What are the responsibilities and job description for the Administrative Assistant position at Swampscott Public Schools?
Main Office Administrative Assistant - Swampscott High School - Swampscott Public Schools
I. Role Objectives and Job Goal
The central objective of the role is to provide comprehensive, professional, and dedicated administrative support to the Building Principal and Assistant Principal. The assistant is expected to establish and maintain a professional, welcoming atmosphere while ensuring the efficient and organized operation of the Main Office. This includes assisting a variety of stakeholders—staff, students, parents, and community members—with various issues, inquiries, and administrative needs.
II. Required Qualifications
The position demands strong organizational, technical, and interpersonal skills:
Technical Proficiency: Strong proficiency is required in Aspen (Student Information System), Microsoft Office, and Google Suite.
Organization and Detail: Candidates must be highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and skills in record-keeping.
Work Environment Skills: The ability to multitask and manage shifting priorities effectively in a fast-paced, high-volume environment is necessary.
Communication and Interaction: Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, and interpersonal) are mandatory. The assistant must be able to interact with a variety of stakeholders in a professional, courteous, and diplomatic manner.
Scheduling Experience: Experience in creating, maintaining, and managing complex schedules, calendars, and organizational lists is required.
Design Preference: Design experience using Canva or an equivalent web tool is preferred, though not explicitly required.
Responsibilities:
The administrative duties are often split between the two assistants to ensure seamless coverage. They are categorized into shared core duties and key specialized responsibilities. These duties are typically divided between the two administrative assistants based on a pre-determined or seasonally adjusted assignment schedule:
Shared Core Responsibilities (Main Office Operations)
These duties involve managing the day-to-day functions of the high school's main office:
Communication Management: Handling all incoming and outgoing phone calls, emails, and general communications to and from the main office.
Front Office Reception: Serving as the primary point of contact and assisting all main office visitors, including students, faculty, staff, parents, and community members.
Mail and Deliveries: Distributing daily mail, signing for deliveries, and assisting in the distribution of packages.
Facilities: Communicating maintenance issues and work orders to custodial staff.
Support Services: Providing support to the security desk (including providing information on building visitors and dismissals), printing ID cards for students/faculty/staff as needed, and assisting other administrative staff.
Key Specialized Responsibilities
1. Principal Support & Communications:
This role involves serving as the "face of Swampscott High School" and acting as a vital link between the Principal and stakeholders. Duties include:
Maintaining the Principal's daily, long-term schedule and calendar.
Assisting the Principal with communications directed to parents, students, faculty, and staff.
Distributing communications to families via the ParentSquare platform.
Acting as an intermediary between the Principal and stakeholders as needed.
2. Attendance & Substitute Management:
The assistant is responsible for both student and staff attendance processes:
Student Attendance: Managing daily attendance (absences, tardies, dismissals), maintaining accurate records in Aspen, and sharing relevant information received via parent communications with the school nurse, guidance/adjustment counselors, and administrators.
Staff Attendance: Maintaining accurate staff attendance records, collecting necessary staff paperwork, and communicating staff news to key stakeholders.
Substitute Management: Managing daily substitute coverage, creating assignments, working with the sub-coordinator and SHS school administrators, and ensuring substitutes have the necessary materials and awareness of school policies/procedures.
3. Financial & Budget Management:
Responsibilities include processing financial paperwork and monitoring school funds:
Requisitions: Entering requisitions for all SHS departments and general office supplies, managing the ordering process for staff using Purchase Orders (POs), and collaborating with the business department.
Budget Monitoring: Monitoring and tracking the overall SHS Departmental Budget.
Finally, perform any other duties as assigned by the Principal and/or Designee
Physical Requirements:
This position may require long periods of standing, walking, and sitting; talking or hearing in person and by telephone; using hands to finger, handle, or feel objects or controls; reaching with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The individual may be exposed to ultraviolet lights, as are found in computer monitors and copying equipment. The individual may be exposed to various hazards in the building. The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Full-time position (12 months)
Hourly rate per contract
INTERNAL APPLICANTS SEND COVER LETTER AND QUALIFICATIONS TO HUMAN RESOURCES BEFORE JANUARY 5, 2026
The Swampscott Public Schools does not discriminate or tolerate harassment against students, parents/guardians, employees or the general public. No person shall be excluded from or discriminated against in admission to the Swampscott Public Schools, or in obtaining the advantages, privileges and courses of study of the Swampscott Public Schools on grounds of race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy or pregnancy related conditions, age, genetic information, ancestry, children, marital or civil union status, veteran status or membership in the armed services, receiving of public assistance, homeless, or disability.