Teacher Head of School at Harlem Hebrew Language Academy Charter School (Harlem Hebrew)
Job Description
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION:
Hebrew Public (formerly the Hebrew Charter School Center) is a national network of public charter schools with the following unique characteristics:
• Racially and economically diverse schools (we are a member of the National Coalition of Diverse Charter Schools)
• A focus on global citizenship, helping students become empathetic, ethical, intellectually curious young adults committed to solving the world’s problems
• A dual language partial immersion program in Modern Hebrew with accompanying focus on the study of Israel
Hebrew Public’s network currently includes 9 schools (2 middle and 7 elementary) in four states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 1,700 students. In NYC, they serve as the Charter Management Organization for schools in Brooklyn and Harlem.
The Harlem Hebrew Language Academy Charter School (Harlem Hebrew) is a flagship dual language public elementary school operated by Hebrew Public. Founded in 2013, Harlem Hebrew’s mission is to provide a nurturing yet rigorous dual language program committed to fostering academic excellence and a high degree of Hebrew language proficiency. Harlem Hebrew currently serves 325 students in Kindergarten through grade 4. The school plans to add a grade level each school year until it ultimately serves grades K to 8 in the future. The school uses Teachers College Readers and Writers Workshop, a specialized Social Studies curriculum focusing on Harlem’s history as a focal point of migration and immigration and promotes individualized instruction to meet the needs of all learners. Hebrew language instruction is incorporated across the curriculum through a dual language model where students are taught in both English and Hebrew.
This is an exciting time to be with the organization as it continues its phase of growth, with a team committed to creating a diverse and high-performing public charter school.
To learn more about Hebrew Public, please visit www.hebrewpublic.org. Read about their work and mission: https://www.the74million.org/article/learning-to-laugh-in-hebrew-how-two-nyc-charter-schools-used-an-ancient-language-to-achieve-integration.
ABOUT THE POSITION:
Hebrew Public believes that strong leaders are integral to the success of their schools. Hebrew Public seeks a Head of School (HOS) to lead the staff and broader community of Harlem Hebrew, manage the instructional leadership team and represent Harlem Hebrew to its impressive and growing audience of external stakeholders and funders. As a showcase campus within the Hebrew Public network, the Head of Schools will serve as a lead ambassador and external face of the network’s educational model.
The successful candidate will be a proven leader with a commitment to Hebrew Public’s mission. This individual will be an exceptional manager, motivating leader, and a strong relationship builder, who has demonstrated breakthrough outcomes in a similarly mission-aligned organization, non-profit, or school setting. Reporting to the school’s Board and to the Executive Director of the New York Metro Region, the Head of School will serve as the school’s instructional leader, and will manage and develop a diverse senior leadership team of instructional and operational staff.
This opportunity is ideal for an accomplished and driven individual to play a leadership role in growing and strengthening Hebrew Public’s flagship campus.
Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Manage the Directors of Instruction to ensure the use of effective, data-driven and research-based teaching methodologies and practices across classrooms
• Manage relationships with key stakeholder groups, including funders, the Board of Directors, instructional leaders and staff, parents, students, community organizations, and the school’s authorizer
• Serve as a collaborative partner with the CMO, both in areas of community engagement and instructional vision
• Work with the Director of Operations to oversee the school’s operations, finances and compliance functions
• Partner with the Director of Talent to recruit and select a team of talented educators
• Partner with staff and the school’s authorizer to recruit students
• Develop both long-term and short-term strategic plans to support school growth and improvement
• Represent Harlem Hebrew to outside stakeholders or visitors, ensuring that the school’s strengths and opportunities are expressed clearly and with gravitas
• Coach and develop Harlem Hebrew’s leadership team by providing regular, on-going feedback and support
• Develop and sustain a strong, positive, rigorous, nurturing school culture
• Build an active and engaged professional learning community among the school’s staff
• Partner with the Hebrew Public and school leadership teams to provide high-quality professional development based on identified school and teacher needs
• Ensure rigorous instructional goals are set and that the culture is focused on continuous improvement
• Monitor the progress of student and staff growth through collection of formal and informal data; analyze data in collaboration with the leadership team to inform strategic and instructional planning
CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS:
The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:
• Leadership experience with a record of success in leading and growing a reputable education organization, non-profit, or similarly-focused school
• Strong track record of managing a cross-functional team to achieve ambitious results through periods of organizational growth
• Exceptional verbal, written, listening, and interpersonal skills, with an ability to motivate and persuade others
• Leadership experience motivating a staff with urgency and passion to achieve strong academic results for students
• Strong strategic thinking and planning skills, with an ability to manage concurrent projects and priorities effectively
• Experience forming, cultivating, and expanding partnerships with key stakeholders in the public and private sectors, such as foundations, individuals, and government agencies
• A passion for and record of driving student achievement and overall success in diverse communities
• A deep belief that all students can thrive in a challenging, high-quality, nurturing and supportive learning environment
• A strong work ethic and commitment to results
• Proven ability and desire to work in a creative and innovative environment
• An authentic commitment to the Hebrew Public mission and school model
• An ideal candidate will have the following attributes: self -knowledge, interpersonal skills, intelligence, work ethic, self-care, mission alignment
Educational Background and Work Experience:
• A minimum of three years of experience as a successful elementary or middle school teacher, ideally in a public school setting
• A minimum of two years of experience in an educational leadership role, ideally in an elementary or middle school setting
• Knowledge of dual-language methodology and education practices preferred, but not required
• Knowledge of Modern Hebrew a plus, but not required
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Salary and benefits will be highly competitive and commensurate with experience.
