The school district will have, in addition to the superintendent, other administrative positions deemed necessary by the board.  These administrators will work closely with the superintendent in the day-to-day operations of the school district.

It is the responsibility of these administrators to uphold board policy, to instill a positive, cooperative environment with employees, and to share their expertise with each other and the board under the management team concept.

 

 

Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 279.8, .20, .21, .23-.24.
                                      281 I.A.C. 12.4.

Cross Reference: 301      Administrative Structure
                                      303      Administrative Employees

Initially Approved   03-12-2001                       
Last Reviewed   04-14-2021                                
Last Revision 02-23-2004

 

The board will employ building principals and other administrators, in addition to the superintendent, to assist in the daily operations of the school district.

The board will consider applicants who meet or exceed the standards set by the Iowa Department of Education and the qualifications established in the job description for the position.  In employing an administrator, the board will consider the qualifications, credentials and records of the applicants without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.  In keeping with the law, however, the board will consider the veteran status of the applicants.  The board will look closely at the training, experience, skill and demonstrated competence of qualified applicants in making its final decision.

In choosing an administrator, the board will also consider the school district's educational philosophy, financial condition, organizational structure, education programs, and other factors deemed relevant by the board.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to make a recommendation to the board for filling an administrative position, based on the requirements stated in this policy.  The board will act only on the superintendent's recommendation.

The board may contract for assistance in the search for administrators.

 

 

Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 279.8, .21.
                                      281 I.A.C. 12.4.
                                      

Cross Reference: 303      Administrative Employees

Initially Approved   03-12-2001                       
Last Reviewed   04-14-2021                                
Last Revision 02-25-2008

 

The length of the contract for employment between an administrator and the board will be determined by the board and stated in the contract.  The contract will also state the terms of the employment.

The first three consecutive years of a contract issued to a newly employed administrator will be considered a probationary period.  The probationary period may be extended for an additional year upon the consent of the administrator.  In the event of termination of a probationary or non-probationary contract, the board will afford the administrator appropriate due process as required by law.  The administrator and board may mutually agree to terminate the administrator's contract.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to create a contract for each administrative position. The board may issue temporary and nonrenewable contracts in accordance with law.

Administrators, who wish to resign, to be released from a contract, or to retire, must comply with applicable law and board policies.

 

 

Legal Reference: Martin v. Waterloo Community School District, 518 N.W. 2d 381 (Iowa 1994).
                                      Cook v Plainfield Community School District, 301 N.W. 2d 771 (Iowa App. 1980).
                                      Board of Education of Fort Madison Community School District v Youel, 282 N.W. 2d 677 (Iowa 1979).
                                      Briggs v Board of Education of Hinton Community School District, 282 N.W. 2d 740 (Iowa 1979).
                                      Iowa Code §§ 279
                                      281 I.A.C. 12.4(4),

Cross Reference: 303      Administrative Employees

Initially Approved   03-12-2001                       
Last Reviewed   04-14-2021                                
Last Revision 04-14-2021  __

 

The board has complete discretion to approve the salary of the administrators.  It is the responsibility of the board to set the salary and benefits of the administrators at a level that will include consideration of, but not be limited to, the economic condition of the school district and the training, experience, skill, and demonstrated competence of the administrators.  The salary will be set at the beginning of each contract period.

In addition to the salary and benefits agreed upon, the administrator's actual and necessary expenses will be paid by the school district when the administrator is performing work-related duties.  The board will approve the payment of other benefits or compensation over and above the administrator's contract.  Approval of other benefits or items of an administrator's compensation will be included in the records of the board in accordance with board policy.

 

 

Legal Reference: Iowa Code § 279.21.
                                      

Cross Reference: 303      Administrative Employees

Initially Approved   03-12-2001                       
Last Reviewed   04-14-2021                                
Last Revision    04-14-2021        

 

Administrators will be hired by the board to assist the superintendent in the day-to-day operations of the school district.

Each attendance center will have a building principal responsible for the administration and operation of the attendance center.  Each building principal, as chief administrator of the assigned attendance center, is responsible for the building and grounds, for the students and employees assigned to the attendance center, for school activities at the attendance center, for the education program offered in the attendance center, and the budget for the attendance center.  The principal is considered the professional advisor to the superintendent in matters pertaining to the attendance center supervised by the principal.  Although the principals serve under the direction of the superintendent, duties of the principal may include, but not be limited to the following:

• Cooperate in the general organization and plan of procedure in the school under the principal's supervision;
• Supervision of the teachers in the principal's attendance center;
• Maintain the necessary records for carrying out delegated duties;
• Work with the superintendent in rating, recommending and selecting supervised employees whenever possible;
• Work with the superintendent in determining the education program to be offered and in arranging the schedules.  As much of the schedule as possible should be made before school closes for summer vacation.  In the matter of courses offered, the final approval rests with the superintendent who is in turn responsible to the board;
• Ensure that proper care is taken of all school books, supplies, materials, equipment, furniture and facilities;
• Instruct teachers to make a complete annual inventory of all school property contained in their individual rooms.  This inventory is reviewed and filed with the board secretary;
• Investigate excessive cases of absence or tardiness of students and notify the parents or guardians of unexcused absence or tardiness.  All such cases should be reported to the superintendent;
• Make such reports from time to time as the superintendent may require;
• Maintain the regular schedule of school hours established by the board and make no temporary changes in the schedule without the consent of the superintendent;
• Promptly notify the superintendent whenever ventilation, sanitation or heating of the building is unsatisfactory;
• Contribute to the formation and implementation of general policies and procedures of the school;
• Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the superintendent of schools.

This list of duties will not act to limit the board's authority and responsibility over the position of the administrators.  In executing these duties and others the board may delegate, the administrators will consider the school district's financial condition as well as the needs of the students in the school district.

 

 

Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 279.8, .21, .23A.
                                      281 I.A.C. 12.4(5), .4(6), .4(7).

Cross Reference: 301      Administrative Structure
                                      303      Administrative Employees

Initially Approved   03-12-2001                 
Last Reviewed   04-14-2021                                
Last Revision   07-08-2020 

 

The superintendent will conduct an ongoing process of evaluating the administrators on their skills, abilities, and competence.  At a minimum, the superintendent will formally evaluate the administrators annually.  The goal of the formal evaluation process is to ensure that the educational program for the students is carried out, ensure student learning goals of the school district are met, promote growth in effective administrative leadership for the school district, clarify the administrator's role as defined by the board and the superintendent, assess administrator competence in the Iowa Standards for School leaders, ascertain areas in need of improvement, clarify the immediate priorities of the responsibilities listed in the job description, and develop a working relationship between the superintendent and the administrator.  This policy supports and does not preclude the ongoing informal evaluation of the administrator's skills, abilities and competence.

The superintendent is responsible for designing an administrator evaluation instrument to assess, among other things, the administrator’s competence in meeting the Iowa Standards for School Leaders and the goals of the administrator’s individual professional development plan. The formal evaluation will include written criteria related to the job description and the Iowa Standards for School Leaders. The superintendent, after receiving input from the administrators, will present the formal evaluation instrument to the board for approval.

The formal evaluation will also include an opportunity for the administrator and the superintendent to discuss the written criteria, the past year's performance and the future areas of growth.  The evaluation is completed by the superintendent, signed by the administrator and filed in the administrator's personnel file.

The principal will be an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by:

• Mission, Vision and Core Values:  Develop, advocate and enact a shared mission, vision, and core values of high-quality education and academic success and well-being of each student.
• Ethics and Professional Norms:  Act ethically and according to professional norms to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
• Equity and Cultural Responsiveness:  Strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
• Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment:  Develop and support intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction and assessment to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
• Community Care and Support for Students:  Cultivate an inclusive, caring and supportive school community that promotes the academic success and well-being of each student.
• Professional Capacity of School Personnel:  Develop the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
• Professional community for Teachers and Staff:  Foster a professional community of teachers and professional staff to promote each student’s academic success and well-being. 
• Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community:  Engage families and the community in meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial ways to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
• Operations and Management:  Manage school operations and resources to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
• School Improvement:  Act as an agent of continuous improvement to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to conduct a formal evaluation of the probationary administrators and non-probationary administrators prior to May 15.

 

 

 

Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 279.8, .21-.23A.
                                      281 I.A.C. 12.3(3); ch 83.

Cross Reference: 303      Administrative Employees

Initially Approved   03-12-2001                       
Last Reviewed   09-22-2021                           
Last Revision 09-22-2021 

 

The board encourages the administrators to continue their professional growth by becoming involved in professional organizations, attending conferences, continuing their education, and participating in other professional activities.

It is the responsibility of the administrators to arrange their schedules in order to attend various conferences and events in which they are involved.  Prior to attendance at an event, the administrator must receive approval from the superintendent.  In the case where overnight travel or unusual expense is involved, the superintendent will bring it to the attention of the board prior to the administrator registering for the event.

The administrator will report to the superintendent after an event.

 

 

Legal Reference: Iowa Code § 279.8.
                                      281 I.A.C. 12.7.

Cross Reference: 302.6   Superintendent Professional Development
                                      401.7   Employee Travel Compensation

Initially Approved   03-12-2001                        
Last Reviewed   04-14-2021                                
Last Revision    04-14-2021         

 

The board encourages the administrators to be involved in the school district community by belonging to community organizations and by attending and participating in school district community activities.

It is the responsibility of the administrators to become involved in school district community activities and events.  It is within the discretion of the board to pay annual fees for professional organizations and activities.

 

 

 

 

 

Legal Reference: Iowa Code § 279.8.

Cross Reference: 302.7   Superintendent Civic Activities

Initially Approved   03-12-2001                       
Last Reviewed   04-14-2021                               
Last Revision   07-08-2020  

 

An administrative position is considered full-time employment.  The board expects administrators to give the responsibilities of their positions in the school district precedence over other employment.  An administrator may accept consulting or outside employment for pay as long as, in the judgment of the board and the superintendent, the work is conducted on the administrator's personal time and it does not interfere with the performance of the administrative duties contracted by the board.

The board reserves the right, however, to request the administrator cease the outside employment as a condition of continued employment.  The board will give the administrator thirty days notice to cease outside employment.

 

 

Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 279.8, .21.

Cross Reference: 303.3   Administrator Contract and Contract Nonrenewal
                                      303.5   Administrator Duties

Initially Approved   03-12-2001                       
Last Reviewed   04-14-2021                                
Last Revision                              

 

1.         PURPOSE

It is the expressed intent of the Board, through this policy, to acknowledge full time classified and administrative employees who have provided years of service to the School District by offering them a voluntary early retirement incentive subject to the terms and conditions set out in this Policy. 

 

2.         STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

The School District will not discriminate against any employee on the basis of age, gender, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, or disability through the application or administration of this policy.

 

3.         ELIGIBILITY

A regular, full-time administrative employee is eligible for early retirement if the employee:

a.          has reached at least the age of 55 by January 1 of current school year,

b.         has continuously worked a minimum of the most previous five years of service at the School District and is actively employed on a full-time basis as a classified employee during the last school year prior to early retirement,

c.          notifies the Board as provided by this Policy, not later than 4:00 p.m. December 23,

d.         retires effective not later than the end of the current contract year,

e.          is not eligible for, applying for, or receiving benefits under a leave of absence or other District plan,

f.          has not received a notice as of December 23 concerning termination of the employee’s contract, unless the notice is based upon reasons which are related to staff reduction, and

g.         has not previously received early retirement benefits from the School District.

 

4.         DEFINITION OF TERMS

a.          Years of service - Years of service must be consecutive and most recent.

b.         Continuously Worked - Continuous employment must be without any voluntary interruptions of service.  Interruptions due to reductions in force or due to approved leaves of absence will not constitute a voluntary interruption in service, unless the interruption or leave exceeds twenty-four (24) consecutive months in length.  However, the period of time during which an employee is absent due to a reduction in force or due to an approved leave will not be counted for purposes of determining the minimum years of service required to establish eligibility.

c.          Regular full-time classified or administrative employee - A regular full-time classified or administrative employee is an employee who works a minimum of four hours per workday for 180 workdays or more each school year.

 d.         “Actively employed” – means the employee has been at work and performing assigned duties for at least 80 percent of the workdays over the previous 12 months.

 

5.         APPLICATION

a.          Under ordinary circumstances, applications must be received by the Superintendent not later than 4:00 p.m. December 23.

b.         The date of retirement for eligible employees will ordinarily be the end of the individual’s contract year.  However, another date may be requested and approved by the Board.

c.          Application materials must include the following forms:

1.         Request for Retirement and Resignation of all current district contracts

2.         Designation of Beneficiary Form

3.         Release of Claims Form

4.         Agreement Not to Reapply for Employment.  (However, this agreement does not prohibit the School District from offering employment to the employee in the future.)

d.         An employee’s application for early retirement benefits is not, in itself, a resignation nor does it require the Board to accept the application.  However, acceptance by the Board of an employee’s application for early retirement will be considered a voluntary resignation and termination of the employee’s contract of employment.  If the Board does not accept the employee’s application, the employee’s contract will continue in effect.

 

6.         BOARD’S RIGHT TO LIMIT OR DENY BENEFITS

1. The Board reserves the right to determine whether any early retirement benefits will be paid in a given year, and, if so, to determine how many employees will be granted benefits.  The Board expressly reserves the right to reject any application for early retirement benefits.

2. If the Board decides that only a limited number of employees will be granted early retirement benefits in a given year, the Board will then determine the maximum number of employees who may receive benefit.  Recipients will be selected on years of service.  If there is a tie between or among employees using the seniority rule, the tie will be broken by a random process.
3. Each year this policy is in effect, the Board will make a determination regarding the payment of early retirement benefits and announce its decision to employees not later than November 1^st.

 

7.         EARLY RETIREMENT BENEFIT

a.          Early retirement benefits are offered as an inducement to, and consequence of retirement and are not to be construed as a continuation of salary.

b.         Payment of this benefit, in one lump sum, shall be made in September of the year in which the retirement begins.

c.          In the event of the death of the early retiree, any remaining or unpaid benefit will be paid to the beneficiary designated by the retiree or, if no beneficiary is designated, to the retiree’s estate.

d.         Payment is subject to applicable taxes such as withholding for federal and state income taxes, social security etc.  Employees will not be paid interest on any funds held by the District.

 

8.         CONTINUATION OF INSURANCE

Employees retiring under the early retirement program are eligible to continue participation in the school district’s group insurance plan at the employee’s own expense until the employee reaches sixty-five years of age.  Employees must meet the requirements of the insurer and must pay the monthly premium amount in full to the board secretary prior to the due date for the school district’s premium payment to the insurer. 

 

9.        RIGHT TO AMEND OR REVOKE

The Board reserves the right to amend or revoke this Early Retirement Policy or any provision of this policy at any time, with or without notice.

The Board also reserves the right to waive any requirement or condition of this policy at its discretion and at any time.  Any decision by the Board to waive a requirement or condition which is a part of this policy shall not establish any precedent with regard to future requests for a waiver.

 

Initially Approved   03-08-1999
Last Reviewed 04-14-2021  
Last Revision 12-09-2020