High School Department Head

BOURNE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT HEAD

JOB DESCRIPTION

Reports to:      Principal

Job Goal:        To provide leadership in the development of curriculum and

                        to assist the Principal in implementing the instructional program.

                        To supervise, coordinate, train, and evaluate staff and implement sound

                        teaching practices within an assigned department of the instructional

                        program.

                        To insure that the instructional program implemented is consistent

with the goals of the school district, with the state frameworks, and the policies of the Bourne School Committee.

                        To supervise classroom instructors as they relate to their area of discipline.

Responsibilities:

A.                 Supervision and Administration

1. Advise the principal concerning the needs and problems of his/her area of responsibility in a timely and constructive fashion.

2. Assist in the recruitment, screening, hiring, and assigning of department personnel.

3. Conduct departmental meetings and attend relevant school, district, and professional meetings as necessary.

4. Evaluate teacher performance and submit written evaluation reports with recommendations to the principal regarding departmental personnel.

5. Make classroom visits to departmental personnel and provide follow-up consultation and training as required. 

6. Assist the Superintendent, when requested, in arranging presentations to inform the School Committee of the instructional program. 

7. Collect and review on a continuous basis the lesson plan books for all teachers in his/her department.

8. Assist the Principal in interpreting grading policies, promotional policies, and the instructional program to parents and the community (e.g. open house) and help to answer potential inquiries about instruction.

9. Assist the Principal in the development of the master schedule as it relates to departmental teaching assignments and room utilization.

10. Review all mid-term and final exam assessments and make adjustment.

11. Review all annual goals of the department and revise as needed.

12. Collect all unit plans and check for completion of items.

13. Submit a monthly report to the Principal.

14. Attend eighth grade parents' night and give information about department courses to them.

15. Write annual goal(s) for department to be reviewed at the end of the year.

B.                 Curriculum and Instruction

1. Provide daily instruction within area of certification.

2. Establish curriculum objectives consistent with the approved goals of the school district and develop a plan for the implementation and evaluation of the achievement of these objectives (e.g. Program of Studies, final exam). 

3. Assist and supervise teachers in the handling of day to day concerns of instruction and act as a resource person for teachers regarding curriculum and instructional issues.

4. Routinely meet with other department heads to promote interdisciplinary programs (e.g. Department Head meetings).

5. Implement an ongoing program of curriculum development and evaluation.

C.                 Budget

1. Assume responsibility for ordering, inventory, and distribution of all departmental instructional materials and equipment.  Keep an accurate record or all books, equipment, and other departmental materials and file an inventory with the Principal annually (as requested).

2. Prepare an annual budget for his/her area of responsibility consistent with the priorities/assumptions/constraints approved by the School Committee and the guidelines of the Superintendent. 

3. Monitor all expenditures associated with assigned area(s) of responsibility.

D.                 Professional Development

1. Provide orientation and in-service training for department personnel on a continuous basis. Assistance with in-service training activities will be provided by the school administration. 

2. Keep informed and inform staff concerning educational innovations and trends as they relate to department programs and concerns.

E.                 Community

1. Submits to the Principal for school-wide and public dissemination information concerning department activities and/or particularly table accomplishments by staff and/or students. 

2. Identify available community resources to enrich program offerings and share with appropriate staff. 

F.                  Other

1.   Perform other related duties as so directed by the building Principal.

Terms of Employment:

1.      Department Heads will work a regular teacher's year and be available as needed.

2.      An additional one hour per week during the regular school year scheduled by the Principal with sufficient notice.

3.      Compensation based upon the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

4.      Where possible, the Principal will recommend to the Superintendent and School Committee that consideration be given to reduce the regular teaching load of Department Heads to allow for increased time devoted to supervision and curriculum monitoring.

5.      This is a one year position and will be posted annually.

Qualifications:

·         Massachusetts certified educator

·         Five years of teaching experience

·         Demonstrated ability to lead professional staff in activities designed to achieve system-wide, state, and School Committee objectives.

·         Masters Degree preferred

Adoption Date: 2/23/2004
Job Description - Job Descriptions