Director of CTE and College & Career Pathways

Position Summary:

The Director of CTE and College & Career Readiness (CCR) serves as a central leader within the Teaching & Learning Team. The leader in this position coordinates and integrates systems that support students in developing meaningful and individualized postsecondary plans aligned with their strengths, interests, and goals. This includes leadership and alignment of Career & Technical Education (CTE) pathways, K-12 comprehensive school counseling systems, dual credit and new course opportunities, online learning options, High School and Beyond Planning, and other college and career readiness initiatives. The leader partners across schools and departments to support innovative and flexible learning opportunities, including district initiatives related to competency-based learning, ensuring students have equitable access to multiple pathways for demonstrating learning and preparing for success beyond high school.

The Director is a collaborative and student-centered leader who builds systems in partnership with teachers, administrators, community members, industry partners, and district office personnel. This leader demonstrates strong communication, responsiveness, reflection, and builds strong trusting relationships through their daily work related to CTE, school counseling, and postsecondary planning systems. Successful leadership in this role requires a commitment to equity, continuous improvement, partnership development, and the ability to support staff and schools through change.

Areas of Responsibility & Leadership

1. Career & Technical Education
2. Provide districtwide oversight of CTE programs, pathway alignment, and program evaluation.
3. Lead continuous improvement processes related to program evaluation, labor market alignment, and equitable student access in collaboration with schools, advisory committees, and community partners.
4. Support experiential learning opportunities including work-based learning, industry partnerships, leadership development, and competency-based learning experiences.
5. Support building administrators and CTE teachers with implementation, compliance, framework development, program evaluation, 4-year plans, and instructional quality aligned to district instructional initiatives.
6. Ensure compliance with all state and federal program and reporting requirements related to CTE and Perkins including enrollment, budget, grant submissions, needs assessment(s), IRC's, etc.
7. Coordinate advisory committees and industry partnerships

2. College & Career Readiness (CCR)

1. Lead district systems for graduation pathways, transcripts & equivalency credits, course alignment & catalog development, course proposal and approval process, NCAA compliance, K-12 Comprehensive School Counseling Program, Washington's Guaranteed Admissions Program, High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP)
2. Support Elementary, Middle, and High School level Counseling teams in their implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program and MTSS systems, connecting them with other departments and outside resources as needed.
3. Ensure alignment with CTE and ASCA frameworks

3. Lead Dual Credit and Advanced Learning Programs

1. Oversee and coordinate AP, IB, College in the High School, Running Start, New Market, and other articulated dual credit agreements
2. Work with AP and IB coordinators and school administration at the comprehensive high schools.
3. Clear communication to counselors, families, school leaders, and dual credit partners

4. Online Learning and Summer School

1. CTE/CCR Office supports new staff access to online learning platform(s)
2. Coordinate summer school programming and credit retrieval options

Must demonstrate a successful level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below:

• Demonstrated understanding of state and federal policies, legislative changes, and compliance requirements impacting Career & Technical Education and college and career readiness systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead with professionalism, integrity, and trust while navigating complex systems, competing priorities, and diverse perspectives.
• Ability to build and sustain collaborative, trust-based relationships with staff, students, families, community partners, industry representatives, and higher education institutions in support of student success.
• Demonstrated ability to engage in self-reflection, respond constructively to feedback, and continuously improve leadership practices, systems, and programs in support of organizational growth and student outcomes.
• Demonstrated knowledge of culturally responsive and sustaining educational practices, with the ability to support schools in creating inclusive learning environments and expanding equitable access to advanced coursework, career pathways, and postsecondary opportunities.
• Commitment to equity and reducing disproportionality, including the ability to analyze data related to student participation, outcomes, and discipline in order to identify and address systemic barriers impacting historically marginalized student populations.
• Demonstrated skills conducting program reviews and continuous improvement cycles that collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data, provide stakeholder engagement, and develop actionable recommendations to strengthen program effectiveness and student outcomes.
• Ability to design and facilitate high-quality adult learning, including professional development, coaching, and collaborative learning structures that build staff capacity and support implementation of district initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage organizational change, including communicating a clear vision, engaging diverse stakeholders, and supporting schools and staff through complex system improvements.
• In-depth understanding of industry partnerships, advisory councils, diverse funding streams, work-based learning, labor unions & associations, career research, student engagement in clubs for impact, graduation expectations, dual credits, multi-year complex programmatic planning & evaluation, economic forecasts that impact pathways for learning, industry-based professional growth, and alternative models for learning, partnership through government-to-government relations, and project-based learning.
• Experience successfully working with Business Offices to create and manage budgets based on FTE and apportionment in compliance with federal, state and local regulations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of technology, or ability to readily learn technical systems, including: Schoology, EDS, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365 Suite, OSPI Report Card and Tableau, SchooLinks, etc.
• Knowledge of, or ability to learn, Danielson Framework.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly, responsively, and effectively both verbally and in writing, including public speaking, with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Ability to analyze complex situations, synthesize diverse information and perform trend analysis.
• Ability to function in an environment characterized by potential for high levels of stress.
• Ability to provide guidance and direction to staff.
• Ability to facilitate and promote collaborative decision-making.
• Ability to make effective independent decisions as necessary.
• Ability to manage and complete multiple high-priority projects and maintain strict adherence to time and budgetary constraints.
• Demonstrated leadership skills.

Desired Qualifications:

1. Experience as a school administrator, preferred.
2. Experience as a Career and Technical Director, preferred.
3. Ability to create an inspiring vision for programming that promotes student learning, job satisfaction and collective efficacy.

Licenses, Certifications, Bonding, and/or Testing Required:

• Valid WA State Principal Certificate.
• Valid WA State CTE Administrator Certificate or willingness to obtain.
• Valid WA State CTE Teaching or equivalent educator credential and related experience.
• Valid Driver's License and evidence of insurability, Criminal Justice Fingerprint Clearance.

REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS
• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
• Supplemental Questions
• Transcripts
• Certificate
• Apply through EdJobsNW at

The Olympia School District is committed to increasing the diversity of staff in our schools. Candidates who can contribute to this goal are encouraged to apply and to identify their strengths and experiences in this area.

If you share our commitment to provide challenging opportunities for all students to be successful, we'd like to hear from you!

Questions may be directed to:

Scott Niemann, Executive Director of Human Resources Voice: View phone number on click.appcast.io / Fax: View phone number on click.appcast.io

Olympia School District

111 Bethel St NE Olympia, WA 98506 View phone number on click.appcast.io

FAX View phone number on click.appcast.io

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Olympia School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Auxiliary aids and services will be provided upon request to individuals with disabilities. The following employee(s) have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Title IX Officer - James Whitehead, View phone number on click.appcast.io, View email address on click.appcast.io; Executive Director of Elementary Education - Autumn Lara, View phone number on click.appcast.io, View email address on click.appcast.io; Section 504 and ADA Coordinator (Students) - Ken Turcotte, View phone number on click.appcast.io, 06/04/24 1997-60 View email address on click.appcast.io; ADA Coordinator (Staff) - Starla Hoff, View phone number on click.appcast.io, View email address on click.appcast.io; Affirmative Action Officer and Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator - Scott Niemann, View phone number on click.appcast.io, View email address on click.appcast.io. Address: Knox Administrative Center, 111 Bethel St NE, Olympia, WA 98506.

The Olympia School District will provide reasonable Accommodations to enable persons with disabilities the opportunity to apply for open positions and to participate in District interview procedures. Persons with disabilities or are in need of translation services are asked to notify the Human Resources Office at least three days prior to the date on which the requested accommodation is needed. Human Resources Officer: Voice: View phone number on click.appcast.io or TDD: View phone number on click.appcast.io or FAX: View phone number on click.appcast.io.