Thank you for your interest in a career with us! The Northshore School District is committed to a diverse workforce that reflects our students and our community, one that embraces and models equity and cultural competency.  

 

Job Summary:

The Northshore Language Access Coordinator will manage the design, implementation, and ongoing oversight of a district-level language access program for multilingual families and for families with communication disabilities.

 

Requirements for the adoption of the program are established in RCW 28A.183 and the district’s Language Access Policy 4218. The coordinator serves as a point of contact on language access matters for members of the public, including families and other community members, for school site personnel, for district personnel, for OSPI, and the Office of Education Ombuds (OEO). The coordinator is involved in, among other duties, relevant data collection and reporting, training for district personnel related to family language access including supportive technology tools, the procurement and provision of translation/interpretation services, and compliance with relevant federal and state laws.

 

This is a grant funded position and will be sustained subject to Language Access funding from the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

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Duties and Responsibilities: 

This list of essential functions is not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary.

 

• Work collaboratively with other district and school site personnel as appropriate to identify language access needs of parents/guardians and other family members.

• Create in partnership with families, students, and staff a written Language Access Strategic Plan for the district and manage ongoing oversight.

• Take inventory of designated bilingual staff with knowledge/experience sufficient to provide information directly to families in a language other than English, including ASL, and work to coordinate these resources.

• Identify a sufficient repertoire of language access services to meet anticipated demand, through in-house personnel, outsourced services, and direct contracting, among other means.

• Vet or otherwise work to assure outside and in-house language services meet the threshold of appropriate and competent services.

• Coordinate and/or directly provide training for staff, including school leaders and central office administration, to identify language access needs at each school, access appropriate resources such as interpretation and translation services, and to track the usage of such services.

• Coordinate and/or directly provide staff training on best practices for working with an interpreter and for providing translation as appropriate. Provide training in a variety of ways to increase language access training accessibility for staff, including in-person and asynchronously.

• Establish systematic methods or oversee existing systematic methods for requesting, providing, and tracking language access services and evaluate the efficacy of these methods and report on annually to support improvement efforts.

• Coordinate and/or directly provide training for interpreter/translator staff, as appropriate, including but not limited to education terminology, ethic of interpretation/translation, and other topic areas identified by district leadership, staff, and families.

• Provide support in training staff to use the district’s multilingual, two communication tool. As needed, provide translated messaging to support the efforts of the Communications and Engagement Department.

• Establish robust messaging and consistent, culturally responsive distribution channels to families and community members on the availability of language access resources and how to access them.

• Respond in a timely and appropriate manner to requests and inquiries regarding language access from a variety of stakeholders, including family members, other community members, relevant state agencies, and school site personnel, among others.

• Monitor legislative and community initiatives that support and enhance language access services for our families, keeping district leadership informed.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

This position does not oversee the provision of English language instruction or Dual Language or other bilingual programs for students, but instead the provision of language access for parents, guardians, and other family members.

 

Reporting Relationship: Reports to the Executive Director of Communications and Engagement. Works closely with the Family Engagement and Resource Center staff, including Northshore’s Family Engagement Specialists, Communication Team, and lead for the district’s primary communication tool.

 

Working Conditions: Required to make presentations, provide training, and facilitate groups; requires mental concentration; required to work flexible and irregular hours to support schools, families, and district leadership; required to travel between sites as needed.

 

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree, ideally in interpreter/translation studies, social services, or education-related field, and three (3) years of experience leading program development and management, preferably in a public agency or non-profit environment. Additional qualifying experience may substitute for the educational requirement on a year-for-year-basis.

 

Preferred Education and Experience

Experience as an interpreter and/or translator OR Administrative experience at the school or district level OR previous experience as a language access or translation/interpreter coordinator.

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to communicate effectively across a range of stakeholders and audiences, including families, school and district personnel, community-based groups, and state level agencies.
• Demonstrated ability to be well-organized and to be able to readily locate and access relevant resources and reference materials.
• Ability to represent the school district in ways consistent with district and board policy and obligations.
• Ability to draw on data as appropriate and generate reports which respond to differing criteria.
• Demonstrated ability to provide adult-focused training and professional development that leads to improved practice.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive, collaborative relationships and effective teams or partnerships.
• Ability to exercise sound, independent judgment.
• Ability to remain flexible and work effectively under pressure.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, including the ability to write appropriately for multiple audiences and purposes.
• Knowledge of local community-based organizations and advocacy groups.
• Knowledge or budding knowledge of professional organizations which have to do with spoken and signed language interpretation and written translation.
• Knowledge of the communication and messaging technologies that have been adopted by a number of districts, and which draw on machine translation for communicating with families who use a language other than English.
• Knowledge of the relevant legal framework for the provision of language access services in the schools, including federal and state legislation and federal guidance.
• Knowledge of principles and tenets held and promoted by recognized professional organizations for spoken and signed interpreters and translators.
• Skill in human relations and conflict resolution; ability to motivate others.
• Skill in public speaking and making presentations.
• Skill in planning, organizing, coordinating programs, activities, and events. 

Licenses/Special Requirements

May require travel to various district sites, including outside normal business hours, requiring a valid Washington State Driver’s License.

Salary: Non-represented Prefessional Technical (NNRAP-PT), Level II; placement on the salary schedule will be determined by Human Resources DOE; additional annual stipend for MA or PhD/EdD degree. FLSA Exempt.

Work Year: 12 month position, 260 days per year, 4.0 hours per day.

Benefits: Washington state health insurance coverage (SEBB) and a Washington state retirement package, for eligible positions. Generally, you are eligible for SEBB benefits if you are anticipated to work at least 630 hours per school year (September 1 through August 31).

 

The School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) benefits include:

• Medical plans with prescription benefits
• Dental plans
• Vision plans
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Medical Flexible Spending Arrangement
• Dependent Care Assistance Program

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory results of background checks with prior employers and/or character references; satisfactory outcome of a criminal history background check (includes fingerprinting); satisfactory outcome of sexual misconduct information from prior school district employers; and approval by the Northshore School Board. 

 

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