Columbia Public Schools Board of Education approves four new administrative positions

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Schools Board of Education approved the addition of four new administration positions for an estimated $530,000.

The board approved the addition of four new administration positions and the restructuring of its existing administration positions.

The new positions include :

• Director of Elementary Education
• Director of Federal Programs
• Director of Professional Development
• Executive Director of Secondary Education

The Director of Elementary Education will work as a colleague with elementary building administrators and ensure the district's Continuous School Improvement Plan is enforced. The director will also be responsible for individual and group professional development that supports staff in meeting educational expectation. The director will report directly to the Executive Director of Elementary Education.

The Director of Federal Programs will report directly to the Executive Director of School Improvement. The Director will be responsible for planning, supervising and coordinating all phases of the District's Title I program to be in compliance with federal state and district laws, regulations, policies and guidelines.

The Director of Profession Development will provide support for the education process including directing learning development opportunities, program and services for district-wide professional development. The director will report directly to the Executive Director of School Improvement.

The Executive Director of Secondary Education will act as an instructional leader. The executive director will focus on supporting the educational program's mission, vision, and goals of the district. This position will report directly to the Chief of Schools and exclusively supervise secondary principals and other administrators.

The new positions are expected to collectively cost $530,000; which will increase to $662,500 when benefits are included.

The new positions and administration reorganization chart comes following the recommendation from the district's curriculum audit, according to Interim Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Michell Holz.

Holz said the audit showed "a director shouldn't really be supervising more than 12 people." The current directors are "going way over that," and the new organization -- along with new positions -- will allow them to "focus in on the work that we need to do and to do it very well so that our scholars would benefit academically."

Some current administration positions will receive a change in title as well. [New title above former below]

• Chief Academic Officer
  • Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education

• Chief of the School
  • Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education
• Executive Director of Elementary Education
  • The Executive Director of K-12
• Assistant Director of Student Services
  • Assistant supervisor of Student Services
• Director of Elementary School Counseling
  • Coordinator of Elementary School Counseling
• Director of Health Services
  • Coordinator of Health Services
• Director of Multicultural Achievement
  • Coordinator of MAC Scholars
• Director of Student Services
  • Supervisor of Student Services
• Executive Director of Assessment, Intervention, Data, and Innovation
  • Director of Assessment, Intervention and Data

Noelle Gilzow -- president of the Columbia Missouri Nation Education Association -- said CPS teachers are frustrated at the timing of the restructuring.

"I have every bit of confidence that the people who came up with this idea, want to provide a continuity of service for kindergarten through 12th grade, and they want to make roles that better fit what the job duties are," Gilzow said. "However, it would have been preferred, though, that some of the supports that are needed at the individual building levels be handled first, before addressing upper administration concerns."

"Money that was allocated for these new positions at the district level administration would correspond to about 15 or 16 teachers that we are incredibly in need of," Gilzow said.

Gilzow said the district sent her and the CMNEA a copy of the proposed additions. However, they were not given a time frame for the implementation, or time to respond to the proposed changes.