Assistant Superintendent
Office of the Chief of Schools

Central Office

Job Number: 4600167162

Start Date:

Open Date: 11/27/2018

Closing Date: 01/18/2019

For forward-thinking administrators and educators opportunities abound in the School District of Philadelphia. The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) is committed to transforming the education opportunities it offers the city's 200,000 school-aged children. The district seeks proven instructional leaders with outstanding interpersonal skills who have a passion for working with schools, principals and communities and who are committed to ensuring all students achieve. Serving a population as diverse as ours requires creativity, commitment and vision. Will you join us?

Job Summary
Quality school leadership contributes significantly to student achievement. Assistant Superintendents for the School District of Philadelphia supervise and support a network of 20-30 school principals. Assistant Superintendents are expected to promote high quality instructional practices; provide instructional leadership direction; and coach, mentor and support principals as they grow their leadership skills. The work of Assistant Superintendents is an integral part of the classroom-by-classroom, school-by-school effort to reform instruction and increase student achievement in every school. Assistant Superintendents are responsible for helping to select and assign principals, supporting differentiated professional growth and building the leadership capacity of the District. Collecting, analyzing and using multiple sources of data to guide continuous improvement of schools within their purview is an important function of this job. Assistant Superintendents are also expected to help assess school climate and to assist principals with the development of school improvement plans.

Essential Functions

• Promotes the District's high performing school practices and ensures the consistent implementation of the practices across all schools
• Guides principals to provide learning environments that enable every student to achieve
• Coordinates and ensures the successful integration of evidence-based strategies to ensure the growth and success of all District schools and scale good ideas
• Formulates, plans and implements mentoring and professional growth and development to assigned principals; develops and implements differentiated professional growth plans that include current, evidence-based practices; reviews and assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of professional development plans.
• Helps to select, develop and evaluate principals
• Provides leadership as a member of a collaborative team to ensure that curriculum and instruction initiatives are student focused and aligned with the Core Curriculum
• Functions as a qualified observer of teachers and principals
• Supports principals to assess the core competencies that teachers need to implement curriculum and deliver instruction.
• Ensures coordinated, excellent services are delivered to schools
• Ensures the deployment of resources and intervention approaches to appropriately and effectively address challenges
• Ensures the implementation of strategies to meet the District's performance targets and continuous improvement plans.
• Communicates clearly with principals, parents and the community about District priorities, school performance and student achievement
• Actively engages with students, parents and families to learn from them and support their needs
• Responds to constituents' concerns and serves as the liaison to schools, central offices and community groups on matters related to instruction and school leadership
• Advocates on behalf of school communities within the school district central administration
• Works with principals to identify and implement school improvements that enhance the learning environment and support administrative efficiency.
• Ensures that all functions and activities are executed in compliance with District policies and professional standards and local, state and federal laws.
• Develops effective working relationships with principals and school stakeholders
• Uses executive judgment to solve problems and manage crises

Minimum Requirements

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university in education, educational administration or a related field.
• Seven years of full-time, paid, educational experience, at least three of which have been in a school-based administrative or supervisory capacity.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Demonstrated knowledge of:

• the principles of educational administration.
• research-based school improvement designs and current issues facing urban public education.
• governmental statues and regulations relating to instruction and curriculum.
• state and national trends that impact development and improvements in curriculum design.
• standards and current curriculum frameworks.
• curriculum development and implementation, as well as authentic assessment practices.
• implementing differentiated instructional methods and techniques.
• leading and implementing broad-based initiatives and programs.

Demonstrated ability to:

• provide leadership in organizational or school change.
• improve student outcomes.
• coordinate, facilitate and implement diversified interdisciplinary programs.
• coordinate and oversee the work of staff and attain effective results.
• formulate and implement professional development for adult learners.
• effectively represent the District in a professional manner and serve in a liaison capacity.
• evaluate data and prepare cogent recommendations.
• use a personal computer to develop presentations, documents, spreadsheets and analyses.
• communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Disclaimer
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Certificates/Licenses

• Valid Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Superintendent's Letter of Eligibility.