Administrative Assistant (Department of Curriculum and Instruction)

POSITION: Administrative Assistant (Curriculum and Instruction)

REPORTS TO: Assistant Superintendent of Schools


PRIMARY FUNCTION:

The Administrative Assistant is responsible for coordinating and implementing and strategic operations in order to assist and support the Assistant Superintendent of Schools and Curriculum and Instruction office with administrative responsibilities.

REPORTS TO AND EVALUATED BY:

The Administrative Assistant for the Office of Curriculum and Instruction reports directly to and is evaluated by Assistant Superintendent of Schools, and works cooperatively with the Central Administration staff members and with other district personnel to perform job responsibilities as outlined.

MISSION: The Chester Upland School District is committed to providing all students the opportunity to achieve excellence in the four A's: Academics, Athletics, Arts, and Activities.

The senior leadership team continues to build a talented and committed team to ensure all students are prepared to graduate from Chester Upland schools career and college ready! The C.O.R.E. is the foundation of the Chester Upland School District’s vision and mission.

C.O.R.E.:
C- Children First: The well being and continuous learning of every child will drive decisions.
O- One Chester Upland: With dedicated community of partners, parents, students and staff, we will excel, united as One Chester Upland.
R- Reimagining: Through a mode of continuous improvement, we will apply four important levers for change, collaboration, capacity building, deepening knowledge of pedagogy, and focusing direction to improve outcomes for all.
E- Equity, Excellence, and Emotional Intelligence: We will ensure equitable access to a quality education that includes emotional intelligence and leads to excellence across all opportunities and services.

RESPONSIBILITES AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Answers incoming telephone calls: screens callers, schedules appointments and meetings for department Administrators using electronic scheduling programs, reschedules or cancels appointments, responds to inquiries, routes calls, records accurate messages, and retrieves and returns electronic voice mail messages promptly.

• Processes daily mail: receives, opens, date stamps, sorts, distributes. Processes outgoing mail via inter-school & regular mail systems.

• Utilizes various software products to design and develop correspondence, flyers, spreadsheets, etc., for projects, meetings, workshops. Composes, designs, faxes, proofreads, prints, duplicates, collates, distributes, and files departmental materials: correspondence, memos, reports, bids, and budgets.

• Responds to, or redirects, all forms of communication.

• Monitors weekly, maintains and updates monthly department website.

• Prepares and submits purchase orders and requisitions and reconciles expenditures as needed for the department.

• Sets up and maintains efficient office systems and procedures: maintain filing systems in proper order for efficient retrieval; maintains confidential files; maintains an organized electronic filing system.

• Interfaces with all levels of employees and external contacts: greets visitors, provide assistance and information, responds to inquiries and requests, and makes referrals to third parties when appropriate.

• Meets regularly with administrator to review work and appointment schedule: discusses assignments, reviews progress of projects, agrees on goals and time tables, confirms appointment schedule, and notifies receptionist of expected visitors.

• Anticipates and initiates collection of data, compiles and summarizes information, prepares State & Federal reports, performs budget computations, monitors, reports progress, and finalizes reports relevant to issues of the day, week, month, or time of year.

• Schedules, prepares agenda, attends and takes minutes for meetings as required. Reserves room accommodations and makes necessary arrangements for refreshments for various meetings.

• Arranges reasonable and efficient transportation plans and reserves accommodations for meetings and conferences.

• Uses initiative and decision-making skills to assist the Assistant Superintendent of Schools.

• Creates and maintains position procedure outline to describe day to day duties of the position/department as needed.

• Works in collaboration and coordination with other assistants to ensure accurate communication across departments.

• Maintains supplies and orders as needed for the department.

• Updates as needed, but at least annually, lists, such as, curriculum leaders, grade level leaders, K-12 staff, building leaders, administrator phone numbers.

• Submits payment to payroll for curriculum related expenses, such as professional development, curriculum writing, and Induction.

• Requests quotes from vendors, submits requisitions, interacts with vendors to ascertain status of delivery, expedites delivery, or solves delivery problems in reference to textbooks and other curriculum related materials. Ensures delivery to proper location(s).

• Maintains accurate information on new teachers for workshop hours completed to fulfill CUSD Induction Program requirements. Send meeting notices, prepare certificates of completion. Assists principals with the assignment of mentors.

• Submits Act 48/Act 45 hours for professional/admin staff to My Learning Plan. Assists staff as needed in creating and managing MLP activities and Act 48/45 upload errors.

Additional Duties
Performs other related tasks as assigned by the Assistant Superintendent of Schools.
Note: The above description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all inclusive of every task or responsibility.

Equipment
Use standard office equipment such as personal computers, printer, copy and fax machines, and telephone.

Travel Requirements
Travels to school district buildings and professional meetings as required.

Key Competencies
The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:

Strategic Planning and Effective Execution

• Proactively offer innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills and the ability to analyze data, identify trends, and diagnose root causes.
• Exhibit a strong focus on goals and results. Sets clear metrics for success.
• Demonstrates excellent project management skills, including close attention to detail, ability to balance the big picture with detailed steps to reach the end goal, and ability to balance multiple projects under tight deadlines.
• Continuously monitors progress and demonstrates persistence to overcome obstacles to achieve goals.

Effective Change Management

• Ability to develop and execute approaches to preparing and supporting individuals, teams and organization in making systemic improvements district wide.
• Ability to use methods that redirect or redefine the use of resources, processes, budget allocation, or other modes of operation that significantly shift/change an organization
• Creates environments that encourages systemic improvement of practices over time.
• Use structured approach to ensure changes are implemented successfully to support sustainable change at scale.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of current teaching methods and educational pedagogy, as well as differentiates instruction based on learning style.
• Knowledge of best practices in administration, program evaluation and staff supervision.
• Knowledge of data information systems, data analysis and the formulation of action plans.
• Ability to use computer network system and software applications as needed.
• Ability to develop and implement projects.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with students and parents.
• Ability to organize multiple tasks and conflicting time constraints.
• Ability to engage in self-evaluation with regard to leadership, performance and professional growth.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others contracted in the course of work.

Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards
Work in standard office and school building environments

Equipment
Use of standard office equipment such as personal computers, printer, copier and fax machines, and telephone.

Travel Requirements
Travel to school district buildings and professional meetings as required.

Qualifications Profile
To successfully perform this position, a person must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The qualification requirements listed below represent minimum levels of educational achievement, training, skill and/or ability necessary.


MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/CERTIFICATION:
Education and ExperiencePREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong technology skills, including but not limited to all tools in the Microsoft Office Suite

• Proficiency in the use of technology for individual and system management, communication, and research

• Strong mathematical, verbal, and written communication skills

• Excellent customer service skills to deal with a variety of employees, clients, and vendors.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: The information in this job description is for compliance with Chester Upland School District Board Policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A). It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities and qualifications for the position. The incumbent may perform or be assigned other duties.

Equal Opportunity Employer
The Chester Upland School District (CUSD) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. CUSD ensures equal employment opportunities regardless of race, creed, gender, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability. Any individual needing assistance in making application for any opening should contact the Department of Human Resources at 267-916-5169.