Assistant Director

Whole Kids Academy is a warm and vibrant Spanish immersion preschool with nearly a decade of experience serving local families. We take immense pride in nurturing and developing the whole child as we work towards our goal of helping children grow as strong, independent thinkers in a warm and loving environment. Our school is home to an incredibly connected and invested community, where children, teachers and families learn, grow and thrive together.

We are in search of an Assistant Director to join our team and use their leadership expertise to mentor, support and strengthen our school and its many initiatives. The right candidate will be well-qualified and passionate about early childhood education, leadership, coaching, mentorship and will share our team’s values. Additionally, our Assistant Director must be incredibly organized, proactive, personable, empathetic and knowledgeable about team motivation, morale, HR policies and staff performance management in an early education environment. Individual must be an exceptional communicator, act with utmost integrity at all times and be able to thrive in a fast-paced and ever-changing work environment.

The key functions of this role include:

• Managing the day-to-day operations of our buzzing preschool community and all that a busy day may bring, including but not limited to – fielding parent and teacher questions and requests, assisting in classrooms as needed, and much more!
• Creating and maintaining strong relationships with students, teachers, and parents while ensuring clear, consistent, and kind communication. You will be responsible for communicating with parents and staff on a regular basis through various mediums – phone, email, newsletters, Brightwheel, and in-person.
• Investing in and providing individualized encouragement, strategies and mentorship to our team of talented and hardworking teachers through classroom observations, 1:1 and team meetings and continuing education.
• Meet with staff on a consistent basis to provide encouraging feedback, emphasizing strengths, setting goals and concrete examples of ways to improve.
• Oversee staff scheduling, ratios, leave requests and other HR functions for all team members.
• Ensuring that each classroom is creating an exceptional learning atmosphere based on our WKA values and in conjunction with key aspects of our curriculum – play-based, child-led, and forward thinking.

Additional responsibilities may arise, for a complete list of duties and responsibilities, please reach out!

You would be a great fit for this role if you are…

PASSIONATE AND DRIVEN. A genuine love and passion for working with children is a must-have for working at Whole Kids Academy! Teaching young children is demanding work but our passion drives our mission and the joy we receive from doing it. Additionally, we have the drive it takes to go the extra mile in making a positive impact for others.

WARM, KIND AND EMPATHETIC. We are known for our particularly warm and loving community. We are a school that truly cares about each and every member of our community. We are huggers, we are nurturing, we listen to understand and provide empathy, and we take action to make a difference. We are a glass half-full kind of community that practices the art of gratitude and works to find the silver lining.

PRACTICE COURAGE AND INTEGRITY. You’ll be relied upon again and again to use good judgement and do the right thing over what’s easy, convenient or comfortable. We are looking for leaders, mentors and professionals in their field to serve as role models to our team, our children and the community we serve.

HUMBLE AND A TEAM PLAYER. We make an effort to demonstrate gratitude and appreciation for the people and opportunities presented by our school and community. We value collaboration and insist upon a positive, productive and can-do mindset. We trust and value one another enough to empower and recognize each other’s achievements. We rise by lifting those around us. We share the credit when things are going well and shoulder responsibility during challenging moments.

DEPENDABLE. Consistent punctuality and attendance are of utmost importance at WKA. Our children, families and team are counting on us each and every day, therefore commitment and consistency are key.

SMART, SAAVY AND A MAKE IT HAPPEN kind of person. Any given day requires flexibility, creative solutions and a positive, can-do attitude. We seek individuals that can stay cool under pressure and be resourceful and innovative in solving problems or simply improving upon what’s already been done.

A STRONG COMMUNICATOR. We hold a high bar for communication with children, parents and team members alike; after all, it’s what keeps us connected. We expect clear, kind, thoughtful and consistent written and verbal communication. Additionally, team members are expected to use discretion, poise and good judgement when communicating with impressionable children, parents who live for them and team members too. Our team members serve as ambassadors for our school.

Qualifications:

• Seeking candidate with a bachelor’s degree.
• At least three years’ experience in a school or childcare setting, preferably with leadership and team management experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required and fluency in Spanish is a BIG plus, though not required.
• Additionally, candidate should have an advanced knowledge and experience working in Word, Excel, Google apps, and social media. An overall level of technological savviness is critical to successfully utilizing many of our online apps, programs and databases.
• Per MSDE licensing regulations, all applicants are required to successfully complete a state and federal background check as well as a medical clearance to safely perform all expected job duties.