Director of Online Learning

Job Description

Position:
Director of Online Learning

Location:
Crosslake Community School / Virtual Office

FTE/ Hour Allotment:
1.0 FTE

Immediate Supervisor: Board of Education (BOE)

Essential Duties and Responsibilities :
The Crosslake Community School Board is seeking a new Director of Online Learning to advance the mission of “growing environmentally-literate, community-impacting learners of excellence.” The Director of Online Learning works closely with the Director of Seat-Based learning to provide district-level leadership, and is responsible for leading the school’s Online Program. An Associate Director of Online Learning supports the role by providing leadership and supervision of the K-8 program, while the Director of Online Learning primarily leads the high school program and supervises the Associate Director. This position is fully remote.

Leadership:
Drives the implementation of the new school-wide Strategic Plan (in partnership with the Director of Seat-Based Learning)
Be the main contact for the school for MDE, MACS, Osprey Wilds, the school board, and other collaborators (in partnership with the Director of Seat-Based Learning)
Set school-wide and program-level goals that focus on continuous improvement, academic achievement, student well-being, and meeting or exceeding expectations set by our authorizer and the state (in partnership with the Director of Seat-Based Learning)
Stay mission-driven and focused in making decisions for the school and programs (in partnership with the Director of Seat-Based Learning)
Assume a leadership role in promoting and preserving an overall sense of positive, all-school climate (in partnership with the Director of Seat-Based Learning)
Lead development of Annual/WBWF and other reports (in partnership with the Director of Seat-Based Learning)
Lead the revision and development of the Charter Contract (in partnership with the Director of Seat-Based Learning)
Play a positive and active leadership role in fostering team relationships
Lead by example and model effective communication and empowerment behaviors
Establish and maintain high standards for student and staff conduct to ensure the school climate is conducive to learning
Enforce discipline as necessary, according due process to the rights of students

Collaboration:
Weekly meetings with the Director of Seat-Based Learning
Set expectations of collaboration for all staff and lead by example
Identify projects and resources that would benefit both, or one, of CCS’ programs
Establish routines, best practices, and communication plans with other directors to pave the way for successful collaboration
Help staff to seek common understanding and work together to create solutions and solve challenges
Facilitate collaboration and communication strategies among supervised staff

Communication:
Communicates and implements all board policy decisions and changes to staff at the appropriate level
Establish district-level communications (in partnership with the Director of Seat-Based Learning)
Serve as main Public Relations representative for CCS Online Program
Maintain accessibility and open door policy with staff and students on personal, professional and family issues
Conduct regular staff meetings to ensure the ongoing flow of information and proper functioning of the school
Provide regular communications to online students and families

Student Academics & Behavior:
Monitor all-school academic and behavioral data to identify and target areas for improvement
Collaborate with other directors to develop improvement plans specific to each program
Regularly monitor and update staff on progress towards meeting academic and behavioral goals
Allocate resources specifically to address needs with student academics and behavior
Establish clear and consistent expectations for students across the entire school
Ensure state statutes are being followed and standards are being met
Monitor online academic and behavioral data and implement plans for improvement
Develop program goals and desired outcomes for students
Manage daily academic and behavioral issues that arise with students
Work with parents/guardians, teachers, and other school staff to address issues
Coordinate and help plan for interventions which may require student, parent/guardian, and outside agencies

Environmental Education (EE):
Work with the online EE coordinator to establish and grow and overall school EE strategy
Prioritize and allocate resources to EE to ensure CCS is delivering on its mission
Ensure EE standards are implemented per the school’s authorizer contract
Partner with the EE coordinator to establish goals and implement activities intended to meet those goals

Community Engagement & School Climate:
Partner with other directors to promote and preserve an overall sense of positive school climate
Develop an overall active community engagement strategy
Establish and maintain high-profile visibility in the Crosslake community and Statewide in the online education community
Develop positive relationships and serve as primary Public Relations rep for the Online Program
Utilize local and statewide community resources in implementing, enriching and improving the school’s programs
Model and facilitate a healthy and positive working environment for all staff in the school
Coordinate online community and statewide student and family engagement opportunities in partnership with staff
Seek out opportunities to engage in community connections at a statewide level
Create a “high school” identity and traditions for the 9-12 online students

High-Quality Workforce & Professional Development :
Seek beneficial opportunities for combined staff development efforts with the Seat-Based Program
Ensure appropriate licensure and accreditation by all staff members
Responsible for hiring online staff
Responsible for day-to-day supervision of all professional online (not district-level) 9-12 and administrative staff
Communicate concerns with the Board and Seat-Based Director as needed and collaborate to find solutions
Perform classroom observations and manage staff performance, including evaluations, recognition, and correction

Fiscal Responsibility & Sustainability:
Responsible for overall financial management (in partnership with Seat-Based Director)
Lead submission and coordination of Title I, II, IV and other state/federal grant applications (in partnership with Seat-Based Director)
Ensure equity between programs in the development of the school’s annual budget in coordination with the directors, HR/Business manager, Finance committee, and financial consultant (in partnership with Seat-Based Director)
Oversees all financial transactions including payroll, lease aid, and vendor contracts (in partnership with Seat-Based Director)
Monitor ADM closely and identify areas where resources need to be balanced (in partnership with Seat-Based Director)
Ensure that program expenditures stay within budgeted amounts
Participate in budget development and revisions as needed

Board of Education:
Works with other directors and board members to develop meeting agenda
Prepare and present items for the board meetings
Participate in board trainings, be informed about board processes and laws
Work effectively and directly with the Board Chair and/or designated committees to ensure effective CCS operations in accordance with the mission and charter contract
Ensure timely submission of reports to the board within each program area
Attends and actively participates in all board meetings as a non-voting ex-officio member

Health & Safety:
Oversee the implementation of health and safety policies and procedures as relevant to an Online Learning setting
Responsible for day-to-day online safety and health matters for 9-12 grade online students
Ensure staff have appropriate training to handle health and safety issues that are presented

Legal & Compliance Matters/Policy Development:
Responsible for all legal and compliance matters related to the Online Program, including identifying and resolving legal and compliance issues, working with the school authorizer, legal firm, and HR service provider
Manage legal/HR issues that arise including final hiring/firing decisions
Develop, interpret, and enforce administrative policies and make recommendations concerning all district-level matters, activities, and problems (in partnership with the Seat-Based Director)
Regularly review bylaws and propose updates/changes to board as deemed necessary (in partnership with the Seat-Based Director)
Stay informed about current legislation, policy updates, and supervise the policy update process (in partnership with the Seat-Based Director)
Review proposed job descriptions and personnel matters prior to them being presented to the board
Present personnel needs and proposed changes to the board

Technology:
Ensure all students and staff have appropriate technology resources
Monitor technology-related processes and ordering
Stay informed about student and staff technology needs
Identify areas for improving technology processes and procedures

Authorizer Relations:
Primary school liaison with the Authorizer (in partnership with Seat-Based Director)
Develop charter contract in partnership with staff and Seat-Based Director
Ensure reporting is completed on time and compliance with other authorizer mandates (in partnership with Seat-Based Director)
Coordinate online site visits
Ensure staff are informed of contract goals and progress towards achieving the goals

Professional Growth:
Networks with other area and charter school administrators
Stay informed about law changes and best practices in online learning
Shares ideas, best practices, and knowledge internally and externally
Attends conferences, trainings, and annual meetings as appropriate
Participates in school board training events
Develops annual goals and PD plans to help achieve those goals

Work Schedule and Agreement:
Contract - 12 month, 220 days
Hours per day: 8; general business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. but the schedule is flexible
Fully Remote position

Qualifications

Position Qualifications & Required Skills
While not required, experience in online learning and leading online programs is preferred.
While not required, Minnesota Licensed Teacher with classroom teaching experience is desired.
While not required, Licensed School Administrator in the State of Minnesota (or working towards) is desired. If the individual does not hold a valid administrative license, the BOE and the individual would develop a professional development plan that would include training in the following areas: instruction and assessment; human resources; personnel management; financial management; legal and compliance management; effective communication; and BOE, Osprey Wilds, and community relations.
Periodic travel to the Crosslake Seat-Based campus may be required.
Proven experience as an innovative leader who possesses strong written and verbal communication, critical thinking, decision-making, detail-orientation, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Demonstrated skill, knowledge, and passion for environmental education.
Knowledge of Charter School philosophy, approaches, and differentiation from other schools.
Innovation and the ability to lead others to deliver outcomes to fulfill a vision, mission and/or strategy.
Strong listening skills and ability to balance the input of various individuals, such as teachers, other staff, community leaders, students and parents/guardians.
Ability to assess student and teacher performance and provide feedback.
Ability to understand state educational standards and to evaluate curricula and educational programs.
Ability to resolve human resource issues and interpret and implement policies.
Knowledge of educational technology and proven computer skills, particularly in the areas of databases, spreadsheets, and word processing.

Institution Description

Crosslake Community School (CCS) is a public charter school that serves students in two unique programs. The CCS Online Program serves approximately 350 students from all over the State of Minnesota, in Kindergarten through 12th grade. The CCS Seat-Based Program serves 150 students in PreK-8th grade in our school building in Crosslake, Minnesota.

Please visit our website to learn more! https://www.crosslakekids.org/

Application Instructions/Comments

Interested applicants, please send your resume, cover letter, and three references to hiring@crosslakekids.org.