Director of Student Services, English as a New Language (ENL) and Special Programs

Director of Student Services: English as a New Language (ENL) and Special Programs (2024-2025)

 

BREAKTHROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Breakthrough Public Schools is a nationally recognized network that was rated the best Charter Management Organization (CMO) in Ohio by the 2017 CREDO study at Stanford University. Breakthrough originated as a commitment to increase educational options for Cleveland families. In 2009, three of Cleveland’s top stand-alone public charter schools discovered the challenges of operating individually and decided that sharing administrative functions would help them operate more efficiently and enable them to serve many more students. As a result, they formed Breakthrough Public Schools in 2010 with the mission to develop a growing network of distinctive school options that prepare Cleveland area students for success in life. Working at Breakthrough Public Schools is a rewarding experience where dedicated staff work to impact more than 3,000 students across 10, tuition-free, schools serving grades K-8. The Breakthrough Public Schools network remains committed to setting its scholars on an early pathway to lifelong success in school, college, and career. 

 

OPPORTUNITY

The Director of Student Services: English as a New Language (ENL) and Special Programs is a new role in Breakthrough’s Student Services department that will lead the MTSS, Gifted & Talented, Section 504, and English as a New Language (ENL) programs. This leader is primarily responsible for developing, planning, and executing the strategy to remove barriers to learning. The successful candidate will use experience and knowledge to develop and operationalize guidance around the structures and supports needed to implement robust, evidence-based practices, programming, and procedures, across all Breakthrough Schools that leads to increased achievement for every scholar. Reporting to the Managing Director of Student Services, they will provide direction and serve as a collaborative problem-solver alongside school administrators, teachers, and the central Academic Team.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key responsibilities of the Director of Student Services: English as a New Language (ENL) and Special Programs include, but are not limited to: 

Program Leadership 

• Program Management (ENL and Section 504)

English as a New Language (ENL)

• • Utilize rubrics to measure the effectiveness of the programs

  • Ensure schools maintain accurate and updated rosters of all students identified in programs listed above

  • Ensure English Language Learners are accurately identified, support is provided based on their English acquisition score, and accurate records are maintained for state reporting

  • Manage testing protocols for all language acquisition assessments including maintenance of TIDE entries and parent notification

  • Observe, coach, and professionally develop ENL teachers

  • Collaborate with principals/DoIs for yearly teacher observations and OTES ratings

  • Plan and organize professional development for campus-based teams

  • Manage relationship with curriculum provider and translation provider

  • Collaborate with Network-based and campus-based leadership to ensure ELL compliance laws are followed and best practice is implemented 

  • Support campus-based communication with non-English speaking families. 

 

Section 504  

• • Ensure that there is 100% compliance in Section 504 

  • Work with Compliance Manager to develop fidelity of implementation for Section 504

  • Improve Section 504 protocols, systems and frameworks 

 

• Program Redesign (MTSS) - MTSS at Breakthrough is at the early stages of design and implementation and therefore the incumbent must be able to:

• Collaborate with the general education team to improve Tier 1 - Tier 3 interventions 

• Research, select and train on Tier 2 and Tier 3 curricula for Breakthrough Schools 

• Design and help schools implement effective practices for data gathering and analysis 

• On-the-ground support of MTSS leads  

• First hand understanding of how to support schools to fit MTSS within their structures 

• Modeling and evaluating practices that lead to effective implementation of Tiered interventions 

 

• Program Creation (G&T)

• Create the working group scope and sequence to develop a timeline for key outcomes 

• Build and develop student evaluation systems from the ground up 

• Research best practices to bring to inaugural Breakthrough G&T program 

• Identify stakeholders to collaborate on the creation and implementation of a program

• Facilitate working group sessions to develop the vision and implementation of the G&T Program 

• Manage workflows based on scope and sequence timelines 

 

Strategic Leadership

• Manage the workflow of the Compliance Manager for Section 504 and Decision Meetings

• Collaborate with the DSSs on initiatives and strategies within the student services department

• Support the planning of program evaluations and PDA cycles

• Partner with leadership to identify and capture process improvement opportunities

• Use metrics (leading indicators) to provide support to school staff

• Ensure effective cross-functional alignment and sponsorship of end-to-end process definition, design, measurement, and Continuous Improvement

• Lead appropriate professional development activities weekly and/or as needed for MTSS & ENL until the GT program is developed

• Participate in required professional development and meetings, and follow all year-end procedures related to job assignment 

 

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Mindset and Mission Alignment

• A deep belief in holding students to rigorous academic expectations within a culturally responsive and critical pedagogical framework;

• Unquestioned integrity and commitment to the mission and values of the school.

• Skills, Experiences and Content Knowledge 

• 5+ years of experience working in education, required

• Teaching experience within exceptional student populations and/or urban setting strongly preferred

• 3-5 years of program management experience required, at network or district level preferred; urban setting strongly preferred

• Experience with English as a New Language or equivalent programs 

• Record of results of strong student achievement 

• Ability to execute qualitative and quantitative data gathering and analysis.

• Professional Expectations

• Excellent communication skills;

• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills;

• Exceptional ability to bridge and enhance cooperative working relationships;

• Ability to create, monitor, and maintain systems that enhance org efficiency;

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment; flexible, able to work autonomously as well as take direction as needed.

 

BENEFITS

The base salary range for this position is $85,000-$100,000. Additionally, Breakthrough offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision, life, and disability coverage. Employees are also eligible to participate in the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) or the School Employees Retirement System of Ohio (SERS).

 

Breakthrough Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by law. Any person who knowingly makes a false statement is guilty of falsification under section 2921.13 of the Revised Code, which is a misdemeanor of the first degree.

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