Administrative Assistant - Assistant Superintendent & Director of Teaching & Learning

Administrative Assistant To The Assistant Superintendent & Director Of Teaching & Learning

Under the direction of the Assistant Superintendent and the Director of Teaching & Learning, the Administrative Assistant provides a broad range of administrative and compliance support to two central office leaders who oversee all instructional programs, initiatives, and products related to teaching and learning throughout the district. This position is responsible for completing tasks required by federal programs and applicable appropriations for grant-funded initiatives, including Title I compliance, non-public school textbook administration, and homeschool and student-teacher placement processes. Because this role supports two central office leaders whose work touches every school in the district, the ideal candidate is a self-starter with a strong work ethic who can manage competing priorities, anticipate needs before being asked, and consistently produce accurate, detail-precise work under tight deadlines. The ideal candidate handles sensitive information with discretion and tact, is highly organized, and is comfortable learning and working across multiple digital platforms. This position greets and interacts with the public and employees and works cooperatively with all staff.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

1. Meet and interact with the public and employees in routine and occasionally high-pressure situations that require professionalism, courtesy, tact, and discretion. Handle and respond to a high volume of inquiries via telephone, email, and in person, exercising sound judgment to prioritize and direct them to the appropriate person as needed.
2. Independently manage a wide and varied portfolio of administrative duties in support of the Assistant Superintendent and Director of Teaching & Learning, often juggling multiple concurrent deadlines and shifting priorities without close supervision.
3. Efficiently manage the Frontline (or comparable professional development platform) by accurately entering dates, times, and locations of workshops and meetings, employee attendance, presenters, and funding sources with correct UCOA codes; errors in this data directly affect staff pay, credit, and compliance records, so precision and follow-through are essential.
4. In conjunction with the HR Department, track and maintain staff certification expiration dates within Frontline or the applicable certification tracking system, proactively flagging upcoming expirations well in advance and notifying appropriate personnel so no certification lapses.
5. Create and track purchase requisitions with appropriate UCOA accounts for local and federal funds in accordance with district procedures for public and non-public schools, ensuring coding accuracy that supports clean federal and state audits.
6. Document, sort, and distribute incoming purchased materials to the appropriate schools and/or offices, tracking deliveries meticulously to ensure items reach their intended destinations without loss or delay.
7. Copy and distribute curriculum and assessment materials to district schools, classrooms, and teachers, managing volume and timelines so materials are ready before they are needed in the classroom.
8. In accordance with Title I regulations, contact all non-public schools throughout the state annually to identify East Providence resident students who may be attending those schools, independently driving this multi-step outreach to completion and maintaining records received from non-public school leaders as required by federal regulations.
9. In accordance with Title I regulations, maintain an accurate, up-to-date list of homeless students; send supplies to students in need; and ensure students are coded correctly in the student information management system, where a single data error can affect a student's services or a district's funding.
10. Work collaboratively with the Home School Liaison and Director of Operations to secure resources and busing for homeless students, coordinating logistics across departments with urgency and care.
11. Manage correspondence related to home school requests, update the list of home-schooled students with corresponding demographic information, and send reminder letters to parents, tracking each family's documentation status to ensure compliance.
12. Manage non-public textbook inventory, requests, orders, and delivery in accordance with state requirements; complete and submit required textbook reporting through the RIDE Portal accurately and on time.
13. Assist the Director of Teaching & Learning and college partners with the placement of student teachers in district schools, in accordance with district policy, tracking multiple placements simultaneously across different schools, timelines, and partner institutions.
14. Receive and log field trip requests, route them to the appropriate approver, maintain a tracking spreadsheet (e.g., Google Sheets) of approved trips, and send approved copies to the requesting school, staying on top of a steady, overlapping stream of requests throughout the year.
15. Establish, maintain, and monitor accurate, neat, and efficient electronic and manual filing systems that support quick retrieval under time pressure, including for audits, records requests, and reporting deadlines.
16. Serve as the primary organizer of compliance and program files for both the Assistant Superintendent and the Director of Teaching & Learning, keeping Title I, grant, textbook, homeschool, and student-teacher placement records orderly, current, and audit-ready at all times.
17. Provide overall organizational and filing support to both supervisors, maintaining consistent naming conventions, folder structures, and version control across shared electronic and paper files so records can be located quickly by either office.
18. Sort and classify incoming mail and other information for efficient distribution to appropriate recipients.
19. Compile information from various sources into a variety of standardized forms, both digital and paper-based, double-checking data for accuracy before submission.
20. Handle confidential information with complete discretion and security at all times, understanding the sensitivity of student, staff, and financial data that passes through this role.
21. Schedule and coordinate meetings and appointments for the Assistant Superintendent, using shared digital calendars as needed, proactively resolving scheduling conflicts before they become problems.
22. Anticipate the day-to-day and seasonal needs of the office, taking initiative to identify and resolve issues, gaps, or upcoming deadlines without being directed to do so.
23. Perform all other related duties as assigned by the supervisor(s).

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Knowledge of administrative practices and procedures.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with tact and discretion.
• Ability to proficiently operate standard office technology and equipment (e.g., computers, telephone systems, copiers, and scanners).
• Ability to learn and proficiently use school- and district-related platforms and databases, such as Frontline and the RIDE Portal.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace applications, including Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Gmail, as well as Microsoft Office applications such as Word and Excel.
• Working knowledge of district and school rules, regulations, and policies applicable to the area of assignment.
• Ability to work effectively with district personnel, administrators, staff, volunteers, parents, vendors, and the general public.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Strong ability to multitask, switching efficiently among competing priorities and deadlines across multiple projects and departments without losing accuracy.
• Exceptional precision and attention to detail, given that this role's data entry and recordkeeping directly affect staff pay, certifications, student services, and federal/state compliance.
• Demonstrated self-starter mentality: able to work independently, take initiative, and see tasks through to completion with minimal oversight.
• Strong work ethic and reliability, with a demonstrated ability to stay composed and effective during high-volume or high-pressure periods.
• Ability to handle difficult in-person situations and telephone inquiries with courtesy, tact, and professionalism.
• Ability to read, write, and speak English proficiently.
• Strong attention to detail with excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to adapt to new technology platforms and evolving digital tools used in Pre-K-12 education.

Minimum Qualifications Education and Experience (Required):

• High school diploma or GED equivalent, or graduation from a technical/trade school.
• At least two (2) years of administrative experience.

Additional Requirements:

• Must be at least 18 years of age.

Physical Demands The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to work in a variety of physical positions, including, but not limited to, sitting, standing, stretching, and walking. The employee is regularly required to talk and/or hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands, handle, or feel. The employee must be able to perform physical activities such as, but not limited to, lifting and/or moving light objects up to twenty (20) pounds, and occasionally lifting items slightly over twenty (20) pounds. The use of a step stool may be required to reach the top drawer of a filing cabinet as necessary. Specific vision abilities include close vision and color vision.

Work Environment The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing

Smithfield Public Schools