Executive Director of School Leadership & Accountability
Yakima Public Schools
Directly Responsible To: Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning
Minimum Qualifications:
• Master’s Degree required; doctorate preferred
• Hold a valid Washington State Principal certificate
• Minimum 5 years principal experience
• Minimum 5 years teaching experience
• Experience working with diverse students, staff, and community
• Experience providing effective adult professional development
• Certified in Danielson Teaching Framework and AWSP Leadership Framework, or ability and willingness to complete training within three months of hiring
• Employees must provide proof of vaccination for COVID-19 as a condition of employment, per Governor Inslee’s proclamation 21-14.1.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Demonstrated positive impact on student growth and achievement during principalship • Experience establishing and maintaining effective interpersonal relationships with a variety of stakeholders
• History of effective communications, written and verbal
• Record of dependability, flexibility, and regular attendance
• Maintains confidentiality
• Central Services experience preferred
• Superintendent certification preferred
Position Goal:
To serve as an instructional leader working directly with building administrators on the school and district’s vision, mission, and strategic goals to support career and college readiness for ALL students. The Executive Director of School Leadership & Accountability is equity oriented, leading for results, and helping staff to grow and develop in order to meet the needs of all students. She/he collaborates closely with central services colleagues and others in service of student learning through fostering the leadership of building principals to support the district’s overall approach to teaching and learning improvement. The role includes using an equity stance toward her/his work and demonstrating equitable and inclusive outcomes in services to students, families, and staff.
• Ability to cultivate a learning climate and district program coherence among instructional initiatives and provide quality professional development utilizing a teaching and learning stance • Ability to lead the learning of self and others
• Ability to flex communication style to the needs of the learner
• Experience working with diverse audiences and with a diverse team
• An understanding of the concepts of institutional and structural racism and bias and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities Strengthening Community through Education
Essential Job Functions:
1. Dedicates their time to helping principals grow as instructional leaders
• Maximize time on principals’ growth as instructional leaders
• Ensure equity is at the center of decision-making at all levels
• Coordinate job-embedded professional development
• Ensure high quality teaching and learning
• Coordinate and align curriculum, instruction, and assessment
2. Works intensively with principals to help them lead their own growth as instructional leaders
• Works intensively with principals to help them lead their own learning as a main support for principals’ growth as instructional leaders
• Provide support and ongoing progress monitoring for principals’ professional growth through collaboratively developed individual learning plans
• Support principals in creating a school culture that promotes ongoing improvement of teaching and learning for students that values and responds to the characteristics and needs of each learner
3. Uses teaching and learning moves when working with principals one-on-one to support principals’ growth as instructional leaders
• Demonstrates understanding of what is involved in using teaching and learning moves when working with principals one-on-one to support principals’ growth as instructional leaders and why that matters to those results
• Grows principal and assistant principal capacity for leadership, self-management, and sound judgment
• Ensure alignment of building level work to district strategic improvement plan
• Effectively use data for student and program planning an devaluation
4. Uses teaching and learning moves when leading principal communities of practice (Principal PLCs) to support principals’ growth as instructional leaders
• Demonstrates understanding of what is involved in using teaching and learning moves when working with principal PLCs to support principals’ growth as instructional leaders and why that matters to those results
• Builds professional culture and collaborative relationships amongst staff
• Collaboratively develop all certificated administrator professional development (i.e. principal professional development, administrative mentoring program, administrative internship program) using a teaching and learning stance
• Develops new ways of using teaching and learning moves when working with principal PLCs to support principals’ growth as instructional leaders
5. Engages principals in the formal district principal evaluation process in ways that support principals’ growth as instructional leaders
• Regularly engages principals in the formal district principal evaluation process in ways that support principals’ growth as instructional leaders, in alignment with the AWSP Leadership Framework
• Completes evaluation reports as a by-product of teaching and learning focused engagements with principals
6. Selectively and strategically participates in other central office work processes to maximize the extent to which they and principals focus on principals’ growth as instructional leaders
• Co-coordinate cross-district work groups, as assigned
• Engages in the community and manages external environment stakeholders as assigned
7. Demonstrate school improvement competencies in the following areas:
• Driving for results: Maintains a relentless focus on providing high quality teaching and learning • Influencing for results: Able to work through and with others
• Problem-solving: Able to solve and simplify complex problems
• Confidence to lead: Able to stay focused, committed, self-assured, and resilient
Other Functions and Responsibilities:
• Model appropriate professional behaviors and practices in all settings
• Participate as an active member of the Principal Support Team
• Serve as the leader and advocate between building leadership and district leadership • Possess and exhibit strong communication and interpersonal relations skills to promote student learning:
- Be sensitive to the needs and concern of all educational stakeholders
- Practice honest, open, straightforward interpersonal skills
- Practice active listening for all educational stakeholders
- Promote and develop staff leadership
- Demonstrate, model, and coach problem-solving skills
- Connect work and decisions to furthering the mission, vision, and district strategic plan
• Experience in collecting relevant data for instructional use and reporting as needed; identify trends, gaps, and assist in plans to address opportunity gaps
• Actively support and implement district identified instructional programs and initiatives
• Assist in coordination of district services and programs of the T&L Department
• Ability to analyze and apply collective bargaining agreements, YSD Operational Procedures, and state and federal laws as they relate to the instructional program and other identified areas • Knowledge of Skyward, Homeroom, or similar platforms
Expectation for Continued Employment:
• Employment is contingent upon passing the Washington State Patrol and Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Background Check and Drug/Alcohol screen
• Comply with all District policies and operational procedures
• Comply with the Code of Professional Conduct
• Maintain punctuality and regular attendance
• Maintain certification at all times
• Complete SafeSchools online training in accordance with the Yakima School District • Obtain a CPR and First Aid Card if needed
Nondiscrimination Statement
Yakima School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees at 104 N. 4th Ave. Yakima WA 98902 have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: (Non-Students)
Title IX/ADA: Robert Noe, Chief Legal Counsel, (509) 573-7039, noe.robert@ysd7.org; (Adult) ADA/504 Compliance Coordinator: Chris Miller, Human Resources Director, (509) 573-7066, miller.christopher@ysd7.org; (Students) Title IX/ADA/Section 504: Omar Santoy, Director of Student Services, (509) 573-7004, santoy.omar@ysd7.org. Individuals with disabilities who require assistance or special arrangements to attend a program or activity sponsored by the Yakima School District should contact one of the ADA Coordinators 24 hours in advance of the event to inquire about reasonable accommodation. Deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing, and/or speech impaired individuals may access Washington Relay Services by calling 7-1-1- or 1-800-833-6388.