Boston Public Schools

JOB TITLE: Program Director for the Accelerated Intervention Program @ Excel High School

DIVISION: Office of Secondary Schools

OFFICE: Alternative Education

TEAM:

REPORTS TO: Assistant Secondary Superintendent

ACADEMIC/NON-ACADEMIC: Academic

The Organization

Founded in 1647, Boston Public Schools (BPS) is the oldest public school district in the country. With approximately 57,000 students from over 114 different countries, and a budget of approximately $1 billion, BPS is the largest school district in Massachusetts and is one of the most diverse as well. BPS has been recognized as one of the top urban school districts in the United States; in 2006, it was awarded the Broad Prize for Urban Education as the most improved urban school district in the nation.

For over thirty years, Boston Public Schools has developed a network of Alternative Education Schools and Programs to help prepare students for future success by providing a supportive, non-traditional yet academically challenging school environment for these students. It is important to note that our Alternative Education Schools/ Programs are designed to respond to those students who are not succeeding in the traditional school environment, who are at-risk of dropping out or who may have already dropped out of the traditional high school. The reasons students drop out are many; The four common areas in which a student may experience challenges that put him/her at-risk for NOT completing high school are: Student; Family; School and Community Related. The Alternative Education landscape in BPS consists of 12 schools and programs located throughout the city including Adult Education.

Position Overview:

The Program Director will manage the daily operations of the Accelerated Intervention Program to include but not limited to; providing administrative support, professional development and classroom coaching to teachers. The Program Director will oversee the implementation of alternative individualized project based curriculum with a focus on career exploration using competency based grading to help engage and serve the city’s most at risk youth. The Program Director will manage the partnership between the AIP and host school to ensure the successful implementation of the program’s mission and vision of providing the city’s youth access to effective alternative educational options.

Responsibilities:

Operations

• Manage daily operations including (but not limited to):
  • Implementing and monitoring daily protocols and procedures to ensure student and staff safety
  • Answering parent calls and inquiries
  • Hosting parent meetings
  • Hosting peer mediations
  • One on one conferencing with students
  • Take and monitor daily attendance
    • Follow up/check in with students who have missed more than 2 days of school
    • Contact parents and develop attendance plan for all students with 4 or more absences
    • Design long term solutions including supports and custom scheduling for students with attendance issues resulting from outside school issues such as child care, work etc.
    • Create and monitor individual attendance buyback plans
    • Member of the buildings attendance committee to help strategize whole school solutions

Administrative and Management

• Work with school administrator to ensure successful program implementation
• Conduct regular classroom observations and provide teachers with feedback
• Evaluate teacher performance during annual and semiannual reviews
• Plan and lead 24 hours of Professional Development focused on alternative teaching strategies and project based learning
• Lead morning and afternoon meetings to communicate student concerns and updates
• Assign and monitor duties to teachers to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for all students
• Facilitate outside learning opportunities
• Manage the hiring process for all new employees

Student Support

• Design and monitor student behavioral and academic interventions
• Supervise Graduation Coaching process and monitor student progress
• Work with school clinicians to ensure all students are being supported
• Coordinate with community partners to provide wrap-around supports to students and families
• Work with school SPED coordinator to ensure all IEPs are being followed and that students are receiving proper in class services and supports
• Create a student hand book and monitor compliance
• Lead Restorative Justice circles for peer mediation and conflict resolution
• Create and manage students schedules and road maps to ensure all students are on track to graduate
• Work with school guidance to ensure all requirements are being met
• Plan college visits and guest speakers
• Create post college graduation plans for all students
• Network with local trades to provide alternative graduation options to students

Curriculum

• Assist teachers in building an alternative individualized project based curriculum for each content area
• Provide training to teachers to expand their practice using project based learning
• Develop and monitor Instructional Focus

Culture

• Plan bi weekly all program gatherings to promote community
• Host monthly awards luncheon recognizing success and attendance
• Coordinate and host parent events
• Produce monthly newsletter for program to be shared with students families and community partners

Long term strategic planning

• Work with school administrator and guidance to identify at risk students and design program criteria
• Conduct transcript reviews for all prospective students
• Interview students and provide program materials to families and community partners
• Observe other alternative programs to apply best practices
• Meet with district headmasters to identify potential expansion opportunities to serve as many off track youth as possible
• Network with local business leaders to identify funding and partnership opportunities
• Create a 3 year plan that lays out the mission and vision of the program and the benefits to the district’s off track alternative population

Job Requirements:

• Master’s Degree in related field
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in urban public school setting, with preference given to candidates who have both classroom teaching background in related discipline and leadership experience.
• Experience in facilitating professional development programming to teachers.
• Proficient in technology necessary to retrieve, analyze and report data; typically Microsoft Office; Excel, Word, Access.
• Experience in managing successful project teams

Preferred:

• Massachusetts Educators license HS Assistant Principal/Principal

TERMS: [Managerial D position] This position is subject to the City of Boston residency requirement.

Please refer to www.bostonpublicschools.org/ohc (under "Employee Benefits and Policies") for more information on salary and compensation. Salaries are listed by Unions and Grade/Step.

NOTE: School-based managerial employees will work 223 days between July 1st and June 30th each year. The 223 day work-year will include the 180 days in which school is in session, and the additional days will be determined by the employee and the principal or headmaster of the school. The School-based managerial employees are not eligible for vacation time or compensatory time. In the event of school cancellation due to snow or inclement weather, school-based managerial employees need not report to work.

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.