Live Oak School
Live Oak School, a K-8 independent school in the heart of urban San Francisco, believes that the best learning happens when students are actively engaged in the process—thinking deeply, exploring ideas, and trying on strategies for solving problems. The school’s approach to teaching and learning is deeply rooted in progressive tradition and informed by contemporary research. Live Oak anchors its instructional program around the students as individual learners, determined to prepare them for the opportunities that will define the lives of graduates in the twenty-first century.
As the current assistant head of school, who has served the duties of a lower school head, departs after a successful nine-year tenure to become a head of school on the East coast this July, Live Oak will welcome a new leader for a division that has nearly doubled in size over the last several years. This exciting growth period included campus and program expansions. As a result, the incoming lower school head will have a larger and even more diverse student and professional community to lead. The lower school head reports to the head of school and serves on the leadership team.
For more information please visit the following link, which contains the job opportunity statement and complete application instructions.
http://www.12MRecruiting.com/jobs/liveoak/LSH
IMPORTANT DATES
Post Date: January 9, 2020
Application Deadline: Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at 5:00pm PDT
Remote Semifinal Round: Saturday, February 1, 2020
On-site Final Round: February 10 – 13, 2020
Decision Announced: February 28, 2020
Start Date: July 1, 2020
SPECIFIC DUTIES
Lower School Program and Student Life
- Lead the lower school faculty in the implementation of an identity responsive educational program that nurtures the diversity of the student body as a resource for excellence.
- Evaluate the lower school curriculum and overall teaching and learning program, and design and oversee initiatives to continually develop and improve the program.
- Oversee major operational initiatives, including: formal assessments of students, student report cards, parent conferences, special programs and events, class scheduling, and duty scheduling.
- Keep communications about the program accurate and updated, including in curriculum collateral, in school handbooks, and on public websites.
- Promote an inclusive school climate where students develop a strong identity and are known well by their teachers and their peers.
- Counsel faculty and students through the resolution of social and emotional challenges.
Faculty Supervision and Development
- Explicitly support the professional growth of the lower school faculty in order to provide a model for lifelong learning to our students, to provide career fulfillment to teachers, and to infuse the learning community with expertise.
- Recruit, hire, supervise and evaluate all lower school faculty including classroom teachers, specialist teachers, assistant teachers, counselors, and substitutes working in grades K-4.
- Plan and lead lower school division meetings, grade level meetings, teaching team meetings and other student support meetings for faculty and students in grades K-4.
Leadership and External Affairs
- Build strong relationships with parents, guardians, and students in Live Oak’s lower school in order to promote positive experiences in the school community.
- Plan and conduct group and individual parent meetings, including back to school night and teacher conferences.
- Partner with the Parent Guardian Association and other members of the leadership team to implement parent enrichment experiences.
- Represent program and faculty needs and interests to the admissions, development, and business offices, and to the board of trustees.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
LIVE OAK IS LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO CAN DEMONSTRATE
Professional Qualifications:
- Experience as a school administrator leading trainings and major initiatives related to curriculum, pedagogy, and student experience—preferably at a progressive school offering a k-8 program
- Experience designing, implementing, and improving co-curricular programs and events that connect directly to a school’s mission and values
- Immersion in diversity work—both in training and in implementation—and a commitment to fostering culturally competent and inclusive classrooms
- Experience guiding parents and guardians on sensitive student-related matters
- Multiple years of experience as a lower school teacher
- Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, which is a minimum requirement, though preferably possession of a graduate degree
Leadership and Personal Qualities:
- Inspirational, pragmatic, diplomatic, and patient leadership that honors the core values of Live Oak, but also encourages risk-taking aligned with the school’s strategic plan
- Authentic empathy, warmth, and collegiality, and an ability to spread these qualities across an entire staff
- A passion for inspiring programmatic change, balanced with a judicious understanding that successful innovation at a progressive school requires establishing lasting peer-to-peer relationships
- Savvy communication and dynamic presentation skills—both written and oral
- A collaborative, cooperative, and growth-oriented mindset
- Enthusiasm for students and teachers to pursue their passions, talents, and interests, both in and out of the traditional classroom
- A vision that is aligned with the needs of a dynamic and diverse staff
- A love of learning and love of school, and a willingness to support unique and unpredictable learning journeys of both young students and staff
TO APPLY
For more information please visit the following link, which contains the job opportunity statement and complete application instructions.
