Dean of Academic - Lower Elementary (SY 2024-2025)

Background of the Organization

Ambition Preparatory Charter School is deeply committed to ensuring that every student in grades K-8 receives the high-quality education they deserve. Our mission is to provide students with the academic skills and self-discipline needed for college and life success through high-quality instruction, intensive academic supports, and hard work. We are a new college preparatory elementary and middle school serving the students of Jackson, MS. 

Responsibilities and Duties  

Driven by our mission to ensure every child succeeds, this academic leader will be responsible for driving academic and character outcomes for students as a member of the school’s leadership team. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Contribute to school-wide planning and prioritize time to accomplish academic goals. 
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• Provide input into school-based strategic planning.
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• Model strong staff and student culture.
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• Manage school-wide character development and behavior management systems.
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• Support teachers in understanding processes and roles in student support and intervention.
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• Develops systems and structures to ensure that limited time is spent on reactive student discipline.
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• Manage parts of daily school operations such as arrival, dismissal, lunch, recess, etc.
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• Collaborate with the Leadership Team on hiring diverse, highly effective teachers and school staff.
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• Build own and teachers’ instructional knowledge of standards, content, and instructional methods.
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• Develop a detailed understanding of academic standards.
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• Provide high-quality instructional coaching with frequently scheduled teacher observations, actionable feedback, and accountability for adjustment in practice.
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• Coach emerging leaders on instructional coaching practice.
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• Lead or coach others who lead department or grade level meetings that focus on planning for and norming on instruction and culture, practice instructional strategies and progress monitoring. 
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• Recommend to the Leadership Team what school-wide professional development will be the highest leverage in improving student results.
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• Serve as a coach to teachers by providing expert advice on improving and enhancing individual lessons and units based on ongoing analysis. This will include, but is not limited to:
• Reviewing lesson plans, unit plans, and assessments.
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• Understanding scope and sequence models.
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• Observing classroom instruction and offering comprehensive analysis and feedback.
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• Providing instructional strategies as needed.
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• Supporting the implementation of curriculum, using the backward design model and advising scope and sequence based on essential content knowledge that addresses local, state, and national standards.

Desired and Required Characteristics

• Demonstrates enthusiasm and commitment toward that job and the mission of Ambition Prep; supports Ambition Prep’s values in the strategic areas of academic excellence, operational performance, and school culture.
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• Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple priorities.
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• Ability to consistently be at work and on time, follow instructions, respond to direction and feedback, and be able to implement it to improve performance.
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• Establish interpersonal relationships with all constituents using oral and written communication, active listening, negotiating, and influencing skills.
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• Detailed knowledge of Ambition Prep’s policies and procedures.
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• Detailed knowledge of federal, state, and local requirements for K-12 schools and charter schools is preferred.
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• Unwavering commitment to Ambition Prep’s mission, students, families, and community.
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• The belief that all students can learn at a high level, regardless of race, culture, or socioeconomic status.
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• The ability to collaborate with team members and provide constructive and instructive feedback.
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• The ability to demonstrate excellent decision-making and judgment skills.
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• The ability to be flexible and adapt to changing priorities.
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• The ability to synthesize information and present it to stakeholders in a comprehensive manner.
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• The ability to work on broad-based strategy and everyday details.
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• Responsiveness; follow up with students, families, and staff members.