Associate Principal

EQUITY STATEMENT

At Open School we recognize that there is an historic and persistent achievement gap between white students and students from marginalized communities; closing that achievement gap while raising the achievement of all students is a top priority of our organization. Race, Identity, ability and who one chooses to love must cease to be reliable predictors of students’ achievement and success. In order to achieve this goal, we are committed to deepening equity at every level of our organization including and not limited to staff, students, and leadership.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in any aspect of employment on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, national and ethnic origin, political affiliation, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status in accordance with the requirements of local, state, and federal law.

Open School believes that each staff member makes a significant contribution to its success. That contribution should not be limited by the assigned responsibilities outlined below. This position description is designed to outline primary duties, qualifications and job conditions, but not limit the staff person nor the organization to just the work identified. It is our expectation that each staff member will offer his/her services and ideas wherever and whenever necessary to ensure the success of our endeavors.

POSITION SUMMARY

Culture

• Leading student culture initiatives such as revitalizing our behavior management systems, launching restorative justice practices, and establishing a system of PBIS.

• Supervising breakfast, lunch, in-between class transitions, enrichment, and dismissal; making sure students are always where they are supposed to be and ensuring a professional school culture at all times.

• Acting as a resource to teachers in their instructional practice, especially as it relates to issues of discipline, relationships with students, classroom management, and school culture.

• Providing point for dealing with behavioral crisis-intervention and acute behavioral issues.

• Participating in and supporting school events, activities, and programs, inside and outside of school hours.

• Coordinating with colleagues to build a cohesive school culture of success.

• Supporting teachers to hold all students to high and consistent behavioral expectations and reinforcing the implementation of individual behavior plans.

• Regularly analyzing data in order to advise wrap around supports for students with lagging skills or to analyze improvements needed around equity.

• Regularly and proactively updating families about student progress.

• Monitoring pull-out and in-school suspensions and being point-person for family engagement.

• Actively monitoring student time and attendance, keeping accurate student discipline records, documenting all conferences, suspensions, and phone calls for behavior.

• Managing the school-wide behavior plan, including managing the school’s PROPS system.

• Support deep family engagement and communications, helping parents understand and support academic learning & behavior .

Teaching & Learning

• Collaborate with the Principal to enforce standards for student achievement.

• Ensure the program meets or exceeds yearly student outcome goals.

• Monitor progress of all students.

• Keep abreast of successful instructional methodologies and practices.

• Ensure consistencies in instruction and practice amongst the team of teachers.

• Ensure learning environment and classroom instruction maximize student learning.

• Co facilitate the Open School Leadership Team

Planning & Operations

• Ensure compliance of local, state, and federal laws and regulations and court orders.

• Collaborate with Operations Manager to ensure the safety and security of all students, staff, visitors, and public and private property.

• Approve expenditures.

Talent Management

• Identify strong teacher performance, drive retention of strong performers, and create opportunities for teacher and staff growth.

• Collaborate with the Operations Manager in the onboarding and recruitment of new staff and substitutes.

SPECIFIC JOB SKILLS:

• Understanding and presence that influences students to get excited about learning and preparing them their life goals

• Strong relationship building skills; appetite for and ability to engage families and community members, students, and families;

• Manages multiple priorities simultaneously to accomplish urgent and important needs;

• Detail-oriented and highly organized with the ability to keep the big picture in mind;

• Highly collaborative and team-oriented.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree required, Masters Degree Preferred

• Experience working with a variety of children, which may include those who display challenging behaviors related to a social-emotional disability, autism spectrum disorder, and/or trauma

• Experience managing teams and systems in an urban or low-income setting.

• Experience maintaining records and progress monitoring data

• Exceptional interpersonal skills and strong verbal and written communication skills

• Expertise on Social Emotional Learning, Restorative Justice Practices and Collaborative Problem Solving

• Experience working with student populations of color, impacted by trauma, and impacted by poverty.

• Culturally competent and are willing to engage in courageous conversation about race

• Effective problem prevention and problem solving skills.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.

Preferred:

• Oregon Teaching Certification

• In possession of or open to acquiring Oregon Administrative Credential

• Bi-lingual

• Connected professionally to Portland organizations serving communities of color & potential employment opportunities for students and families

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Must successfully pass Oregon Department of Education fingerprint-based criminal history verification background check. Background checks are provided through Open School and Portland Public Schools partnership at no cost to employee.

Must attend Open School training and professional development workshops and activities. Must be able to position yourself as a learner and be willing to work with youth from a strength-based approach.

Must have a valid current driver’s license. First Aid/CPR certified preferred and can be provided by Open School.

Cultural Competence and Commitment to Equity:

· Demonstrate Open School’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in all job duties.

· Utilize OPEN’s Equity lens in decision-making

· Be aware of and have a willingness to embrace the cultural orientation of the populations we serve.

· Commit to examine own cultural biases and personal work necessary to reduce or eliminate biases

· Develop and maintain mutually respectful relationships.

· Engage in and model participation in Open School’s equity professional development programs.

BENEFITS

Pay: Between $60.000-$70,000

· Paid time off (PTO) days

· Paid school breaks during the winter (December-Jan) and spring (March)

· 11 paid holidays (if working 26 pay-cycles)

· Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Group Life Insurance plan

· Eligibility to participate in Open School’s Voluntary Life Insurance Plan

· Eligibility for Open School’s 403(b) retirement plan

· Eligibility for Open School’s health care plan (medical & dental)

· Eligibility to participate in a Flex Spending Account (FSA)

· Extensive professional development and training

JOB CONDITIONS:

• Position is occasionally required to work weekends, evenings, holidays as school or community events, or training may require.

• Person must successfully present a clear fingerprint-based background check scanned on local and federal levels.

• 20% office/prep work at desk, remainder of time classroom teaching, meetings with students 1:1, or in group settings, training, school, and family events.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Standing and or sitting for up to 6 hrs/day (teaching, meetings, event participation)

• Sitting at desk workstation up to 6 hrs/day

• Driving on a weekly basis up to 2 hrs/day

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, individuals seeking employment at Open School are considered without regards to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, or sexual orientation.