The Cottonwood School offers dynamic homeschooling pathways for TK-12: a uniquely personalized, whole-learner approach that nurtures academic, social, and emotional achievement. The Cottonwood school is a tuition-free, public charter school serving transitional kindergarten through 12th-grade students in Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Placer, and Sacramento Counties. We take an integrative approach that education is more than academic learning. We understand that a rich education includes social and emotional development as well as a strong academic foundation.
Our Homestudy Pathway fosters holistic learning through the many activities and events we offer each month—field trips, workshops, hands-on, experiential activities.
Our Cottonwood College Prep Academy is a hybrid on-site High School Pathway that offers Montessori-inspired project-based learning that encourages collaboration and creativity.
At The Cottonwood School, we envision a world where students flourish, communities thrive, and staff are fulfilled.
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025 @ 04:00 pm
Start Date: May 1, 2025
Vacancies: 1
Employment Type: Full-Time
Position Summary: Under the direction of the Director of Technology, the IT Specialist will assist the school staff and students in maintaining and using schoolwide technology to meet school objectives. An IT Specialist may be assigned areas of primary responsibility, but each Specialist will provide support services for all school technology.
Directly Responsible to: Director of Technology
Pay Scale:Schedule E (Office Tech III)
Calendar: 238 work days
Classification: Classified
FLSA Status: Nonexempt
Staff Assigned: N/A
Work Location: Sandstone location*
*School will accommodate telecommuting requests
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Maintains various school information-system database software by performing basic activities such as adding user accounts, creating and printing reports, and troubleshooting problems. E
- Understands school software and systems: inventory, SIS, purchasing, GAFE, Zoom, Clever, Wordpress, Azure, Adobe, and other. E
- Familiar with setting up and maintenance of Chromebooks, Windows, and Apple systems. E
- Creates application documentation, such as user guides, to assist the end-user. E
- Performs basic wifi network installations and repairs; repairs/installs switches and
routers; routes and terminates network cables; installs wall jacks and troubleshoots or tests faulty connections.
- Installs, sets up, and maintains multimedia projectors, computer settings, and other school devices. E
- Serves as a resource to staff in answering questions and assisting in effective utilization of school technology. E
- Research solutions to technology challenges. E
- Provides training to end-users on a variety of technology issues. E
- Participates with school technology committees to identify instructional goals and objectives and to develop long-range technology plans to accomplish them.
- Assists in the planning and development of school computers, related hardware, and software. E
- Administer and/or support the state and local standardized testing processes and policies.
- Support website and other online resources through editing and maintenance.
- Supports accuracy of records on the configuration, installation, warranty, licenses, and allocation of computer software, hardware, and/or network systems. E
- Professionally represents the School in interactions with parents, community, staff, and
- students and resolves conflicts in a professional manner. E
- Attends department meetings.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Ability to troubleshoot software and hardware issues on the telephone and in person for students and staff schoolwide.
- Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from students, parents or staff.
- Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
- Must have a working knowledge of the technological tools employed by teachers and other staff members.
- Ability to research new technology and troubleshooting methods .
- Understand the set-up and configuration of school computers
- Ability to analyze issues and determine an appropriate course of action
- Display tact and courtesy at all times
- Work as part of a team and maintain effective working relationships
- Strong oral and written communication skills in English
- Must possess strong customer service skills
- Ability to work indepently, with minimum direction, and make decisions within the framework of established guidelines
- Must live in the Northern California, Sacramento area and be able to commute to El Dorado Hills.
Education and Licenses:
- Graduation from high school/GED.
- One year certificate from a college or technical school; or one year related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Prior experience working in network set-up, at a help desk, and troubleshooting strongly preferred.
- Must possess a valid California Driver’s License
Work Environment:
The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions. These physical standards are generic in nature and tasks may vary dependent on school site or specialized site assignment. The information contained in this physical standards description is for compliance with the American With Disability Act and is not an exhaustive list of duties performed. The individuals currently holding this position perform additional duties and additional duties as assigned.
Physical Demands:
- Continuously - Sufficient strength, stamina (including physical, mental and emotional), physical ability and mobility to visually observe and assist students.
- Continuously - Sit or stand for extended periods of time.
- Occasionally - Bend at the waist, kneel, stoop, squat, reach and crouch.
- Seldom - Work variable hours
- Seldom - Lift, push and/or pull objects weighing approximately 20 pounds.
- Occasionally - Ability to reach in all directions including overhead and horizontally.
- Continuously - Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate equipment including computer keyboard/mouse and standard office equipment necessary to do job functions.
- Continuously - Communicate effectively with students, staff, parents and community members.
- Continuously - Comply with timelines and deadlines with frequent interruptions.
- Occasionally - Travel for department meetings and school trainings/in-service meetings.
- Continuously - See to operate equipment, read and to understand written material and ability to detect information displayed on a computer screen.
- Seldom - Restrain students when necessary.
Physical Demands Frequency Definitions Based on an 8 hour day:
- Never = 0%
- Seldom = 1 - 10% (less than 45 minutes)
- Occasionally = 11 - 33% (up to 3.0 hours)
- Frequently = 34 - 66% (up to 6 hours)
- Continuously = 67 - 100% (more than 6 hours)
Environment including Hazardous Conditions:
This position may include indoor offices/classrooms and outdoor work (including eating and common area(s), auditorium, playground(s), restroom(s), stairs if applicable, and parking lot(s)) with the following possible exposures: dust; wind; sun; insects; bloodborne pathogens and biohazardous waste; variances in weather conditions (snow, rain, sleet, etc.); noise which can range from quiet to loud; fast paced work environment with possible stressful situations and need to multi-task; traffic congestion; playground projectiles such as baseballs, footballs, basketballs, etc.; intervening physically to stop conflicts between angry or emotionally upset students; and, dealing with students, parents, employees and the general public who may exhibit unpredictable or anti-social behavior.
Employees in this position may have a higher level of exposure to illness or infection from students. May be exposed to students who may ask inappropriate personal questions, display socially unacceptable behavior, display physically aggressive behavior, and insult your personal characteristics including appearance, ace, age, sex and race. There is also frequent contact with staff and public.
Right to Revise:
This job description is not meant to be all-inclusive and the School reserves the right to revise this job description as necessary without advance notice.
The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees, and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer without notice
E = Essential job functions
Compensation & Benefits
In addition to competitive salaries, The Cottonwood School offers eligible Full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package that can include: Medical, Dental, Vision coverage, Life & Disability, 403(b) and 457(b) plans, an Employee assistance program, Flexible Spending accounts for Health care and dependent care, pet insurance and more!
Qualifications:
- Ability to troubleshoot software and hardware issues on the telephone and in person for students and staff schoolwide.
- Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from students, parents or staff.
- Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
- Must have a working knowledge of the technological tools employed by teachers and other staff members.
- Ability to research new technology and troubleshooting methods.
- Understand the set-up and configuration of school computers
- Ability to analyze issues and determine an appropriate course of action
- Display tact and courtesy at all times
- Work as part of a team and maintain effective working relationships
- Strong oral and written communication skills in English
- Must possess strong customer service skills
- Ability to work independently, with minimum direction, and make decisions within the framework of established guidelines
- Must live in the Northern California, Sacramento area and be able to commute to El Dorado Hills.
Education and Licenses:
- Graduation from high school/GED.
- One year certificate from a college or technical school; or one year related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Prior experience working in network set-up, at a help desk, and troubleshooting strongly preferred.
- Must possess a valid California Driver’s License