Early Childhood Director/ Lower School Assistant Director

Posting Date:                        January 25, 2021

Application Deadline:           Open Until Filled

Start Date:                              June 28, 2021

Charles Wright Academy (CWA), located on a beautiful, wooded 107-acre campus, serves students in preschool through 12th grade. The only coeducational independent preschool-12 school in Tacoma, Washington, CWA provides challenging, college preparatory academics that prepare students to thrive in college and in life. Equally important is a wide array of experiential education, artistic, athletic, and service opportunities that promote students’ social-emotional development and provide avenues by which they discover and pursue their passions. Close, respectful, and trusting relationships between faculty and students result in an environment in which all community members embrace both the hard work and the joy inherent in the journey of intellectual and personal growth.

The Lower School (LS) serves 208 students with an emphasis on the whole child’s growth and development. There is a magic to the Lower School that is evident as you observe the joy of students and teachers in action. Attracting a diverse and representative student body is a priority at the school. For the 2020-2021 school year, 42% of lower school students identify as people of color. Families are attracted to the Lower School for its breadth of opportunities for students to discover passions, focus on the individual child through active, hands-on learning, expert teaching, and a warm, inclusive community. Lower School teachers are dynamic, experienced, and passionate about their work with children. Charles Wright’s Lower School draws students from a geographically broad area spanning four counties in the South Puget Sound area.

The early childhood program includes preschool, junior kindergarten, and kindergarten. The 12- month preschool and the junior kindergarten are licensed under the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

Charles Wright Mission Statement:  To inspire active, joyful learning while nurturing and challenging our students to develop the character, creativity, and skills to successfully navigate the future with confidence.

Summary:

This position is a full-time, 12-month, exempt, academic leadership appointment for the 2021-21 academic year.  The LS Assistant Director/ECE Director reports to and works in tandem with the LS Director to advance and execute on a mission-congruent vision for students in Preschool-Grade 5. The LS Assistant Director/ECE Director will collaborate to provide direction and guidance for teachers and staff as well as parents in an environment that allows young children to thrive.

Priorities for the LS Assistant Director/ECE Director:                                    

Early Childhood Education Pedagogy, Licensing, Oversight:

• Serve as the pedagogical leader for Early Childhood Education promoting observation to inform curriculum design in an emergent, project-based curriculum model
• Acquire and maintain MERIT child care director qualifications as required by WA State DCYF, including - but not limited to - ECE units or degree, current CPR/First Aid, STARS 10-hour annual training
• Maintain appropriate program licensing through DCYF
• Maintain required records, develop health and safety procedures, and monitor adherence to all DCYF regulations and guidance
• Create a continuous and consistent experience for students in preschool (12-month program), junior kindergarten, and kindergarten (academic year programs)
• Teach periodic parent education classes for internal and external audiences, develop an annual early childhood speaker series
• Collaborate with the LS Director and Director of Enrollment Management to develop assessment protocols and observations days for all ECE applicants and families
• Make enrollment recommendations to admissions
• Provide classroom coverage and support as needed
• Provide primary administrative presence and oversight for the ECE summer program serving preschool and junior kindergarten students

Student and Family Support, Administrative Support, Special Events:       

• Coordinate closely with the Lower School learning specialist, school counselor, academic leadership team, and Lower School Director to support students and families
• Coordinate and manage special events, manage daily duty schedules, and assist with a range of administrative tasks
• Oversee the recruitment, training, and retention of a robust substitute teacher pool.
• Assist with divisional communication
• Regularly observe teachers and participate actively in annual goal setting and evaluation processes PS-5

 Extended Day Program Development, Oversight, Management:

• Oversee all after school programming including trimesterly enrichment classes, youth athletics, and extended day program
• Supervise and support Lower School Extended Day lead and develop procedures to monitor and oversee extended day program serving 50+ students daily
• Develop trimesterly after school enrichment program including class curation, internal advertisement, registration, daily attendance, and health and safety procedures; recruit and manage outside providers for enrichment classes
• In collaboration with the athletic director oversee running club, youth basketball, and other youth sport opportunities

Application Process:

If you are interested, please provide:

• a resume
• a letter of interest
• a statement of teaching philosophy

At:  https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/442655/Charles-Wright-Academy/ECE-Director-LS-Assistant-Director

No phone calls or inquiries, please.

Employment is contingent on the successful completion of a national background screening and fingerprinting process.

Charles Wright Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer: M/F/V/D.