St. Anne’s School of Annapolis seeks a creative visionary with a passion for elementary experiential education, a skill of inspiring extraordinary educators, and excellent organization and communication skills alongside a passion for leading independent schools as the School’s next Head of Lower School.
The Head of Lower School is responsible for ensuring the thoughtful implementation of the School’s mission across program levels, with faculty, among students and families, and in the leadership setting. The Head of Lower School must understand and have a firm commitment to the mission of St. Anne’s School as an independent, Episcopal day school serving a diverse student and family population. The Head of Lower School must also understand and enact diversity, equity, and inclusion as foundational to the operation of the school and wellbeing of all constituents.
Responsibilities
Administrative Leadership: Support and ensure success of the school strategic initiatives by participating as a key educational and institutional leader. Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Develop, analyze, evaluate, synthesize and innovate in all areas of program, with teaching faculty, and in support of all non-instructional departments
- Collaborate with the Management Team, including the Director of Admission, Director of Development, Director of Communication, Chief Operating Officer and Operations, and Heads of PYC and Middle School to achieve strategic and operational goals of the school
- Meet regularly with the Head of School and Program Team to streamline strategic and operational initiatives and duties pertaining to faculty and in all matters relating to students’ academic and developmental progress
- Commitment to leadership as a team-based endeavor and the collegial, frank, and civil communication and collaboration that team processes entail
- Outstanding attention to detail and accuracy
- Patience
- Excellent communications skills, both oral and written
- Ability to manage, evaluate, and motivate staff
- Ability to innovate
- Ability to work with diverse constituencies fairly, respectfully, consistently, and with integrity
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively while maintaining high professional standards and at times confidentiality
- Excellent organizational skills; ability to establish and manage multiple priorities
- Overtly supports the School’s chosen curricular materials
Faculty: Ensure that St. Anne’s School of Annapolis attracts, retains, guides, and supports extraordinary faculty. Encourage and supports faculty in their pursuit of excellence in education while fostering their individual passions and talents. Duties include but are not limited to the following:
- Serve as a vital communication link between and among Lower School faculty and administration
- Work with the Head of School, Associate Head of School for Innovation and Learning, and Head of PYC/Middle School to hire and retain staff
- Collaborate with, support, and oversee program level teacher-leaders to ensure delivery of educational program consistent with the school mission
- Conduct formative and summative observations of lead classroom teachers and other links teachers serving Lower School and provide feedback based on observations; provide targeted coaching and/or resources to teaching staff members, both lead and assistant
- In collaboration with the Associate Head of School for Innovation and Learning maintain and revise the evaluation and professional growth frameworks used at the school
- With Head of PYC/Middle School, establish agenda for school-wide staff meetings; with team leaders, establish agenda for program level meetings
- Work in partnership with the Associate Head of School for Innovation and Learning and the Head of PYC/Middle School to design school-wide and program level professional development initiatives
- Coordinate new teacher training/onboarding and mentorship and guest teacher training
Curriculum: Ensure that the St. Anne’s School of Annapolis’ curriculum and innovative educational program is cohesive, consistent, supportive, and reflective of the school’s mission and strategic plan. Duties required to sustain and further the school’s leading- edge curriculum include, but are not limited to:
- Oversee curriculum to ensure that the highest AIMS accreditation standards and national benchmarks are met; oversight includes all aspects of development, consistent implementation, and evaluation for academic programs and assessments, social/emotional curriculum, co-curricular programs and athletics
- Research, investigate, maintain, and share knowledge of current initiatives, best practices, and curriculum models to ensure leading-edge, mission-aligned curriculum is employed at the school
- Support schedule design of a progressive educational program, working in concert with the Head of PYC and Head of Middle School
- Develop duties schedule and programmatic events schedules in collaboration with relevant departments
- Initiate and lead the process for peer and leader review and revision of progress reports, newsletters, and communications
- Develop, support, attend, and advise events that highlight curriculum
Students and Families: Ensure St. Anne’s School’s initiative of providing an innovative program and a welcoming community, serving as administrative liaison between faculty and parents in matters relating to students’ academic and developmental progress. Duties and responsibilities also include but are not limited to the following:
- Develop, evaluate and refine systems for collecting and reporting information between and among faculty and families
- Collaborate with School Counselors and Learning Specialists to support student needs
- Support parent liaison meetings and participate in Parent Association meetings
- Design, schedule, and/or lead events for Lower School
Qualifying Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree. Master’s degree preferred.
- Relevant leadership and management experience in an independent school setting
St. Anne’s School of Annapolis invests in the intellectual and spiritual promise of each student in a community that celebrates diversity and upholds the dignity of every human being. We challenge students to think critically and creatively, to know themselves as learners, and to govern their lives with confidence, compassion, and integrity. St. Anne’s School draws from its Episcopal tradition as an independent, co-educational day school, serving students in Twos through 8th Grade.
St. Anne’s School of Annapolis does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, or national origin in admissions, employment or educational policies. We value diversity and embrace the fundamental Episcopal belief in the dignity of each human being. We are committed to helping our school community understand and appreciate human differences and similarities.
TO APPLY: Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest, résumé, statement of educational leadership and a list of three or more references (including contact phone numbers and email addresses) to Leslie Edinberg at [email protected]. Applications will be accepted until March 1, 2024. Anticipated start date for this position is June 24, 2024.