ASCENT Specialty Center Coordinator

Under the supervision of the Principal of North Stafford High School, the Aerospace, Supply Chain, Energy, and Navigation Technologies (ASCENT) Specialty Center Coordinator provides instructional leadership and oversees the overall operation of a high school Specialty Center. This position is responsible for the overall planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of specialty center programs, ensuring they meet the needs of students, align with district goals, and maintain high standards of excellence. The Coordinator provides strategic planning and leadership, setting a long-term vision for student outcomes in high-demand STEM and technical fields: Aerospace, Supply Chain & Logistics, Sustainable Energy, and Geospatial Technologies.

A. Instructional Leadership and Teacher Support

The Coordinator provides program direction and supervision, while providing leadership and direction to center teachers and support staff.

• Curriculum Development: Leads curriculum development for center courses, coordinates curriculum design, course selection, course offerings, and material/textbook selection. This includes ensuring horizontal and vertical articulation of curriculum and planning for practicum and clinical experiences. Specifically guides the development of project-based learning units, ensuring technical rigor and alignment with industry certifications (e.g., GISP certification, OSHA, industry-specific software).
• Professional Development & Coaching: Creates and runs professional learning for center teachers and other support staff. Onboards new center teachers, coaches teachers, and supports teaching and learning in center courses. PD focus areas will include integrating industry-relevant technology (e.g., GIS software, drone technology, energy modeling), fostering design thinking, and applying industry safety protocols.
• Team Collaboration: Leads center team meetings, focusing on articulation and alignment. Works with curriculum specialists to identify student achievement measures and professional development needs. Plans and implements staff recognition activities.
• Direct Support: Co-teaches in center classes and covers classes, as needed. Co-teaches or leads specialized instructional modules related to the four center pathways, leveraging their own content knowledge.

B. Student Support and Academic Monitoring

The Coordinator oversees student academic success and monitors program effectiveness.

• Direct Student Instruction: Serves as the lead specialty center instructor by teaching Freshman Success 101 modules through center classes, which are intended to be 15 minutes per week or one block per month. Key instructional areas include; organization, general professionalism, service learning, coaching mindset, coping in difficult situations, and managing stress.
• Intervention and Planning: Provides holistic support for student academic and professional growth. Tracks the academic progress of center students. Generates reports to identify students at academic and behavioral risk and creates, implements, and delivers both behavioral and academic plans for center students. 
• Logistics and Experiences: Researches, organizes, and plans field trips and experiences that are aligned to the curriculum, including coordinating transportation, logistics, medical, safety needs, and procurement. Prioritizes experiences that showcase the four center pathways, such as site visits to NASA facilities, distribution centers, solar farms, wind turbine manufacturing, and GI mapping firms. Collaborates with division staff to coordinate work-based learning opportunities for center students. 
• Student Accountability: Manages the Specialty Center Learner Agreement process, which outlines that students must pass all coursework required for the pathway and follow the Stafford County Public Schools Student Code of Conduct at all times.

C. Program Administration, Finance, and Evaluation

The Coordinator manages the center's resources, finances, and long-term effectiveness.

• Financial Management: Collaborates with the principal on budget preparation, monitors the specialty center budget and record of expenditures, and approves spending. Coordinates specialty center purchases and budget management. Directs spending toward specialized equipment and technology relevant to the four pathways (e.g., drones, 3D printers, GIS software licenses, wind/solar energy trainers). Seeks grant funding to enhance and support new initiatives. Develops and maintains a five-year budget plan.
• Data and Evaluation: Prepares regular reports related to the instructional program, operations, and student progress. Evaluates program effectiveness by creating and tracking metrics. Metrics must include student attainment of industry certifications, successful completion of pathway capstone projects, and enrollment in post-secondary STEM/technical programs. The coordinator is also responsible for following center students post-graduation.
• Compliance and Reporting: Communicates policy, procedures, and guidelines to staff, parents, and the public, ensuring compliance with existing applicable federal and state statutes, policy, and guidelines.

D. Recruitment, Outreach, and Stakeholder Engagement

The Coordinator acts as the primary ambassador for the center, leading recruitment and managing external partnerships.

• Recruitment and Marketing: Leads student recruitment and outreach through various channels, including Discovery Nights, Career GPS events, middle school events, and collaboration with counselors. Coordinates student selection and notification. Continually develops the center brand and awareness throughout the school and community. Works with the Communications department to promote the center through media outlets. Marketing emphasizes the career readiness and high-wage potential of the Aerospace, Supply Chain, Sustainable Energy, and Geospatial Intelligence sectors.
• Community and Business Partnerships: Provides center advocacy through strategic partnerships with colleges and universities, local businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Works with outside agencies to create opportunities for students beyond the classroom. Specific focus on cultivating relationships with key local and regional employers in the four pathways (e.g., defense contractors, major logistics companies, public works/utility departments, technology firms).
• Advisory Committee: Creates and implements an advisory committee. Leads Advisory Committee meetings. The committee must comprise representatives from Aerospace, Supply Chain & Logistics, Sustainable Energy, and Geospatial Intelligence industries to ensure pathway relevance.
• Parent Communication: Provides regular communication with center student parents and guardians. Creates a monthly newsletter to communicate important events and activities. Communicates educational opportunities through orientations, open houses, and countywide curriculum fairs.