An Invitation to Apply for the Position of
Superintendent
Rapid City, South Dakota
The Position
The Rapid City Area City School District 51-4, Rapid City, South Dakota, Board of
Education, is seeking a highly qualified superintendent of schools. The Board wishes to have
the successful candidate assume the responsibilities of the position on July 1, 2016.
McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C., Executive Recruitment and Development has been engaged as
the consultant in a search for outstanding candidates. They will assist the board of education in
identifying and screening the candidates.
The Qualifications
The candidate must have the background, skills, and abilities essential for excellence in
educational leadership. The board recognizes that selecting a superintendent is one of the most
important decisions it will make. The Board developed the following desired characteristics:
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Possess good business skills and strong in financial planning, management, and budgeting.
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A consensus builder who communicates and listens effectively, and has experience forging
relationships with community and business leaders
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Student-centered advocate with a vision dedicated to advancing student achievement for all
students.
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Demonstrates leadership skills with the ability to motivate others to quality performance.
The ability to instill trust and confidence in all aspects of the organization.
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Have high level of honesty and integrity, be a positive role model, and a positive
representative of the school district.
The Community
Rapid City, South Dakota, the county seat of Pennington County, located on the eastern slope
of the Black Hills mountain range in the southwest part of South Dakota. Historically, out of a
campfire conversation in 1876 by a group of prospectors, the city of Rapid City was born. With
a population around 70,000, Rapid City is the second largest city in South Dakota.
Nearby attractions include the Black Hills, Badlands, Mount Rushmore National Memorial and
the Crazy Horse Memorial. With these great attractions tourism is Rapid City’s main industry.
Along with tourism, Rapid City offers a number of business industries such as: hospitality,
agriculture, manufacturing, and hospital services.
With all of the wonderful outdoor activities Rapid City has to enjoy, they have just as many
indoor activities such as Art Alley, The Apex Gallery, Black
Hills Chamber Orchestra, Black Hills Community Theatre,
and the Black Hills Playhouse.
With the rapid growth in the area due to the wide variety of
enterprises, it no wonder that Forbes named Rapid City as
#19 in the category of “Best Small Place for Business and
Careers” in 2013.
The District
District website http://www.rcas.org
Rapid City Area Schools
District Facts
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13,772 Students
400 Square mile district
54 Administrative Staff
900 Certified Teachers
700 Classified Teachers
School Buildings
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15 Elementary
5 Middle School
3 High School
1 Higher Education
Partnerships
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Black Hills State University
South Dakota School of
Mines and Technology
 Western Dakota Technical Institute
Extracurricular Activities
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Athletics for male and female
-beginning at middle school level
 Performing and Visual Arts
 Clubs
Budget
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$6 Billion Assessed Valuation
$84 Million Operating Budget
The Board of Education
The Rapid City Area School District Board of Education consists of seven community members
elected to three-year terms. The tenure of the Board members ranges from 1 to 14 years.
Name
Occupation
Years Served
Mr. Jim Hansen, President
Rapid City Police Department
5 years
Mr. Dave Davis, 1st Vice President
American Family Insurance
3 years
Mr. Matt Stephens, 2nd Vice President Lawyer
4 years
Mrs. Sheryl Kirkeby, Member
KOTA Territory News
14 years
Dr. Edward McLaughlin, Member
Retired
3 years
Mr. Jeff Nelson, Member
Engineer
6 years
Mrs. Katharine Thomas, Member
Parent/Educator
1 year
Vision Statement
All Rapid City Area School students will achieve to their full potential.
APPLICATION & SELECTION
PROCEDURE
available at www.macnjake.com
7905 L St., Suite 310, Omaha, NE 68127
Phone: (402) 991-7031 Fax: (402) 991-7168
E-mail: [email protected] www.macnjake.com
An application for superintendent should include:
A letter setting forth personal qualifications, experiences
and reasons for interest in the position
 A current résumé
 A completed application form
 Reference letters, certificates and licenses, and academic
transcripts from colleges/universities indicating degree(s)

Candidates are asked to not directly contact board members. Any effort to do so may
eliminate them from consideration. Names of applicants will be held in strict confidence
whenever possible; however, McPherson & Jacobson complies with individual states’
Freedom of Information laws. In the final process, the school board may visit the district
where the candidate is employed, but will not proceed without the knowledge and consent
of the candidate.
Selection Timeline:
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Closing date for applications: January 4, 2016 (11:30 p.m. central time)
Board of Education selects finalists to interview: January 20, 2016
Finalists interviews with the Board of Education: January 26-29, 2016
Selection of new superintendent: February 2016
Start date: July 1, 2016
Rapid City Area Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer.