Assistant Director of School Health Services

CITY OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS 

Primary purpose: 

The mission of Health and Human Services Department is to protect, promote and sustain the health, harmony  and wellbeing of all Newton residents, in a culturally sensitive, customer-friendly manner. The focus is on  prevention. The Department is organized into five different divisions: Environmental Health, School Health,  Public Health and Education, Emergency Preparedness, and Social Services. This position helps manage the total  school health services program providing nursing leadership within the school system. 

Supervision: 

Scope and Judgment: This position requires excellent judgement, strong clinical assessment skills, polished  professional skills, superior organizational skills, excellent verbal and written communication skills, and  evaluation skills. It requires the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Critical thinking, self motivation, and a passion for school health services are all key elements of the role.  

Supervision Received: This position reports to the Director of School Health Services or his/her designee.  Supervision Given: May provide supervision to school nurses and nursing students. 

Job Environment: 

Work is performed under typical school conditions as well as other settings. 

Frequent contact with the parent community, other city departments and officials, school departments, outside  agencies, businesses, vendors, and other governmental organizations and attorneys, etc. Communication is by  means of in person meetings, telephone, online meeting platforms, personal discussion, and correspondence  and involves discussing routine and confidential information, requiring patience, courtesy, and judgment. 

The work is often unpredictable and requires flexibility in both work performed and schedule. Must be willing  to work the following schedule: 

• School year calendar September through June = 181 days 
• 2 weeks before school opens and 1 week after school ends  
• 15 summer days total – can be flexible (July and August) 
• Time off will follow the school calendar – 

o Days off: Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Recess, December Recess, New  Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Winter Vacation, Good Friday, April Recess, Memorial Day, Juneteenth and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur when falling on school days 

• Work hours: 8:30am – 5:00pm with flexibility depending on district needs  
• Special Leave: Special leave will accumulate at the rate of 15 days per year  
• Personal Days: May be granted up to 5 personal days in any calendar year 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The  requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable  accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  Exceptional client service skills are required. 

Essential Elements: 

• Assist with orientation and mentoring of newly hired nurses 
• Assist with daily scheduling and assignment of school health personnel 
• Assist with day-to-day problem-solving and collaboration 
• Directly Supervise school nurses who have been in the role less than 5 years 
• Assist with nursing oversight for extended school year programs
• Provide oversight of school health case management to ensure consistency of care plans across the  district 
• Contribute to community health programming with other members of the HHS department and/or community partners, particularly those geared to youth and families
• Assist with the development of policies, programs, and procedures for the provision of school health services at an individual or district level including initiatives specifically designed to support vulnerable  students 
• Assist with the development of programs and practices that recognize the intertwined nature of  physical and social and emotional well-being, that reduce absenteeism and support academic  achievement  
• Lead the development and expansion of a nurse-taught health curriculum in the elementary schools  about substance issues and other health topics 
• Conduct a racial and health disparities needs assessment to use for school health planning and  improvement  
• Assist with planning and implementing professional development programs including programs with an  emphasis on health inequities, including applying for continuing education credits 
• Participate in METCO family meetings to help make school health services more effective for these  students 
• Participate in and/or co-facilitate interdisciplinary teams such as the Safety Team and Wellness  Committee 
• Be a member of district student re-entry teams and assist with implementation of school health  procedures for positive re-entry 
• Attend state and regional Comprehensive School Health Services grant meetings • Assist with planning and staffing school- located flu vaccine administration clinics

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• Collect school health data as required 
• Ability to define problems and use judgement to work toward results, modify methods/techniques and  make recommendations dealing with several abstract and concrete variables within clearly defined  laws, precedents and policies 
• Adhere to the Nurse Practice Act, pertinent regulations governing nursing practice and standards of  care established by the professional organizations 
• Adhere to and follow City of Newton, departmental/governmental rules, regulations, policies, and  procedures 
• Performs other duties as required 

Minimum Entrance Qualifications: 

Education, Training, and Experience: 

• Possess a minimum of a baccalaureate in nursing from an accredited nursing program • Requires current licensure as a Registered Nurse in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under M.G.L.  c.71 s.53 
• Maintain certification in CPR and the use of an AED 
• Maintain a valid Massachusetts driver’s license 
• Complete ongoing continuing education programs pertinent to the evolving specialty area of  school health and school nursing practice, as well as meet the continuing education requirements  for licensure in Massachusetts 
• Demonstrated excellence in oral and written communications skills 
• Strong computer skills including Microsoft Word, SNAP and Google  
• Have a minimum of five years of nursing experience that includes school nursing or related field  experience 
• Have performed in a supervisory role 

Knowledge, Ability and Skill: 

• Has knowledge of school health principles  
• Is a strong leader, prepared to identify new areas of support and develop programs, strategies and  initiatives in response in coordination with the Director 
• Possesses strong clinical judgment while working with a wide variety of students, families, educators, and nurses 
• Is flexible and interested in learning new approaches 
• Highly organized and detail oriented 
• Superior interpersonal skills with outgoing style and willingness to creatively engage diverse constituents  and develop strong working partnerships with a wide range of internal and external colleagues • Demonstrates coalition building skills while working with multiple community agencies and stakeholders • Excellent communication skills 
• Experienced at de-escalation and support techniques 
• Able to work independently and as part of a team

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Physical requirements 

(The physical demands described here represent those requirements that must be met by an employee to  successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable  individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.) 

Regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, equipment, machinery or  controls, and reach with hands and arms as in picking up/accessing paper, files, and other common office objects  as well as equipment and supplies. Lifts and/or moves objects weighing up to 20 pounds. Manually operates all  office equipment and other necessary equipment. Needs to operate a computer keyboard at an efficient speed.  The job may require one to carry materials, heavy at times, to support students or programs. This may include  (but is not limited to) food resources, school supplies, presentation tables and materials, audio visual materials,  and documents. Ability to perform all regular nursing duties, including chest compressions during  cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 

Performance Standard 

Employees at all levels are expected to effectively work together to meet the needs of the community and the  City through work behaviors demonstrating the City’s values. Employees are also expected to lead by example  and demonstrate the highest level of ethics. 

(This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is  subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.)

Assistant Director of School Health Services Hay 9 Revised September 2024 

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