Interim Superintendent of Schools

POSITION: Interim Superintendent of SchoolsLOCATION: Newport Public SchoolsREPORTS TO: Newport School CommitteeSCHOOL YEAR: 2026/2027JOB DESCRIPTION: The Superintendent of Public Schools serves as the chief executive officer of the school district and is responsible for the overall leadership, administration, and management of all K12 educational programs, services, and operations. The Superintendent works in close collaboration with the School Committee to implement policy, advance academic excellence, and promote the success, safety, and well-being of every student.RESPONSIBILITIES: Attend all meetings of the School Committee and, except as determined by the School Committee, participate in all deliberations.Serve as an ex officio member of all subcommittees and attend meetings as necessary;Advise the School Committee on the development of policies and implement said policies in accordance with applicable laws and sound management practices;Prepare and submit to the School Committee recommendations relative to all matters requiring Committee action, providing facts, information, and reports needed to ensure the making of informed decisions;Act on own discretion if emergency action is necessary in any matter not covered by Committee policy, reporting such action as soon as practicable, and recommending policy in order to provide guidance in the future;Establish rules, regulations, and instructions needed to implement School Committee policy and to ensure the smooth operation of the schools;Delegate at own discretion to other employees the exercise of any powers or the discharge of any duties with the knowledge that said delegation does not relieve the superintendent of final responsibility;Recruit, appoint (with the advice and consent of the School Committee), assign, induct, train, evaluate, transfer, and replace, as needed, all personnel.Assume leadership for all curriculum development, instructional practices, and assessment in keeping with the needs of the students and community and the most current research available;Assign, promote, discipline, and ensure the well-being and safety of all students, in consultation with building principals and in accordance with applicable policies, regulations, and statutes.Administer all labor agreements and advise the School Committee on collective bargaining matters including negotiations.Maintain all facilities in sound operating condition, ensuring the health and safety of all occupants, promoting energy efficiency and asset protection, and developing plans for renovation, expansion, abandonment, and new construction as needed.Manage all school funds in accordance with applicable policies, regulations, statutes, and generally accepted accounting practices, ensuring that the students and taxpayers get a maximum return on funds for education.Maintain and submit personnel, pupil, business, and other records as required by federal, state, and local policy, regulation, or statute.Represent the schools before the public and engage, through active leadership within and outside the schools, in a wide variety of community relations activities, keeping the public informed on the accomplishments and needs of the schools.Keep informed of contemporary educational thoughts, trends, and practices through advanced study, school system visitations, conferences, journals, research, and other appropriate means, providing the most current ideas available to the faculty, staff, and School Committee.Performs such other tasks as assigned by the School Committee and as required by Rhode Island General Laws.EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE: Masters degree required; advanced or doctoral degree preferred. Valid Rhode Island Superintendent Certification required, or eligibility to obtain certification for out-of-state candidatesMinimum of fifteen (15) years of experience in education, including both classroom teaching and administrative leadershipSALARY: Commensurate with Experience.Applicants are not to approach members of the Newport School Committee. Individual contact between applicants and School Committee members may constitute grounds for disqualifying an application.Providing Students Opportunities and Access to the World Through Quality EducationAFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERThe Newport School Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, color, disability or veteran status.