Key Responsibilities
1. Leadership
● Ensure the company values and philosophy are deeply embedded in all aspects of the school's operations, curriculum, and culture, demonstrating open communication and cooperation and promoting shared decision-making to create a sense of community within the school
● Upkeep educator morale by implementing a gratitude practice, providing thought-provoking professional development opportunities, and scheduling regular in-person 1:1 meetings to promote connection, foster relationships, and build trust
● Build a strong sense of community with the educators, caregivers, and children and
maintain those positive relationships by creating multiple touchpoints of connection and
developing family connection opportunities
● Encourage a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and adaptation to best practices in early childhood education, making key decisions, demonstrating excellent discernment, and offering accountability so that staff can regularly reflect on their practices, seek feedback, and make necessary adjustments to better meet the needs of
the children and team and better reflect company values
● Support, challenge, and collaborate with Business Manager to develop and implement policies, standards, site improvements, and systems to help the company maintain consistent operations that meet or exceed high expectations and reach goals
2. Staff Management & Support
● Supervise and support the staff, providing accountability through weekly observations,
weekly staff and classroom meetings, monthly 1:1 meetings, and annual performance reviews, ensuring that educators are following licensing requirements, school policies, and procedures and meeting company standards
● Create and maintain school and staff schedules, determining coverage needs with respect to financial resources and classroom needs
● Provide feedback to and professional development opportunities for staff, leading group and individual trainings as needed
● Collaborate with Business Manager to identify available positions; assist with hiring and interviewing
● Train new staff in school operations, and company values
● Act as a substitute as needed
3. Pedagogy
● Conduct, analyze, and interpret weekly classroom observations to identify growth opportunities and make mentor/mentee pairing suggestions
● Collaborate with educators to develop a developmentally appropriate, child-centered,
emergent, and project-based curriculum that allows children to explore their interests and engage in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences
● Coach educators in and model all aspects of the company’s approach, including reflection, observation, and documentation (both to make learning visible and as an assessment tool); on their mindset; and in navigating challenging behaviors and responding with conscious discipline practices
● Guide staff in creating inviting, beautiful spaces that reflect our values of aesthetics and order and school values of respect and sustainability
● Identify and lead/organize ongoing training for educators on child development, and best practices in early childhood education
● Identify and attend professional development opportunities that align with the company’s
philosophy and approach for self and team, following up on each session with a reflection
to integrate acquired knowledge and demonstrate educator understanding
4. Parent & Community Engagement
● Act as the on-site go-to resource for families from Day 1, leading tours, welcoming new families, developing strong relationships, and serving as the point person for communication regarding important information, concerns, and feedback
● Oversee Parent-Educator conferences, workshops, and events to keep parents informed and engaged in their child's learning journey, facilitating communication between parents and staff as needed
● Develop Highland Volunteer events in coordination with School Parent(s)
● Provide resources and guidance to families to support their child's learning and development at home, including the child’s Primary Educator whenever relevant
5. Health & Safety Management
● Prepare staff to support the children during emergencies by researching, designing, and
running disaster plan drills on a quarterly basis
● Develop and enforce Health & Safety policies on campus for children, families, and educators
● Stay abreast of and adhere to state licensing requirements and any accreditation standards relevant to early childhood education for a Title 22 program, including reviewing PIN emails in a timely manner and alerting Business Manager to any changes needed
● Order supplies, materials, equipment, and snacks with respect to optimal learning, financial resources, and company values
