The length of the contract for employment between an administrator and the board will be determined by the board and stated in the contract.  The contract will also state the terms of the employment.

The first two years of a contract issued to a newly employed administrator will be considered a probationary period.  The board may waive this period.  The probationary period may be extended for an additional year upon the consent of the administrator.  In the event of termination of a probationary or nonprobationary contract, the board will afford the administrator appropriate due process, including notice by May 15.  The administrator and board may mutually agree to terminate the administrator's contract.

If an administrator's contract is not being renewed by the board, the contract will be extended automatically for additional one-year periods beyond the end of its term until it is modified or terminated as mutually agreed to by the parties or until the administrator's contract is terminated consistent with statutory termination procedures.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to create a contract for each administrative position.

Administrators who wish to resign, to be released from a contract, or to retire, must comply with board policies regarding the areas of resignation, release or retirement.

Legal Reference:         
(Code of Iowa)
Chapters 279.21 and 279.24

Date of Adoption:                                                      
June 9, 1975                                                               

Date of Review:
February 8, 2021

The board has complete discretion to set the salary of the administrators.  It is the responsibility of the board to set the salary and benefits of the administrators at a level that will include consideration of, but not be limited to, the economic condition of the school district and the training, experience, skill, and demonstrated competence of the administrators.  The salary will be set at the beginning of each contract period.

In addition to the salary and benefits agreed upon, the administrator's actual and necessary expenses will be paid by the school district when the administrator is performing work-related duties.  The board will approve the payment of other benefits or compensation over and above the administrator's contract.  Approval of other benefits or items of an administrator's compensation will be included in the records of the board in accordance with board policy.

Legal Reference:           
(Code of Iowa)
Chapter 279.20, 279.23, 279.23A, 279.24

Date of Adoption:                                          
June 9, 1975                                                   

Date of Review:
February 8, 2021

Subject to the policies of the Board of Directors and to the directives issued by the Superintendent or other Central Administrative personnel on behalf of the Superintendent, the Principal shall have full authority for the assigned building and grounds, all pupils, teachers, operating personnel and all activities carried on therein or thereon.

The primary functions of the building principal are to provide administrative leadership and supervision of all building educational programs, communicate high expectations that all students will succeed in all program offering areas, evaluate educational programs, and services with the intent of encouraging continual improvement in the educational program, and maintain a visible presence in the district community to act as a spokesperson for public education.

Legal Reference:        
(Code of Iowa)

Date of Adoption:
June 9, 1975

Date of Review:
February 8, 2021

The superintendent will conduct an ongoing process of evaluating the administrators on their skills, abilities, and competence.  At a minimum, the superintendent will formally evaluate the administrators annually.  The goal of the formal evaluation process is to ensure that the educational program for the students is carried out, ensure student learning goals of the school district are met, promote growth in effective administrative leadership for the school district, clarify the administrator's role as defined by the board and the superintendent, assess administrator competence in the Iowa Standards for School leaders, ascertain areas in need of improvement, clarify the immediate priorities of the responsibilities listed in the job description, and develop a working relationship between the superintendent and the administrator.  This policy supports and does not preclude the ongoing informal evaluation of the administrator's skills, abilities and competence.

The superintendent is responsible for designing an administrator evaluation instrument to assess among other things, the administrator's competence in meeting the Iowa standards for school Leaders and the goals fo the administrator's individual professional development plan.  The formal evaluation will include written criteria related to the job description and the Iowa Standards for School Leaders.  The superintendent, after receiving input from the administrators, will present the formal evaluation instrument to the board for approval.

The formal evaluation will also include an opportunity for the administrator and the superintendent to discuss the written criteria, the past year's performance and the future areas of growth.  The evaluation is completed by the superintendent, signed by the administrator and filed in the administrator's personnel file.

The principal will be an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by:

• Mission, Vision and Core Values:  Develop, advocate and enact a shared mission, vision, and core values of high-quality education and academic success and well-being of each student.
• Ethics and Professional Norms:  Act ethically and according to professional norms to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
• Equity and Cultural Responsiveness:  Strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
• Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment:  Develop and support intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction and assessment to promote each student’s academic success and well-being. 
• Community Care and Support for Students:  Cultivate an inclusive, caring and supportive school community that promotes the academic success and well-being of each student.
• Professional Capacity of School Personnel:  Develop the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
• Professional Community for Teachers and Staff:  Foster a professional community of teachers and professional staff to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.  
• Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community:  Engage families and the community in meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial ways to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
• Operations and Management:  Manage school operations and resources to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
• School Improvement:  Act as an agent of continuous improvement to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to conduct a formal evaluation of the probationary administrators and non-probationary administrators prior to May 15.

This policy supports and does not preclude the ongoing informal evaluation of the administrator's skills, abilities and competence.

Legal Reference:        
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 279.8, .21-.23A (2013).
281 I.A.C. 12.3(3); ch 83.

Date of Adoption:
June 19, 1989

Date of Review:
August 9, 2021