Executive Director of Middle Schools

Executive Director of Middle Schools

This position is open until filled, and interested candidates are encouraged to apply immediately. The first review of applications will begin on June 3, 2026. The Executive Director of Middle Schools will create specific conditions to actualize the Seattle Public Schools Strategic Plan and focus on the elimination of systemic opportunity gaps through inclusive services. The Executive Director of Middle Schools will be a member of the EDS (Executive Director of Schools) Team that reports directly to the Assistant Superintendent of Schools. SPS is strategically committed to improving how central office leadership shifts its work to support building principals as instructional leaders to create improved outcomes for all students. The Executive Director of Middle Schools will also support district and building school improvement efforts directly connected to our district strategic plan and building Comprehensive School Plans (C-SIP). The Executive Director of Middle Schools is committed to improving and supporting principals connected to the Association of Washington Schools Principals (AWSP) Leadership Framework and Seattle Public Schools Principal Attributes. This is an Executive Director central office leadership level position. This position requires the Executive Director to be a masterful teacher of adult learners - as well as a strong system thinker and collaborator. The Executive Director's main job is to effectively support middle school building principals and collaborate and supervise other leaders in the district to support culturally responsive and inclusive practices, policies, and procedures. The Executive Director of Middle Schools will effectively build the capacity of leaders and partner with middle school principals in both one-on-one and group settings. The Executive Director of Middle Schools is expected to create and sustain effective middle school principal communities of practice or professional learning communities. They are expected to broker resources between middle school principals and central office leadership. The Executive Director of Middle Schools must effectively oversee middle schools within Seattle Public Schools, maintaining partnerships with key central office staff that support schools, from various departments including, but not limited to, human resources, budget and finance, curriculum and instruction, enrollment planning, safety and security, and student services. Additionally, the Executive Director of Middle Schools is responsible for leading schools under their supervision and working to raise the outcomes for students related to the superintendent's Top 5 in 5 – specifically increasing attendance and Math proficiency rates and across all middle schools. The Executive Director of Middle Schools will also work as a team and plan with other peers as a part of the EDS Team to plan, align practices and procedures, and problem solve supports to building principals. Additionally, the Executive Director of Middle Schools will partner and be the primary liaison representing all comprehensive middle schools with the Curriculum and Instruction department for oversite and implementation of sound instructional practices and strategies related to middle school math proficiency.

Essential Functions

40% School Improvement:

• Effectively partners with and supervise middle school principals and other staff to improve student outcomes.
• Support principals to develop, implement, monitor and adjust Comprehensive School Improvement Plans (C-SIP) centered on improving instructional leadership and systems of support to improve inclusive instructional practices that impact outcomes for all students.
• Promotes equitable access to rigorous, standards-based instruction that centers on inclusion and culturally responsive practices leading to high-quality instruction for all students.
• Provides results-focused professional learning and collaboration.
• Makes data-driven decisions. Disaggregated data must be at the table.
• Opens and acts on direct feedback to improve their own performance.
• Works effectively with school communities to build strong partnerships with families and community through authentic engagement.
• Models effective instructional leadership and teaching of adults grounded in research-based adult learning theory.
• Provides recommendations for middle school principal and assistant principal hires to the Superintendent.
• Assists middle school principals with interpreting relevant federal and state laws as they relate to school issues.
• Assists middle school principals in staffing, scheduling and budgeting as needed.
• Supports middle school principals in connecting with other Central Office departments to respond to operational and other needs.

20% Accountability:

• Is accountable for making sure middle school principals and schools do what they say they are going to do including following district policy.
• Supervises, monitors, and evaluates the performance of assigned personnel.
• Supports and monitors the implementation of effective teaching strategies at schools.
• Oversees implementation of curriculum, professional development, evaluation, and student assessment.
• Interviews and selects employees and recommends transfers, reassignments, terminations, and disciplinary actions.
• Assists with the development, implementation and monitoring of corrective actions.

15% Central Office Leadership:

• Actively leads groups of central office leaders who support building principals in leading their buildings to be safe, healthy spaces for learning by doing the following:
• Informs policy, shapes procedures related to policy and strategic direction.
• Analyzes and prioritizes the needs of schools to inform the practice and supports of central office in service of schools on emerging trends and issues.
• Facilitates, coordinates and collaborates with central office departments to ensure success for all SPS initiatives and implementation of school-based operations.
• Works with the Superintendent and other system leaders to implement the district's strategic plan, its intent and metrics.
• Collaborates with the Superintendent, Student Services, Teaching and Learning, and Human Resources, in support of the improvement of instruction at all schools and implement sound strategies across content and programs.
• Provides recommendations and support for the implementation of major instructional and educational strategies, and partner in the evaluation of their effectiveness.
• Works collaboratively with the other Executive Director's in aligning critical components of the work and creating common messages when needed.
• Explicitly models, through communication and actions, the core values and beliefs essential in supporting the SPS strategic plan.
• Trains and assists middle school principals to meet identified school goals and targets and assists in determining and acquiring support services.
• Plans and provides professional development effectively utilizing adult learning activities focusing on developing leadership, improving instructional leadership, and curricular and instructional practices for principals and assistant principals.
• Assists in the interpretation of district policies, rules and regulations and makes recommendations regarding their formulation or modification.
• Consults with the Superintendent on matters of personnel management, employee and student relations.

10% Middle School Principal Leadership Development:

• Works effectively with principals to improve their performance in all areas of the principal job by doing the following:
• Takes a teaching and learning stance focused on culturally responsive and inclusive practices;
• Delivers effective coaching/mentoring;
• Builds and sustains principal learning networks and communities of practice;
• Ensures central office is providing what principals need;
• Works with middle school principals to develop and prepare annual budget for schools;
• Analyzes and reviews budgetary and financial data using equity analysis; and
• Monitors and authorizes expenditures in accordance with established guidelines.

10% District and School Engagement:

• Serves as a representative of the Superintendent, on various internal and community boards and committees.
• Attends or chairs a variety of meetings as appropriate.
• Represents the District in collaborative partnerships and taskforces with the City, County, and human service agencies.
• Partners with institutions of higher education, business/industry,and judicial and law enforcement agencies as needed to meet SPS goals.
• Collaborates with other District departments to resolve student issues related to placement transfer, discipline, complaints, appeals, investigations, and litigations.

5% Academics:

• Provides central office leadership for middle schools by partnering and being the primary liaison representing all comprehensive middle schools with the Curriculum and Instruction department for oversite and implementation of sound instructional practices and strategies related to middle school math proficiency.

Other Functions:

• Maintains current knowledge of federal, state, and grant regulations and related jurisprudence.
• Seeks regulatory interpretations from General Counsel's Office.
• Assists middle school principals in preparing and distributing state and federal compliance reports and preparing for the federal and state yearly reports and audits.
• Assists in the development of appropriate parent and community involvement strategies.
• May perform related duties consistent with the scope and intent of the position.

Relevant Competencies:

Managing Through Processes and Systems:

• Sets clear, well-defined outcomes for desired results and tracks progress.
• Breaks down objectives into actionable steps with targeted deadlines.
• Leverages and uses resources efficiently and creatively to achieve desired outcomes.