Reports to: Chief of Student Support
Boston Public Schools seeks a highly motivated, equity centered, and results oriented Senior Director of Succeed Boston to lead a comprehensive continuum of student support, prevention, intervention, attendance, and re-engagement services. The Senior Director will report directly to the Chief of Student Support and will be responsible for ensuring that Succeed Boston provides high quality, trauma informed, restorative, culturally responsive, and student centered support to students, families, schools, and district partners.
Succeed Boston serves as a districtwide student support and intervention model designed to mitigate academic, behavioral, attendance related, anti-bullying, social emotional, and systemic barriers that place students at risk. The work includes promotion, prevention, at risk, and intensive services for students in grades K-12, including voluntary prevention and education workshops, Code of Conduct related interventions, counseling and social emotional skill development, substance use prevention and intervention, school-based consultation, and targeted support for students requiring additional stabilization and connection.
The Senior Director will also provide direct leadership and supervision for the district’s Supervisors of Attendance and the Homeless Education Resource Network (HERN), ensuring alignment across attendance, homelessness, student support, family engagement, school based intervention, and re-engagement strategies. This role will be responsible for strengthening district systems that address chronic absenteeism, homelessness, student mobility, school engagement, student rights, and coordinated support for vulnerable student populations.
The Senior Director will work collaboratively with school leaders, regional teams, central office departments, family facing teams, cross functional teams, community partners, and student support staff to ensure that students and families receive timely, coordinated, and effective services.
Responsibilities:
The Senior Director of Succeed Boston will:
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Provide strategic leadership for Succeed Boston’s full continuum of promotion, prevention, intervention, and intensive student support services.
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Supervise, support, and evaluate assigned Succeed Boston staff, including BTU, BASAS, managerial, and other personnel.
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Provide direct supervision and leadership for the Supervisors of Attendance, ensuring strong implementation of districtwide attendance strategies, chronic absenteeism interventions, student outreach, and school based attendance support.
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Provide direct supervision and leadership for the Homeless Education Resource Network (HERN), ensuring compliance, service coordination, family support, school stability, transportation coordination, and implementation of protections and supports for students experiencing homelessness.
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Develop and implement a coordinated student support model that aligns Succeed Boston, attendance, homelessness supports, school engagement, and re-engagement efforts under a coherent districtwide strategy.
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Collaborate with school leaders and executive leadership teams, operational leaders and school based teams to support respectful, inclusive, safe, and engaging school environments for all students.
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Provide expertise and assistance to schools regarding implementation of the Boston Public Schools Code of Conduct, anti-bullying practices, due process procedures, progressive discipline, alternative interventions, and student centered support plans.
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Working collaboratively with the Clinical Coordinator to ensure:
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Fidelity of Succeed Boston’s student-facing programs, such as prevention workshops, educational supports, Code of Conduct interventions, counseling, SEL skill development, substance use prevention and intervention, and transition support for students returning to their home schools.
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Adherence to all procedures related to admission, programming, transition, and discharge of students participating in Succeed Boston services.
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All student support interventions are trauma-informed, culturally responsive, restorative in approach, and aligned to district priorities around equity, belonging, student engagement, and reduction of disproportionality.
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Oversight of Bullying Prevention and Intervention Hotline, reports, investigations, appeals, data tracking, and training
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Language feedback: Ensure compliance with internal BPS protocols and applicable Massachusetts laws.
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Manage the dissemination of the Safe Space and Bullying Prevention Hotline database and make appropriate referrals.
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Work with the Problem Resolution System (PRS) Response team to ensure prompt closure of PRS complaints.
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Coordinate bullying reports submitted through the BPS Helpline staff.
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In collaboration with the Assistant Director:
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Prepare reports, data summaries, operational updates, and performance metrics related to program operations, attendance, homelessness supports, student interventions, school referrals, and outcomes.
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Use data to monitor program effectiveness, identify trends, improve service delivery, and recommend strategic adjustments to the Chief of Student Support.
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Lead budget development, monitoring, procurement, and disbursement for assigned programs and operational areas.
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Write and revise job descriptions, post vacancies, interview candidates, recommend hires, and support effective onboarding of personnel.
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Develop clear systems for staff schedules, attendance procedures, caseload management, program calendars, and service delivery expectations.
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Oversee assigned facility and operational responsibilities for 515 Hyde Park Avenue, including maintenance coordination, work orders, safety procedures, supplies, equipment, custodial schedules, bus schedule, and environmental concerns.
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Implement and monitor building safety procedures, including the school safety plan, quarterly fire drills, emergency procedures, and security protocols.
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Supervise student arrival and departure procedures and ensure appropriate student supervision in common areas, program spaces, and building grounds.
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Oversee district professional development connected to Succeed Boston’s areas of responsibility, including anti-bullying, Code of Conduct implementation, relationship building, adult bias, sexual misconduct, substance use and misuse, cyber safety, attendance intervention, homelessness supports, and student re-engagement.
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Lead regular organizational meetings, staff development sessions, case consultations, and professional learning opportunities for Succeed Boston, attendance, and HERN staff.
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Coordinate with operational teams to ensure student due process, student rights, family communication, and effective transition planning.
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Participate in district committees and advisory groups related to student support, attendance, discipline, homelessness, school climate, Code of Conduct, and student intervention.
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Build strong partnerships with families, caregivers, community-based organizations, city agencies, school leaders, and central office departments to support student success.
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Serve as a senior leader within the Division of Student Support and contribute to cross-functional strategy, crisis response, program improvement, and districtwide implementation efforts.
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Lead the district wide strategy to lower chronic absenteeism
Required Qualifications:
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Master’s degree in education, counseling, social work, psychology, public administration, or a related field.
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DESE certification as Principal/Assistant Principal or certification/licensure in a related field such as special education, school psychology, clinical psychology, social work, or counseling.
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Minimum of five years of progressive leadership experience as a school or district administrator in an urban district.
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Successful supervisory experience, including the ability to lead, evaluate, coach, and develop staff across multiple roles and functions.
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Experience working collaboratively with school administrators, direct service providers, families, students, community partners, and central office teams.
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Demonstrated knowledge of attendance intervention, chronic absenteeism strategies, student re-engagement, and systems of school-based support.
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Familiarity with laws, regulations, and best practices related to students experiencing homelessness, including school stability, access, family support, and student rights.
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Familiarity with laws and protocols related to bullying prevention and intervention.
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Understanding of progressive discipline, alternative measures, restorative approaches, trauma-informed practices, and culturally responsive student support.
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Demonstrated ability to manage complex student support systems, including prevention, intervention, crisis response, family engagement, and school consultation.
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Strong problem-solving, communication, organizational, and project management skills.
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Demonstrated ability to provide programmatic information through reports, presentations, written communication, and public-facing updates.
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Ability to lead staff and support students within a relationship-based, restorative, and student-centered model.
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Ability to establish and sustain a multicultural, inclusive, and affirming environment that promotes student growth, belonging, and positive identity development.
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Demonstrated ability to use data to assess effectiveness, identify gaps, improve outcomes, and monitor implementation.
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Ability to manage budget, staffing, facilities, operations, and compliance responsibilities across multiple program areas.
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Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively with students, families, educators, administrators, union partners, and external stakeholders.
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Humility, sound judgment, cultural competence, and a deep commitment to equity.
Preferred Qualifications:
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Experience leading districtwide attendance, re-engagement, homelessness, student support, or alternative intervention programming.
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Experience supervising multidisciplinary teams across school-based and central office functions.
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Experience with grant writing, fundraising, budget development, and external partnership development.
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Experience designing and implementing professional development for school leaders, educators, and student support staff.
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Experience working in a large urban school district.
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Bilingual or multilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Boston Public Schools values linguistic diversity and is particularly interested in candidates who are fluent in one or more of BPS’ official languages: Spanish, Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, and Somali.
Terms: BASAS 12B, 225 days
Work Year: 9/1 - 8/31
The Boston Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, criminal record, physical or mental disability, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, homelessness, sex/gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetics, natural or protective hairstyle, military status, immigration status, English language proficiency, or any other factor prohibited by law in its programs and activities. BPS does not tolerate any form of retaliation, or bias-based intimidation, threat or harassment that demeans individuals’ dignity or interferes with their ability to work or learn. If you require an accommodation pursuant to the ADA for the application process, please contact the Accommodations Unit at [email protected].
