Assistant Boys Cross Country Coach Stipend 2026-2027

Job Title: High School Teacher / Assistant Boys Cross Country Coach

Wage/Hour Status: Exempt

Reports to: Principal / Athletic Coordinator / Head Boys Cross Country Coach / Executive Director of Athletics

Pay Grade: Teacher Pay Coaching Stipend

Dept./School: Palmview High School

Initiated Date: March 2026

WHO WE ARE

La Joya Independent School District is committed to excellence for students, staff, and the community. The district’s vision, Educational Excellence: The Right of Every Student, reflects our commitment to providing all students with high-quality academic, athletic, and extracurricular opportunities.

La Joya ISD is committed to building systems that support academic achievement, athletic excellence, student leadership, and community pride.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

La Joya ISD seeks a committed, dependable, and student-centered educator-coach to serve as a High School Teacher / Assistant Boys Cross Country Coach at Palmview High School.

The ideal candidate will support the Head Boys Cross Country Coach in developing student-athletes academically, athletically, socially, and personally. This position requires strong communication, organization, professionalism, and a commitment to building a positive team culture rooted in discipline, endurance, accountability, sportsmanship, and school pride.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education / Certification

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
• Valid Texas Teaching Certificate.
• Valid CPR, AED, and First Aid certification.
• Completion of all required UIL coaching certifications and district compliance trainings.

Experience

• Coaching experience at the secondary level preferred.
• Cross country, track, running, or endurance training experience preferred.
• Experience assisting with practices, meets, travel, conditioning, and student-athlete development preferred.

Special Knowledge and Skills

• Knowledge of UIL rules, eligibility requirements, athletic compliance, student supervision, and safety procedures.
• Knowledge of cross country fundamentals, including distance running, pacing, endurance training, race preparation, recovery, hydration, nutrition, and injury prevention.
• Ability to assist with practice plans, conditioning programs, running routes, meet preparation, and race strategy.
• Strong classroom management, communication, organization, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with campus administration, athletic coordinators, head coaches, assistant coaches, athletic trainers, parents, and district athletic staff.
• Ability to support student recruitment, retention, academic accountability, and positive team culture.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

Instructional Responsibilities

• Deliver engaging, standards-aligned instruction in the assigned content area.
• Implement district curriculum and campus instructional expectations with fidelity.
• Establish high academic expectations for all students.
• Use student data to monitor progress and adjust instruction.
• Maintain an organized classroom environment that supports learning.
• Communicate professionally with students, parents, staff, and campus administration.
• Maintain accurate attendance, grade, and required documentation records.
• Participate in campus and district professional development.
• Support campus initiatives that promote academic excellence and student success.

Athletic Program Support

• Assist the Head Boys Cross Country Coach with the planning, organization, and implementation of the Palmview High School boys cross country program.
• Support a program focused on endurance, conditioning, pacing, race strategy, discipline, teamwork, leadership, and character development.
• Assist with practice plans, running workouts, warm-ups, cool-downs, stretching, recovery, strength training, and meet preparation.
• Supervise student-athletes during practices, meets, travel, athletic periods, offseason workouts, summer conditioning, and team activities.
• Help monitor student-athlete academic progress, attendance, behavior, and UIL eligibility.
• Assist with rosters, physicals, parent forms, emergency contacts, meet entries, transportation, uniforms, equipment, hydration plans, and required documentation.
• Reinforce expectations for attendance, effort, discipline, sportsmanship, communication, and team conduct.
• Support student-athlete development from beginner runners to varsity-level competitors.
• Promote a positive team culture centered on accountability, toughness, confidence, teamwork, humility, and pride in Palmview High School.

Cross Country Program Expectations

• Assist with year-round development through in-season training, offseason conditioning, summer workouts, and athletic period preparation.
• Help implement training plans that support endurance, speed, pacing, recovery, strength, flexibility, and injury prevention.
• Support race preparation, course strategy, goal setting, and post-race reflection.
• Encourage student participation from incoming freshmen, middle school feeder programs, and students from other sports.
• Promote multi-sport participation and collaborate with other coaches to support student-athlete success.
• Assist with team-building activities that promote responsibility, commitment, leadership, and school pride.
• Encourage student-athletes to represent La Joya ISD, Palmview High School, and the athletic program with pride and sportsmanship.

Compliance and Safety

• Maintain current CPR, AED, First Aid, concussion, heat illness, and UIL-required certifications.
• Follow all UIL, TEA, district, and campus safety guidelines.
• Ensure student-athletes have completed all required physicals, forms, emergency contacts, and eligibility requirements before participation.
• Monitor student safety during running workouts, conditioning, meets, travel, and off-site activities.
• Follow district heat, hydration, weather, transportation, and supervision protocols.
• Report injuries, incidents, safety concerns, and student-athlete issues in a timely manner.
• Coordinate with athletic trainers regarding injury prevention, return-to-play procedures, hydration, recovery, and student wellness.
• Ensure students are supervised at all times during practices, meets, travel, workouts, and team activities.

Community Engagement and Professional Responsibilities

• Communicate professionally with parents, students, staff, and community stakeholders.
• Support the promotion of the boys cross country program through campus events, student recruitment, parent communication, feeder school engagement, and community outreach.
• Model professionalism, integrity, accountability, respect, and servant leadership.
• Support districtwide athletic initiatives and promote the One Pack culture across La Joya ISD.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, coaches, athletic trainers, and administrators to improve student outcomes.
• Maintain accurate documentation and meet all required deadlines.
• Follow all district policies, campus procedures, UIL guidelines, and athletic department expectations.
• Accept and implement direction from the Head Boys Cross Country Coach, Athletic Coordinator, Principal, Executive Director of Athletics, and Superintendent’s designee.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Mental Demands

• Maintain emotional control under stress.
• Handle multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Exercise sound judgment and decision-making.
• Communicate effectively with students, parents, staff, and community members.
• Monitor student safety during practices, meets, travel, and competition.
• Accept feedback and direction from supervisors and the Head Boys Cross Country Coach.

Physical Demands

• Frequent standing, walking, jogging, running, lifting, bending, stretching, and movement during practices and competitions.
• Ability to lift and carry equipment up to 50 pounds.
• Work in indoor and outdoor environments.
• Exposure to heat, humidity, rain, uneven terrain, athletic equipment, and extended practice or meet settings.
• Extended hours including early mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekends, holidays, meets, and travel.

Work Environment

• Classrooms, athletic facilities, tracks, fields, running routes, weight rooms, locker rooms, competition venues, and community settings.
• Practices, meets, district events, offseason workouts, summer conditioning, feeder program activities, and travel.
• Frequent interaction with students, parents, coaches, administrators, athletic trainers, and community members.

POSITION WORKING DAYS

187 Days Extended Days for Coaching Duties

Position Type: Full-Time

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other responsibilities be performed when the needs of the district change.