Director of Ombuds

The Syracuse City School District is undergoing a new phase of innovation and transformation with the goal of ensuring that all students graduate high school with the skills needed to be ready for college and career. For Syracuse, all means all. The School Board and Syracuse community have charged the Superintendent with improving student achievement, and she is seeking a dedicated and diverse team of educators to partner with her in moving the district toward its goals.

The Syracuse City School District represents 35 schools and programs, including 6 high schools, 6 middle schools, 6 K-8 schools, 13 elementary schools, and 4 alternative education programs, serving approximately 19,000 students Pre-K–12. Of these students, 82.3% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, 20.1% are served by the Office of Special Education, and 83% are students of color.

JOB OVERVIEW:

The Director of Ombuds reports to the Chief of Student Support Services. The Ombuds Director is charged with promoting procedural and substantive fairness and full compliance with the SCSD Code of Conduct, New York State Education Law § 3214, the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which are incorporated in New York State law and regulations.

The Director of Ombuds accomplishes this by soliciting and taking complaints about student discipline from parents, students, and community advocates, investigating and evaluating these complaints, and serving as liaison with the SCSD administrative staff, including but not limited to the Chief of Student Support Services, the Executive Director for Staff Relations, the Director of Special Education, the Chief of Staff, and the Superintendent, to resolve these complaints.

The Director of Ombuds also works to identify systemic issues that diminish fairness, impede full compliance with the Code of Conduct and the law, or impair full communication between the SCSD and parents, students, and community advocates.

In carrying out the functions of this position, the Director of Ombuds is guided by the principles of independence, impartiality, confidentiality, and informality. They must be accessible, approachable, trustworthy, respectful, and knowledgeable of relevant law. The Director of Ombuds does not participate in formal adjudicative or administrative procedures, but does provide information to parents, students, and community members about these procedures and the Code of Conduct to promote and encourage parents and students to fully engagement in students' education and, where necessary, the student disciplinary process.

WHO WE WANT:

Successful SCSD employees are passionately committed to urban education and all in for Syracuse students. They:

• Believe strongly that all students can learn at high levels;
• Demonstrate commitment to serving urban students, schools or communities, and to closing the achievement gap;
• Demonstrate willingness to put the interests of students above all others;
• Actively contribute to a culture of high expectations in schools and the district;
• Adapt seamlessly to the complexities of the urban school environment; and
• Follow current trends in education policy and research.

REPORTS TO: Chief of Student Support Services

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Maintain a consistent presence in the SCSD schools and in the Syracuse community.

Advertise to parents, students, and community members the various means of contacting the Director of Ombuds (via email, text, or telephone) to discuss a complaint. Ensure that this process is professional, yet sufficiently informal so that parents, student, and community advocates are comfortable approaching the Director of Ombuds with a problem.

Ensure that information conveyed by parents,…