OVERVIEW OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

• As the Lead Educator and Administrator of the school, helps teachers, staff, parents and students under-stand and implement Secondary School’s Distinctive and Redemptive Education model of education in the classroom and in all activities that involve the Secondary School community.
• Shepherds Secondary School in model, vision, mission, and advancement.
• Attends to the intellectual, spiritual, social, emotional and physical growth of each child and partners with faculty and each child’s parent(s) in these efforts.
• Builds and trains a highly qualified and effective faculty and staff.
• Actively manages Secondary Schools’ educational program, facility, administrative staff and duties.
• Oversees day-to-day operations, while mitigating any conflict within the School community.
• Works collaboratively with Board of Directors Enrollment Committee, HR Committee, Admissions Committee, Outreach Committee, and other Ad Hoc committees as directed by the Board of Directors.
• Supports Board initiatives in special projects and strategic initiatives.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Organizational Leadership

• As an employee of the Board of Directors, reports to the Board of Directors.
• As a non-voting member of the Board, provides key status updates and collaborates with the Board to refine long term strategic plans and establish policies and processes to accomplish the mission of Secondary School.
• As Lead Educator and Administrator of the school, helps the teachers, staff, parents and students to understand, embrace, and implement the Secondary School distinctives and the Redemptive Education model.
• Provides visible, relational, and spiritual leadership for the faculty, students, and overall school community.

• Supports Admissions events and contributes to community outreach efforts by collaborating with the Board.
• Ensures best practices are achieved in all aspects of the daily operation, instruction, and other activities of the school.
• Provides input to the Board of Directors for creation and direction of fiscally sound operating and capital budgets and financial plans (including tuition, compensation, capital expenditures, etc.).
• Coordinates activities and implementation with the Directors.

1. Executive Administration

• Oversees the daily overall operation of the school, administrative staff and office functions.
• Conducts daily “walk abouts” to observe teachers and students in action, connect quickly with parents serving in various roles, redirect student behavior, and help ensure safety of all.
• Actively engages with teachers, students, parents and staff to understand and proactively manage issues and concerns before they escalate. Communicates openly and frequently with appropriate Board committees (e.g., in monthly committee meetings) and involved parties to ensure all are aware of issues. Consults with and seeks consensus with appropriate Board Committee before taking action that impacts community, enrollment or staffing.
• Manages the annual operating plan, sets short-term objectives, and measures progress and achievement against Secondary School Distinctives.
• Helps determine Faculty and Staff salaries and contractual obligations along with appropriate Board committee; disseminates contracts and collects signed contracts; writes performance reports to review with employees and for use in Salary and Bonus decision process.
• Oversees the development of technology for instructional and administrative purposes.
• Creates the School’s Calendar in collaboration with Board, Faculty and Staff. Coordinates with appropriate leaders a year in advance, and actively communicates to confirm events throughout the school year.
• Works with all appropriate parties to ensure the safety of the school environment and facilities. Communicates needs with Board and collaboratively works with the Board to define and execute upon a long-term facilities strategy.
• Facilitates good stewardship of and necessary improvements to the physical building aesthetic by reporting issues to New Song or responsible parties and tracking response.
• Supports Admissions Committee by meeting with prospective students and parents, assessing student readiness and providing recommendations to the committee.
• Writes monthly Board reports highlighting accomplishments, progress toward goals, specific concerns, and general updates.

• Actively participates in Board meetings on a scheduled, monthly basis. Where appropriate, and as directed by the Board of Directors, collaborates with and supports the Director of Redemptive Education in Advancement & Development initiatives, such as speaking at Open Houses and meeting with other local educators.Head of School

1. Curriculum and Program

• Remains connected to current educational research and collaborates with faculty to implement evidence-based principles into the curriculum and overall program.
• Establishes and executes a plan for Secondary School to gain accreditation with appropriate organization(s) and ensures that accreditation standards are maintained.

• Continually implements and also enriches established curriculum for each Form. Frequently evaluates strengths and weaknesses of current curriculum and program with appropriate faculty; provides leader-ship and support for the development and implementation of new curricular components and programs as necessary. Focuses energy on adjustments that will ensure Secondary School becomes and remains an exemplary model of Redemptive Education in action.
• Recruits highly qualified and capable faculty members and staff who will manage and direct existing academic programs and lead creative development efforts of new academic programs. Engages with and supports the HR Committee and Hiring Team throughout the hiring process.
• Supervises the administration of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and evaluates trends in standardized test scores with appropriate faculty members.

1. Faculty Development

• Possesses the gifts and experience to build a high performing team and to effectively lead and mentor a dedicated, energetic faculty.
• Designs and leads weekly trainings during faculty development meetings on topics such as effective class-room management, lesson design and implementation, assessment methods, and differentiated instruction.

Given frequent observations of teachers as they instruct and interact with students, the Head of School ensures these trainings address areas that will develop faculty in key skills and mindsets.

• Mentors faculty to ensure understanding and effective implementation of Secondary School-specific curriculum.
• Creates appropriate tools (i.e. observation forms, rubrics) to encourage and measure development of faculty and staff over time; establishes procedures and general timelines for faculty and staff evaluations; evaluates the performance of the faculty and staff; meets with faculty and staff individually to share evaluation and chart course for continued professional development as a Secondary School teacher.
• Leads faculty and staff devotions on a regular basis.
• Designs and leads professional development during the two scheduled End of School and Beginning of

School teachers training weeks.

• In collaboration with the HR Committee, establishes and maintains policies and procedures for hiring and dismissal decisions.

1. Students

• Ultimately responsible for managing the academic and intellectual progress of students and regularly reviews student assessment data with teachers.
• When appropriate, teaches academic content alongside or in place of faculty members (e.g., seminar, Do Hard Things projects, phonics/spelling, music).
• Articulates and helps enforce school-wide student behavioral expectations. Responsible for student disciplinary decisions, in collaboration with the Enrollment Committee.
• Develops relationships with individual students to ensure each child’s uniqueness is nurtured and character is developed.

• Leads the spiritual development of Secondary School students and the integration of a Biblical World View into every classroom.
• Regularly leads Opening and any other all-school assemblies.

1. Parents and Community

• Reinforces school culture, mission, Distinctives, and principles of Redemptive Education at Town Hall Meetings, Parent Orientation Trainings and pertinent articles in “The Leader” in order to strengthen community understanding of and commitment to Secondary School.
• Together with the Director of Redemptive Education, educates Secondary School parents in the school’s Distinctives and the principles of Redemptive Education.
• Encourages, counsels and teaches School parents in topics related to pertinent aspects of their children’s growth and development (e.g Redemptive Discipline workshops, pertinent articles in “The Leader”).
• Provides a sounding board for parents to voice ideas, questions and concerns about School through both an “open door” policy and scheduled opportunities (e.g., parent coffees). Prayerfully and discreetly helps to mitigate any conflict that arises between parents, parents/teachers, parents/students.
• Participates in parent/teacher conferences as needed.
• Makes recommendations to parents for evaluation of student speech, behavior, and learning needs as necessary.
• Engages in the daily life of the Secondary School and community (attends school functions such as the Family Picnic and evening community-building events; leads or actively participates in Back-to-School Night and Town Hall Meetings).
• Communicates with parents regarding significant events, policy changes, and curricular issues/changes/ enhancements.
• Collaborates with and supports the Parent Involvement Coordinator throughout the year to ensure that all parent jobs are covered well and that parent talents are matched with service opportunities as much as possible.
• Maintains an open door policy to ensure parents feel welcome to discuss ideas and concerns; holds periodic Parent Coffees.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s Degree required. Master’s Degree in a related field is preferred.
• Several years of experience as a classroom teacher, ideally in a Secondary School setting.
• Demonstrated history of effectiveness in leadership of a Faith school.
• Demonstrated acumen for mentoring and guiding the professional development of classroom teachers.
• Proven record of quickly assimilating into new environments, identifying areas for improvement and affecting change, while cultivating positive relationships.

SKILLS AND QUALITIES:

• As a committed Christian, maintains a vibrant relationship with God and fully agrees with and embraces the Secondary School statement of faith.
• As a life-long learner, possesses a growth mindset and eagerness to explore new ideas and approaches.
• Demonstrates a dedication to the cultivation of children’s intellectual, spiritual, social, physical, and emotional development.

Head of School Job Description

• Demonstrates an ability to effectively instruct, inspire and assess children in a variety of areas (academic, intellectual, spiritual, social, physical, etc.) through creative, purposeful, and age-appropriate methods.
• Has a servant leadership management style. Leads with transparency and is receptive to an appropriate level of accountability. Welcomes and acts upon constructive feedback.
• Maintains high standards of excellence in all work and takes responsibility for positive outcomes.
• Possesses strong and compelling written and verbal communication skills. Has a gentle and gracious way with others while also energizing and inspiring staff and community to positive ends.
• Possesses strong administrative and organizational skills and demonstrates a facility with managing multiple tasks and parties through effective use of time and resources.
• Effectively collaborates with the School Director on shared initiatives.