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Assistant Superintendent for the Office of English Language Learners

Employer
Boston Public Schools
Location
Boston, MA, US
Salary
Competitive

Job Details

General Information
JOB TITLE: Assistant Superintendent for the Office of English Language Learners
FTE: 1.0
Job Code: S00156 -Asst Superintendent

Job Description

Boston Public Schools (BPS) believes that all students learning English as a second language, including those with learning differences, must successfully engage in rigorous instructional learning with appropriate differentiated instructional strategies, and the explicit teaching of English language acquisition. BPS also deeply values the cultural and linguistic assets of our students, and believes that our school communities must be safe and welcoming learning environments for our diverse students, families, and staff. The ultimate outcome for our over 17,000 English Learners, which includes over 3,600 English Learners with Disabilities, is for them to graduate from BPS with the academic and social emotional skills necessary to be college, career, and life ready in the 21st century.

BPS is seeking an Assistant Superintendent for the Office of English Language Learners (OELL) that shares in these values. This leader must have high expectations for all students and an innovative mindset to lead OELL in realizing its vision: Providing a culturally and linguistically responsive education with the supports needed to ensure equitable access to opportunities that promote language acquisition, bilingualism, biliteracy and lifelong learning. OELL is a critical instructional office in the Academic and Student Supports for Equity Team (ASSET) and the Assistant Superintendent of OELL a key member of the District's instructional leadership team (ILT). With the recent passing of the LOOK bill in Massachusetts, the Assistant Superintendent will also have the opportunity design models for EL supports and services in BPS focused on bilingualism and attaining the seal of biliteracy.

The future Assistant Superintendent of OELL must be a motivated leader comfortable with building from the significant progress made in the past few years in the area of service delivery and compliance, while also growing the curation and development of instructional resources and menu of supports to schools and stakeholders through the BPS core values of Equity, Coherence, and Innovation. BPS families and students speak over 70 different languages and account for nearly a third of all BPS students. The Assistant Superintendent of OELL is a key leader responsible for building capacity in culturally-linguistically sustaining practices that foster positive student identity and community within BPS and with partners, so they must be effective in sharing their leadership story and in the promotion of the work in OELL.
REPORTS TO: Deputy Superintendent for Academic and Student Supports for Equity Team
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Assistant Superintendent of the Office of English Language Learners reports to the Deputy Superintendent of Academics and Student Supports for Equity Team (ASSET) and is responsible for supervising the following departments: English Language Instruction, Newcomers Assessment and Counseling Center, English Language Parent Team, Translations and Interpretations Unit, and English Language Equity and Accountability. In addition, the Assistant Superintendent will be responsible for the following:
  • Work collaboratively with the Deputy Superintendent, Assistant Superintendents, and team members within (ASSET), as well as across district departments, in the development, implementation and evaluation of district-wide English language development program model(s) and services, curricula development and guidance, professional learning, and other resources and supports that reflect Culturally-Linguistically Sustaining Practices for ELs and ELs with disabilities.
  • Co-design and lead the implementation of district-wide strategies that leverage the LOOK bill and will improve the academic and social emotional achievement of all ELs and eliminate opportunity and achievement gaps for ELs by enacting the four Essentials for Instructional Equity ;1) Creating safe, healthy, and sustaining learning environments for all students; 2) Developing learning experiences that demonstrate design for access for all students; 3) Engaging all students in cognitively-demanding tasks and instruction; and 4) Employing strategies for assessment for learning that allow students to authentically develop and demonstrate their knowledge and skills
  • Effectively lead and manage the approximate 35 OELL team members that are inspired by the OELL vision by ensuring that they are able to demonstrate leadership skills when collaborating with school-site personnel and as they continue to grow deep and extensive ties to the community, including the preparation of annual EL program plans and budget that are aligned to BPS priorities for ELs.
  • Utilize innovation and leverage teacher leadership and instructional leadership teams to transform teaching and learning for ELs, including designing professional learning built on adult agency and rigor and enrichment resource options for ELs that fosters student agency.
  • Work with central offices and school teams to develop and implement multi-tiered systems of supports with a focus on data-information systems, such as Early Warning Indicators, that monitor the progress of ELs and ELs with disabilities in order to accelerate the academic and language development of ELs, and lead efforts to continually improve EL program model(s), curricula, interventions, assessments,.
  • Lead the effort in evaluating the impact of district-wide programs and supports based on findings from formal and informal program evaluations. Facilitate the creation and dissemination of findings and actions in a meaningful manner based on the target audience, as necessary, to demonstrate EL progress toward attaining rigorous learning outcomes, and compliance with governmental regulations, court orders, and legal documents that pertain to ELs.
  • Partner with community based organizations, professional organizations, internal monitoring bodies (such as the EL Task Force), and other external agencies to develop and implement multicultural and bilingual programs and other initiatives that are highly responsive to the needs of ELs and to recently immigrated student populations.
  • Effectively communicate in a manner positively represents the Boston Public Schools on local, state and national media requests, professional associations, committees and panels.
  • Develop, implement and monitor processes for compliance, quality and fiscal accountability to ensure the financial stability of the District.
  • Visit schools and engage in courageous yet respectful consultancies and supportive conversations on effective English Learner program implementation, identify focus/challenge areas and best practices, and ensure appropriate resources and accommodations are being met to support academic instruction to meet the needs of all EL students, families and staff.
  • Ensure that BPS is able to welcome and provide all incoming students that may need EL services with a valid language assessment that complies with local, state and federal regulations and decrees.
  • Ensure that families have access to their student's education by providing meaningful EL parent engagement opportunities, including expanding the District English Learner Advisory Council, utilization of the EL Parent Team, and ensuring essential District and school information is made available in a culturally and linguistically responsive manner and via services provided by the Translations and Interpretations Unit.
  • Perform all other duties as assigned by the Deputy Superintendent f or Academic and Student Supports for Equity Team .
Required Qualifications:
  • Hold a Master's Degree in the field of EL Education or Linguistics or a Master's Degree in a related field;
  • Hold or be eligible to obtain a valid Massachusetts Assistant Superintendent license;
  • Possess a minimum of three years experience in a senior level leadership position in an urban school district, school, or organization with experience establishing systems in schools and/or management experience in education strategy development, implementation, and systems-level thinking;
  • Demonstrated experience designing and implementing effective EL instructional programs, including dual language programs, Sheltered English Immersion programs, programs for Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education, etc.
  • Demonstrated capability to work collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders, such as school and district staff, families, youth, community based organizations and members, external legal monitoring and other essential partners such as Task Forces in order to achieve key objectives and milestones in a timely manner;
  • Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of closing the achievement gap for ELs and EL instructional strategies, evaluation, and theories;
  • Demonstrated ability to establish annual program goals and benchmarks for English Learner programs and services and to support needs for ELs in the context of broader District goals, policies, and strategies (such as the Strategic Implementation Plan and the Opportunity and Achievement Gap Policy) to successfully meet goals.
  • Excellent oral, written communication, and presentation skills; and
  • Experience working with diverse student populations, including a minimum of five years teaching EL students.
  • Current authorization to work in the United States - Candidates must have such authorization by their first day of employment

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Possess a working knowledge of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Regulations and rules and regulations that pertain to services for ELs.
  • Holds a valid DESE and/or professional license in a related field;
  • Bilingual;
  • Experience with English learners with disabilities and the intersection of language and learning differences;
  • Demonstrated delivery of effective professional development opportunities that utilize teacher leadership, and a strong understanding of the Common Core and World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment;
  • Have experience managing a budget and making sound fiscal decisions;
  • Successful experience with fostering leadership and positive culture within a team, planning and conducting meetings effectively and efficiently;
  • Strong organizational skills, with outstanding attention to detail;
  • Ability to work independently and in a collaborative team environment;
  • Comfort with handling multiple projects simultaneously as well as working with rapidly shifting priorities and targets;
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to create trusting relationships, including fostering relationships with external partners and community members;
  • Commitment to self-reflection and ongoing learning; and
  • Successful experience with turnaround management and accelerating EL student growth
  • Experience developing monitoring systems for quality improvement.
TERMS: Managerial Tier E, 12 months. City of Boston Residency Required

The Assistant Superintendent for the Office of English Language Learners maintains a work week that extends beyond a forty- hour (40) hours and works additional hours as required to carry out all the duties and responsibilities.

The Boston Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, does not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, age, criminal record (inquiries only), disability, homelessness, sex/gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetics or military status, and does not tolerate any form of retaliation, or bias-based intimidation, threat or harassment that demeans individuals' dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.

Company

As the birthplace of public education in this nation, the Boston Public Schools is committed to transforming the lives of all children through exemplary teaching in a world-class system of innovative, welcoming schools. We partner with the community, families, and students to develop in every learner the knowledge, skill, and character to excel in college, career, and life.

Company info
Telephone
(617) 635-1550
Location
2300 Washington Street
Roxbury
MA
02119
United States

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