SERIES 4000: DISTRICT EMPLOYMENT

4600 The Superintendent

4601 General

A. Employment

Except in limited circumstances as otherwise allowed by law, the Board will employ a Superintendent as the District’s chief administrative officer who will report to the Board. The Superintendent’s individual employment contract will not exceed 5 years. The Superintendent will maintain appropriate certification, as well as comply with continuing education requirements, as a condition of continued employment. The Superintendent must immediately notify the Board if his or her certification expires or is nullified or revoked.

B. Duties and Responsibilities

The Superintendent will regularly advise the Board on significant legal, educational, financial, and other school-related developments affecting the District and the Board and will demonstrate exemplary leadership and knowledge of contemporary educational philosophy and effective practices.

The Superintendent will ensure compliance with requirements imposed by federal and state law, Policy, and governmental authorities with jurisdiction over Michigan schools. The Board delegates to the Superintendent the general power and authority to do the following, within Board-approved Policy and budgetary parameters:

1. direct curriculum and take actions to maximize student safety, welfare, and educational opportunities;
2. Suspend students up to 59 days and expel students consistent with Policy 5206;
3. ensure compliance with student disciplinary standards and procedures;
4. accept all employee resignations on the Board’s behalf;
5. make other employment decisions consistent with these Policies, specifically including the right to hire, recall, transfer, assign, direct, discipline, and recommend or impose termination, as applicable;
6. develop and implement recruitment, application, and selection procedures to fill vacancies for Non-Exempt Staff, Teaching Professionals, Non-Teaching Professionals, Administrators, Supervisors, and Directors and to make hiring recommendations to the Board for approval, if applicable;
7. manage District grounds, buildings, property, and equipment and make determinations about their use, maintenance, improvements, purchases, and repairs in accordance with law;
8. temporarily close one or more of the District’s schools or programs or alter the school day when the Superintendent determines that the action is necessary for the health and safety of students and staff;
9. maintain adequate supplies and materials for students and staff;
10. consult with outside advisors, attorneys, auditors, and others in the best interests of the District;
11. negotiate collective bargaining agreements and other contracts, subject to Board review and ratification;
12. serve as the Board’s spokesperson and community liaison;
13. develop, recommend, and implement cooperative programs and services with other public and private entities that will promote attainment of District goals and objectives;
14. implement Board policies and supervise the District’s day-to-day operations;
15. take action in circumstances not authorized by Board action or Policy when required to effectively run the District’s day-to-day operations, to respond to a lawful order, or to implement rules to protect health and safety. The Superintendent should (1) inform the Board of the action taken and the need for expedited action; and (2) report the action to the Board during the first meeting following the action; 
16. draft administrative guidelines and forms which are consistent with these Policies or the law to effectively run the District’s operations; and
17. take action as permitted or required by law or as authorized by Board action or Policy.

C. Fiscal Management

The Superintendent, in consultation with other District personnel, will prepare and present to the Board a proposed annual District budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Budget adoption and amendments will be subject to Board approval. The Superintendent will furnish the Board with all information requested by the Board for proper consideration of the proposed budget. After the proposed budget is adopted by the Board at a public hearing held in compliance with the Budget Hearings of Local Government Act, the Superintendent, in consultation with the individual acting in the capacity of the District’s business official, will oversee and control budget expenditures to ensure compliance with the budget adopted by the Board.

Legal authority: MCL 141.411 et seq.; MCL 380.11a, 380.601a, 380.653, 380.654, 380.1229(1), 380.1229(4), 380.1246, 380.1536

Date adopted:   08/09/2021

Date revised:   06/19/2023