Job Posting: Syracuse City School District
The public school system with 20,000 students in Upstate New York is hiring a Director of Ombuds. The position description is confusing and includes some conflicting language. The new position is charged with "soliciting and taking complaints about student discipline from parents, students, and community advocates, investigating and evaluating these complaints, and serving as liaison with the SCSD administrative staff" while being "guided by the principles of independence, impartiality, confidentiality, and informality." The full-time position reports to SCSD's Chief of Student Support Services and is part of a district-wide reform effort.
Applicants must have a New York State School District Leader (SDL) Certificate, an advanced degree (i.e. doctorate-level), at least five years of "documented experience with school discipline issues and with IDEA." The salary starts at $149,350 per year. No application deadline indicated. (Indeed.)
Another bull$#!+ fake invocation of the word "ombuds," for a role that is not.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, I hope qualified applicants and the eventual incumbent can revise the job duties so they are consistent with best practices. It has happened.
DeleteBut, yeah, you're right Anonymous. How do these job descriptions get written so badly? Do people not just Google the job title?
DeleteThe salary ain't bad.
ReplyDeleteWhat an opportunity to clarify and educate throughout the process to whomever might apply! In the post-Covid world of the "modern ombuds" perhaps there is much confusion about what the profession has to / is able to offer by those who seek its services - lots of opportunity and a great location!
ReplyDeleteThis is written as a job for an administrator already in tne district; possibly someone who should be fired, but it will be easier to.warehouse in a position without line authority.
ReplyDelete