• 4/2/2024 Update

    The Board met with the Superintendent search consultants on March 26 to discuss the 14 applicants who applied for the position. The Board has selected candidates for further consideration, and interviews will occur in April. The Board appreciates the input provided by stakeholders, which will be used to guide the selection process. An announcement is expected in May.

  • 2/21/2024 Update

    SUPERINTENDENT VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

    The North Tonawanda City School District Board of Education is seeking an experienced and results-driven educational leader with a proven record of achievements to serve as the District’s next Superintendent. The Board, with input from stakeholders, has identified the following as the most desirable characteristics for the next District Superintendent:

    • Leads with a focus on teaching, learning, student outcomes and students’ social/emotional wellness
    • Collaborates with the Board to form an effective governance team
    • Effectively communicates with all stakeholders
    • Visible and engaged with the entire school community
    • Experience with budget development and financial management
    • Effective problem solver
    • Successful Pk-12 leadership experience
    • Successful teaching and/or pupil services experience
    • Culturally inclusive and responsive to issues relating to diversity, equity and inclusion
    • New York State School District Administrator (SDA) or School District Leader (SDL) certificate will be required upon appointment

    Application Process

    International Deliverables, LLC is assisting the Board with the search. This is a confidential search with only the Board and consultants knowing the names of the applicants. A list of references who can be contacted will be required as part of the candidate vetting process. The Board may work with the school attorney to conduct a thorough background check of the finalist. A link to the application and disclosure form can be found here. A completed application, cover letter, resume highlighting qualifications in relationship to the Leadership Profile, five letters of recommendation, five professional references (include no more than one subordinate) and evidence of NYSED SDA/SDL certification are required. Please send all documents as PDFs and questions about the application process to lisa@internationaldeliverables.com. Candidates will be notified upon receipt of their application. Applications open on/about February 13, 2024 and close at 3:00 pm on March 8, 2024. Individuals interested in learning more about this opportunity are encouraged to contact the consultants prior to applying. Interested candidates should not contact members of the Board of Education.

    North Tonawanda City School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer

     

    • 2/12/24 Update

      Executive Summary of the Consultants’ Report 
      North Tonawanda City School District
      A Synthesis of Data Collected from the Online Survey and Focus Groups Prepared by:
      International Deliverables, LLC
      Dr. Thomas Ramming and Dr. Teresa Lawrence, PMP, Consultants
      February 2024 

      Introduction
      What follows is a summary of the Report shared with the Board of Education. It covers three broad areas: 1) the traits, skills, characteristics, and experiences the new Superintendent should possess; 2) opportunities for the new Superintendent; and 3) challenges for the new Superintendent. Findings are based on the data collected from the online survey posted to the District’s website and engagement sessions between focus groups and the Consultants. 

      Survey
      The survey, which was posted for approximately two weeks on the District’s website, received 295 responses with just under half of the respondents self-identifying as parents.
      Preferred traits, skills, characteristics, and experiences
      From a list of 20 options, respondents were asked to indicate the five that they desired or felt were most critical for the next Superintendent of Schools to possess.
      The following is a ranking from across all responses of the top five attributes in order of preference along with the percentage of votes received. 

      1. Leads with a focus on what is best for students: 148 (52.1%) 
      2. Teaching, learning, and students' academic outcomes: 143 (50%) 
      3. School & community involvement - visible and engaged: 122 (43%) 
      4. Budget development/financial management: 121 (42.6%) 
      5. Committed to improving opportunities for addressing students' social and emotional needs: 109 (38.4%) 

      Preferred Previous Roles
      From a list of six options, respondents were asked to select the top three previous roles they think the new Superintendent should have held. The rank order of the six options is as follows: 

      1. Teacher: 199 (70.1%) 
      2. Principal: 197 (69.4%) 
      3. Pupil Personnel (social worker, psychologist, school counselor, etc.): 118 (41.5%) 
      4. Central office administrator: 108 (38%) 
      5. Superintendent: 105 (37%) 
      6. Leadership role(s) other than in a Pk-12 setting: 81 (28.5%)  

      Major Priorities for the Next Superintendent
      From a list of 13 options, respondents were asked to select the top three priorities for the next Superintendent. Major priorities #s 1, 2 and 4 align with many of the preferred traits, characteristics, skills, and experiences that surfaced in the survey. 

      1. Improving academic opportunities and outcomes for all students: 183 (64.4%) 
      2. Orderly and safe climate/school safety: 143 (50.4%) 
      3. Developing effective systems that lead to District-wide improvement: 113 (39.8%) 
      4. Improving social-emotional opportunities and outcomes for all students: 90 (31.7%) 

      Resources and Opportunities
      From a list of eight options, respondents were asked to select the top three resources and opportunities available for the next Superintendent. The top five selected options for available resources and opportunities were: 

      1. Supportive school leaders, teachers, and support staff: 227 (79.9%)
      2. Collaborative and supportive Board of Education: 118 (41.5%)
      3. Supportive residents, businesses, and community at-large: 111 (39.1%)
      4. Opportunities to partner with local businesses, civic organizations, and/or institutions of higher education: 101 (35.6%)
      5. Instructional program and student outcomes: 101 (35.6%) 

      All comments received via the survey were shared with the Board as were the themes that surfaced from the Consultants’ meetings with focus groups. 

      The Consultants will draw from survey responses and focus group themes to help develop the Vacancy Announcement and advertise the position. 

      The Board thanks those who completed the survey and/or were members of focus groups that met with the Consultants. 

      The next update regarding the search for our new Superintendent will be posted around April 1. 

  • 1/31/2024 Update

    Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the Community Input Survey and/or who attended a stakeholder group input session on Tuesday, January 23rd. We had 276 responses to the survey and hosted eight in-person input sessions. The Board appreciates the time and effort given to sharing your feedback with us. Enjoy these photos from the in-person input sessions.

    Thank you,
    The North Tonawanda City School District Board of Education

  • 1/12/2024 Search Update  

    On Wednesday January 10, 2024, the Board met with consultants Drs. Lawrence and Ramming to discuss options for attracting a strong field of candidates, the timeline for the Superintendent Search process and to identify stakeholder groups that will participate in input sessions with the consultants.

    The Board carefully weighed the choice of conducting an open versus a confidential search. With an open search, the finalists are interviewed by a committee of community representatives, parents, students, and staff. This means the candidates' identities are known by stakeholders, which can sometimes have a "chilling effect" on who applies for the position. In a confidential search, the Board seeks stakeholder input about the characteristics and qualifications of the next Superintendent and then works to ensure the confidentiality of the candidates. 

    The Board wants to ensure that the search draws a strong and diverse field of successful candidates and understands that confidentiality is critically important for highly successful candidates who do not want to jeopardize their current positions. Therefore, after thoughtfully and carefully deliberating the issue, the Board unanimously decided to conduct a confidential search.

    The next step will be to develop a profile of the ideal candidate and identify the challenges and opportunities unique to the North Tonawanda City School District. It is at this juncture that community input is critical. To that end, we will be soliciting input through two methods: stakeholder group input sessions, facilitated by Drs. Lawrence and Ramming, and an online survey, which will be posted to the District's website January 12 – 26, 2024. 

    Stakeholder groups will meet in person with the consultants on January 23. We invite stakeholders to an open input session on the evening of January 23. Please check back for start time and location.

    The online survey provides every member of our community with the opportunity to weigh in on the desired traits/skills/experiences of the next Superintendent, the challenges the next Superintendent might face, and the opportunities on which the next Superintendent might capitalize.

    Input from the facilitated stakeholder sessions and survey will be used by the Board throughout the recruitment and selection process.

    Our goal is to appoint a new superintendent in May with a start date on or before August 1, 2024.

    Thank you for your interest in this process. Please continue to check this webpage for updates. These are exciting times, and we look forward to hearing from you.

  • Appointment of Superintendent Search Consultant
    December 2023

    The Board is pleased to announce that it has selected International Deliverables, LLC, represented by Teresa Lawrence, PhD, PMP and President, and Tom Ramming, EdD and Partner, to assist the Board in the search for the District’s next Superintendent.

    The Board interviewed and reviewed proposals from multiple search firms. Members were very impressed with the experience, insights, and professionalism shared by Dr. Lawrence and Dr. Ramming as well as the comprehensive nature of their proposal. Both consultants are former Superintendents and led school leader preparation programs at the University at Buffalo. As a team, they have personally helped boards successfully complete 11 Superintendent searches since 2018.

    The Board will meet with the consultants in January to lay out a search calendar and next steps in the process.

    Updates regarding the search will periodically be added to the District’s website.