Head of School

Position: Head of School
Reports To: School Board
Supervises: Pedagogical Director, Special Education Director, Operations Director, Office Administrator, (contracted) Office Coordinator

Purpose

The Head of School is appointed by the School Board:

• To implement SMCS’s strategic plan and vision in accordance with its mission and philosophy and
• To lead the School in all operational matters as delegated by the School Board and in collaboration with other School departments and leadership as outlined by the School’s by-laws and governing policies.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree (Masters preferred)
• NM Educational Administration License (PreK-12)
• Background check and state-required fingerprints
• Preferred: proficiency in Spanish
• Preferred: Public Charter School experience
• Preferred: Waldorf School experience

Leadership Qualities

• Commitment to, belief in, and alignment with the mission of the School, its goals, and public Waldorf education.
• Experience in leadership and management of both adults and students.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to multitask.
• Ability to approach situations with optimism and perseverance, willingness to take personal responsibility, open to and interested in feedback on performance, eagerness to continue to improve effectiveness, and steady determination to pursue excellence.
• Ability to build a strong, cohesive school team environment built on trust with a willingness to lead by example.
• Must be data literate and have the ability to use data to drive results.
• Experience in budgetary planning, accounting, and effective allocation of school resources.
• Experience in working with families and students from diverse backgrounds, including racial and ethnic groups, special needs, and English language learners.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Leadership Collaboration

1. With the Special Education Director
2. With the Pedagogical Director

1. Operations Collaboration
   1. With the Operations Director
   2. With the Office Administrator
   3. With the contracted Business Manager
2. Administrative Oversight
   1. Keep the School Board informed about the operational and programmatic wellbeing of the School as necessary for the School Board to meet its performance and business standards.
   2. Serve as a communication liaison between the School Board and staff.
   3. Attend Board meetings and maintain ex-officio status as a non-voting member of the School Board and a member of the Board Executive Committee, as per the School’s by-laws.
   4. Develop and implement administrative policies and procedures for the School.
   5. Collaborate with the Pedagogical Director to ensure a rich and robust academic life of the school.
   6. Collaborate with the Special Education Director to ensure that the academic needs of all students, including special needs students, are being met.
   7. Fulfill all PED reporting and monitoring obligations.
   8. Assume any necessary functions of a School District Superintendent.
3. Financial Oversight
   1. Coordinate with the Operations Director and contracted Business Manager.
   2. On the preparation of monthly financial statements to the Board on the School’s financial health, including enrollment, outstanding accounts, revenue, expenditures, and cash flow projections, and development.
   3. On the preparation of a complete annual budget proposal for submission to the School Board with the Board’s Finance Committee.
   4. On complying with Federal, State, and Local reporting requirements.
   5. Report to the Board and/or its delegates on personnel matters and decisions, as needed, particularly as it relates to potential legal and financial liability to the School.
4. Strategic Planning
   1. Participate in strategic planning with the School Board, the Advisory Council, the Equity Council, and the greater School community.
   2. Keep abreast of current trends in public Waldorf and charter school education, and modify or implement programs and practices as deemed appropriate for the School.
   3. Attend professional development workshops with a commitment to learning about Waldorf educational systems, charter school management and governance, and organizational leadership in areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
   4. Establish and maintain strategic partnerships in furtherance of the School’s mission and values.
5. Personnel/Human Resources Oversight
   1. Hire and dismiss, as necessary, all staff and faculty.
   2. Provide oversight concerning all HR and employment matters for staff and faculty in compliance with Federal, State, and Local laws and regulations, and the School’s internal policies, procedures, and protocols.
   3. Develop the Leadership Team and Operations Team with an emphasis on collaboration, accountability, and outcomes in alignment with the School’s mission, values, and strategic plan.
   4. Support and provide informal feedback and formal performance reviews to supervisees through active supervision and performance management.
   5. Oversee and manage the employee grievance policy as laid out in the personnel handbook.
   6. Oversee and manage (as needed) SMCS’s complaint process.
6. Program and Service Support
   1. Responsible for the safety and security of all the School’s students, faculty, and staff; oversee the safety and security plan of the School.
   2. Ensure that the School complies with all state regulations regarding student education and safety.
   3. Maintain the Parent Handbook and Employee Handbook in collaboration with the School Board, Leadership and Operations Team.
   4. Develop and maintain positive relationships with students, families, alumni, neighbors, donors, and other community stakeholders.
7. Enrollment Oversight
   1. Manage the lottery enrollment and waitlists. When the Operations Director is hired as an employee of SMCE, oversee the Operations Director’s management of the enrollment lottery.
   2. Manage exit interviews from families leaving SMCS to determine potential strengths and weaknesses in order to support improving student and family life in the School and appropriate communications with those concerned.

Accountability and Evaluation

• The Head of School is accountable to the Board of Trustees and will be subject to an annual review as delegated to the Executive Committee or other Board Committee.
• In cases where a party files a complaint, the Head of School will be subject to grievance policies and procedures as outlined in the Employee Handbook. The School Board will administer the grievance process.