The First 100 Days (16 Weeks)—Superintendent Entry Plan

Week 1

Information Needed:

  • Are Contracts Signed and positions filled?
  • Do we have any current capital projects underway or major technology initiatives underway? What is their status?
  • Do we have enough cash reserves to meet our short-term financial obligations?
  • Meet with the business manager to review and develop an understanding of
  • Financial responsibilities
  • Internal controls
  • Line-item budget
  • Unspent authority
  • Etc . . .
  • Review current board/district goals.
  • Begin to review overall financial health and practices of the district.

Sources of Information:

  • Business manager & board/superintendent’s secretary
  • If possible, the outgoing superintendent
  • Previous board reports, CSIP
  • Board president
  • Previous audit reports

Week 2

Information Needed:

  • Make sure the district is ready for registration
  • Student fee’s set and permissible by state law
  • Lunch, textbooks, activity, driver education, etc ..
  • Review and establish board meeting responsibilities with the business manager & building administrators.
  • Begin meeting with Support Services (head of food service, technology, transportation, and maintenance)
  • Status of their departments
  • Major projects
  • Major needs
  • Immediate goals/needs
  • Begin meeting with board members
  • Perspective on the district
  • View of school/community relations
  • Influential/political/financial community members

Sources of Information:

  • Business manager
  • District secretaries
  • Previous board reports
  • School website and audit reports

Weeks 3 & 4

Information Needed:

  • Review bid process and make sure all bids are completed for the upcoming year
  • Continue meeting with support services
  • Informally visit with the administrative team and
  • Association strength and relations with board/administration
  • Media relations
  • Begin a more in-depth look at finances of the district
  • Enrollment trends and current enrollment figures
  • Open-enrollment in and out
  • Student/Teacher Ratio
  • Fund Balances
  • Network with influential community members informally and possibly develop a formal periodic process

Sources of Information:

  • Business manager and business office staff
  • CAR Data
  • Past year’s board reports (secretary’s financial reports)
  • Recapitulation reports for previous year
  • Iowa Department of Education Website

Weeks 5 & 6

Information Needed:

  • Continue the in-depth review of district finances
  • Fund balances
  • Projected general fund revenues and expenses
  • Look over previous Authorized Spending Authority Worksheets
  • Special Education students, weighting, and staffing needs
  • Review taxation practices
  • History of taxing
  • Philosophy/perspective of board and community
  • Current levies
  • ISL
  • Expiration dates
  • History
  • PPEL
  • Expiration dates
  • History
  • Develop an understanding of past status of relationships between superintendent and union, staff, support staff, administrative team, and board
  • Continue networking with influential community members

Sources of Information:

  • Business Manager
  • Department of Education
  • Iowa Department of Management
  • Iowa School Finance Information Services
  • Iowa Association of School Boards
  • Administrative team

Weeks 7 & 8

Information Needed:

  • Begin redefining or reinforcing superintendent relationships with union, staff, support staff
  • Continue developing strong level of trust and shared vision with business manager and administrative team
  • Continue meeting with board members and influential community members
  • With the business manager conduct a more in-depth review and discussion of internal controls for fundraising, activity accounts, and purchasing processes.
  • Process any potential changes before making them.

Sources of Information:

  • Business Manager
  • Administrative Team
  • Board policies and procedures regarding activity accounts and fundraising

Weeks 9 - 11

Information Needed:

  • Closer look at special education numbers, weighting, associates, Medicaid, fund carryover, students served elsewhere, etc . . .
  • Review Management Fund
  • Early retirement policy, property & casualty insurance, workmen’s compensation

Sources of Information:

  • Business Manager
  • Special Education Director/AEA personnel
  • Aid & Levy Worksheet
  • ISFIS
  • IASB

Weeks 12 –16

Information Needed:

  • Review any purchasing cycles
  • Technology, transportation, office machines
  • Review PPEL & Technology 5-year plans. If they don’t exist, make them.
  • Make sure all enrollment is calculated correctly
  • Student counts within buildings,
  • Non-public shared-time students
  • Open-enrolled in and out
  • CPI Dual-Enrolled
  • Special education
  • Make sure your At-Risk application is accurate and complete

Sources of Information:

  • Technology director, transportation director, office manager, business manager
  • Administrative team
  • Special education director/AEA
  • AYP

Other thoughts

  • With the business manager, review available calendars from various sources (IASBO, IASB, DOM, DE) and agree on responsibilities and timelines with the business manager,. This should allow for planning and meeting deadlines for all applications, submissions, etc . . .
  • Seek and create a network of superintendents with whom you can collaborate and mutually support.
  • Make Board goals—financial and otherwise—a part of regular correspondence with administrative team.
  • Review recapitulation data on a monthly basis and meet with the business manager
  • How are we doing?
  • What should we be considering at this time?
  • What is coming up?
  • Any adjustments that need to be made?
  • Always be positive, but realistic!
  • Take advantage of the education opportunities like ISFLIC and ISBMA. Consider attending with business manager (as a team).
  • Advocate with legislators regarding K-12 education funding