ANNOUNCING

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

 

Pickens County Schools, Jasper, Georgia

The Pickens County Schools’ Board of Education is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Superintendent of Schools. Applications will be accepted through March 19, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. EST. See the application process below for more information.

The Community

Pickens County, Georgia sits at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains (at the southern end of the Appalachians). The Cherokee Indians populated this area of North Georgia from the late 1700s until the 1830s when the land was distributed to European settlers.

The Georgia General Assembly passed an act on December 5, 1853, to create Pickens County from portions of Cherokee and Gilmer Counties. Named for American Revolutionary War General Andrew Pickens, the county received several more land additions from Cherokee (1869) and Gilmer (1858 and 1863); and several sections of Pickens were transferred to other counties including Dawson, Gordon and back to Cherokee.

Jasper has a small town community feel nestled in the foothills of the beautiful North Georgia mountains with quick access to metro Atlanta to our south.

Renowned for its exceptionally pure marble, most of Pickens County’s early industry revolved around marble mining. Henry Fitzsimmons established the first marble quarries and the first marble mill in the 1830s.

Mount Oglethorpe, our highest peak at 3,288 ft, was the original Southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Other notable peaks include Sharp Mountain and Sharp Top Mountain.

When you visit Pickens County you’ll discover nature, history, shopping, festivals, and more!

The School System

Pickens County is proud to have a high-level of community and parental engagement with our schools. Our state of the art facilities for athletics and other extracurriculars, strong financial position with no debt, single high school serving as the flagship of our system, and some of the best views of any high school in Georgia add to what makes Pickens County a great place for students and staff.                                 

Number of Schools:

Elementary: 3

Middle: 1

Junior High: 1

High: 1

Staff: 638

Professional: 359

Classified: 279

District Budget:

$50,717,775

District Enrollment:

4,066

Qualifications

 

The Superintendent of Schools serves as the chief executive officer of the school system and is responsible to the Board of Education for ensuring compliance with all board policies, Georgia Board of Education rules and regulations, and state and federal laws. Candidates will be evaluated on their professional merits, with emphasis on the following criteria:

Required:

•Possession of or is eligible for the Education Specialist Degree or higher and holds or is eligible for a Georgia Standard Professional Clear Renewable Tier II Certificate at Level 6 or higher in Educational Leadership. Certificate number or letter of eligibility from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission as verification of such eligibility must be provided. Georgia certification information is available from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, 200 Piedmont Avenue, Suite 1702, Atlanta, GA 30303, 800-869-7775 or www.gapsc.com.

•Of good moral character; not convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude, as required by GA law; possession of high standards of ethical and moral conduct and a demonstrated ability to promote the success of all students by adhering to ethical principles and professional norms.

•Has no immediate family members serving on the Pickens County Board of Education or employed as an administrator in the school district after July 1, 2009, as required by GA law.

•A proven leader with a combination of professional expertise achieved through service in roles/positions with progressively increased responsibility over time, indicating familiarity with varying aspects of leadership, politics, finance and management of the K-12 education sector and the needs of diverse learners.

•Possesses, develops, advocates and enacts a compelling shared mission, vision and core values of high-quality education and academic success and well-being of each student.

•A demonstrated ability to promote the success and well-being of all students by acting with integrity, adhering to local, state and federal laws and mandates, board of education policies and ethical guide- lines.

•Strives for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

•A record of creating and sustaining an environment in which student is known, accepted and valued, trusted and respected, cared for and encouraged to be an active and responsible member of the school and district community.

•Develops and fosters the capacity and practices of district staff professional educators to promote student academic success and well being

•Is approachable, accessible and welcoming to families and members of the district community

•Possesses the ability to utilize methods of continuous improvement to institute, manage and monitor operations and administrative systems that promote the mission and vision of the district.

Additional Preferred Criteria:

•Possession of an Ed.S. or a Ph.D. and hold or be eligible for a Georgia Leadership Certificate at the L-7 level

•Documented evidence of experience in the southeastern United States

•Evidence of a high level of effectiveness in the following personal qualities: Personal Ethics and Values, Communications, Decision Making, Personal Responsibility, Conflict Management and Motivation

 

The Board of Education

The Pickens County Schools Board of Education consists of five members:

Tommy Gartrell, Chair - 3rd year of service

Steve Lowe, Vice Chair - 1st year of service

Sue Finley - 7th year of service

Amy Gibson - 1st year of service

Joe Wigington - 1st year of service

Application Process

Applicants should not contact the Pickens County Schools’ Board of Education directly. Information, including the link to the online application, is available at GSBA’s website: gsba.com/member-services/ superintendent-search-service. You can reach GSBA at (770) 962-2985, or (800) 226-1856. To be con- sidered, the completed file must be submitted online no later than March 19, 11:59 p.m. EST.

Do not mail any materials to GSBA or the school district. Any documents should be uploaded in the spaces provided in the online application. This includes:

• formal letter of application a resume that lists three references a copy of college transcript(s) any letters of recommendation any certificates and supplemental material

Salary and Benefits

A negotiated compensation arrangement with a mix of salary and benefit