Freedom Preparatory Academy Charter Schools

Managing Director of Elementary Schools 

ABOUT US

Freedom Preparatory Academy Charter Schools (www.freedomprep.org) comprise a high-performing PreK-12 charter school network in Memphis, TN. Our mission is to prepare all students in grades K-12 to excel in college and in life. We accomplish our mission through providing a highly structured, academically rigorous environment where students master core subjects, develop advanced academic skills, and demonstrate the school’s core values of: Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Excellence, and Community.

Freedom Preparatory Academy was established in August of 2009 with a class of nearly 100 6th graders. We now serve nearly 1,800 students in grades PreK-12. In 2019, as we celebrate our 10^th year of providing a quality education for students in low-income/underserved communities, we are proud to see our students exceed local and state averages in Math and local averages in English language arts. We have received numerous awards year after year for being one of the top schools for growth in the city and state of TN. In 2018, 100% of our 2^nd graduating class were accepted to four-year colleges and universities!

We have three core beliefs that drive our mission: Every child deserves the right to a high-quality public education, a foundation in character development is essential, and direct exposure to an array of opportunities and experiences provides each child with the self-confidence and social knowledge to compete globally.

Start Date: June 1, 2019

Team: Network Support Team

Summary:

Freedom Prep seeks a Managing Director of Elementary Schools to coach, support and develop elementary school leaders and network elementary academic leaders to meet ambitious school performance goals. The Managing Director of Elementary Schools will oversee the design and implementation of our instructional and cultural program across Freedom Prep elementary schools. This is an extraordinary opportunity for an educator to work closely with high performing, results-oriented Heads of School and Network Academic Specialists to positively impact the lives of over 1,000 elementary school students, ensuring they have the strong foundation necessary to excel in college and in life.

Through coaching and developing Heads of Schools and Academic Specialists, the Managing Director of Elementary Schools is responsible for the fulfillment of Freedom Prep’s mission. This is a position for someone who thrives at the school site level, and offers the opportunity to have a major impact on school success. The Managing Director of Elementary Schools reports to the Executive Director, and they will work together to ensure that all Freedom Prep elementary schools succeed. The Managing Director of Elementary Schools will be a valued voice in the overall leadership of Freedom Prep during its growth and will help the leadership team to meet the challenges of scale.

Key Responsibilities:

Ensure that all schools achieve dramatic student achievement gains in all subject areas and strong Freedom Prep culture by performing coach observations, looking at data, performing classroom observations, planning and participating in leadership team meetings, and more. Examples of this work include:

• Plan frequent co-observation days; highlight areas of strength and improvement in feedback during the day and prepare a more formal write-up after the observation day; work hand-in-hand with principals to address areas of school improvement.
• Regularly review data to spot strengths and growth areas; work with principals to develop clear plans to address growth areas.
• Work with principals to set teacher professional development priorities for the year and to design outstanding site-based and network-wide professional development.
• Problem-solve solutions to challenges common to all schools in network-wide forums (meetings, conference calls, etc.).
• Provide some limited, direct coaching and support of teachers in the schools.
• Work with Heads of School to design and implement rigorous intervention programs.

Support, coach, train, and supervise principals:

• Hold weekly 1-on-1 school visits with each Head of School (e.g. data dashboard review, co-observations, school walkthroughs, monthly data reflection, problem-solve around pressing issues, professional development planning, culture audits).
• Work with the senior network leaders to design and conduct professional development for elementary Grade-Level Chairs, Department Chairs, Deans of Academics, Deans of Students and Heads of School
• Provide ongoing informal feedback and support.
• Conduct mid-year and end-of-year evaluations for all elementary Heads of School.
• Serve on committee to select new Heads of School.

Supervise the development, modification and implementation of Freedom Prep’s elementary school model, including consistent culture practices, instructional vision, curriculum and assessments:

• Support, coach, train, and supervise network academic specialists
• Ensure a consistent academic model across all Freedom Prep elementary schools, including instructional vision, curricula, assessments, assessment calendar and aligned daily schedule
• Establish and monitor key academic systems and practices to drive student achievement across Freedom Prep elementary schools.
• Ensure a consistent model for school culture across Freedom Prep elementary schools
• Lead the year-over-year process of improving Freedom Prep’s school model for elementary schools.

Be a face of the organization to students, families, staff and key external stakeholders:

• Maintain relationships with elementary school staff that inspire them to push the mission of Freedom Prep in their daily work and live out Freedom Prep’s core values
• Maintain Freedom Prep Student Handbook for elementary schools with aligned practice to uphold key policies, meeting with families as necessary in situations that require attention beyond the Head of School
• Maintain relationships with key external stakeholders for the benefit of Freedom Prep’s mission
• Provide monthly updates to C-Level team on the performance of Freedom Prep elementary schools

Qualifications:

Required knowledge, skills, abilities and experience include:

• At least four years of experience as a principal at a highly successful elementary school demonstrating a strong track record of student performance gains and staff retention
• At least four years of highly effective teaching experience demonstrating a strong track record of student performance gains at the elementary level
• Ability to clearly articulate an inspiring, detailed vision for college-preparatory elementary schools
• Experience with STEP assessment and aligned practices to ensure student achievement on STEP assessment
• Experience with high-quality common core-aligned curricula and assessments in both Math and English Language Arts
• Strong coaching and people management skills
• Strong project management skills

In addition, highly qualified candidates will demonstrate:

• Results-oriented individual – a determined leader willing to do “whatever it takes”
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment; flexible, able to work autonomously as well as take direction as needed
• Ability to both take direction and set direction for others
• Ability to inspire and influence others
• Ability to differentiate coaching
• Highly motivated and capable of seeing projects through from beginning to end
• Solid analytical, communication, influence and negotiation skills
• Belief in the Freedom prep mission and educational model
• Maturity, humility, strong work ethic, sense of humor, and “roll-up-the-sleeves” attitude