§ 47-a. Superintendent of schools. The term "superintendent of schools" shall mean the chief school officer of a school district other than the city school district of the city of New York or a community school district therein. Except for purposes of § 1711 of the education law, any reference in any law, ordinance, resolution, rule or regulation, proceeding, process, notice, order, decree, judgement, record or other public document or paper to the terms "district principal", "supervising principal" or "principal of the district" shall be deemed to mean "superintendent of schools".