Job Title: Head of School – Elevate Academy

Job Classification: Building Level Administration

Reports to: Superintendent

Work Schedule: Year Round

General Description:

The Head of School will work in close collaboration with Career Academy administration to design and launch a new “School within a School” concept for the 2023-2024 school year. The “School within a School” model is an innovative, experiential and student driven education experience for Career Academy High School students (grades 9-12). Several key characteristics include empowering scholars as co-designers of their learning experiences, providing relational student mentorship, allowing for flexible curriculum, including internship and service-learning opportunities, and utilizing cutting-edge assessment and feedback practices.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree with building level administration license.
• Must have a minimum of 5 years of classroom experience.

• Preparation and commitment to working effectively with diverse communities using a relationship-based approach.
• Skill in providing for the individual learning needs of scholars.
• Ability to create positive, restorative, and inclusive learning environments.
• Ability to organize and plan for scholar learning; familiarity with student-centered teaching/learning theories.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining authentic relationships and collaborating with diverse groups of scholars, parents, colleagues, and community partners.
• Champion of keeping students' needs and rights first and foremost in any educational decision making.
• Equity minded commitment in isolating race and gender in schools as meaningful learning opportunities are co-designed alongside students and adults.
• Strong desire to participate and collaborate in a teacher leadership model.

Primary Responsibilities

• Collaborating with the Career Academy administration to continuously connect and partner with scholars, families, and community partners.
• Co-designing and engaging in authentic learning experiences with scholars, including but not limited to:
• Mini-Courses (shorter learning sprints around a particular topic, theme, or set of standards)
• Case Studies (analyzing and co-creating solutions to current problems, issues, or projects in collaboration with our community partners)
• Internships and Service Learning (coordinating and connecting scholars with opportunities in the local and global communities)
• Authentic Assessments (feedback and reflection rooted in core competencies and tied to graduation requirements as well as standardized tests needed for future goals)
• Mentoring & advising scholars in co-creating their own learning paths, reflecting on growth and progress towards graduation, and exploring post-secondary goals.
• Professional Development & Travel: Co-design and participate in professional development opportunities related to the Collaborative Lab School design, including workshops, conferences, and school visits (to be determined, likely a mix of local and out-of-state opportunities involving travel).
• Plan and facilitate safe & effective educational learning environments to meet the needs of a diverse community of learners, modeling the district’s standards for ethical behavior in alignment with the Career Academy Strategic Plan.
• Partner with Career Academy administration during the planning and implementation of all Collaborative Lab School design phases.

School Activities

• Lead will be required to attend and/or participate in such other activities as directed by the Administrator such as: faculty meetings (before or after school hours), open houses, commencement exercises, chaperone student activities, provide guidance for students, participate on faculty committees, study and help resolve school problems.

Essential Skills and Abilities

• Possesses critical/creative thinking skills and problem-solving abilities.
• Can move about school campus, with or without reasonable accommodations, and amongst classroom settings daily.
• Has the temperament and stamina to sustain extended work hours and problem situations.
• Possesses the ability to read, compose, and deliver instructions and information.
• Communicates effectively in writing and speech; utilizes technology resources as appropriate.
• Demonstrates ongoing professional growth and development.
• High level of organization and resourcefulness, with a keen ability to be on top of the day-today management of a school.
• Humble, reflective, and willing to continually improve.
• Ability to prioritize effectively to accomplish the most important tasks without losing sight of other details.
• The ability to effectively communicate with staff, students, parents, and all other stakeholders.
• Possess the emotional intelligence required to effectively lead a school.