BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CLASS TITLE: Office Secretary
WORKING TITLE: School Front Office Secretary
TITLE CODE: K2200
GRADE: 02/ESPBC $21.13 to $35.42 (Hourly Base Pay Scale for Non-Exempt Office Professionals, Clerical, and Classified Employees Represented by ESPBC, 2024-2025 Effective July 1, 2024)
DEFINITION: Performs general office secretarial and clerical duties in an elementary or secondary school. Prepares and processes forms, records, correspondence, memoranda, documents, and reports relating to school activities. Work involves frequent and responsible contacts with students, parents, the general public, administrative offices, and the school’s instructional and support staff. Performs other duties as assigned.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:
- Performs a full range of skilled word processing functions. Develops, formats, and prepares correspondence, memoranda, reports, announcements, and forms.
- Composes correspondence and memos. Prepares specialized documents and technical reports. Creates documents for mass mailings. Produces charts, graphs, and tables.
- Prepares, distributes, collects, records, processes, arranges, compiles, files, and maintains data related to student testing, deportment, accidents, enrollment, orientation, suspensions, insurance, withdrawals, medical data, instructional media, and a variety of other school business-related operations.
- Performs typing assignments with required skill and accuracy. Processes and records work which is often a confidential nature.
- Sets up and operates automated scheduling and attendance procedures; keeps a current file maintenance system for all schedule, attendance, and interim reports in a systematic filing scheme.
- Registers new students, assists with student orientation, may set up and maintain bus schedules. Processes incoming and outgoing record folders; maintains class and school enrollment data. Maintains data on the Student Testing and Registration System (STARS) system.
- Greets visitors, answers inquiries and/or directs them to appropriate school personnel. Works with parents, social services, law enforcement personnel, and other visitors, furnishing and obtaining information in accordance with the schools operational procedures and confidentiality requirements. Handles telephone calls; furnishes and receives information or directs call to proper person or office.
- Processes incoming and outgoing mail. Obtains and calls in daily lunch count. Maintains small fund for making student loans. Assists students with their personal problems; e.g., missing bus, lost and found, etc. Obtains substitute teachers when required. May assist in library. Maintains supply of and controls issuance and return of keys for school facilities and equipment.
- Arranges team and parent-teacher conferences. Responsible for team notices and minutes.
- Makes arrangements for field trips, obtains parental permission, charters transportation vehicles, determines cost, and may collect fees from students.
- May schedule use of school facility by school related and outside groups. Processes required forms, computing and entering standard fees. Notifies appropriate personnel for custodial and/or technical coverage.
- May maintain inventory of school materials and standard office supplies; obtains needed supplies as required.
- May be the principal’s designee for administering prescribed medication, and attends to the health needs of students during the absence of the nurse, excluding situations where there is exposure to blood and bodily fluids.
- Operates various office equipment including PC’s, photocopying equipment, duplicating machines, laminator, etc. May perform routine maintenance and arrange for service and/or repair of equipment.
- Prepares and maintains up-to-date records of all students on class list and attendance record/reports.
- Signs students in and out of school. Issues tardy passes and keeps absentee/tardy records
- Assists with the preparation of instructional requests including end of semester exams, tests, and other such materials as assigned.
- Provides back up assistance to other office clerical personnel to maintain efficient office operations at all times.
- Assists with ensuring accuracy of student attendance records including entering daily and period attendance for all daily substitutes. Maintains attendance related notes for the purpose of providing reliable documentation of recorded attendance information in compliance with district policies.
- Retrieves data and compiles information from manual and automated files for the preparation of routine reports and correspondence regarding student attendance.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Training and Experience:
- Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent. Three years of secretarial and/or clerical work experience.
- Candidates will complete the BCPS Office Professional Skills Assessment relevant for this position.
Note: Other combinations of applicable education, training, and experience that provide the knowledge, abilities, and skills necessary to perform effectively in the class may be considered.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Knowledge of office practices and procedures. Knowledge of filing systems. Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, and database software applications. Knowledge of office equipment.
- Skill in performing secretarial and clerical duties. Skill in maintaining records and preparing reports. Skill in composing correspondence. Skill in applying established policies and procedures to work problems. Skill in taking dictation (any method.)
- Demonstrated ability to type 40 words per minute. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, parents, administrators, staff, and the public. Ability to communicate clearly and effectively. Ability to appropriately maintain confidential information and records.
PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
The work of this class is generally sedentary, performed in an office environment, and requires the use of coordination and skill in the operation of word processing and other office equipment.
OTHER COMPENSATION:
This position may be eligible for extra duty activity pay, as approved by the Supervisor/Principal. Visit the BCPS website to review the ESPBC Master Agreement for additional information at https://www.bcps.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=2828&pageId=69996497.
BENEFITS:
BCPS offers a comprehensive benefits program for eligible employees including options for medical plans, dental plans, vision, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, disability coverage, and 403(b)/457 plans. Other benefits include sick, paid holidays, personal business, and bereavement days, and flexible leave options such as FMLA, sick bank, and board approved leaves. All new hires will attend a benefits and retirement orientation upon hire.
Visit the BCPS website for additional information about benefit plans for BCPS employees at https://www.bcps.org/hr/compliance/benefits_and_retirement
FLSA: Non-exempt
Eligible for the Maryland State Retirement System
This job description defines the types of duties and level of difficulty of work required of positions in this title. It shall not be held to exclude duties not mentioned nor limit the right of management to assign work to employees.
Citizenship, residency or work VISA in United States required.
Revised: 1/2008, 1/2010, 11/2015, 7/2020, 9/2024
Application Instructions
Please read and carefully follow the instructions provided below.
Applicants are required to have a completed application on file for employment with Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS). Each time an applicant applies to a job with BCPS, the application must be resubmitted. If an applicant started an application with BCPS in the past and at a later date decides to apply for additional positions, it is the applicant's responsibility to review the entire application and ensure that all data is up to date (for example, the applicant may need to add additional schooling or certifications, an additional work experience, or provide updated references). The applicant must remember to review the entire application each time for accuracy and submit each time for a new or different vacancy.
Professional references must be submitted to complete your application. Examples of professional references include current and former principals, supervisors, managers, mentor teachers and university/college supervisors. Personal references from colleagues, friends, community members, etc. will not be accepted. Applicants should notify their reference proactively to inform them they will receive a form via email through a MAILBOT email address from Baltimore County Public Schools. Applicants should also inform their reference(s) of the job they are applying to.
Be sure to account for all periods of employment and unemployment, including student teaching and internship experience, and include names, addresses, and telephone numbers of employers.
Be sure to answer all criminal background questions. If you answer "yes" to any of the criminal background questions you must provide a written explanation. A criminal offense does not necessarily exclude an applicant from employment with BCPS. Factors such as passage of time since the offense, the nature of the violation, and the extent of rehabilitation will be taken into consideration.
Pre-Employment Requirements:
All persons employed by the Baltimore County Public Schools, regular and temporary, are required to be fingerprinted and have a criminal background investigation (per COMAR) completed. The fee charged for fingerprinting is $109. An identification card will be issued which must be shown prior to employment.
Anyone offered employment is required to provide proper identification and documentation of eligibility for employment in the US.
If you have military experience, you will be asked to provide a copy of DD214.
Official transcripts for all higher education must be received prior to contract signing.
- Some positions will require employees to undergo a physical examination and/or drug testing.
All newly hired personnel must attend a Badges and Benefits session.
Additional job verification will be required for salary credit.
Non-Discrimination Statement
The Board of Education of Baltimore County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability, or veteran status in matters affecting employment or in providing access to educational programs or activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding the Board’s nondiscrimination policies should be directed to: EEO Officer, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Baltimore County Public Schools, 6901 Charles Street, Building B, Towson, Maryland 21204 (443-809-8937). There is a compliance officer responsible for identifying, preventing, and remedying prohibited harassment concerning students. Complaints of harassment should be directed to the executive director, Department of School Safety and Security, 9600 Pulaski Park Drive, Suite 118, Baltimore, MD 21220 (443-809-4360).
Contact Information
Office of Temporary and Support Services
6901 Charles Street, Building E
Towson, Maryland 21204
Phone: 443-809-8952