Adolescent Operations Program Director

Title: Adolescent Operations Program Director

Classification: 1.0 full-time, exempt, Management/Administration

Benefits Eligibility: Yes

Compensation: Commensurate with experience, compensation is comparable to leadership roles within regional charter schools.

Report to: Executive Director

School Year: 2025-2026, starting July 2025

Organization description:

Great River School (GRS) is a public Montessori school serving students grades 1st through 12th with the International Baccalaureate program in 11th & 12th grades. Our community is committed to an engaging environment which prepares students for their unique roles as responsible and engaged citizens of the world. Our vision is world peace through education. We specifically seek to deconstruct systems of bias and oppression that interrupt relationships and access to education. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, racial justice, gender inclusion, and accessibility of education is central to our core values as a school community.

General description:

The Operations Program Director will serve as an administrative school manager and leader of the Adolescent program. The Director will provide planning, management, and coordination of the Adolescent program (grades 7-12), specifically focusing the operational and logistical elements that are central to our mission and program, including Key Experiences, CAS, scheduling and other logistics. The Operations Program Director works in close collaboration with the Adolescent Instructional Program Director, who provides oversight, management, and leadership of the Adolescent program (grades 7-12), specifically focusing curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and coaching guides. The Operations Program Director role is responsible for addressing all logistical aspects of the program, collaborating with colleagues where appropriate, and carrying accountability for making the program work well for students and employees.

Main duties include:

• Planning, coordination and supervision of all aspects of Adolescent Key Experiences
• Planning, coordination and supervision of all aspects of the Adolescent CAS Program
• Planning and facilitating all Adolescent schedules - courses, lunch, recess, CAS, community meetings, supervision, testing and student schedules
• Coordination of Adolescent technology (along with the Instructional Program Director and Director of Administration)- including Chromebooks, Yondr, computer carts, PowerSchool and Schoology
• Coordinates daily classroom sub coverage
• Plans, supervises and coordinates all Adolescent community events - Back to School, Conferences, Open Houses

The organizational structure for managing the Adolescent Level is an acknowledgment of the challenges of operating a medium size charter school that centers Montessori and IB philosophies and balances weeks and months of Key Experience curriculum with IB for all in the upper grades. It is for this reason the Instructional Program Director position is designed to work cohesively with the Operations Program Director role. Between these two Adolescent leaders, they will collaborate to:

• Plan and support staff Professional Development
• Facilitate new staff training and mentorship
• Plan and facilitate weekly meeting structures, including level, department, student support and otherwise
• Maintain a program for peer observation
• Develop, review and update program materials, protocols, curriculum and other documentation.
• Supervision and planning for all mission central components of our IB and Montessori school. Instructional Director is responsible for philosophy, approach and best practices, while Operations Director is responsible for coordination:
• Components include Advisory, CAS, Independent Work, Community Meeting, Student Leadership and Key Experiences.

The Operations Program Director will be solely responsible for the following program components:

• Key Experiences
• CAS
• Scheduling
• Technology implementation and coordination
• Community Events
• Sub coverage
• The Adolescent Prepared Environment
• Student transitions - NewEnrollment, 7th grade, 9th grade, exit interview
• Family Communications

The Operations Program Director collaborates with other Leadership team members to address the following:

• Student records: The Instructional Program Director works with the Operations Program Director and the Director of Administration to ensure enrollment records, student information, schedules and stored grades support the healthy functioning of the program.
• Mission Alignment: The Operations Program Director works with the Elementary Program Director, Instructional Program Director and Executive Director to support operational and programmatic alignment as students and families transition between elementary and adolescent programs.
• Maintain effective communication with colleagues, parents & families, and school administration
• All Leadership Level roles are accountable to follow school policy, and report to the Executive Director.
• As the leader of the Adolescent team, the Operations Director demonstrates civility, trust, independence, responsibility and accountability to their team and colleagues.

Summer work:

The Instructional Program Director is expected to work the teacher days of the calendar, as well as take responsibility to make sure the plans for the level are accomplished and communicated throughout the year, including summer months. Planning and coordination is required for two weeks before and after teacher in-services in the fall and spring, respectively. The Director is responsible for planning their working hours and location for these weeks before and after in-services to make sure that details and necessary duties are accomplished in support of their program and school needs. Program Director also is available to meet as school leadership for a maximum total of 15 working days over the summer months. These are “as needed” days, determined by the Executive Director. These working days are objective-based, and outcome-focused. The goal is to facilitate a program that requires less planning over the summer and allows the Program Director to make autonomous choices about work/life balance and program planning over the summer months.

Training & Development:

Leadership orientation is provided for the Program Director via the supervision of the Executive Director. The Operations Program Director is responsible for seeking training opportunities as appropriate for both personal and professional development and to be best prepared for approaches to manage and lead at Great River School. Expected training and workshops that align with school practices are facilitated by the Center for Courage and Renewal, the Appreciative Inquiry method, Science House of MN, Art of Convening. Other individual interests that overlap with school mission as well as individual interest are welcome as proposals. A professional development plan is created by the Program Director to engage in leadership skill development, and submitted to the annual report of the school board each fall.

Qualifications:

• Have experience with Montessori educational practice
• Have experience coordinating, planning and facilitating large events and projects
• Have experience managing project budgets
• Have experience supervising, collaborating and coordinating with teams

Preferred qualifications:

• Have experience as a licensed classroom teacher
• Three (3) or more years of experience working within a Montessori Adolescent environment (or comparable)
• Montessori Adolescent Orientation/Training
• Experienced in leadership and building cohesive communication and vision of educators
• Experience in management and creating clear systems for program fidelity - demonstrated ability in supervising teams and individuals, setting clear boundaries with accountability
• Experience taking responsibility for holistic program goals and operation - being accountable to create an environment in which improvement is continuous and challenges are met with a growth mindset
• Civility, Kindness, and Integrity; as reflected in daily interaction with faculty, students, and parents Serve the community; as reflected in student/parent community relationships
• Judgment: as reflected in decision-making and problem-solving skills
• Depth: ability to draw from a broad base of knowledge or experiences
• Relationships: ability to develop appropriate relationships in support of teaching and learning
• Excellent written and verbal skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Possess positive and high expectations for themselves, colleagues, and for students
• Ability to manage competing tasks with competing deadlines
• Ability to remain on task and follow through projects to their completion
• Excellent word processing skills and good computer knowledge (or ability to learn computer skills to function effectively in the GRS setting).
• Preferred candidates hold:
• Three or more years of experience implementing Montessori programming in grades 7-12
• Have Montessori training or credential (appropriate to level)
• Experience managing programming, and building consensus among colleagues.
• Have leadership and team building experiences in an educational settings
• Have current MN State teaching license

Great River School provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and or expression, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

In addition, Great River School will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted on a rolling basis until successful candidate(s) are hired.

Please send a letter of interest, resume and three professional letters of reference (email of application materials is preferred) to:

Email: jobs@greatriverschool.org

David Núñez

Head of School

Great River School 1326 Energy Park Drive

St. Paul, MN 55108

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Salary : $70,000