Senior Director of Student Affairs

At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential. We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential and it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.

Position Description

Based in Washington, DC and reporting to the Executive DIrector, the Senior Director of Student Services is a creative, dynamic, and thoughtful leader who works to fulfill the mission and vision of Rocketship Public Schools. The Senior Director of Student Services will be responsible for supporting the planning and facilitation necessary to ensure Rocketship DC delivers a well-rounded education that builds the critical thinking, team work, character skills and values that our Rocketeers need to thrive in school and life. The Senior Director of Student Services operates with the belief that when the right supports are in place, all students can reach their unique potential. The Senior Director of Student Services directs the planning, development, organization, management, direction, and implementation of all aspects of Student Services for Rocketship DC, but are not limited to, special education, student discipline, school culture and social-emotional programming, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and Family Engagement. Furthermore, the Senior Director of Student Services assures compliance with all laws, codes, and regulations related to Student Services; evaluates assigned personnel, and collaborates/provides support to administrative and professional staff in meeting identified instructional goals. The Director of Student Services is a strategic thinker and a proactive leader who models strong communication, organization, and interpersonal skills, as well as an unwavering commitment to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. 

Essential Functions:

• Ensure the school’s approach to student culture is viewed as a positive support to the organization’s mission that are fully aligned with Rocketship’s Core Characteristics (Innovation, Pursuit of Excellence, Authenticity, Community, and Tenacity), and not as bureaucratic obstacles to serving the needs of the students
• Develop and enforce policies related to student conduct and discipline. This includes investigating disciplinary issues, implementing disciplinary actions when necessary, and in partnership with the Senior Director  of Schools, supporting the development of leaders to uphold high behavioral expectations 
• Provide support and guidance to school teams during times of crisis or emergency situations. This could include coordinating emergency response efforts, securing internal/external counseling and support services, and ensuring students, family and staff have access to necessary resources
• Collect and analyze data related to student experience/ satisfaction, and outcomes. Develop and implement regional policies related to student discipline, including suspension, appeals, and severe disciplinary issues.
• Collaborate with the legal team to address student matters, ensuring adherence to legal protocols and regulations.
• Responsible for accurate reporting of discipline data to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE).
• Provide guidance and support to school leaders in managing disciplinary issues effectively and in accordance with Rocketship Public Schools DC policies and procedures.

• In partnership with the Senior Director of Schools and AD of MTSS, develop systems to support schools in ensuring exceptional outcomes for students and families with unique learning, social-emotional, and behavioral needs; model and sustain a culture of high performance and service orientation among team members 
• Identify and secure resources that support the mental health and wellness needs of Rocketeers and families; manage contracts and relationships with external stakeholders providing mental health services in Rocketship schools
• Oversee and ensure implementation of Rocketship’s vision and approach to educationally related mental health services (ERMHS), serving always as a model of meaningful inclusion and contributing to Rocketship Education’s standing as a continued leader in the field for effective, efficient and high-quality services for students with special needs.
• Support the consistent implementation of evidence-based behavior and social-emotional interventions in Rocketship schools; create user-friendly resources that support school leaders in the implementation of these interventions;  design and implement professional development opportunities to build school leader capacity to implement a multi-tiered system of supports in Rocketship schools.
• Maintain a close working relationship with other members of the Network Support Team (NeST—Rocketship’s centralized office that operates in support of its schools and regions), family partnership, ISE Team, other MTSS Team members, and all school staff (teachers, school leaders, support staff, etc.) 
• Drive strong collaboration with the network teams to ensure critical areas of support and that priorities are being fully executed.

• Work with the Sr Director,  Schools to ensure that school implement rituals and practices that deepen parent engagement and investment while also creating/sustaining a welcoming school-culture for families; Ensure that goals are met in regards to parent engagement, especially in parents realizing goals around volunteer hours, parent conferences, and home visits
• Lead efforts to engage hardest to connect with families in their children's education, through development and accountability to strong systems of communication, addressing root causes and  working directly with principals and school leaders to authentically partner and work to eliminate barriers
• Analyze and action plan around student and family survey data, staff satisfaction data, and DEI survey data to continuously improve student experience.
• Support the development of systems and procedures  related to attendance, truancy, chronic absenteeism, ensuring clear processes and systems for tracking and reporting
• Collaborate and lead on bi-weekly data meetings with regional leadership  to identify strength, grows and trends in the quality of school based family events/programming , working directly with Senior Director or Schools to set cycle goals and targeted intervention to increase engagement and connection. 
• Develop and conduct training sessions for school staff on effective strategies for improving attendance and reducing truancy/chronic absenteeism through a systematic approach that upholds Rocketships core beliefs and values 

• Create, evaluate, enforce and maintain policies, systems and procedures that meet the highest standards of compliance; stay abreast of current policies and best practices for all demographics; ensure all procedures related to ERMHS meet and exceed federal, state, local authorizers, and SELPA guidelines and recommendations; 
• Ensure compliance with DC health immunization mandates, implementing systems for tracking and reporting immunization status across Rocketship Public Schools DC.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for schools regarding PCSB notices and matters raised by the Office of the Ombudsman and work with school teams to resolve complaints and grievances in alignment with Rocketship core beliefs and values. 

• Oversee the Director of Special Education in developing and implementing policies and procedures to support students with special needs.
• Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations regarding special education services and accommodations.
• Collaborate with the Director of Special Education to provide training and support to school staff on best practices for serving students with disabilities.
• Monitor the provision of special education services and supports, identifying areas for improvement and implementing targeted interventions.

• Monitor the overall health of campus/regional MTSS structures and adjust support and accountability metrics based on need
• Monitor the overall health of MTSS at DC schools with joint walkthrough to address growth areas, joint schedule creation, support for CPTs, PD customization and facilitation for summer PD and during the school year.
• Problem solve and provide resource support to DCCA DoS and Principals on next steps for specific-school sites.

• Keen analytic, organization and problem-solving skills which support and enable sound decision making
• Successful experience implementing multi-year strategic action plans
• A minimum of 5 years of broad school system and instructional experience with a track-record of successful instructional expertise in realizing high levels of student achievement in a complex, multi-site, multi-regional environment; Previous experience as a principal in a high-performing school strongly preferred
• Successful experience coaching, and ideally, managing special education and its related services
• Excellent relationship-building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of stakeholders 
• Experience articulating the mission, vision, and values of an entity to stakeholders and upholding Rocketship’s core belief around students and families in all decision-making
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills and ability to communicate effectively on multiple levels ranging from the Board, to educators and parents. 
• A commitment and ability to develop and maintain constructive relationships with school, regional and network staff,  students, parents, external partners, etc
• Experience in effectively navigating sensitive matters and maintaining the highest level of confidentiality and care 
• Excellent analytical skills, strong ability to lead multiple complex projects under rigorous timelines  and to work in a demanding dynamic environment to meet organizational goals
• High emotional intelligence, integrity, and interpersonal skills – and an exceptional collaborator
• A strong sense of confidence, and the wisdom and courage to make difficult choices, based on available data and the best interest of student achievement 

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.

Compensation:

Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA), and generous paid time off.

Rocketship Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Rocketship Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Rocketship Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Rocketship Public Schools’ employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated. Click here for our Sexual Harassment Policy.  For questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact Human Resources.