Job Summary

Under the leadership of the Superintendent, this position is responsible for managing the Department of School Leadership (DOSL) to include supervision of schools and school leaders. The Chief of Schools will ensure significant student achievement gains at the school level using school improvement data to measure progress. This position analyzes data from multiple sources in order to determine appropriate initiatives for the continuous improvement of all schools.

 

Essential Duties

1. Develop, maintain, and lead a rigorous Plan for Continuous Improvement (PCI) that results in measurable improved student achievement.
2. Ensure alignment between the NNPS strategic plan and schools.
3. Serves in a leadership role for school improvement planning, principal professional development, and evaluations.
4. Partners with school leaders to monitor and adjust school improvement plans.
5. Ensures the growth and success of all schools through the successful integration of evidence-based strategies.
6. Develop a shared understanding of challenges at the school level and identify opportunities for improved student achievement.
7. Support principals to ensure high-quality implementation of each school’s educational design, to include culture, standards, assessments, and instructional guidelines.
8. Provides and oversees effective management, coaching, and mentorship of school leaders in order to drive significant student achievement gains.
9. Support the differentiated professional development of administrative staff in order to instill the skills to select, develop, and evaluate principals.
10. Allocate and monitor the effectiveness of mentoring and coaching resources assigned to provide differentiated support to schools as needed.
11. Continuously review and evaluate the effectiveness of DOSL leadership, confirm strategies are student-focused and aligned with each school’s mission, core values, academic standards, and goals.
12. Provide professional development and lead DOSL administrators in their roles as instructional leaders.
13. Support DOSL staff in developing annual strategic goals and a blue print to meet those goals.
14. Manage the DOSL department budget(s).
15. Review all personnel requests from principals to determine need and budget tolerance.
16. Partner with Human Resources to provide support in recruiting, identifying, and promoting excellent teachers and school-based administrators.
17. Create collaborative and effective communication channels between central office staff and school administrators.
18. Collaborate with central office staff to evaluate existing programs, services, and practices.
19. Establish and maintain clear, consistent interactions with parents, families, and community partners to receive input and feedback on the effectiveness of our schools, and to resolve concerns.
20. Keeps abreast of current educational trends, practices, and proposed legislation impacting the schools and ensures that appropriate staff is kept up to date.
21. Models nondiscriminatory practices in all activities.

 

(These are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed.  The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.)

 

Other Duties

1. Initiates and maintains effective liaisons with other school divisions and professional organizations to maintain a current knowledge of developments and research in the profession.
2. Serves on the Superintendent’s Executive Leadership and Senior Staff
3. Serves as a designee, upon request, for the Superintendent at instructional meetings, programs and ceremonies.
4. Performs any other related duties as assigned by the Superintendent.

 

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities Required)

Must possess a Master's degree (Doctorate preferred) in Educational Administration or Curriculum and Instruction.  Minimum of three years executive level, public school, central office experience and 3 years as a building principal required.  Must have three years of successful experience as a teacher in public schools. Proven success managing and coaching large teams of professionals to attainment of ambitious goals.  Must possess budget planning and execution experience. Must possess a comprehensive knowledge of the principles, practices, and current issues in educational administration. Must possess a demonstrated ability to guide strategic planning process which supports division goals and programs.   Must possess the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable structural or composite characteristics of data, people or things.   Must possess excellent leadership, management, and communication skills.  Must possess the ability to speak effectively before large groups and high level executives.   Must possess the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with school division officials, staff, and the public.

 

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Duties are performed in an office, in schools, community centers and wherever the business of the school division is to be conducted.  Overnight travel is required. Must be knowledgeable of and physically able to operate a variety of equipment including personal computer. Must possess a valid driver’s license and physically able to operate a motor vehicle.  Work usually requires walking and standing. Requires ability to talk, hear and communicate via telephone.  The physical requirements described herein are representative of those which must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.   Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities, who are otherwise qualified, to perform the essential functions.

 

Supervision Exercised:   Assigned staff

Supervision Received:   Superintendent

 

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee.   The Chief Schools Officer will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other related duties as assigned by the Superintendent. Newport News Public Schools reserves the right to update, revise or change this job description and related duties at any time.