Chief of Schools

Jeffco Public Schools (Jeffco) is located in Jefferson County, Colorado. It is the second largest school district in Colorado serving 69,000 students across 155 schools. With 14,000 employees, the district is the largest employer in Jefferson County and has provided educational excellence for more than 70 years.

Jeffco embraces the spirit of the West and the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain region with the county spanning more than 770 square miles running the length of the western edge of the Denver metropolitan area. The district is diverse in both population and geography, from urban to rural, including the mountain communities in the foothills west of Denver.

Overall, Jeffco has 31% of students that qualify for free and reduced lunch, an indicator of poverty, and 34% minority (25% Hispanic) student population. The district is implementing a new strategic plan, Jeffco Thrives 2025 that is focused on providing a world-class education that prepares all Jeffco students for bright and successful futures as local and global citizens. Come join us!

Jeffco Public Schools is a Single-State Employer. All candidates hired by Jeffco Public Schools must reside within the state of Colorado.

This job will be posted until filled. Candidates who would like to be considered in our first round of screening should submit their application by February 17, 2025.

Annual Position
FLSA: Exempt
FTE: 1.00000 , Hours/Day: 8.000 , Days/Year: Year Round
Salary Plan, Grade, Step: JCA - Administrator - 246 days , G14, 1
Min-Mid Annual Salary Range: $137,427.00 - $174,682.00 Effective as of: 08-16-2024

The successful new hire or rehired candidate will be responsible to complete and incur the fingerprinting and processing fee of $54.50 through an appropriate fingerprinting vendor and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, within 48 hours of offer acceptance.

SUMMARY Provide leadership and support in the school district community as Chief of Schools. Provide strategic counsel, advice, and support to the Deputy Superintendent and Superintendent. Manage high profile, large scale, and high impact initiatives. Oversee increasing student achievement, quality school leadership, school effectiveness, student discipline, and athletics and activities for approximately 155 schools and their communities. Collaborate openly with other cabinet-level leaders in oversight of the implementation of instructional excellence targets and priorities in all schools. Accountable for creating and maintaining a cohesive and effective system that supports student outcomes centered on leadership empowerment, instructional leadership, and operational leadership. Supervises and evaluates principal supervisors (Community Superintendents) and serves as the liaison between all principal supervisors and other district leadership. Serves as a member of the Superintendent's Cabinet and District's Academic Leadership Team.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Leads the School Leadership division including principal supervisors), student discipline, athletics and activities.
• Articulates and implements a district-level vision, mission, and framework for school leadership that identifies individual responsibilities and collective expectations and drives instructional excellence in Jeffco schools.
• Monitors curriculum implementation to ensure alignment with standards and the district's vision.
• Monitors school performance using multiple measures; analyzes data to make sound decisions that improve instruction and student achievement, determine professional learning needs, and inform effective professional learning strategies.
• Guides principal supervisors to use highest leverage leadership moves for both culture and instruction in schools.
• Helps principal supervisors understand their leadership identity and feel prepared to meet their responsibilities by providing individualized coaching to principal supervisors, focusing on instructional leadership, data analysis, and school improvement planning.
• Develops leadership capacity of principal supervisors by cultivating reflective practices and a growth mindset and engages them in the evaluation processes to help them grow as instructional leaders.
• Responsible for the allocation of resources to support learning for all students and remove barriers to principals' instructional leadership.
• Leads professional learning for principal supervisors aligned with the district's Instructional Excellence Arc of Learning, leadership framework, and strategic plan.
• Is accountable for identifying opportunities to improve outcomes for students by identifying systemic factors that reinforce habits and yield results.
• Builds the capacity of principal supervisors to adapt to and manage change.
• Supports succession planning and hiring of school leadership.
• Conducts learning walks and school visits to observe instruction and provide feedback.
• Represents the district within the community and/or in leading committees.
• Participates actively as a member of the superintendent's Cabinet, advocating for students and student outcomes, decision-making, and policy formation.
• Implement strategic planning processes that guide teachers, principals, and school communities in achieving District goals, in solving articulation area problems, and allocating resources.
• Responsible for district-wide student achievement in partnership with other functional areas of the organization.
• Fiscal management of the division of school leadership and of schools. Ensure fiscal soundness of all schools through management of District and school resources.
• In conjunction with staff, identify and mediate conflict around important matters/critical issues that affect communities, principals, teachers, students, and parents.
• In collaboration with department and other district staff, make decisions regarding legal issues, contract issues, personnel issues, state, and federal mandates; and employee dismissal, retention, and discipline.
• Demonstrates and ensures ethical conduct and a high level of integrity.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

EXPERIENCE Minimum of 5 of years experience in leadership at a District level. Experience as a PK-12 public school principal preferred.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING Master's degree in education or related field preferred, plus additional course work required for certification or licensure. Commensurate experience may be considered in lieu of education.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS Valid Colorado Principal / Administrative License required. Valid Colorado driver's license required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES Ability to use computers and familiarity with standard software (MS Windows & Office Suites, Google Docs, internet and email) required for hire. Excellent interpersonal skills inclusive of the ability to mediate and facilitate. Experience in a unionized setting and knowledge of labor relations laws, practices, and procedures preferred. Ability to promote and follow Board of Education policies; and building and department procedures. Ability to communicate, interact, and work effectively and cooperatively with people from diverse backgrounds.

SPAN OF CONTROL Directly supervises approximately 15 employees. Positions supervised include principal supervisors, Executive Directors, Directors and Executive Administrative Assistants. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; and addressing complaints and resolving problems. Responsible for both budget development and accountability.

The physical demands, mental functions, and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those 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.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS Ability to focus on objects at varying distances and distinguish between colors (with corrective lenses). Perform tasks that require manual dexterity, including operation of computers & small office equipment. Basic mobility and the ability to navigate the office environment safely. Ability to speak clearly, listen attentively (with assistance devices), and convey information accurately. May be required to give presentations to groups.

MENTAL FUNCTIONS Ability to read and comprehend curriculum, policies and procedures, standards, benchmarks, behavior plans, performance evaluations, and implementation strategies. Ability to make sound decisions on a day-to-day basis on appropriate communication with staff on safety concerns, student performance metrics, and tasks to meet strategic goals. Ability to evaluate and provide constructive feedback on both staff performance and student behavior. Demonstrates mature judgement in exercising appropriate supervision and expectations of staff and students. Ability to speak effectively before groups. Ability to analyze complex situations, identify potential risks, and devise effective solutions. Ability to remain flexible in dynamic environments, adjusting plans and strategies as necessary to accommodate changing requirements or circumstances. Ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with other teams. Ability to manage time and priorities to meet deadlines.

WORK ENVIRONMENT Work is primarily performed in a semi-secured office building with a typical office environment and risk factors. Regularly visits both elementary and secondary school locations.

Jeffco Salary Schedules

Jeffco Benefits

The Jefferson County School District does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, pregnancy, or gender.