Head of Schools

Responsibilities

Executing Academic Strategy:

• Deliver regular, on-site, and rigorous observation, coaching, and feedback for instructional leaders, leadership teams, and principals
• Build the pedagogical content knowledge and the range of leadership competencies needed to lead high-performing schools and school systems
• Lead ongoing school-based walkthroughs and feedback sessions to ensure that curriculum and instructional systems are being implemented with fidelity
• Works with principals and assistant principals to manage a comprehensive teacher development program that includes weekly observation, coaching meetings, live coaching, professional development, and formal evaluation
• Supports Principals in executing the academic strategy and program with fidelity across schools to achieve breakthrough student results, promotes a strong culture of teaching and learning excellence, and fosters educational equity for all students
• Ensures the academic achievement of all specialized learning groups, including students with IEPs, emergent bilingual and multilingual students

Developing Leaders:

• Manages, develops, and supports 2-3 school principals, 2-4 leaders in residence, director of after-school program, and alumni coordinator
• Serves as a thought partner to direct reports as they lead their respective teams; coaches and supports direct reports to address their key roles and responsibilities
• Builds a pipeline of school-based leadership talent by identifying and intentionally developing leaders at all levels
• Works in collaboration with the Home Office team and Talent Team to hire school principals and assistant principals and execute the organization’s talent strategy in schools including providing best-practice coaching and development, annual goal setting, and succession planning
• Plans and implements professional development for school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring leaders
• Supervises principals in the creation and implementation of effective professional development opportunities for their staff
• Completes bi-annual performance evaluations of direct reports
• Ensures that the principals have a clear plan for improvement of instruction and school culture
• Engages principals in weekly academic program analysis and progress monitoring
• Supports the development of strong school operational systems and processes with a focus on data collection, scheduling, and Special Education programs and services

Senior Leadership:

• Be a senior leader who always models our mission, beliefs, and values
• Make leadership decisions with students’ and families’ best interests and needs in mind and holds peers and staff accountable to do the same
• Lead, develop, manage, and evaluate Campus Principals
• Model responsive and respectful communication with students, families, and community stakeholders to achieve exemplary results
• Hold a high bar for self and others in the organization in treating others as partners in expanding opportunities for our students and families
• Serve as the liaison between School Leadership teams and the Network Team
• Work hand-in-hand with the Chief Academic Officer and other Chiefs to achieve exceptional student results
• Leverage effective change management practices and strategies that are people- and relationship-centric
• Model excellence as a manager, developing others, and modeling an Etoile work ethic for teams

Academic Systems and Deliverables:

• Collaborate with CAO to develop/adopt/refine and implement curriculum, instructional approaches, and assessments.
• Collaborate with CAO to develop/adopt/refine and implement systems for data driven instruction (DDI), observation and feedback, lesson and content internalization, and high-quality adult learning systems.
• Develop/adopt/refine and implement strong student culture systems, including social emotional learning supports.
• Develop/adopt/refine approaches to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Board & Stakeholder Communication

• Serve as a liaison between the school leadership, Board of Directors, and other stakeholders.
• Prepare and present regular reports to the Board on academic progress and state of schools.
• Communicate effectively with all stakeholders, including staff, families, students, and community members, about the school’s progress, challenges, and successes.

Goals

• All campuses earn a B or better on the Texas A-F accountability system
• 50% or more of our Emergent Bilingual students will grow at least one proficiency level on TELPAS Composite
• 65% or better of all students meet or exceed NWEA MAP growth goals annually at each campus
• 71% of all students in the network meet or exceed .5 or 1 point on growth for Domain 2
• All campuses meet 85% or better satisfaction from students, parents and staff on surveys
• All campuses meet 85% or better student retention (October to October)

We look for team members that embody our REACH values. This includes the characteristics below.

• Open to sharing and implementing feedback with reverence and professionalism for the work (Respect).
• Authentic care for student results and effective teaching (Excellence).
• Setting a higher bar for yourself and others each day (Ambition).
• Honest contribution to and collaboration with the community (Community).
• Do what is needed to achieve results (Hard Work).
• Believes in education as a profession and holds oneself to a high level of conduct and professionalism

Qualifications

• Passionate commitment to the mission of dramatically improving K-8 education for underserved children
• Proven track record realizing equitable and excellent outcomes for kids, including Emergent Bilingual students, refugees, immigrants, and students with special education needs
• Experience teaching and leading in K-8 schools, ideally including experience as a founding or turnaround leader of a high-performing school and/or school system
• Significant experience as a principal coach or supervisor supporting school leaders
• Deep knowledge of curriculum and instruction, assessments, and student culture
• Ability to coach, support and influence adults towards improvement
• Demonstrated ability to be self-directed, take initiative, and display tenacious follow-through
• Strong written and oral communications skills
• Demonstrated ability to learn quickly and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, entrepreneurial start-up environment
• Bilingual preferred