Comments for superintendentsblog

Comment on It was magic by mymoonlight

mymoonlight — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:01:02 +0000

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Comment on It was magic by oneill15

oneill15 — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:32:43 +0000

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Comment on Time to hire by billreid

billreid — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:27:27 +0000

I think each district needs to look at its own situation. Quite often there is board policy on hiring of exempt staff. In our district there is policy on hiring principals and vice-principals but none on Board Office staff. You can see our policy on the hiring at http://www.sd8.bc.ca/Policy/540HiringPlacementPrincipalsVP.pdf

We have similar processes for board office staff although they are unwritten. Partner groups are involved in short listing and interviewing with the Board soliciting input and then making a decision.

This is actually my last year as superintendent and the Board has replaced me through an internal appointment. In making that decision, the Board reviewed a number of factors including its needs, the shortage of qualified candidates in British Columbia at present, the fact that three senior staff were retiring in the same year, etc. Before the public announcement, the Board met with the partner groups and explained what is was doing and the reasons. The partners understood the Board’s thinking and the Board made a public announcement the next day. The Board had used a full process for the other senior management positions.

I can’t speak to the specific situation you describe but I can certainly understand that there are some times when a Board has to fullfill its responsibilities. The Board does have a mandate. The Board’s record of using proper process and being transparent in its thinking are what distinguishes effective Boards from ineffective ones.

Comment on Time to hire by uraimondo

uraimondo — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:33:55 +0000

Waht are your thoughths of successorship in school administration? What format is your interview process based on? Of interest for you will be Jamestown Public Schools, Jamestown, NY where the school board appointed a superintendent behind closed doors. The school board and the incumbent were fully supportive of this move.

Comment on It’s budget time by billreid

billreid — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:39:00 +0000

Our process starts with the funding announcement from the Ministry of Education which is based upon projected student enrollment. We go from that to a meeting with partner groups and trustees: administrators, union presidents, parent group, senior staff. Each group has an opportunity to suggest areas that need an increase in budget.

We go from that to allocating staff by school based upon enrollment and special needs students.

There are also formulas for supplies, equipment, clerical, custodial, etc.

A draft budget is completed and presented at the next partner group meeting. More input is received.

This year the buget is extremely tight so not a lot of room for new programs, etc.

When the massaging is done, the Budget is presented as a bylaw at two consecutive Board meetings as a bylaw requires three readings. We need to be done the process by June 30.

Comment on It’s budget time by maymun

maymun — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:11:14 +0000

I am currently enrolled in a graduate course called School Finance. This week we have been studying budgeting. Can you tell me how you build your budget, that is , what approach do you take?

SBB sounds like a good approach, what do you think?