Principal or Vice Principal Principal (Bard High School Early College DC)
Job Description
About the Bard Early Colleges
The Bard Early Colleges are founded on the belief that many high school–age students are eager and ready for the intellectual challenges of a college education. The Bard Early Colleges act on this belief by providing younger scholars with a tuition-free, credit-bearing college course of study in the liberal arts and sciences following the 9th and 10th grades. Students are taught by college faculty in seminar classes; they receive up to 60 college credits and an associate in arts (A.A.) degree from Bard College, concurrently with a high school diploma. The Bard Early Colleges begin preparing students for college work as early as the 9th grade and offer ongoing guidance and academic support.
Now in its second decade, the Bard Early College network serves over 2,800 students in campuses in Lower Manhattan, Queens, and Harlem, New York; Newark, New Jersey; New Orleans, Louisiana; Cleveland, Ohio; and Baltimore, Maryland. Since 2003, Bard College has awarded more than 3,000 A.A. degrees to its early college students.
Bard invites applications for a dynamic individual who will join our administrative team as the Principal of a Bard High School Early College (BHSEC) in Washington, D.C. The position will start in the Summer of 2023 (the start date is flexible).
To learn more about Bard Early College, please see this report.
About Bard High School Early College DC
Bard High School Early College DC (Bard DC) opened in August 2019 as a partnership between Bard College and the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and the first wall-to-wall early college high school in DC. Located east-of-the-river, Bard DC seeks to demonstrate that an academically rigorous liberal arts and sciences program can intellectually engage a diverse group of high school students and effectively prepare them for success in college, careers, and civic life. Bard DC enrolls over 400 students, most of whom are the first in their families to attend college. More than half of the Bard DC student body are considered ‘at-risk’ according to DCPS. Students are admitted to Bard DC on the basis of their intellectual curiosity and motivation. In this way, the student body reflects Bard’s commitment to equitable access to educational opportunity and Bard’s belief that higher education is an essential public good. Beginning January 2023, the school is relocating to a state-of-the-art facility in DC’s Ward 8 with a vision to become a top choice for high school, especially for families in Wards 7 and 8.
Position Objective and Duties
The Principal is the early college’s academic and administrative leader. The Principal is responsible for: 1) ensuring that the school meets Bard’s high standards of undergraduate academic rigor and student achievement; 2) facilitating smooth and effective collaboration with the school system partner and Bard regarding all aspects of school management; 3) hiring, supporting, and supervising the faculty teaching high school and college courses across the curriculum; 4) fostering a campus culture of intellectual engagement, individual responsibility, and creativity; 5) managing the school staff; and 6) overseeing the school’s financial management and daily business operations. The Principal reports to the school system partner and to Bard College, specifically through the Dean of the Early Colleges. The Principal is expected to meet regularly with other BHSEC leadership teams.
Responsibilities
The following is an approximate allocation of time the Principal will spend on core responsibilities of the role:
- 40% Academic leadership. The Principal is the school’s senior academic leader and is responsible for maintaining Bard DC’s combination of intellectual rigor, freedom of inquiry, academic support, and socioemotional support. The Principal observes classes, supervises the Dean of Studies in developing curricula and designing professional development, and engages with students, families, and other members of the school community to uphold the academic mission of the school.
- 30%: Leadership of staff. The Principal is the senior leader in the building and is responsible for fostering clarity of roles and deliverables as well as organizational effectiveness across the school’s personnel.
- 10%: Community engagement. The Principal works closely with families, community-based organizations, and other key stakeholders in communicating about the school, building partnerships, and strengthening Bard DC’s role in the community.
- 10%: Coordination with Bard College. The Principal coordinates with Bard College academic leadership – primarily the Dean of the Bard Early Colleges – to align Bard College’s academic vision with the school’s needs and opportunities.
- 10%: Coordination with DCPS. The Principal coordinates with DCPS – primarily the Instructional Superintendent – to ensure alignment with DCPS goals, policies, and priorities, as Bard DC continues to grow as a DCPS high school.
Compensation: The salary will be determined by a number of factors, based on the DCPS salary scale. Please refer to the following page for further details on Compensation and Benefits for this position.
Start Date: July 2023
Location: Washington, D.C.
Desired Qualifications
The Principal must lead a campus that is both a high school accountable to the school system as well as a degree-granting undergraduate branch campus of Bard College that meets the College’s standards. As such, the Principal’s professional and academic experience should span both secondary and postsecondary teaching and administration, and, where relevant, scholarship.
The successful candidate for the position will possess the following characteristics and qualifications:
- Doctorate in a liberal arts and sciences discipline (corresponding to the fields available for study within the Bard College curriculum)
- Scholarship and engagement in field of study since attainment of terminal degree
- Interest in and knowledge of issues of educational equity in DC
- Relevant teaching experience, preferably with both college and high school students
- Relevant leadership experience
- Strong organizational and management skills
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Experience and commitment to working with adolescents
- Administrator certification required
How to Apply
To Apply: Please apply by clicking on the “Apply Now” button found through the Interfolio job application link provided here: http://apply.interfolio.com/120079 Use the Interfolio link provided to upload the following documents:- Letter of interest
- C.V. / resume
- A list of three references, including their contact information
