JOB TITLE: DIRECTOR, SAFE SCHOOLS OFFICE

JOB CODE: 22100

DEFINITION: This is highly responsible professional educational and administrative work in managing school safety, antiviolence, bullying, and truancy programs within the commonwealth.

The employee in this job is responsible for directing the Safe Schools Office in the

Department of Education and developing and administering policies to improve the safety of students and teachers in the classroom. Work involves working with school officials to develop school safety, antiviolence, bullying, and truancy policies, programs, and corrective action plans to reduce incidents of violence in compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and related legislation; interpreting program regulations and policies; evaluating, developing, and recommending school safety legislation; directing and managing activities to enhance and improve school safety and to implement policies and programs to mitigate school violence, bullying, and truancy; disseminating information and providing consultative and advisory services to local district officials and the community on school safety issues; and directing the collection, analysis, and reporting of school safety related data. Supervision is exercised over a professional, technical, and clerical staff. Work is performed independently under the general direction of the Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for Elementary and Secondary Education and is subject to review through conferences, reports, and evaluation of program results.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.):

• Determines the need for and directs the development of policies to combat and reduce school violence, bullying, and truancy.

• Determines the need for and directs the development of policies to improve school safety.

• Develops and recommends legislative changes and evaluates proposed legislation relating to school safety and prepares recommended changes in school safety standards for consideration of the State Board of Education.

• Advises school entities on developing policies regarding weapons possession, acts of violence, and protocols for coordination with law enforcement officials and the department.

• Provides guidance to school districts in the area of school safety program development and reporting requirements.

• Directs the development and evaluation of corrective action plans for school safety.

• Interprets laws, regulations, policies, and procedures for school administrative staff, the legislature, educational groups, professional organizations, other state agencies, department staff, parents, and the public.

• Administers educational programs to train instructors and school officials in establishing school safety programs.

• Provides leadership to school employees, parents, law enforcement, and the community on programs to prevent and combat school violence.

• Directs the coordination of antiviolence efforts between schools, professional, parental, government, law enforcement, and community organizations and associations.

• Advises the Secretary and State Board of Education on all matters related to school safety, security, bullying, truancy, alternative education for disruptive youth (AEDY), trauma-informed instruction, social-emotional learning, and school violence.

• Serves as a consultant to members of the legislature, state agencies, department staff, and school administrators regarding school safety education programs.

• Develops antiviolence and anti-bullying messages for targeted audiences.

• Develops and recommends budget, staffing, and other management requirements to maintain and improve effective program operation.

• Represents the department on boards, task forces, committees, and commissions to respond to changes in federal and state legislation.

• Directs the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data for federal and state reporting on school safety and antiviolence programs to plan and implement new programs.

• Ensures Local Education Agency compliance with all mandatory federal and state reporting requirements.

• Collaborates with the Pennsylvania Department of Education communications team on all media and right-to-know requests related to school safety, security, bullying, truancy, AEDY, trauma-informed instruction, social-emotional learning, and school violence.

• Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

• The employee in this job may participate in the performance of subordinates’ work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of school safety, antiviolence, and bullying and truancy prevention.

• Knowledge of the policies, legislation, rules, and regulations regarding school safety, antiviolence, and bullying and truancy prevention.

• Knowledge of educational principles and practices.

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of education administration.

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of supervision.

• Ability to analyze and interpret legislation, policies, and procedures.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities):

• Seven years of professional education experience including three years administering policies to improve safety education and two years in a managerial or supervisory capacity;

or

• An equivalent combination of experience and training.