EXECUTIVE OPPORTUNITY

AN INVITATION TO APPLY FOR THE POSITION OF 

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

PAWTUCKET SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

PAWTUCKET, RI
 

The Pawtucket, RI School Committee invites outstanding candidates to apply for the position of Superintendent of Schools. The district seeks candidates who are invested in the achievement, equity, and access of all learners in and beyond the classroom.  Candidates with diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, class, and/or gender background and experiences are encouraged to apply.

About the City of Pawtucket
Founded in 1671, Pawtucket is the fourth largest city in the state of Rhode Island and is an ethnically diverse and culturally rich city with a population of over 75,000. Pawtucket is located four miles north of Providence where the falls of the Blackstone River meet the upper tidewaters of Narragansett Bay. It is a city with a special place in the industrial history of the United States; the Slater Mill Historic Site was where Samuel Slater first successfully constructed and operated machines for spinning cotton yarn in 1793. Although the textile industry is no longer dominant, Pawtucket now has 300 diversified industries.

About the Pawtucket School Department
The Pawtucket School Department serves approximately 8,500 PK-12 students in 16 schools: three high schools, three middle schools and ten elementary schools.   The district is proud to offer its students nationally recognized and rigorous curriculum in both ELA and Mathematics. As a result, the schools continue to make gains in proficiency with high growth on standards-based performance assessments.  Students are afforded opportunities for inquiry-based learning infused with the arts and real world applications. 

The district’s schools offer a variety of programs.  The successful preschool program includes three state preschool classrooms as well as numerous district classrooms.  The thriving dual language program as well as a strong world languages program includes a Chinese language curriculum offered in Grades K through 12.  All Pawtucket schools participate in the Governor’s initiative for computer science.   At the high school level, there are numerous pathways available for student success, including a performing arts high school.

Desired Qualifications 
The next Superintendent of the Pawtucket School Department must be a proven innovative leader to drive and manage change in a dynamic environment with demonstrated experience at raising achievement within a school system serving a diverse student population.  An in-depth knowledge of PreK-12 curricula, instruction and assessment, current and on-going educational trends, and federal/state mandates is essential. Strong communication and interpersonal skills, as evidenced by effective communication and collaboration with a variety of constituent groups, are critical. Qualified candidates must have at least 10 years’ experience working in an urban school district, with a minimum of three of those years serving as an administrator working in a central office. Multilingual candidates are preferred (e.g. Spanish, Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole). The ideal candidate will have experience in strategic planning, working with multiple unions and a strong understanding of school finance and budgets. The ability to build trust and successfully collaborate with all stakeholders is essential.

An advanced graduate degree is preferred, and a master’s degree is required. A Rhode Island Superintendent license or eligibility for license is necessary. 

The Pawtucket School Committee will offer a competitive contract with a regionally competitive salary, commensurate with qualifications and experience, along with a generous benefits package.

Review of applications will begin on May 3, 2023. Applications received after this deadline may be considered at the discretion of the School Committee. The expected start date for the new Superintendent is on or about July 1, 2023.

For more information, please contact: NESDEC Search Office, Pawtucket Superintendent Search, NESDEC, 28 Lord Road, Marlborough, MA 01752; Phone: 508-481-9444; Email: search@nesdec.org

To access the application, please visit www.nesdec.org and
click on the Executive Search tab,
or visit: https://www.applitrack.com/nesdec/onlineapp/

The Pawtucket School Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, religion, national origin, color or disability in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.