About the Position:
The Network Director/Senior Director of School Culture is charged with ensuring a safe, positive, and inclusive school climate that reinforces the principles laid out by our network's mission, vision and core values. The Network Director/Senior Director of School Culture is responsible for ensuring there is a seamless integration and alignment of academic and culture programming at all Prospect Schools, including social emotional learning for both students and adults, mental health counseling, discipline practices, and professional learning for leaders and teachers to have the tools to work in high-stress/ trauma environments. The work of The Network Director/Senior Director of School Culture directly supports Prospect Schools’ Intentionally Diverse by Design approach to ensure that all students have access to a top tier educational experience. The Network Director/Senior Director of School Culture will work closely with the Chief Academic and Schools Officer and the Deputy Chiefs of Schools to ensure that there is a tight integration of their work with both the day-to-day work and our overall academic vision. Together the work of The Network Director/Senior Director of School Culture and The Teaching and Learning Team will be to achieve the ultimate outcome of ensuring that all students and adults are thriving in every way: socially and academically. This position reports directly to the Chief Academic and Schools Officer (CASO).
About Us:
Prospect Schools is a K-12 college preparatory community where excellent teachers prepare a diverse student body to have a positive impact on society and a lifelong passion for learning. Find more about who we are and what we believe by checking out our Annual Report 2023 Annual report (a microsite), our 15th Year Anniversary edition.
Our Core Values are:
Curiosity: Develop sound judgment and intellect by asking questions confidently and thinking critically
Care: Support others by grounding every action in empathy while championing equity and inclusion in our work
Persistence: Grow and learn by solving problems with determination, creativity, and tenacity
Passion: Succeed by approaching challenges with excitement, enthusiasm, and self-assurance
Job Responsibilities:
Program Development and Implementation
Directly supervise social work staff, including oversight of network-wide clinical service delivery including hiring, recruitment, and retention of social work staff.
Serve as an internal and external champion of Prospect’s work in wellness and SEL. Collaboratively design and execute a multi-year network strategy to strengthen and expand restorative justice practices that center equity and successfully intervene in Tier 2 and Tier 3 student behaviors. Collaborate with CASO to expand K-12 anti-bias education through staff development, classroom learning activities, community celebrations, and other initiatives that ensure a sense of belonging and safety for all students.
Partner with school-based teams to develop effective student interventions within a multi-tiered system of support that provides a holistic and skill-building approach to challenging behaviors, with attention to our highest needs students. Ensure all school culture practices are trauma-informed and provide equitable opportunities for social and emotional learning.
Partner with the Teaching and Learning team to support K-12 social/emotional learning curricula and ensure strong universal supports and core instructional practices that integrate SEL and promote a positive culture of learning.
Coordinate the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program including individual, group and embedded approaches that promote the academic, career, and social/emotional development of all students.
Policies and Practices
Serve as the Title IX Officer for the network, setting and monitoring procedures for responding to reports of sexual harassment, sexual violence, and gender bias while ensuring fair resolutions that repair harm and ensure equal access to learning. Provide direct leadership to schools for high-level situations.
Serve as the DASA Coordinator for the network, setting and monitoring procedures to uphold the Dignity for All Students Act that are enacted by school-based Respect for All Liaisons. Ensure all reports of bullying, bias and harassment are responded to effectively so that diverse identities are welcomed and protected within our schools. Provide direct leadership to schools for high-level situations.
Provide training and support to school-based McKinney-Vento Liaisons to ensure compliance with the law and above-and-beyond services to students and families in temporary housing.
Work with network leaders to annually review all policies, ensure compliance with federal and state laws, and facilitate alignment across schools through a Student Code of Conduct. Provide expertise in disciplinary policy and practices.
Receive, review, and lead disciplinary appeals and hearings for expulsion and suspension where a network process is required.
Establish and lead protocols for responding to individual and community crises.
Professional development
Directly supervise social work staff, including oversight of network-wide clinical service delivery including hiring, recruitment, and retention of social work staff. Design and lead high-quality summer professional development for new faculty that establishes the foundation for school-based professional development.
Create a professional development training strategy for all Principals and their teams.
Design resources and training to support the yearly launch of mission-aligned school culture and priority projects across all schools.
Cultivate and share innovations and best practices that value the expertise of team members and ensure access to the highest quality, most relevant materials to support their work.
Provide ongoing coaching on various management issues and provide advice and guidance on pertinent Board policies and procedures.
Monitoring and Reporting
Monitor school-based data to drive continuous improvement, support tiered support interventions, and lift alternatives to suspension and expulsion.
Ensure strong attendance practices and procedures are executed at the school level, with strong systems to regularly review attendance data and plan targeted student interventions accordingly (e.g., developing attendance teams).
Conduct on-site school visits to assess climate and culture to provide recommendations and further support to school-based leaders and teams.
Review student achievement and counseling data for program evaluation purposes, and to ensure that the school counseling program is meeting the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students
Ensure schools are 100% Title IX, DASA, and McKinney-Vento compliant.
About You:
Requirements
License in social work, psychology, or psychiatry is preferred
Supervision and management of School Social Workers experience preferred
Master’s degree or higher in a related field, preferably teaching, school counseling, school social work or educational leadership preferred but not required
Expertise in DEI and commitment to working with diverse populations, resulting in a proven track record of success in establishing a strong, affirming, and equitable school culture
Expertise in restorative justice philosophy and practices with proven commitment to successful K-12 implementation of alternatives to punitive discipline
Commitment to serving the whole child with an assets-based approach that honors their family, culture, resiliencies, and capacity to build academic and social/emotional skills.
Knowledge and experience with trauma-informed care and best practices of trauma-sensitive schools
Familiarity with the SEL competencies, Response to Intervention, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS), and/or Responsive Classroom
At least 3 years in a leadership position in an urban school or other education/youth and family organization.
Ability to coordinate and collaborate with diverse groups of professionals across multiple departments and organizations to achieve unified, consistent practices
Experience coordinating and delivering professional development for a variety of internal and external stakeholders
Skilled multi-tasker and excellent time manager; ability to effectively achieve multiple goals and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Strategic and critical thinker
Strong project-planning experience
Exceptional written, oral, and visual communication skills
Salary
Director or Senior Director role and salary are commensurate with experience, with a range of $116,000-$156,941
The critical features of this role are described above but are not all-encompassing.
If you are a current employee, please submit a Talent Ticket confirming you have applied for this role.