Ritenour School District, St. Louis, MO - Superintendent

McPherson & Jacobson•Omaha, MO

12h

About The Position

The Superintendent serves as the Ritenour School District’s chief executive and instructional leader. The role advances student achievement, strengthens organizational effectiveness, builds community trust, and ensures every student has access to opportunity, support, and belonging. Ritenour seeks a visible, relational, courageous, and instructionally credible leader who understands and values the district as a community. The successful candidate will honor the district’s history and strengths while leading thoughtful, evidence-based change to prepare students for success in college, career, and life. The Superintendent will work collaboratively with the Board of Education, staff, students, families, municipal and business partners, and the broader community. The district enrolls 6,600 students and is located in a diverse suburban area of Northwest St. Louis County, Missouri, encompassing nine municipalities. The stated start date is July 1, 2027. Salary is regionally competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Requirements

A strong record of improving student achievement and organizational outcomes.
A long-term commitment to Ritenour, with a forward-thinking focus on student achievement and growth.
Significant experience as an instructional and organizational leader.
Demonstrated success leading complex, diverse school communities.
Strong knowledge of teaching, learning, curriculum, assessment, and continuous improvement, including curriculum design, alignment, and evaluation across grade levels.
Experience leading organizational change while building trust and maintaining stability.
Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and conflict-resolution skills.
Demonstrated commitment to equity, cultural responsiveness, and inclusion.
Courage to make difficult decisions and humility to listen, learn, and adjust.
Strong strategic, systems-thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
Experience developing leaders, strengthening teams, and building organizational capacity.
Ability to engage students and incorporate student voice authentically into decision-making.
Ability to balance compassion with accountability, tradition with innovation, and stability with progress.
Personal integrity, authenticity, emotional intelligence, resilience, and a genuine commitment to children and community.

Nice To Haves

Understanding of Competency-Based Education (CBE) is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Keep students’ academic, social, emotional, and developmental needs at the center of district decisions.
Be visible and present, building authentic relationships with students, staff, families, Board members, and community partners.
Strengthen teaching and learning through clear instructional priorities, high expectations, effective use of data, and evidence-based practices.
Advance equity and belonging, providing meaningful access to opportunity for every student, including multilingual learners, students requiring additional support, and high-achieving students.
Build trust through transparent, consistent communication and authentic two-way community engagement.
Address difficult issues directly and hold people accountable while maintaining fairness, empathy, and respect.
Strengthen organizational coherence and effectiveness by aligning people, resources, systems, and priorities around measurable outcomes.
Develop and retain excellent staff and leaders, fostering collaboration, professional growth, accountability, and well-being.
Engage and unite a diverse community, honoring different perspectives and building shared ownership of the district’s future.
Lead thoughtful innovation and change while balancing district traditions and strengths with the need to prepare students for a changing world.
Strengthen partnerships and advocate for the district with families, municipalities, businesses, community organizations, and other partners to expand student opportunities and resources.
Maintain fiscal stewardship and organizational sustainability, aligning resources with district priorities and student needs.
Collaborate effectively with the Board of Education, establishing a relationship grounded in trust, clear roles, transparency, and shared commitment to students.
Engage students and authentically incorporate student voice into decision-making.
Understand Ritenour’s history, culture, strengths, challenges, and aspirations; be present and attentive; listen to stakeholders; and provide the expertise, humility, courage, clarity, and vision to move the district forward.