Hiring Process and Criteria

The Superintendent is responsible for recruiting personnel, in compliance with Board policy, and for making hiring recommendations to the Board. The principal will initially screen applicants for educational support positions. The District will hire highly qualified personnel consistent with budget and staffing requirements and will comply with Board policy and state law on equal employment opportunities and veterans’ preference. All applicants must complete a District application form to be considered for employment.

Every applicant must provide the District with written authorization for a criminal background investigation. The Superintendent will keep any conviction record confidential as required by law and District policy. Every newly hired employee must complete an Immigration and Naturalization Service form, as required by federal law.

Every newly hired employee must provide the District documentation of the results of a tuberculin skin test done within the year prior to initial employment, along with the name of the tester and the date and type of test administered, unless the person provides written medical documentation that he/she is a known tuberculin reactor.

Certification

The District requires its contracted certified staff to hold valid Montana teacher or specialist certificates endorsed for the roles and responsibilities for which they are employed. Failure to meet this requirement shall be just cause for termination of employment. No salary warrants may be issued to a staff member, unless a valid certificate for the role to which the teacher has been assigned has been registered with the county superintendent within sixty (60) calendar days after a term of service begins. Every teacher and administrator under contract must bring their current, valid certificate to the personnel office at the time of initial employment, as well as at the time of each renewal of certification.

The personnel office will register all certificates, noting class and endorsement of certificates, and will update permanent records as necessary. The personnel office also will retain a copy of each valid certificate of a contracted certified employee in that employee’s personnel file.

The Board of Trustees requires three (3) semesters of Native American studies. These credits shall be due within three (3) years of the date of employment for newly-hired staff members.