Chief Academic Officer

Release Date:  February 28, 2025

Application Deadline:  March 14, 2025

Requisition: 11254

POSITION:               Chief Academic Officer

REPORTS TO:           Deputy Superintendent

LOCATION:              Division of Instruction

SALARY:                  The salary for this position will be based on the SMASA salary schedule for 11 and 12-month 7-hour employees Range I ($150,424 - $196,269)

EFFECTIVE:      July 2025

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:

Qualified applicants, including current employees of St. Mary's County Public Schools, must complete a TalentEd online application.   In addition to the online application, any support documentation (copy of certification where applicable) must be scanned and uploaded to the TalentEd application.  The online application and any support documentation must clearly demonstrate that the applicant meets the minimum qualifications, including information about the applicant’s background, experience, and professional qualifications.  Failure to submit all required documentation will result in your application being considered incomplete.  Incomplete applications will not be forwarded to the selection committee for review.   All online applications must be completed no later than March 14, 2025. Following a screening of credentials, interviews will be scheduled. Please contact the Department of Human Resources with questions at 301-475-5511, ext. 1 or hrd@smcps.org.

NATURE OF WORK:

The Chief Academic Officer will conduct advanced professional and administrative work with responsibility for developing a high-quality educational program, performance measurement, and reporting practices in the St. Mary’s County Public School System.  The Chief will provide leadership and vision in the ongoing planning, implementation, development, direction, review and evaluation of the district’s curriculum, instruction, and assessment services, while coordinating with each division and department in the system.  The Chief ensures that the district/school’s education objectives are aligned to state frameworks and to instructional practices that yield the highest standards of student achievement and instructional excellence and accountability. The work includes supervising professional and clerical support staff.  The Chief Academic Officer reports to the Deputy Superintendent and is a member of the Superintendent’s Cabinet.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Ability to professionally relate to and collaborate with co-workers, students, and community members
• Ability to understand and maintain confidentiality
• Ability to use technology effectively to complete tasks
• Ability to report to work daily and on time
• Ability to organize, supervise, coordinate, and establish priorities of tasks to be completed
• Ability to work independently in the absence of detailed instructions and to follow complex oral and/or written instructions
• Ability to communicate orally or in writing, courteously and tactfully, with staff, students, parents, and the community in a timely manner
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to oversee and provide direction to the designed department (personnel support for certificated and non-certificated employees)
• Ability to plan and implement short and long-range objectives which relate to the departmental and system-wide objectives
• Ability to lead, support the staff, and communicate professionally and effectively with internal and external stockholders
• Ability to exhibit a personality that demonstrates enthusiasm, and interpersonal skills to relate well with students, staff, administration, parents, colleagues, and the community
• Ability to demonstrate excellent leadership and organizational skills, and the ability to motivate people and facilitate productive academic/organizational change
• Possess excellent time management skills and the ability to take initiative and make decisions within assigned responsibility in a challenging, fast-paced professional environment, and be flexible in work responsibilities and hours
• Possess thorough knowledge of applicable Maryland laws, State Board of Education rules and regulations, Board of Education policies and regulations, regulations and procedures, and contractual obligations
• Possess knowledge of the programs, policies, and procedures of the St. Mary’s County Public Schools

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Implements the Maryland Career and College Readiness Standards through the development of curriculum maps and instructional resources for grades Pre-K-12
• Plans, coordinates, and evaluates the curriculum, instruction, and assessment program for the system
• Coordinates the supervisors’ observations of teachers, both formally and informally, using the Teacher Performance Assessment System, or other performance assessment systems as appropriate
• Oversees the development of local pre-assessments, quarterly assessments, and end-of-course assessments
• Develops and maintains the procedures for administering local assessments
• Plans and oversees local assessments, including the ordering and use of assessment materials
• Organizes and directs professional development opportunities for administrative, certificated, and support staff related to curriculum, instruction, and assessment
• Analyzes assessment data for national, state, and district assessment programs in collaboration with the Director of Assessment and Accountability and prepares that data for school-based staff and public release
• Supports all aspects of technology integration
• Provides technical assistance to district and school-based administrators for all aspects of program monitoring and interventions related to federal and state accountability measures
• Provides direction for writing the curriculum maps and programs of study
• Plans and directs the instructional and assessment supervision of school system staff
• Coordinates a plan for the evaluation, selection, and adoption of textbooks
• Coordinates the inventory, purchase, and distribution of textbooks
• Prepares and administers standards of performance for the evaluation of student progress
• Attends meetings within the school system and with state representatives and serves on committees related to curriculum, instruction, and assessment
• Manages a departmental budget responsibly and accurately meets all timelines and accounting regulations as required by law and/or board policy
• Assists in the development, interpretation, and execution of policies and regulations of the Board of Education
• Coordinates student programs related to the content areas
• Reports periodically to the board on all curriculum and instruction, interpretation and instructional implications of assessment and accountability results as directed by the Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent
• Makes recommendations pertaining to policy and procedure to the Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent
• Coordinates and supervises the Instructional Support program for the district, including implementation of a consistent PreK-12 Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTII) system
• Interprets and communicates the instructional program and policies to the community, including parents/guardians, through various sources
• Advises and counsels staff on issues affecting the school system
• Maintains knowledge of recent educational research related to curriculum, instruction, assessment programs, initiatives, and challenges
• Provides leadership, guidance, direction, and oversight for the development, implementation, and evaluation of federal, state, and local programs including Title I, early childhood programs including Pre-Kindergarten, the Judy Center Early Learning Hubs, and to ensure equity across the school system
• Works with appropriate staff to design and implement applicable portions of the ESEA Plan
• Works with the Director of Family and Community Engagement to approve the Title I School-Wide plans, guidance documents, and protocols
• Performs other related and non-related job duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

• Master’s degree in educational administration, curriculum/instruction, or related field
• Administrator II license
• Five (5) years of classroom teaching experience in a PK-12 public school system
• Five (5) years of experience as a Principal in a PK-12 public school system

Preferred:

• Superintendent endorsement
• Experience as a Principal in Maryland

TERM OF EMPLOYMENT:

Full-time twelve-month position.

SALARY GRADE RANGE:

The salary for this EXEMPT position will be based on SMASA salary schedule for employees - Range I.

BARGAINING UNIT ELIGIBILITY: SMASA

Update 2.2025

Salary : $150,424 - $196,269