics similar to Evanston/Skokie School District 65.
• Understanding of the context and history of Evanston-Skokie and commitment to becoming an engaged and longstanding member of the community.
• Knowledge of Illinois public school policy and law, procedures, and management.
• Demonstrated experience building consensus and trust within an organization.
• Exceptional written, oral, and visual communication skills. Bilingual preferred.
• Eligible for a Superintendent’s license in the State of Illinois.

Salary/Benefits

Salary for this integral leadership position is $260,000 to $300,000 annually, commensurate with prior experience. In addition, a comprehensive benefits package will be included in the ultimate offer for the identified sole finalist. We look forward to discussing details with you as the interview process progresses.

Additional Notes

What Skills You Need to Be Successful (Competencies)

Student-Centered Leadership and High Expectations
? Drives educational outcomes through equitable investments in marginalized populations.
? Uses data to make decisions and provide support for all students while elevating academic standards.
? Demonstrates instructional excellence, with in-depth experience in multilingual learner (MLL) and special
education programming.
? Fosters continuous alignment, feedback, and shared learning.
? Sets and meets educational goals.
? Creates a collaborative, values-driven culture with high achievement and high retention.

Interpersonal Skills
? Builds alliances within the organization and navigates informal and formal power structures across local,
regional, and national government.
? Drives alignment across institutions and organizations that don’t have historical experience collaborating.
? Brings leaders together to accomplish challenging initiatives.
? Integrates the school system within its larger network including D202, Northwestern University, and
community partners for every student to thrive, and openly collaborates with other leaders and
institutions.
? Finds solutions proactively and resolves conflict while maintaining relationships across multi-matrixed
negotiations.
? Synthesizes complex issues quickly, bringing insights and experience from similar situations or fact
patterns.
? Demonstrates a commitment to the communities served and desires to make an outsized impact on
children and families.

Coalition Building
? Organizes and unifies students, parents, board members, education leaders, and local and state officials
around a common vision.
? Maintains consistent visibility and accessibility in the district, with a track record of community
leadership.
? Remains a measured, steady presence under pressure during intense periods of change.
? Partners with formal and informal parent networks and leverages community support when possible.
? Leads relentlessly from core values.
Innovation and Execution
? Takes calculated risks where outdated systems and processes require dismantling.
? Demonstrates the ability to innovate and iterate, clearly communicating vision and outcomes to
stakeholders.
? Implements the right processes and systems that demand accountability and that drive successful
implementation of initiatives, with clear owners, timelines, and measures.
? Rebuilds systems to deliver high educational attainment for students.
? Builds a professional environment where staff are held accountable and supported.
? Seeks new, data-backed interventions to improve teaching and learning outcomes.

Equity
? Recognizes race and power dynamics at multiple levels of the organization and interrupts inequities
through honest, difficult conversations and action.
? Demonstrates cultural fluency, sensitivity, and a strong equity lens, fostering a growth mindset around
issues of equity to meet the needs of diverse students and staff.
? Seeks out, elevates, and values the perspectives of a wide variety of stakeholders, whether through
personal experience or empathy.
? Builds authentic relationships across lines of difference (race, gender, age, socioeconomic background,
LGBTQ status, etc.) through self-reflection, empathy, and a clear personal identity.
? Addresses equity, race, and bias in decisions with clarity, confidence, openness, empathy, and historical
context.

How to Apply

Link to District/Third Party Online Application Web Page

https://apply.workable.com/almaadvisorygroup/j/A050F1514D

Email Address

sylvia@almaadvisorygroup.com

School District

https://www.district65.net/

ILearn Link

ILearn

Report Card Link

District Report Card