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Job Description
Position Type:
Administrative/Management
Date Posted:
6/16/2025
Location:
District Wide
Closing Date:
06/23/2025
Ojibwe Language and Culture Coordinator
DDWIAA
Pay Range I-A: $1,867-$2,100 per week, 48 week position + Benefits
Join the Duluth Public Schools team, where we work to inspire every student to achieve their potential and prepare students to lead productive, fulfilling lives.
Summary:
The Ojibwe Language and Culture Coordinator position is a districtwide leadership position for the programming and curriculum for Ojibwe language which includes Oshki-Inwewin, the Misaabekong Immersion program and Ojibwe Language courses in the Duluth Public Schools. This position is responsible for the expansion, coordination, and alignment of American Indian Language and Culture initiatives and efforts pre-K-12. This position will develop and monitor schedules for all program staff and participate in teacher observations and evaluations; in collaboration with site Principal(s); will develop and implement culturally-based learning opportunities across all grades, will supervise consistent Family Engagement activities, and will provide information to families to ensure family involvement. This position will also serve as a lead staff member for programming and communications, as well as provide supports for program staff, including the facilitation of Professional Development workshops in the area of Objibwe language and culture, serve on leadership teams to assist in making program decisions, developing program policies, and communicating with administration on program progress and needs, and will collaborate with other district and program leaders to secure funding, assist in Tribal consultation, and improve educational outcomes for Indigenous students.
This position will aid in the district and program goal areas of increasing enrollment, providing a safe and welcoming culturally-rich school environment, reduction in behavior referrals and suspensions, and high attendance rates of all students participating in Ojibwe language programs or courses.
Minimum Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in education, American Indian studies, Ojibwe language, or a closely-related field and at least three (3) years of experience as an educational leader or in a leadership position.
- Experience working with school-age children and adolescents in an educational setting.
- Experience working in an Ojibwe or other American Indian immersion environment.
- Experience teaching in or administering an Ojibwe or other American Indian Language immersion program.
Skill Requirements:- Demonstrated leadership skills, especially regarding cross-cultural interaction.
- Ability to facilitate various size groups, including conflict resolution.
- Demonstrated effective management and organizational skills.
- Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to identify barriers in school or departmental systems, and the development and implementation of action plans.
- Demonstrated effective staff development, planning, and facilitation.
- Successful grant writing experience.
- Dealing with tension and stress in heightened situations.
- Flexibility in the role and environment of Ojibwe Language Immersion.
- Progress Monitoring of student success and implementation of Indigenous immersion practices.
- Maintain professional composure while dealing with a variety of personalities and situations.
- End-user skills with internal computer database systems such as Skyward and Infinite Campus
- Show initiative and function as a self-starter.
- Develop and integrate Ojibwe culture and technology into curriculum, instruction, and daily tasks.
- Develop effective and positive working relationships with students, staff, administrators, parents, and the community.
- Effectively navigate different communication styles to exchange or convey information.
- Negotiate, compromise, and manage conflict.
- Exercise professionalism when dealing with sensitive, complex, and confidential issues and situations.
- Proficiency in the Ojibwe language (preferred "Intermediate - Advanced" rating under the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines).
- Understanding of diversity issues, including recruitment and retention of a diverse staff.
- Learning theory, program planning, curriculum development, and management.
- Best practices for teaching and learning.
- Evolving research in Indigenous immersion education.
- Grammar and construction of the Ojibwe language.
- Ojibwe cultural values and practices.
- Fiscal management and budgets.
- Attaining resources for grants.
- District organizational structure, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations.
- Principles and techniques of budgeting and financial management.
- Capabilities of computer systems, software, and hardware related to the development and delivery of professional development and training material.
Medical/Prescription Drug Plan with Health Reimbursement Arrangement- Single Coverage - District pays 100% of premium (FREE) + contributes $2,612.50 into HRA annually
- Family Coverage - District pays 75% of premium (25% employee contribution) + contributes $5,225.00 into HRA annually
- Single Coverage - District pays 100% of Basic premium (FREE)
- Family Coverage - District pays 25% of Premium
- District provides minimum of $50,000 of life insurance at no cost, employee may purchase supplemental life insurance
- District-provided at no cost to employee
- Employees may elect to contribute on a pre-tax basis to Health Flexible Spending Accounts and Dependent Care Accounts
- The District contributes 7.5% of your total salary in the Public Employees Retirement Association) pension plan.
- Employees may also elect to participate in Tax-Shelter Annuity options.
- Each bargaining unit contract defines time off provisions such as holidays, sick/personal leave, vacation, etc.
If you have any questions, please contact Human Resource at 218-336-8722 or email noncerthr@isd709.org
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ABOUT THE COMPANY
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Duluth Public Schools
Show moreDuluth, or Onigamiising in Ojibwe, is the seat of St. Louis County, the largest city in the northern two-thirds of Minnesota, and the fourth largest city in the state. It is located on the western tip of Lake Superior and its city limits encompass 67 square miles of land and nearly 50 square miles of water. It is part of the Twin Ports metropolitan statistical area which includes all of Wisconsin's Douglas County, and Minnesota's Carlton, Lake, and Saint Louis counties which boasts a population of 291,638, ranked as the 170th largest metropolitan area in the United States.
After years of building economic diversity, Duluth is growing into a robust regional economic, medical, aviation, higher education, outdoor recreation and arts center. Duluth has long been recognized as an innovative region that is supported by a wide variety of services and industries, including the largest, farthest inland freshwater port, the Port of Duluth-Superior.
The city also boasts a vibrant arts culture, home to art museums, theater, and numerous festivals throughout the year. It is the home of two colleges and a university whose local sports teams include nationally ranked and championship teams.
Duluth Public Schools offers an excellent, competitive and comprehensive benefits program, which includes medical, prescription drug, dental, life, and disability coverage. A pension plan, tax-sheltered annuities program, flexible spending accounts (FSA), health care savings plan and employee assistance program round out the district’s robust benefits program.
The district pays a significant portion of the premium for medical hospitalization, dental and prescription coverage for employees and dependents and offers Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) funding.
The district also has generous provisions for vacation, holidays, family and medical leave and other types of paid and unpaid leave. The district recently added Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth to our list of paid holidays.
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