Assistant Director for College and Career Readiness
Full-Time at Northern Arizona University, Gear-Up
posted on July 31, 2012
Special Information
• This position is subject to federal grant funding. Incumbent is not eligible for layoff or recall status;
• Position is located in NAU North Valley Phoenix Offices.
• This position may require some travel, including willingness to drive personal vehicle.
Job Description
• This is a service professional position primarily responsible for ensuring compliance with established Action Plans for a US Office of Education ("GEAR UP") grant.
• The incumbent is a member of the GEAR UP leadership team, and has overall responsibility, primarily, for the GEAR UP Middle-Grade Initiative (MGI) grant component, with special emphasis on professional development to improve the college and career readiness of students enrolled in schools participating in the statewide EXPLORE assessment and the In-School Partnership component of the GEAR UP grant. Additionally, the incumbent is responsible for outreach and assistance to persistently-lowest achieving schools as provided in the GEAR UP grant, and is an expert on resources available to meet the professional development needs of teachers implementing grade-level, subject-area Common Core standards across the State. Provides leadership, direction, and guidance to the large-scale EXPLORE effort, supervising the GEAR UP EXPLORE Manager. The incumbent works closely with the GEAR UP Assistant Director for Research and Evaluation and others to ensure successful attainment of grant goals and performance outcomes.
• Description of Duties:
• Negotiates with ACT, Inc. for services, policies and procedures related to administering EXPLORE student assessments on behalf of 100+ public schools and charter holders.
• Provides guidance and consistency in policy and procedure decisions relevant to statewide administration of EXPLORE assessment.
• Supervises GEAR UP EXPLORE Manager.
• Establishes plan for select schools to participate in professional development provided by ACT-NCEA CoreWorks Diagnostics; convenes meeting(s) with ACT-NCEA to prepare plan and scope of work.
• Develops and implements a 5-year professional development plan on use of EXPLORE data to modify curriculum and instruction, consistent with Common Core Standards, for purposes of improving (and measuring) annually, the college and career readiness of students enrolled in schools participating in the Middle-Grade Initiative and/or In-School Partnership components of the GEAR UP grant.
• Analyzes statewide EXPLORE results annually in relationship to curriculum and instruction needs of participating GEAR UP schools; communicates results to broad constituency and makes recommendations.
• Solicits proposals for delivery of professional development on the focused use of EXPLORE data to improve student performance.
• Collaborates with the AZ Department of Education's (ADE) School Improvement Grant (SIG) Program on the student- and school-level EXPLORE data of Persistently-Lowest Achieving Schools (PLAS); addresses the implications of assessment results for each school's improvement plan and examines options for improving instruction and learning. Establishes plan for regular meetings and periodic site visits to PLAs in 2013-14 and beyond.
• Identifies resources and plans available through ADE and others for meeting common core professional development needs of teachers statewide.
• Conducts and/or coordinates professional development activities at GEAR UP middle schools.
• Travels to program sites, as needed, to confer with school personnel.
• Adjusts to changing needs of university operations, federal policies, or need to provide specialized or individualized reports.
• May be assigned other administrative projects and responsibilities.
• Responsible for interacting and developing partnerships with other organizations and GEAR UP partners in order to attain departmental goals and grant requirements.
• Participates in strategic planning, staffing decisions and other key management areas.
Minimum Qualifications
• Master's degree in education or related field such as public administration;
• Five years of combined K-12 teaching and administrative experience, including two years supervisory and/or curriculum and instruction.
Preferred Qualifications
• Working knowledge of ACT's College & Career Readiness System specifically, student assessment generally; application of data-driven decision-making to school settings;
• Skill in curriculum and instructional design and professional development;
• Experience with standards-based learning and Arizona's move toward Common Core Standards;
• Experience with technology-based education;
• Grant administration background with service to disadvantaged populations.
Knowledge Skills and Abilities
• Strong leadership, organizational, teamwork, training and presentation skills;
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills;
• Ability to take initiative and work independently, with minimal guidance and supervision;
• Ability to use independent judgment and discretion in setting daily priorities to complete tasks;
• Extensive experience with project management resulting in successful, on-time, on-budget outcomes; and
• Demonstrated commitment to cultural diversity and ability to work collaboratively with different constituencies, including individuals or groups with diverse experience levels.
General Information
• GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a federally funded college access program started in 1999. The purpose of GEAR UP is to significantly increase the number of students from low-income communities who graduate from high school prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary edcuation.
This position has been identified as a safety/security sensitive position. Therefore, per AZ Revised Statute, Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, employment history investigation, degree verification (in some cases) and fingerprinting.
Additionally, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States.
Salary
$62,000.
FLSA Status
Exempt.
Benefits
This is a Service Professional (SPF) position. NAU offers an excellent benefit package including generous health, dental and vision insurance; participation in the Arizona State Retirement System or the Optional Retirement Program; 22 days of vacation and 10 holidays per year; and tuition reduction for employees and qualified family members. More information on benefits at NAU is available at www.nau.edu/hr .
Service Professionals are hired on a contract basis, renewable each fiscal year according to terms of the Conditions of Professional Service, which may be found on the Internet at: https://azregents.asu.edu/rrc/Policy&/….
Employees offered a position on or after July 20, 2011, will be eligible for state health plans (including NAU's BCBS Plan) after 90 days of employment. If you accept an offer on or after July 20, 2011, and you choose the ASRS retirement option, you will begin participating in the Arizona State Retirement System, and the long-term disability coverage that accompanies it, on the first of the pay period following 27 weeks (6 months) after your start date. New employees who choose to participate in the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP), which is an alternative to the ASRS plan for faculty and other appointed staff, will begin to participate on the first day of employment. Additionally, the long-term disability plan that accompanies the ORP will begin on the first day of the pay period following 90 days after start date. More information is available at: http://hr.nau.edu/node/10159.
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Application Deadline
August 29, 2012 at midnight.
