Director, Secondary Schools

Volusia County School District; Town of Florida (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Volusia County School District seeks a Director of Secondary Schools to supervise and develop a portfolio of middle and high schools, build principal leadership capacity, drive school improvement, and ensure conditions for student success.

This leader uses data to inform decisions, evaluates principals, and ensures adherence to district curriculum while raising outcomes for historically underserved students.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher from an accredited institution.
• Certification in Educational Leadership or Florida Professional Educator Certificate.
• Minimum of five years of educational leadership, with at least three as a principal.
• Experience supervising and developing school-based administrators.
• Valid Florida Driver’s License or ability to obtain one.

Responsibilities

• Formally supervise, coach, and evaluate all assigned principals per district standards.
• Conduct regular school visits and post-observation conferences to develop leadership capacity.
• Provide timely, evidence-based feedback on instructional leadership and school culture.
• Differentiate supervisory support based on principals' developmental level and school context.
• Address underperformance with improvement plans and appropriate escalation.
• Make recommendations regarding principal employment, assignment, and professional development.

Skills

Instructional leadership

Data-driven decision making

Coaching & feedback

Portfolio management

Communication skills

Education

Master's degree or higher

Florida Professional Educator Certificate / Educational Leadership

Job description

To serve as the primary supervisor, support, and accountability leader for a portfolio of assigned secondary schools, building principal leadership capacity, driving school improvement, and ensuring the conditions necessary for student success.

The Director of Secondary Schools is a school improvement leader first — a supervisor who understands instruction deeply enough to evaluate and develop those who lead it, who uses data to drive decisions, and who holds principals accountable for results while building their capacity to improve. This is a Teaching, Leading, & Learning leadership position. The Director does not manage curriculum or direct instructional programming at the district level; rather, they ensure that each assigned school has the instructional leadership structures and conditions to implement the district's curriculum and achieve high outcomes for all students.

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Formally supervise, coach, and evaluate all assigned elementary school principals in accordance with district performance standards and Florida statutory requirements
• Conduct regular, structured school visits including classroom observations and post-observation conferences that develop the principal's instructional leadership capacity
• Provide timely, specific, evidence-based feedback to principals on instructional leadership, school culture, and organizational management
• Differentiate supervisory support based on each principal's developmental level and each school's performance context
• Address underperformance with directness, documentation, and structured improvement plans; elevate appropriately and in partnership with Human Resources and the Chief Academic Officer when necessary
• Make recommendations regarding principal employment, assignment, and professional development to the Executive Director of Secondary Schools

2. School Improvement & Student Outcomes

• Serve as the primary accountability partner for each assigned school's academic performance, school grade, and student growth targets
• Analyze school-level data — including FAST results, school tiering and classification data, progress monitoring, subgroup performance, and chronic absenteeism — to identify instructional priorities and hold principals accountable for improvement plans
• Lead principals through structured school improvement planning, ensuring plans are grounded in root cause analysis and reflect realistic, measurable action steps
• Monitor the implementation and effectiveness of school improvement plans through regular data review cycles and school visits
• Ensure all assigned schools meet or exceed district and state proficiency benchmarks, with particular attention to closing achievement gaps for historically underserved student groups
• Coordinate with the Teaching, Learning & Leadership division and other district offices to connect schools with resources, interventions, and support aligned to their specific improvement needs

3. Instructional Leadership Development

• Build principals' capacity to serve as the primary instructional leaders of their schools — including their ability to observe teaching, analyze student work, lead data conversations, and develop teachers
• Support principals in establishing and sustaining high-quality instructional coaching structures within their schools
• Facilitate professional learning for principals across the portfolio, including individual coaching conversations, collaborative principal learning, and targeted skill development
• Develop the leadership capacity of assistant principals and teacher-leaders within assigned schools to build internal succession and sustainability
• Ensure that principals hold high expectations for all students — and that instructional practices, staffing decisions, and school culture reflect those expectations

4. School Operations & Organizational Health

• Oversee the operational health of assigned schools, including staffing, scheduling, budget stewardship, and compliance with district and state requirements
• Support principals in managing human resources matters within their schools, including hiring recommendations, performance concerns, and staff development in coordination with the district's HR division
• Monitor school climate and culture indicators — including attendance, discipline data, family engagement, and staff retention — and hold principals accountable for creating safe, supportive, and high-expectation environments
• Ensure assigned schools are in compliance with Title I requirements, ESE regulations, multilingual learner policies, and other applicable state and federal statutes
• Serve as the primary district point of contact for assigned school principals for operational, instructional, and

5 . Family, Community & Stakeholder Engagement

• Support principals in building and sustaining authentic family engagement — ensuring families of all backgrounds and languages have meaningful access to their child's school
• Support principals in establishing proactive communication systems that build trust with families and community stakeholders
• Serve as a district representative and escalation point for family and community concerns related to assigned schools
• Build relationships with community partners, local government, and advocacy organizations that serve students and families in assigned school communities
• Support principals in communicating school performance data and improvement plans transparently to families and the broader school community

6. District Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as a member of the Teaching, Learning & Leadership leadership team, contributing to district-wide instructional and organizational improvement efforts
• Collaborate with curriculum coordinators, content specialists, ESE leadership, multilingual learner leadership, and other district offices to ensure aligned and coherent support for assigned schools
• Represent assigned schools in district-level planning, resource allocation, and decision-making processes
• Contribute to the development and implementation of district-wide policies, procedures, and professional learning that affect elementary schools
• Model the professional and ethical standards expected of all leaders in Volusia County Schools; manifest a commitment to Every. Single. Child.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director, Chief Academic Officer or Superintendent

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Master's degree or higher required from an accredited institution
• Certification in Educational Leadership, School Principal, or Administration/Supervision required (Florida Professional Educator Certificate)

Experience:

• Minimum of five (5) years of educational leadership experience, of which at least three (3) years must have been as a school principal
• Demonstrated success as a school-based instructional leader with measurable evidence of improving student achievement
• Experience supervising, coaching, and developing school-based administrators preferred
• Experience in a large, diverse public school district preferred
• Possess a valid Florida Driver’s License; if a holder of any other valid US state-issued Driver’s License, agree to acquire a Florida Driver’s License within thirty (30) days of employment, except in a case where accommodation is required

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Deep knowledge of secondary instructional practice, curriculum implementation, and B.E.S.T. Standards
• Fluency with Florida accountability frameworks including FAST, school tiering systems, MTSS, school grading, and federal Title I requirements
• Demonstrated ability to analyze school-level and classroom-level data to identify root causes and prioritize school improvement actions
• Proven ability to coach and develop school leaders through structured observation, feedback, and professional growth
• Strong skills in difficult conversations, formal supervision, and performance management of school principals
• Ability to build trust and maintain high expectations simultaneously across a portfolio of schools

REPORTS TO

Executive Director of Secondary Schools

SUPERVISES

Assigned secondary school principals within a designated portfolio of schools