Important Notice: The Virginia School Boards Association is assisting the school boards below with the search process. Candidates should not make contact with individual school board members. Inquiries should be directed to Gina G. Patterson, executive director, Virginia School Boards Association, 200 Hansen Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911, 434-295-8722, or gina@vsba.org.

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Surry County Public Schools

The County
Surry County is a county in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,561. In 1652, Surry County was formed from the portion of James City County south of the James River. Surry has always been an agricultural community with a great deal of its 281 square miles producing peanuts, soybeans, wheat, cotton, corn and other grains. Cattle, dairy and hog farms have also flourished along with logging and timber harvesting enterprises. Within the borders of Surry County there are three incorporated Towns: Claremont, Dendron, and Surry.

The Division
Surry County Public Schools serves 697 students.

Mission: Building Excellence, One Student At A Time

Vision: Surry County Public Schools’ vision is to provide a safe, healthy learning environment that prepares all students to be competitive and productive citizens in a highly and global society

Schools: Surry Elementary School (K-4); Luther Porter Jackson Middle School (5-8); Surry County High School (9-12)
The school division employs a total of 191 full-time staff members including both professional and support staff.

The operating budget for Surry County Public Schools is $17,978,502.

More information about the school division can be found on their website at https://www.surryschools.net/

Qualifications

After seeking input from its Board members, parents, staff, students and community, the Surry County School Board seeks an educational leader with outstanding qualifications and characteristics, as reflected in the following profile:

• Work experience in Virginia required.
• Experience as a teacher is required.
• Experience as a principal required.
• Experience as an assistant superintendent or equivalent position is preferred.
• An earned doctorate is preferred.

• Areas of Expertise – A knowledge of basic law and legal principles including school safety laws, regulations, policies, and procedures; experience in strategic planning and continuous improvement; strong knowledge of curriculum and instruction.

• Board-Superintendent Relations – Effectively mediates and accommodates different perspectives; understands differences between policy and administration; and considers initiatives and recommendations of the Board. The successful candidate provides multiple options and recommendations to the Board.

• Climate and Culture – Cultivates a division-wide culture of safety, visibility, transparency, and accountability.
• Community Relations – Effectively advocates school issues and needs, communicates effectively on both private and public levels; relates well to a variety of community groups and organizations.

• Leadership and Management Skills – Visionary leader that is organized and creative; efficient with facilitating consensus among group; and a team player that is comfortable with shared decision-making and collaboration.

• Personal Characteristics – Good listener and effective communicator, accessible, accountable, consistent, creative, discreet, flexible, empathetic, and patient.

• School Community – Visible in all areas of the school community, including extracurricular events and opportunities. High community profile required.

• School Safety – Knowledge of and experience in implementing and maintaining effective school safety measures.

• School Finance – Extensive understanding of budget and finances with experience in working through budget challenges, evaluating cost effectiveness, advocates for school funding on behalf of the division at the local and state levels; and offers creative funding solutions.

• Staff Relations – Creates an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect; maintains open channels of communication with staff; experience in developing and implementing safety policies for a school division.
• Key Priorities
  • Creating an inclusive environment that attracts new students and those previously homeschooled to the county, as well as valuing current staff and attracting new staff (STEM teachers) so that our student population can continue to grow and excel.
• Education and Training
  • Teaching Experience required.
  • Experience as a Principal required.
  • An earned doctorate preferred.
• Salary – Commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• Expectations
  • Residency in Surry County preferred.
  • Strong record of success in the areas of instruction and curriculum addressing the needs of all students including those in special and gifted education programs.
  • Ability to create a climate and culture of mutual trust and respect by maintaining open channels of communication to and from staff, being visible in the schools, and encouraging staff development and professional growth.

Application
The application to apply will be available July 1 – July 26, 2024.

To apply, visit: https://vsba.myrevelus.com/

Candidates must meet the legal requirements to be licensed or be eligible for licensure as a superintendent in Virginia. Questions concerning the eligibility requirement should be directed to the Office of Professional Licensure, State Department of Education, P.O. Box 2120, Richmond, VA 23218-2120, Telephone: (804) 371-2522.

Candidates should not contact school board members. Inquiries should be directed to Gina Patterson, Executive Director, Virginia School Boards Association, 200 Hansen Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911, (434)-295-8722 or gina@vsba.org.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Revelus

To view a list of all positions that are currently accepting applications, please visit vsba.myrevelus.com.

Application Procedures

Apply online: vsba.myrevelus.com

Applications for specific positions are linked above when available.

To be notified when Superintendent Searches are available, please contact Samantha Bosserman, Deputy Executive Director at samantha@vsba.org or 1-800-446-8722 ext. 5.

Eligibility Requirements for Virginia Superintendents
IMPORTANT NOTE: To be appointed as a superintendent in VIRGINIA, one must be listed on the “Eligible List of Division Superintendents” approved by the Virginia Board of Education. The Board of Education only meets eight or nine times per year which can cause delays in processing the applications for licensure. We encourage you to reach out ASAP to the Virginia Department of Education. For information regarding this list, contact the Office of Professional Licensure, State Department of Education, P.O. Box 2120, Richmond, VA 23218-2120, Telephone: (804) 371-2522.

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