The Schools. 

​

The Travis Hill Schools offer a high-quality education to students detained at the Orleans Justice Center and the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center. Rooted in restorative, trauma-informed care, the schools’ curriculum and instructional design emphasize relevance, meaning, and engagement, while its approach to learning prioritizes relationships, trust, and mutual accountability.

​

In addition to academic support, the Travis Hill Schools provide essential transition services for students returning home. This includes assistance with school placement and retention, workforce development, and continuous case management to ensure students have the resources they need for successful reintegration. By working closely with families, community partners, and a wide range of individuals, we aim to build a strong, lasting support network for court-involved teens and young adults, helping them return to their communities and make positive contributions to the vibrant, creative culture of New Orleans.

​

Travis Hill School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. More information can be found at our website, www.travishillnola.org.
 
The Opportunity​

​

On any given day, approximately 50 students are detained at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center (JJIC), ranging in age from 11 to 21 years old. All of these students attend school at the JJIC. Additionally, nearly 1,100 individuals are held at the Orleans Justice Center (OJC), where we operate a full-time school for around 60 students aged 17 to 21.

​

Almost all of our students have experienced significant academic challenges. Many did not attend school regularly in their younger years; most have been suspended or expelled at some point, and nearly all are academically behind their peers. Furthermore, 30–40% of them have special education needs. Despite these challenges, every student brings with them hopes and dreams, unique skills and talents, and family and friends who care deeply about them.

​

At the Travis Hill Schools, our mission is to create a transformative learning environment where students detained at JJIC and OJC can develop the academic and socio-emotional skills necessary to become positive, contributing members of their communities upon their release.

Position Description​

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Chief Operations Officer (COO) is responsible for enhancing and, in some cases, establishing all internal and external operational processes and functions across THS’ two campuses located at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center (JJIC) and the Orleans Justice Center (OJC). The COO is also responsible for overseeing the human resources and transition divisions. The COO, along with the Chief Academic Officer (CAO), the CEO, and the principals at the two campuses, comprise the THS leadership team. In addition to collaborating with the internal leadership team, the COO works in close cooperation with external agencies to ensure that every school function is performed with excellence so that students and staff can flourish. The COO will supervise 2 direct reports (including contractors) and an overall team of roughly 10 personnel.

Primary Responsibilities

​

Leadership

• Serve as an integral member of the leadership team, participate in the development of organization-wide policies and strategies, and ensure that THS’s vision and culture are real and present in the daily work of all personnel

• Support the CEO in maintaining strong, cooperative working relationships with relevant JJIC and OJC staff to support academic learning, to include but not limited to, ensuring high student daily attendance. Be a proactive problem-solver.

• In coordination with the CAO, ensure that data is collected that allows leadership to compellingly tell and depict THS’s story, including its academic and social-emotional successes and to assess THS’s programming

​

Operations

• Lead the design and implementation of systems, processes, and services that support THS schools and programs in delivering best-in-class educational outcomes

• Review and advise on all procurement contracts prior to CEO signature

• Refine and build a sustainable, cost-efficient operational infrastructure that supports THS’s sustainability and any future growth

• Support the CEO in board relations; lead the development of the annual budget for board approval; assist with preparations for regular board meetings

• Ensure operational and fiscal compliance with the NOLA-PS contract that authorizes THS’s operations

• In coordination with the CAO, ensure required local, state, and federal reporting of student information and personnel information is done accurately and timely and the integrity of that data is maintained

• In coordination with the CAO, ensure that technological services needed to support instructional delivery are in place and maintained

• In coordination with NOLA-PS, JJIC and CNO officials, ensure risk mitigation measures are in place at each site, including insurance protection, incident reporting protocols, and emergency preparedness

 

Human Resources

• Provide leadership and direction to the HR team; ensure that HR director establishes and faithfully executes employee policies that create a productive, transparent, and inclusive work environment, to include but not limited to exit surveys, stay surveys, and transparent hiring/promotion policies

• In coordination with the HR director, track and analyze HR metrics, e.g. turnovers, internal promotions, etc.  to inform strategic decision-making

• Create and support whole-staff experiences that embody THS’s culture 

• Stay abreast of employment salary and benefit trends; ensure that THS has highly competitive compensation packages

• Monitor and oversee the THS performance review cycle

• Oversee HR’s implementation of a tracking system that ensures all required staff licenses and certifications are up-to-date

• As a member of the leadership team, plan meaningful professional development (PD) opportunities; seek regular staff feedback on quality improvements

​

Transition

• Provide guidance to and supervision of the Social Services and Transition (Travis Hill Rises) director

• Ensure Travis Hill Rises has clear objectives and benchmarks of success related to school reintegration, job placement, and other wrap-around social services supports

• Ensure transition output and outcome data is collected and can be packaged as part of a comprehensive communications strategy

​

Communications

• Set direction for and supervise communication strategies, including social media, external correspondence, and branding. Supervise any communications contractors

​

 
Required Qualifications

​

• Bachelor’s in education, administration, or a related field and a minimum of 10 years of work experience in related settings; or Master’s and a minimum of 7 years of work experience in related settings.

• Demonstrated operations/project management and/or HR expertise

• Minimum of 7 years managing staff

• Ability to multi-task and handle complex situations while providing solutions

• Ability to effectively present information, both in one-on-one and small group situations

• Ability to perform duties with minimal directions; meticulous attention to detail

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Proficiency in all Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required

• Embrace a school culture that requires all staff to work beyond the traditional school hours and school year in order to create an environment filled with hope and high expectations where students will radically improve their academic, employment and social skills 

• Possess an unrelenting belief that all students can achieve and succeed 

 
 

Additional Qualifications and Experiences:

​

• Two or more years of teaching experience

​

• Interest in using technology and blended learning

​

• An understanding of what it means to make learning relevant and meaningful

​

• An unyielding belief that with the appropriate support, coupled with high expectations, all students can significantly improve their academic skills, and can develop prosocial and skills and habits that will enable them to succeed at school and beyond

​

• The firm belief that all students have strengths and talents and that a good teacher helps students find these and use them to address weaknesses or overcome fears

​

• Embrace and nurture a school culture that requires all staff to work beyond the traditional school hours and school year in order to create an environment filled with hope and high expectations, where students will radically improve their academic, employment, and socio-emotional skills

​

• Possess an unrelenting belief that all students can achieve and succeed

​

Other Desired Qualifications

 

• Previous school-based work experience

• Previous positive youth-development-related experience

• Be a creative problem solver.

 

 
Salary and Benefits:

BreakFree Education offers Travis Hill staff a competitive salary and benefits package.  Our salaries are on par with local schools and youth-serving nonprofit organizations, taking into account experience and skills. BreakFree offers a Simple IRA plan for all staff and provides a 4% employer contribution once staff has worked for one year. BreakFree provides health care coverage for all staff and covers approximately 80% of the monthly premiums and 50% for dependents of employees.  The English, Social Studies, Math, Art, Foreign Language, and Science positions are 10.5 months, full-time positions.  Vacation time is primarily aligned with the school calendar.  In addition, special education staff at Travis Hill work through the summer with agreed-to time off.