Office of Program Development
Overview

Responsibilities:

The primary responsibility of the Program Development Office is to oversee and support current and developing program initiatives for both students and staff in the three school districts. Specifically this means working with other school leaders in the design of new academic and non-academic opportunities for students as well as career development opportunities for both professional and non-professional staff. Current district programs managed through the Office of Program Development include our professional development programs, our K-12 teacher induction programs, our secondary summer school program, and our partnerships with area colleges (particularly Amherst College). The other primary function of this office is the programmatic as well as financial oversight of all grants awarded to the districts. This grant management responsibility also includes investigating pursuing new grant opportunities and networking within the school system and with external agencies in order to optimize grant support for schools and programs.

Recent Accomplishments and Current Initiatives:

• Secured a three-year federal foreign language instruction (FLAP) grant. that will establish a K-6 Chinese language and culture program at the Wildwood School and also fund a distance learning capability at the High School as well as support the development of an exploratory foreign language program at the upper elementary level at all schools.
• Secured an "Expanded Learning Time” planning grant from the Massachusetts Department of Education for the Amherst, Pelham, and Amherst-Pelham Regional School Districts. The grant will fund district-wide and school-based study teams who will consider the possibilities and implications of increasing learning time at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
• Continued planning and collaboration with Amherst College to promote equity and achievement for all our students. Served as a consultant to the College in the establishment of their new "Center for Community Engagement.”
• Established new guidelines and fee structure for school facilities and fields use.
• Collaborated with the Amherst Education Foundation on the launching of a new AEF website that includes improved fund-raising capacities.
• Secured a competitive “Academic Support” grant from the state Department of Education that will fund an academic support and enrichment program beginning in spring and extending into the summer of 2007.

Current Projects/Next Steps:

• Oversee multi-level initiatives related to Chinese instruction in the schools (FLAP grant).
• Organize study groups and establish protocols for the exploration of expanded time on learning in the schools.
• Implement a pilot "Pipeline Project” initiative in collaboration with AmherstCollege (a school-year plus summer program of academic tutoring and mentoring for low-income students).
• Analyze financial impact of new facilities guidelines and fee structures.
• Continue working with the AEF fund-raising steering committee and serve as the primary link with AEF and gifts (monetary and otherwise) to the schools.
• Facilitate the exploration of expanding learning time at the elementary, middle, and high school levels through the establishment of building-based and district-wide study teams and related activities.
• Continue exploring possible funding sources for the Parents as Teachers program.
• Begin preparations for the Educational Quality Audit (scheduled for October 2007).
• Continue to facilitate communications with alumni through the Amherst Regional Alumni Association, including the maintenance of the AARA website
• Write new grant proposals (and proposals for continuation grants).

Organization and Roles

Executive Director of Program Development

• Provides administrative oversight for all new educational program initiatives in the three districts.
• Provides administrative oversight for professional/career development for both all professional and non-professional staff.
• Functions as grants administrator for all district grants (except for special education). Also principal grant writer for the majority of grants.
• Provides district-wide oversight for summer curriculum projects K-12.
• Supervises the secondary summer school program, monitors summer school budget, and produces all reports required by state and federal funding sources.
• Serves as primary school liaison with community agencies and the Five Colleges.
• Carries out other responsibilities related to the management of the PreK-12 schools and programs as directed by the Superintendent.

Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director of Program Development

• Carries out all administrative support tasks for the Program Development Office.
• Serves as first contact with staff, parents, and community members, sustaining effective communication with all constituency groups.
• Maintains all professional development registration and district workshop participation records.
• Provides technical support to administrative and clerical staff, especially regarding the analysis of MCAS (e.g., TestWiz).
• Processes contracts for additional activities for professional staff and maintains appropriate records to analyze costs, budget reconciliations, etc.
• Designs and produces flyers, program documents, etc.
• Provides technical support for district and alumni websites.

Grants Manager (position shared with the Business Office)

• Monitors all district grants, providing on-going fiscal management from initial application, through procurement to final reports.
• Assures that the LEA complies with all local, state, and federal regulations.
• Prepares budgets, financial reports, grant reports and reconciliations.
• Takes initiative to locate potential grant funding sources and to works with the variety of district personnel, representatives of other government and non-governmental agencies, and the public to maximize opportunities to generate revenue to support the education of our full student population.