An Invitation to Apply
for the Position of
Superintendent of Schools
Kittitas
School District
Kittitas, Washington
The Position
The Kittitas School District Board of Directors, Kittitas, Washington, is seeking a highly-qualified
Superintendent. The Board wishes to have the successful candidate assume the responsibilities of
the position on or before July 1, 2015.
McPherson & Jacobson L.L.C. Recruitment and Development, in collaboration with the Washington
State School Directors’ Association, has been engaged as the consultant in a search for outstanding
candidates. They will assist the Board of Directors in identifying and screening the candidates.
The Qualifications
The candidate must have the background, skills and abilities essential for excellence in educational
leadership. The Board recognizes that selecting a Superintendent is one of the most important
decisions it will make. The Board and stakeholder representatives have identified the need for a
strong educational leader with the following desired characteristics:
The Kittitas School District is seeking a superintendent with strong leadership abilities and
successful executive experience, who is a person of honesty and of strong moral standards and
one who is team-oriented.
The superintendent candidate should be a person with experience and knowledge of issues
related to districts of our size and character, who understands of the uniqueness of the Kittitas
community, and be able and willing to be involved and represent our district in the local city
and greater countywide communities.
The superintendent candidate should have strong communication skills, is a person who hears
and truly listens, one who is approachable, one who has strong inter-personal relationship and
conflict resolution skills, one who can manage effectively with efficiency, accuracy, and is
capable of communicating effectively with the media, unions and other groups.
It is preferred that the superintendent candidate have a strong academic background, classroom
and administrative experience with strong financial management skills. The superintendent
candidate must support high standards of achievement and will set challenging goals, implement
objectives and measure outcomes, while working to help our students achieve their goals.
The Community
Kittitas is located in central Washington, six miles east of
Ellensburg and 40 miles north of Yakima. The population of
Kittitas is 1418.
The area is predominately agricultural, and residents enjoy a
quiet, rural lifestyle. Major employers are in the fields of
agriculture.
Medical care is available from facilities in Ellensburg and
Yakima.
Recreational activities include golfing, skiing, hiking,
hunting, boating, and fishing. Central Washington
University has cultural, athletic and recreational programs
for the residents of the area to enjoy. The Ellensburg
Rodeo is held annually.
Higher education opportunities are available from nearby
Central Washington University located in Ellensburg.
The District
School District website: www.ksd403.org
Kittitas School District has an enrollment of 630
students, K-12. There are approximately 80 staff
members, 3 administrative staff, 40 certificated staff
and 37 classified staff members. The District covers
599 square miles.
The district consists of five buildings, one Primary
building (K-2), one Intermediate building (3-5),
one Secondary building (6-12), one District Office
building, and the old Kittitas High School building
currently used for storage.
Kittitas School District offers a variety of programs, classes, learning opportunities, and
extra-curricular activities for its students. The district is proud of its long history of high test scores,
its continuing tradition of excellence in athletics, and its highly skilled teaching and support services
staff.
Community support is strong which has been demonstrated by consistently passing building bonds
and M&O levies, as well as attending the many extra-curricular events in the district.
Special programs for the students include Highly Capable,
LAP, Bright Beginnings, and Title I Schoolwide.
The Kittitas School District has a partnership with Central
Washington University with its Running Start program.
The district also has a partnership with DSHS to serve
students housed at the Parke Creek Juvenile Detention
Center located within the school boundaries.
The assessed valuation for the district is $672,828,615
with an operating budget of $7,075,900.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors consists of five members who are each elected to serve a four-year term. The
tenure of the Board members ranges from 4 to 12 years.
Name
Occupation
Years Served
Patricia (Patty) Clerf, Chair
Architect
12 years
Paul Johnson, Vice Chair
Environmental System Specialist
10 years
Jeff Wallace
Auto Tech
7 years
Max Tilton
Registered nurse
7 years
Susan Thacker
Caretaker
4 years
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Kittitas Schools is to provide, within a safe and caring environment of staff and
community, opportunities for all students to develop their potential to learn, create,
work with others, and be productive and at ease in a rapidly changing society.
APPLICATION & SELECTION
PROCEDURE
available at www.macnjake.com
7905 L St., Suite 310, Omaha, NE 68127
Phone: (402) 991-7031 Fax: (402) 991-7168
E-mail: [email protected] www.macnjake.com
An application for Superintendent should include:
 A letter setting forth personal qualifications, experiences and
reasons for interest in the position.
 A current résumé.
 A completed application form.
 Reference letters, certificates and licenses, and academic
transcripts from colleges/universities indicating degree(s).
Candidates are asked not to directly contact Board members. Any effort to do so may eliminate
them from consideration. Names of applicants will be held in strict confidence whenever
possible. However, McPherson & Jacobson complies with individual states’ Freedom of
Information laws. In the final process, the Board may visit the district where the candidate is
employed, but will not proceed without the knowledge and consent of the candidate.
Selection Time Line
1. Application deadline: May 21, 2015.
2. Finalists selected by Board of Directors by: June 4, 2015.
3. Interviews with Board of Directors: June 8-10, 2015.
4. Starting Date: July 1, 2015.
Kittitas School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.