Head of Early Childhood Division

About Grace 

Grace Church School’s mission of fostering academic excellence, ethical values, and an inclusive community anchors our program and informs our pedagogy and curriculum, preparing our students to lead meaningful and productive lives.  The school nurtures and educates the whole child, understanding that our humanity comprises mind, body, heart, and spirit. We celebrate our differences, respect our diversity, and embrace our shared human experience.

About the Position

Grace Church School seeks to hire a Head of the Early Childhood Division (Grades JK-1 approximately 120 students and 18 teachers)to begin July 1, 2021.  The ideal candidate will be an experienced educator who demonstrates qualities of excellent leadership, including the ability to:  communicate clearly with a broad range of constituencies; demonstrate multicultural and anti-racist competencies; develop curriculum and advise teachers in its effective implementation; cultivate trust among colleagues; and handle difficult conversations with as much ease as possible, listening with an open mind and providing firm and fair guidance when needed.  The EC Division Head should be flexible and discreet, approach work with joy, have a well-developed toolkit for managing disciplinary situations and for inspiring students to be their best, and take a “hands on” approach to learning–whether in the classroom, dining room, hallways, or our roof-deck playground. The candidate should believe in attending to the learning process ahead of the product, balancing students’ emotional, social, and academic development.  Caring, confident, and critical when necessary, the EC Division Head should create a safe haven where students can trust that they will receive age-appropriate guidance to navigate teachable moments when problems occur. The person should be able to work effectively under pressure and within time constraints while maintaining an optimistic and growth-oriented mindset.

This position reports to the head of school.  Its specific duties include but are not limited to:

• Providing administrative oversight of the Early Childhood Division. This includes managing and supporting the faculty, monitoring curriculum, hiring substitutes, supervising the production of report cards and spearheading required reports for internal and external review of all aspects of the division
• Interviewing and assessing applicants to the Early Childhood, working closely with the Admissions team, and serving as a member of the decision-making committee;
• Teaching classes within the division;
• Conducting classroom observations of teachers and providing constructive feedback and coaching;
• Leading the hiring team for all open Early Childhood positions, facilitating the process with an understanding of school policies and best practices around equity, fairness, and anti-bias;
• Leading all Early Childhood faculty meetings, and coordinating with other division heads to ensure consistency of policies and messaging;
• Organizing and monitoring EC lunch;
• Planning and helping to lead weekly EC Chapel services;
• Setting and maintaining standards for appropriate Early Childhood conduct; 
• Getting to know the students in the division and working with the faculty and counselor to monitor and encourage their academic, social, and emotional growth;
• Serving as a parenting resource for families who need support and guidance;
• Serving on the JK–8 Guidance Committee;
• Serving on the following school-wide committees:  Administrative Council; Education Policies Committee; Education Committee of the Board; the Institutional Culture Committee; Diversity Council; and Academic Admin team;
• Working to support and advance the institutional commitment to equity, belonging, and anti-racism; 
• Producing regular, formal group communications for Parents in the Early Childhood Division;
• Working seamlessly with faculty in all divisions, understanding how to advocate for the priorities of one division with an understanding of the needs and priorities of the whole school.

The school seeks an educator who has Early Childhood teaching experience, who has some administrative experience, and who is certified in early childhood education.

Grace is an equal opportunity employer.

Interested applicants can apply by submitting a résumé and cover letter through the employment page of our school website.

Grace During a Time of Covid

Grace is presently operating in a hybrid model (interested candidates can view our detailed plans for our approach to being open).  Initial interviews for this position will take place via Zoom. 

Our Commitment to Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism:

 Grace Church School seeks to provide its students with an outstanding education and with the desire to use it to make the world a better place.  Every facet of our work is enhanced by the diversity and strength of our community. We believe that equity and inclusion are not only hallmarks of a just society, but also virtues essential to sound learning.  And so, Grace seeks to recognize and honor the unique gifts of its students, families, faculty, and staff—and the cultures, beliefs, values, and experiences that have shaped them—striving always to cultivate mutual understanding, humility, respect, and kindness. 

But inclusion is not enough and equity is an impossibility if we cannot name, acknowledge, and oppose the forces of racism and all forms of bias, hate, and fear that exist in our society and that seek to diminish so many in our midst.  Knowing this, we commit ourselves to the work of anti-racism and to the cause of justice: that all students may find in Grace a home, may learn from Grace their precious worth, and may hear from Grace a call to serve the common good and the dignity of humanity.