Head of School/Principal Fellow

The Head of School Fellow will support the Head of School in setting and driving the vision for the school and will have overall accountability for the success of the school. The Head of School works closely with the administrative team to manage the school’s culture, academic program, and operations. Though the Head of School will lead a school that adheres to the core Excel systems, culture and philosophy, they will be empowered to innovate and adapt the model as needed. Excel believes that its distinctive performance is rooted in the quality of its school leaders, and Excel’s organizational philosophy centers on investing in people—starting with and flowing from Excel school leaders.

See below for the full list of responsibilities the program prepares you for:

Excel seeks candidates with the qualities and skills to become an outstanding Head of School. These competencies distinguish Excel School Leaders:

• Strong collaboration with other middle school campuses to ensure alignment in intellectual leadership and programmatic vision; translate the big-picture vision into measurable goalposts for day-to-day implementation

• Creating the culture and conditions for productive adult learning
• Modeling Excel norms, culture and behavior through their own actions

• Acting as an effective leader and ambassador for the organization beyond the school’s walls

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

• Understand how your identity markers (including race, class, and gender) impact your leadership.
• Demonstrates understanding and respect for the cultures and languages of our communities.
• Solicit and welcomes collaboration and feedback from colleagues, students, families and the surrounding community.
• Understand the impact of historical and structural racism and use this lens in your decision-making.
• Take action to demonstrate personal reflections and growth/ be responsive to feedback and lessons learned.

Drive Excellent Teaching Practices

• Support the Dean of Curriculum and Instruction (DCI) and Dean of Student Support (DoSS) to drive excellent teaching for all learners in Excel classrooms;

• Support the DCI and DoSS to ensure that they observe classes regularly and give written and verbal feedback to teachers.
• Ensure frequent points of contact with all direct reports. Develop structures to ensure presence in all classrooms weekly at a minimum. Meet with all direct reports bi-weekly at a minimum, sending agendas in advance and supporting teachers to develop agendas to maximize the utility of meetings;
• Support the DCI and DoSS to ensure that Excel classes are engaging, challenging, and accessible to all learners.
• Support the Network Department heads, DCI and DoSS to ensure that the school’s mission and philosophy are reflected in instructional approach and curriculum;
• Support DCI and DoSS to drive purposeful use of assessment data and feedback;
• Collect, analyze, share and interpret internal and external school assessments and ensure DCI and DoSS use data strategically to improve student academic performance

Ensure All Students Achieve

• Support the DCI and DoSS to ensure successful execution and analysis of intervention programs targeted at needs of diverse academic subgroups, whether remedial or enrichment; and

• Support the DCI and DoSS in monitoring the quality and effectiveness of the special education and ELL inclusion program.

Create a Positive Student Culture of Academic Achievement

• Ensure Dean of Students (DoS), DCI and DoSS coach teachers to create classrooms that reflect Excel’s Student Culture Vision where our community values are embedded into the curriculum in instructional classes;

• Provide feedback to DCI & DoS on their execution of Excel’s Student Culture Vision and behavior management systems across the school;
• Work with the DoS to enforce the code of conduct by having a strong, public presence throughout the school day; and

• Collaborate with the DoS to plan proactive culture initiatives and to respond to any class or school culture or behavior issues.

Drive the Professional Culture of Excel’s Teaching Staff

• Collaborate with admin team to lead and implement group professional development opportunities for staff to drive growth in the Instructional Program;

• Plan and facilitate staff meetings as needed;
• Write quality evaluations for all direct reports;
• Support the hiring and retention of talented staff in Excel’s classrooms;
• Manage aspirations for all direct reports; ensure that teachers have an open line of communication with school administration about aspirations and career goals; and

• Ensure that all teachers feel that Excel provides them opportunities to be intellectually and professionally challenged.

• Participate in generating and upholding Excel Staff Norms;

• Act as a substitute teacher when needed;
• Meaningfully participate in Friday meetings, school PD and Family Conferences; and
• Meaningfully participate in the network-wide community of instructional leaders.

Serve as a productive member of the Administrative Team

• Model flexibility, creativity, generosity of spirit by supporting members of the administrative to the best of your ability.

• Lean into difficult situations and conversations, when necessary, while maintaining a generosity of spirit and willingness to “call people” in to work through tension or conflict.
• Do whatever it takes to ensure that the mission of the school is fulfilled.
  
  For a comprehensive overview, please see Excel's Head of School Core Competencies
  Qualifications

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred;

• A minimum of six years of experience in an urban middle school setting, Charter school setting preferred, but not required;
• Proven track-record of strong results in school leadership;
• Strong strategic thinking skills with clear and nuanced understanding of the impact that different approaches have on organizational culture and performance;
• Systematic and structured approach to project management with a demonstrated ability to carry out multiple high-priority projects in parallel;
• The ability to focus and thrive in a fast paced, entrepreneurial environment;
• An entrepreneurial spirit that reflects an openness to change, a willingness to problem-solve, and an interest in developing new ideas & programs.