ABOUT THE DISTRICT


Jeffco Public Schools, Colorado's largest K-12 school district, with 85,000 students and approximately 14,000 employees, has provided educational excellence for more than 60 years. Nearly 10 percent of all Colorado K-12 students attend a Jeffco school and our employees benefit from partnerships with experienced, dynamic school leaders throughout our district. Our Jeffco Generations vision document and strategic plan map out with focus and clarity what we expect our schools to accomplish with our graduates. Come join us!

ABOUT THE SCHOOL/DEPARTMENT

Mission:



The Open School provides a dynamic environment that fosters the development of the unique potential in each individual by nurturing and challenging the whole person. There is an emphasis on self-direction, learning through experience, shared responsibility, and the development of life long-skills.



Goals:


Students will be able to:

• Rediscover the joy of learning
  
• Seek meaning in life
  
• Adapt to the world as it is
  
• Prepare for the world that might be
  
• Create the world as it ought to be
  

ABOUT THE JOB

FOR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE INCLUDE A LETTER OF INTEREST AND A PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT.
PAPER SCREENING TO BEGIN ON MONDAY, JULY 8.

Jefferson County Open School
JOB DESCRIPTION
Assistant Principal

Necessary Qualifications:

Required licensing and certification:
To be considered, the candidate must possess a current Colorado Principal License.

Background/Experience:

1. Possess a deep belief in, theoretical knowledge of, and practical experience with progressive education practices including effective leadership skills in democratic education, self-directed and experiential learning, community building, and instructional leadership.
2. Preference given for previous classroom teaching and administrative experience in progressive education, specifically open education.
3. Must have a developmental understanding of and experience working with students across the PK-12 continuum with the ability to use effective and age-appropriate practices.
4. Demonstrated experience with day and extended trip curriculum planning, participation, and logistical support.

Specific facets of Assistant Principal Responsibilities are listed below. To be considered for employment, a person needs to demonstrate experience and competence in each of these areas. The hiring process includes an interview by a committee consisting of the Principal, staff members, parents, and students.

Performance Responsibilities

Assistant Principal: The AP must be able to collaborate with PK-12 staff to meets the needs of our multi-aged, experiential school, with an understanding of open/progressive education. T he AP must be able to foster self-direction across a PK-12 continuum. The AP will be expected to provide leadership with various stakeholder groups including: students, parents, staff, and the community at large. As an instructional leader, the AP will work with the community to ensure fidelity to the mission and vision of the Open School.

Community Leader: The school leaders guide the development of a caring community that includes all stakeholders in the school.

• Help to facilitate ongoing identification, maintenance, and commitment to a shared belief in mission and values of progressive/open education.
• Ensure that community members are involved through a collaborative decision making process and that decisions are made at the appropriate level.
• Manage conflict with honesty and tact.
• Treat all members of the community fairly, equitably and with integrity, and work respectfully with ethnic, gender, and cultural diversity.
• Demonstrate empathy and sensitivity in dealing with members of the community.
• Encourage individual achievement, teamwork, self-management, and continuous improvement.
• Empower teachers, support staff, parents, and students to be leaders in the school community.
• Practice and value a democratic model of shared decision-making.
• Understand developmentally the needs of learners of all ages, and support the community to best address those needs.
• Advocate for community.
• Attend student / staff meetings at all levels whenever possible.
• Maintain a presence in classrooms.

Instructional Leader: While ensuring fidelity to mission and vision of the Open School, a school leader is also expected to work collaboratively with various stakeholder groups to challenge the school to remain an innovative and evolving model of progressive education.

• Demonstrate a commitment to the mission, vision, and philosophy of the Open School.
• Implement democratic practices and provides leadership in a process of renewal to infuse current and innovative change designed to keep the Open School us on the cutting edge.
• Use a variety of strategies to analyze problems, gather consensus, and make decisions.
• Consistently model a powerful personal and professional learning style.
• Actively participate as a member of the school community, the school administrative team, and the district leadership team.
• Support the integration of our work with pre-service teachers and induction of new staff, with a continued focus on growth through real-time professional development.
• Watch trends and predict, in a proactive way, their effect on the school.
• Demonstrate willingness to participate in a community based peer and self-evaluation process.
• Work to maintain an equitable balance between a commitments to the mission of the Open School, and ensure compliance with laws and rules.
• Develop a strong level of trust; being a presence in classrooms, observing teaching styles and content, while maintaining a strong sense of collaboration.
• Help to design a leadership model that honors all parts of the school and their unique needs.

Management: As a school leader at the Open School, an AP is expected to share leadership and responsibility for decision-making, planning, and tasks related to the Open School program. Management tasks include effective use of human and financial resources, fair and equitable administration of discipline to maximize learning, collaborative evaluation practices to maximize teacher growth all with a focus on ensuring an orderly learning and work environment.

• Use collaborative processes in managing resources with efficiency, fairness, and involvement of the staff and community.
• Provide oversight and management of student travel resources such as vehicles and transportation to keep our field experience options open.
• Upholds and applies state laws, contractual obligations, and district policies while ensuring due process.
• Utilize appropriate personnel practices for the selection and evaluation of staff both with fairness and in compliance with legal obligations.
• Work collaboratively with Advisors to maintain a safe and orderly environment for student behavior that promotes respect for the individual, a nurturing learning environment, and a sense of personal responsibility and community.
• Deal fairly with discipline issues, supporting students and staff.
• Uses and supports technology in the management of the school. Actively seek to keep the technology equipment as current as possible.
• Effectively utilize multiple sources of data to support on-going growth through the evaluation process.
• Comfortable and experienced with shared leadership and delegation of tasks when appropriate.

The Assistant Principal must be able to respond to the needs and interests of students, parents, and staff. Desirable characteristics include flexibility, ability to communicate effectively with staff, parents, and students, and willingness to take risks. All staff members are expected to model lifelong learning.

HOURS AND DAYS WORKED

Desired Start Date: 08/08/2019Asst Principal (185)
Annual Position
FLSA: Exempt
FTE: 1.00, Hours/Day: 8.00, Days/Year: 185
Salary Plan, Grade, Step: JCA - Administrator - 185 Days, P04, 1
Min-Mid Annual Salary Range: $64,162 - $76,873

RESPONSIBILITIES

SUMMARY As outlined in the Jefferson County Public Schools' School Leadership profile, an individual in this position assists the school leader by providing leadership, community building, instructional leadership, and human and financial resources management.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Partner with principals, and other administrators, individual teachers, school sites, and articulation areas to implement District and/or school site initiatives.

Utilize content expertise to effectively develop curriculum, trainings or materials and partner with teachers and administrators to implement.

Evaluate the performance of staff members, including licensed professionals.

Communicate and work collaboratively as part of a team.

Carry out student discipline as deemed appropriate.

Respond to community and parent concerns as appropriate.

Respond to staff concerns as appropriate.

Serve as designated administrator when so identified by the principal.

Other duties as assigned.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EXPERIENCE Requirements follow State of Colorado guidelines for principal licensure.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING Master's degree or in progress.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS Colorado Principal License or eligibility for.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, & EQUIPMENT Demonstrated conflict management, problem solving, resource allocation, prioritization, data analysis, collaborative decision making, relationship building, group facilitation, writing, and speaking skills. Demonstrated knowledge and use of District policies, procedures, employee contracts, and legal requirements. Computer and technology skills which include Human Resources; Financial Systems; and communications technology including software, E-mail, and voice mail.

DECISION MAKING Assist principal in the following areas: Determine staffing levels and budget requirements; develop alternatives and make decisions in crises situations; utilize collaborative decision making skills; and apply good judgment to ensure student safety and carry out student discipline. Decision making authority may be delegated to this position, but final decisions are the responsibility of the principal. Errors could affect the reputation of District and/or compromise student safety and the learning environment.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS Daily contact with teachers, parents, and students to exchange information and resolve issues.

SPAN OF CONTROL Directly supervise teachers, classified employees, and SERS personnel. Assist principal with carrying out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws, including interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

EDUCATIONAL DELIVERY Assist principal in the following areas: Support the instructional programs of the District by supervising and evaluating teachers and administrators and by developing and implementing school instructional programs. Understand the philosophy of standards based education, the processes of curriculum development and effective models of instruction, and lead their implementation in the schools. Manage the development of curriculum and instructional programs that recognize the contributions of diverse groups and foster success for all students regardless of gender, race, or disability. Lead the community in the development of challenging performance standards for students and the development of varied supervisory and evaluation processes. Insure the development of a staff development program that recognizes the principles of adult learning and focuses on student success. Use data to analyze the current state of student learning and serve as a catalyst for and manager of needed change. Understand and lead the use of technology in instruction. The majority of the time is spent at the school site.

COMPLEXITY OF WORK Requires analytical skills, independent thinking, considerable judgment, and the ability to assess crises and make sound decisions quickly with little time or input from others. Assist with managing personnel, curriculum, student success and discipline, and physical plant. Must have a strong understanding of student behavior, District culture and policies, and be able to quickly analyze the impact of decisions on the student, school, District, and community. Generally, work is complicated by the volume of students at the school site, large budget management responsibilities, and the diversity and severity of student issues and crises.

The physical demands, work environment factors, and mental functions described here are representative of those that 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 to perform the essential functions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, talk or hear, and taste or smell. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

MENTAL FUNCTIONS While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly is required to compare, analyze, communicate, evaluate, use interpersonal skills, compile, and negotiate. The employee frequently is required to copy, instruct, compute, and synthesize.

WORK ENVIRONMENT While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

SALARY

Jeffco Salary Schedules

BENEFITS

Jeffco Benefits


EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Jefferson County School District does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, pregnancy, or gender.