Head of Level One

Head of Level One (for Early Elementary Grades)

Do you have a genuine affection for children, a record of successful teaching, a capacity for working with a range of attention spans, and experience with integrating appropriate educational technologies into a teaching environment? Are you currently an experienced elementary school teacher or a Lower School Director ready to take on a leadership role in a growing progressive school in Austin, Texas? If so, Emergent Academy would like to hear from you. We seek a candidate for the role of Head of Level One who will lead all aspects of this structured program for up to 20 students who range in age from 6 to 9. As an integral member of the academic team, the Head of Level One will also partner with other members of the staff to develop and implement curriculum and other strategic initiatives. This is a three-quarter to full-time year-round position located in the vibrant Rollingwood neighborhood of Austin, Texas.

About The School

Emergent Academy believes today’s students are natural investigators, researchers, and synthesizers of information. We believe that the one-size-fits-all, studying the same thing, at the same time, in the same way model is outdated and hinders success. Emergent School’s mission is to inspire each child who enters our doors to find the spark that will set them on their life’s journey. Emergent has developed a nascent and evolutionary model for advancing students. Emergent’s 8th graders are passing community college English courses and 5th graders are tackling 8th grade math courses. These results are possible because of Emergent Academy’s student-directed, multi-subject and experiential approach to student learning.

Position Description

Reporting to the Head Guide (Academic Director), the Head of Level One will have the opportunity to play a leading role in the creation of a well-resourced school that is eager to offer the benefits of a progressive education to students in the Austin, Texas area. The Head of Level One will direct all aspects of the academic program for students in this first phase of their academic experience at Emergent. Students in Level One receive structured support and guidance along their personalized learning journey to success. They start becoming independent workers and are rewarded with increasing freedom to manage themselves and their goals. Candidates should enjoy working with children and collaborating with school staff to constantly improve the academic program.

Role and Responsibilities

• Develop and implement developmentally appropriate curriculum for elementary school aged students.
• Teach all academic courses in alignment with the school goals and criteria
• Establish and maintain open lines of communication with families and the larger community.
• Guide the School’s approach to personalized learning for Level One learners.
• Lead small learning groups and correct student work.
• Lead teaching and learning in core academic areas including ELA and Mathematics.
• Maintain good communication with families about student progress through regular progress reports and respond to parent inquiries.
• Work with other school leaders to ensure that the school environment effectively integrates Level One students into the learning community.
• Promote high standard and expectation in a supportive environment.
• Create and help implement student workshops.
• Create and implement existing methods to assist learners in understanding their own progress, growth, and development
• Develop on your own and in collaboration with other colleagues, short-term and long-term learning and assessment initiatives focused on inquiry-based, and interdisciplinary learning.

Qualifications and Key Selection Criteria

Core skills and capabilities

• Outstanding organizational skills
• High comfort level with educational technology and online curriculum
• Problem solver
• Commitment to success, teamwork, creativity.
• Entrepreneurial attitude and approach.
• Organized, strong, caring individual who is also flexible and has a sense of adventure.
• Deep knowledge of early childhood pedagogy, curriculum, and child development
• Knowledge of and experience with innovative research, practices, and implementation
• Experience with identifying trends and making recommendations with educational-related data
• Demonstrate experience in developing curriculum through innovative and experiential collaborations
• Effectively communicate in both written and spoken mediums
• A skilled collaborator and team-builder, especially in diverse work settings
• Capacity to work flexibly, independently, and collaboratively in a fast-paced and ambitious environment
• Familiarity with STAR testing program

Education and work history/experience

• A bachelor’s degree from a top tier school, Master’s a plus
• 5+ years of experience in an educational environment
• Direct experience working with elementary school aged children, preferably in a school environment
• An undergraduate degree from a top-tier university.
• High degree of comfort utilizing a range of technologies.
• Experience as both a teacher and teacher-leader preferred
• Experience with identifying trends and making recommendations with educational-related data
• 3-5 years experience in a school setting or equivalent.
• Experience working with elementary aged children
• Extensive teaching and classroom management experience teaching experience and possesses a Bachelor’s in a relevant field; a Master’s degree is preferred. I
• Demonstrated strong writing and communication skills, a capacity for organization and follow-through, a collaborative mindset, and flexibility.

$80 K/year, three-quarter to full-time, 12 months

Start Date: June 2017

Location: Austin, Texas

To qualify, please provide a resume/CV demonstrating the required experience and skills. From there, we require the completion of pre-interview work assignment – a thoughtful response to which will require investing 1-2 hours of preparation time. We find both the willingness to invest this time – coupled with the insights we derive from the answers – help us find the truly capable and passionate candidates. Qualified applicants who pass this review will be phone screened, and finalists will conduct interviews with our leadership team.