Posted March 16, 2023
Position Summary
The Children’s Community School seeks a full-time Director beginning July 2023.
The Director leads the organization and all of its programs, operations, activities, and strategies in fulfillment of the school’s mission. The Director is responsible for ensuring that the school adheres to its values in meeting the needs of enrolled children and their families, the staff, and the school’s wider communities. As head of staff, the Director is responsible for guiding and facilitating the growth and development of the staff, both as individual professionals and as a collaborative team.
About The Children’s Community School
The Children’s Community School (CCS) is an NAEYC-accredited non-profit preschool and early learning program in West Philadelphia serving children aged 18 months to 5 years old. Founded in 2010, it has grown to a current enrollment of 65 students during the 2022-2023 school year, with 20 full-time staff and an annual budget of more than $1 million.
CCS is a place of joy, deep care, and ongoing learning for all. CCS’s mission is to create a collaborative community of young children, families, and educators that honors and empowers children to be active agents in their learning and lives.
Rooted in our mission and values, CCS is on a trajectory of significant growth and programmatic deepening as we seek to expand and make permanent our capacity to serve a larger number of children and families of diverse socioeconomic statuses. Currently, 21% of CCS’s students receive tuition assistance, either through public programs like PHLpreK and CCW or through direct scholarships and financial aid awarded by CCS. CCS is actively pursuing significant expansion of our facilities in order to increase capacity beginning in the 2024-2025 school year to better serve local families seeking high-quality early childhood education via public funding programs.
Position Responsibilities
Leadership & Oversight
- Work towards and oversee the fulfillment of the organization’s mission and core values through culture, policy, and practice
- Oversee all programming, operations, and activities
- Supervise and collaborate with the assistant directors as they oversee curriculum, assessment, classroom practice, and relationships with families and the community
- Supervise and collaborate with the business manager to oversee the school’s finances, facilities, HR needs, and long-term sustainability
- Oversee continued development and implementation of anti-racist policies, practices, and curriculum
- Ensure adherence to local, state, and federal regulations and appropriate licensing, accreditation, and safety procedures for the school’s program
- Hold primary responsibility for maintaining the school’s Department of Human Services license and ensuring school policies and practices align with licensing requirements
- Ensure that the school meets all requirements of and/or maintains strong relationships with the PA Department of Health; PA Department of Human Services, Keystone STARS; NAEYC accreditation; PHLpreK; ACT 48 approved PD provider status with the PA Dept. of Ed; Elwyn (early intervention); and other agencies as needed
- Lead or coordinate major projects and strategies, both foreseen and unforeseen (e.g., pandemic response, program expansion, capital campaign, etc.)
Operations & Management
- Directly supervise the administrative team (assistant directors and business manager) and through them all other employees
- Participate in or supervise all recruiting, hiring, orienting, and supporting of all staff, including progressive discipline as needed
- In cooperation with the admin team, meet moment-to-moment needs in the operation of the school, including supporting teachers and children in classrooms
Communication & Community-Building
- Lead and model a positive and inclusive school culture through respectful communication and healthy relationships with the various members of the school community, including children, families, staff, the Board of Directors, other organizations and groups in our community, etc.
- Serve on the CCS Board of Directors as a non-voting member
Required Qualifications & Capabilities
- Significant supervisory experience
- Demonstrated strong understanding of child development and early childhood education best practices
- Extremely strong written and verbal communication skills
- Demonstrated ability to work well with others and to foster a collaborative team environment
- Demonstrated excellent leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills
- Competence with standard office, communications, and collaboration technology (email lists, spreadsheets, shared documents, minor website updates, social media, etc)
- Must meet background checks required of teachers
Preferred Qualifications
- Significant experience in early childhood settings, including time as a classroom teacher
- Experience with managing an organization through a substantial transition, especially from small to mid-sized
- Experience with budgeting and long-term and short-term financial management and/or with generating contributed revenue through fundraising
- Experience with IEPs and ISFPs, navigating early intervention systems, and supporting parents and teachers in supporting students’ diverse needs
- Pennsylvania Director Credential, Pennsylvania PreK-4 teaching certification, and/or experience maintaining licensing and following guidelines from the PA Department of Health; PA Department of Human Services, Keystone STARS; NAEYC accreditation; and/or PHLpreK
Schedule and Work Environment
- This is a salaried, full-time, year-round position, averaging 40 hours per week. Specific schedule to be determined in cooperation with the administrative team.
- Desired start date is on or around July 5, 2023.
- The Director is expected to work a variety of times outside the regular work week and regularly scheduled hours, including occasional events and meetings on weekends and evenings as well as periodically remaining on call during off hours in the event of an emergency with implications for health, safety, or sufficient classroom staffing. The Director will be able to take off other hours during the preceding or following weeks to balance work performed during off hours.
- The CCS academic calendar typically includes up to 5 weeks when the school is closed (traditionally 2 weeks in winter, 1 week in spring, and 2 weeks in summer). Salaried employees are paid during these school breaks without impact to their PTO balance. Work expectations during breaks are minimal and flexible.
- Total estimated hours per year: ~1920
- While reasonable accommodations will be made, this role has typically entailed frequent sitting, moving throughout a large building, spending periods of time outdoors in all weather, climbing stairs, and occasional lifting of young children.
Compensation and Benefits
- $60K-$65K annual salary, based on qualifications and experience. Salary will be paid over 12 months, with planned increases in future years tied to planned increased enrollment.
- Includes health and dental insurance, paid time off, family and disability leave, reduced tuition, and more; see Employment Benefits document
Supervised by
Supervises
- Business manager, assistant directors, custodian. Supports business manager and assistant directors in supervision of all other positions.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should send their resume and a cover letter or statement of interest to hiring@childrenscommunityschool.org, with subject line “CCS Director.”
Materials will be reviewed by the Leadership Transition Committee, comprising current staff, Board members, parents, and community members, beginning in April 2023. Interviews are expected to take place via Zoom and in person in West Philadelphia in May and June. Finalist candidates will be asked to provide contact information for 2 professional references.
