Senior Director of Student Services

The Lansing School District serves over 10,000 PreK-12 students across 25 school buildings in the increasingly diverse urban community of Lansing, MI. We are unique compared to other districts because of the wide variety of exciting and innovative educational options from which families and staff members can choose. All of Lansing School District’s team members are dedicated to our mission to provide an excellent education to all students in a safe and nurturing environment.

In pursuit of this mission, we are looking to hire a Senior Director of Student Services to oversee and lead district efforts in the areas of discipline management, restorative practices, SEL, parent university, mental health, and facilitate the student services hearing panel.

Qualifications - Education & Certification

• Masters degree in education, administration, counseling, or related field
• Valid school counseling, principal, and/or central office certification

Qualifications - Previous Experience

• Principal experience
• Teaching experience (preferred)
• Central office experience
• Experience with implementing systems that yield student success

Qualifications - Skills & Knowledge

• Knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies related to student discipline and attendance
• Deep understanding of restorative practices and how to implement them systematically
• Ability to lead adults with both care and high expectations
• Ability to interpret policies, procedures and laws
• Ability to mediate, solve problems and resolve conflict expeditiously
• Ability to collaborate with other directors, executive directors, and cabinet leaders and willing to challenge their assumptions
• Ability to know when to work independently and when to involve others
• Proven track record of increasing student outcomes (achievement, attendance, discipline, etc..) and can speak about those experiences
• Ability to collaborate and coach principals in a manner that supports their leadership style
• Ability to analyze data and to create courageous next steps because of it

Sample Job Responsibilities

Restorative Practices/SEL Workstreams

• Manage and lead the district’s implementation of restorative practices across all schools
• Manage and lead the student services panel and facilitate discipline hearings
• Review, update, and publish the Student Code of Conduct and student handbook
• Monitor discipline trends and work with principals to develop appropriate action steps
• Monitor & evaluate SEL implementation across all schools
• Complete restorative practices fidelity walkthroughs
• Lead the district’s restorative practices guiding coalition
• Support school counselors to use the ASCA model and provide proactive and data driven Tier 1, Tier 2, & Tier 3 services to students

Community Engagement Workstreams

• Establish a parent university to help meet the needs of our parent/guardians
• Develop and maintain programs that work to strengthen home/school connections
• Work with community agencies to support positive behavioral choices for students

Personnel Management & Leadership

• Select, coach, evaluate, and supervise staff and make recommendations relative to assignment, retention, discipline, and dismissal.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervise, evaluate, and recommend the hiring and firing of assigned staff
• Oversee central office staff that is responsible for ensuring students receive work with they are attending the Building Bridges Program

Other

Other duties as assigned by the Deputy Superintendent of Schools and Superintendent

Physical Demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Must be able to move throughout the building and campus, including classrooms, hallways, and outdoor spaces. Frequent verbal communication is required to instruct students, lead meetings, and collaborate with staff and families. May be required to stand or walk for extended periods, including during supervisory duties. Occasional bending, reaching, or sitting on the floor to interact with students. Regular use of computers and instructional technology for planning, instruction, and communication. Must be able to lift or carry instructional materials and supplies weighing up to 25 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

At Lansing School District, we champion diversity, equity, and inclusion, providing equal opportunities to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation. We foster a rich environment for professional growth and student experiences by valuing diverse perspectives. As an equal opportunity employer, we invite passionate individuals dedicated to educational excellence to apply for our positions.

We value internal mobility and list "Strong Internal Candidate" when considering an internal candidate before posting a job. We still encourage all candidates to apply.

Complete the attached online application at your earliest convenience. If selected, we will contact you to set up an interview. While we strive to provide prompt feedback, the high volume of applicants may limit our ability to do so. All of our jobs will be posted for at least 10 days (unless otherwise noted), but we will review applications on a rolling basis.

External candidates interested in multiple positions within the same department need only apply to one posting and can indicate other roles of interest in the final question. We will consider your application for various roles based on your qualifications.

Internal candidates should apply using their SSO email address and submit separate applications for each role of interest.

Thank you for your interest in joining our mission-driven team. We look forward to meeting you!

This job description is intended to outline the general responsibilities and qualifications for the position. It is not an exhaustive list of duties, and the Lansing School District reserves the right to modify job responsibilities as needed. Due to the evolving needs of the District, additional job responsibilities may be assigned (depending on funding sources).

This is a Executive Director position in the Lansing School District, and the salary is not negotiable.