Website San Francisco Waldorf School
Summary: Working closely with the Stewardship Team, the Grade School Steering Committee (GSSC) and working closely with other mandated groups or individuals, the Grade School Chair leads and collaborates with faculty, staff, and parents in Early Childhood through Grade 8. The Chair often publicly represents the grade school in promoting the school’s mission and fostering strong community relations.
The GS Chair’s essential responsibilities fall into three areas: Faculty leadership and support, administrative oversight, and parent/community relations.
Faculty Leadership and Support
- Sets the GSSC agendas and chairs GSSC meetings.
- Is responsible for ensuring faculty hiring, evaluation, retention, and professional development, with the support of the GSSC and other mandated groups/individuals
- Is responsible for ensuring that faculty members uphold day-to-day employment responsibilities and consistency with school policies and agreements.
- Is responsible for orientation of new faculty members
- Organizes faculty substitution
- Is the liaison between GSSC and Faculty Meeting Chair regarding topics needed for discussion at grade school faculty meetings
- Ensures that parent conferences are taking place in a timely and satisfactory manner as agreed upon by grade school faculty
- Coordinates faculty participation at school events such as Back-to-School Night, enrollment tours , and events, such as Winter Fair, etc.
- Participates ins meetings with parents and guardians as needed
Administrative Oversight
- Responsible for and manages the overall GS budget (in collaboration with individual GS budget managers and Director of Finance)
- Works with the Administrative Director, GS Enrollment Director, Administrative Coordinator and Receptionist / Registrar to support and assist in daily operations
- Assists enrollment, outreach, and retention efforts, including Open Houses, tours, and other recruiting events
- Ensures that the annual calendar is reviewed and approved by GSSC in a timely manner
- Ensures that grade school schedules are prepared and presented to the faculty in a timely manner
- Responsible for reviewing and updating grade school policies, procedures, and handbooks
- Ensures that parent and faculty exit interviews occur in a timely manner
- Oversees special programs and program coordinators, including educational support, library, circus, aftercare, and other similar programs of the school
Parent/Community Relations
- Is the “face” of the grade school, representing and promoting Waldorf education and the school’s mission to parents/guardians, students, and community
- Leads and coordinates general communication with parents/guardians and students in conjunction with GS Administrative Coordinator
- Hears and responds to individual parent/guardian concerns, facilitating faculty and staff responses as appropriate and in a timely manner
- Works with the Parent Guild to facilitate parent involvement, including leading speaker series and parent education
Meeting Attendance
- Board: report in open session
- Weekly: administrative staff, grade school faculty, GSSC
- All-school Faculty and Staff
- Department meetings and other committee meetings when requested or needed
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor degree required. Advanced degree preferred.
- Significant experience in teaching and/or administration in a Waldorf school
- Tactful, effective and comprehensive leadership skills and comfort and facility working in collaborative groups, with the ability to orchestrate timely and appropriate outcomes
- Facilitation/mediation skills
- Strong communication skills, speaking and writing
- Strong facility with digital communication and organization tools
- Understanding of and ability to manage school budgeting and personnel
- Understanding of and appreciation for collaborative leadership
Compensation
This is a full-time, exempt, salaried position. Benefits include medical, dental, and life insurance, flexible spending plans, retirement plan (employer contributions and matching after one year of employment), 6 weeks paid vacation during the calendar year, and tuition remission (after one year of employment) for up to two eligible dependents enrolled in our Preschool -12th Grade program. The annual salary range is $80K – $100K depending on experience. Salaries are paid on a 12-month schedule.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment:
- Be able to occasionally lift up to 30 lbs.
- Work intermittently in outside weather conditions, including heat and cold
- Regularly sitting or standing 4-8 hours
San Francisco Waldorf School is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, age, gender, or any protected class. We recognize that the range of ethnicities, nationalities, languages, socio-economic backgrounds, sexual orientation, learning differences, and life experiences within our community enhance the school’s learning environment, and we are committed to fostering equity and inclusion.
FLSA Classification: Admin Staff; Exempt from overtime
Hired by: Interim Leadership Team in consultation with Grade School Steering Committee
Evaluated by: Pedagogical Leader of the Stewardship Team
