Employment

Associate Head of School and Upper School Director

Crane Country Day School is hiring a full-time Associate Head of School and Upper School Director. Reporting to Head of School Joel Weiss, now in his 23rd year at the helm, the Associate Head of School supervises teaching Staffulty in conjunction with the Head. The Associate Head oversees the annual process of teacher evaluation, including goal setting, observations, and performance review meetings, and is responsible for most aspects of K-8 scheduling and
curriculum planning.

The Associate Head of School is also the Upper School leader, guiding all programs, policies, and people of Crane’s Upper School. Leading with positivity and encouragement for all constituents is a crucial expectation for this role.

As a key senior administrator, the Associate Head is a visionary leader who promotes a culture of excellence, innovation, and creativity. With a high degree of professionalism and integrity, the Associate Head needs to support the school, the Head, the Board, the Mission, and the overall philosophy. They will be responsible for managing day-to-day operations of the school in the Head of School’s absence.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in education or a relevant discipline preferred.
• A minimum of five years of teaching experience and three years of school leadership experience.
• A teacher at heart who is knowledgeable about child development and conversant with educational innovation in curriculum, including differentiated learning, pedagogy, technology, learning differences, and socioemotional learning.
• Expertise in hiring, evaluating, coaching, and mentoring talented faculty and in guiding corresponding professional growth.
• A skilled and responsive manager of programs, people, and schedules.
• Demonstrated experience in and commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive school community; successful track record examining practices to ensure equitable access to opportunities for all community members.
• A deep commitment to regular examination of curriculum, academic programming, with an eye toward relevant and intentional student experiences.
• Outdoor and experiential education experience.

Skills and Competencies:

• Superb communication skills, including excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• A growth-oriented mindset and a deep understanding of the developmental needs of young learners, from early childhood to adolescence.
• A high degree of competency and a professional commitment to advancing equity and justice, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively promoting anti-racist pedagogy.
• A high level of emotional intelligence; a team player and consensus builder with a warm, positive, collaborative nature; someone with a good sense of humor.
• A presence that inspires confidence, including facility in giving and receiving feedback, promoting an ethical climate, and balancing the broad range of needs and demands of multiple constituencies.
• Courage to take risks, embrace challenges, and see every success or failure as an opportunity for growth; comfort being a change agent.
• Boundless joy for working with middle-school-aged children and their teachers.
• Excellent problem-resolution skills, including a demonstrated willingness to confront problems, an ability to handle hearsay, the skills to generate positive reactions to setbacks, and the possession of conflict-resolution strategies.
• Highly organized with excellent technology skills and comfort learning new tools.
• Strong motivation and ability to work independently.
• Empathetic listener.

Key Responsibilities:

Teaching and Learning

• Oversees the academic program, including all aspects of teaching and learning, curriculum development, and program assessment.
• Advances the development of the K-8 curriculum, ensuring clear alignment with the school’s educational mission and independent school best practices.
• Facilitates regular meetings with the teaching staff.
• Fosters and models a culture of faculty appreciation, affirmation, and growth.

Student Support

• Collaborates with the Learning Services Department to support students in all aspects of their academic experience at Crane.
• Works in tandem with the Counselor and the DEI Director to help guide the overall advisory and socio-emotional learning program.
• Meets with families to prepare eighth-grade students for the high school application process and writes accompanying letters of recommendation.

Strategic Leadership

• Partners with the rest of the administration to plan the academic calendar, special events, and various annual Crane School traditions.
• Produces the overall academic schedule including the master schedule for Lower and Upper School teachers as well as all student schedules.
• Assists in the hiring and onboarding of new Staffulty.
• Facilitates committee work with administration, faculty, and trustees during the accreditation self-study and evaluation process.

Outreach and Communication

• Serves as a passionate spokesperson for the school.
• Works collegially within a diverse community and communicates effectively with diverse populations.
• Partners with the Head of School on regular announcements to families.
• Provides bulletins, counsel, and guidance to current and potential Crane families on matters of curriculum and pedagogy.
• Attends occasional off-hour events, including open houses, back-to-school nights, parent-teacher conferences, and school promotional events.
• Works with the Admissions Office on outreach, events, and overall student retention.
• Works with the Marketing and Communications department to promote the school, its program, its unique curriculum, and special events and traditions.

Application Process:

DRG is conducting this search on behalf of Crane Country Day School. Interested candidates should submit, as soon as possible, materials that include the following:

• A cover letter indicating why they are particularly interested in and qualified for the position.
• A current resume.
• A statement of leadership philosophy.
• An additional writing sample of your choice (newsletter, talk, article, etc.).
• A list of references (references will not be contacted until the finalist stage of the search).

Anticipated salary range: $150­­–$160K, with strong benefits package.

Application Deadline: November 1, 2022
Start date: July 1, 2023
To apply, please click here.

Contact Jennifer Fleischer, Senior Talent Consultant
jfleischer@drgtalent.com

How to Apply

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On-call K-8 Substitute Teachers 

Education and Experience:

• Prior experience in education desirable
• College degree required

Successful candidates will possess the following attributes:

• High energy level
• Positive attitude
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Competitive wage of $150/day commensurate with education, skills, and experience. Crane Country Day School is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Application Process:

Submit letter of interest and resume to Kate Brody-Adams, Assistant to the Head of School, via email at kbrodyadams@craneschool.org or via fax at (805) 969-3635. Please indicate grade preferences in your letter. Please note any foreign language skills in your resume. 

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