Overview

Overview

Ascend managing directors have responsibility for a portfolio of schools, ensuring that each school is a thriving academic community that reflects the Ascend model, delivering excellent results for kids and families. These strategic leaders possess an unshakable belief that every child can succeed and the leadership acumen to inspire and motivate school leaders to reach their highest potential. Reporting directly to the chief schools officer, the managing director is a central member of the network and schools team, responsible for the health of each school in the portfolio, for managing and coaching school principals, supporting them in the achievement of each school’s academic and organizational goals, building and maintaining a strong presence for the school in the community, and developing and cultivating enduring relationships with students, teachers, parents, community members and stakeholders. Managing directors ensure the implementation and development of a responsive and restorative school culture in every school and the improvement and implementation of Ascend’s educational model to drive student achievement. They will cultivate a culture of high expectations across the instructional staff to ensure that every Ascend student has equitable access to high quality and culturally relevant instruction.

The managing director of schools role is an ideal opportunity for a dynamic and visionary instructional leader to play a critical role in shaping leaders of our premier charter schools committed to ensuring students have access to opportunities that will ensure their access to and success in college and career.

Why extraordinary professionals choose Ascend

Ascend is a network of K-12 public charter schools serving 6,000 students across 15 schools in Central Brooklyn. Our mission is to lead our students on a great intellectual journey, providing them with an exceptional education and placing them firmly on the path to success in college and beyond.

We guide our students to think critically and independently and to enjoy education as an end in itself. We teach a rich and rigorous liberal arts curriculum that nurtures students’ natural curiosity about the world. We foster a positive, non-punitive school culture where students feel connected, empowered, and safe to take academic risks. Even our school buildings are designed to reflect our high aspirations for teaching and learning and the notable accomplishments that occur within our walls.

To create this kind of vibrant learning community, we invest heavily in our team members by providing ongoing, best-of-class professional training and support. We encourage them to collaborate closely and push one another to achieve great outcomes.

Learn more about the Ascend approach by visiting our website.

Responsibilities

Strategic leadership

  • Lead the hiring, professional development, management, coaching, and evaluation of Ascend principals
  • Regularly employ both formal and informal means to evaluate the performance of each school and its principal
  • Ensure high quality implementation of the educational design at each school, including curriculum implementation, student and adult culture, assessments, and parent relationships
  • Collaborate with peers and the executive team to refine, articulate, and continuously improve Ascend’s educational model to achieve targeted academic results
  • Drive school improvement strategy across school portfolio and principals
  • Create and strengthen a data-driven culture that relentlessly seeks continuous improvement
  • Collaborate with chief schools officer and other leaders to plan and execute summer institutes for school leaders, new teachers, and returning staff
  • Translates for the broader network leadership the needs of the schools along with network operations and curriculum leaders
  • Participate in key decisions with the senior Ascend leadership team, providing input and recommendations

Effective teaming

  • Work alongside school principals to identify, develop, and coach internal candidates for school leadership roles and provide future leaders with guidance and feedback
  • Support the work of principals in the hiring, coaching, and evaluation of assistant principals, teachers and other school staff
  • Establish, manage, and develop strong peer relationships and teams that collaborate, communicate, and work together for Ascend students and its community
  • Foster and facilitate positive relationships and collaboration with network and school-based leaders to advance efforts that support achievement for all students and to advance Ascend’s mission and goals
  • Strengthen network-wide programs and practices through the utilization of feedback from school and network leaders, staff, students, families, and the community

Whole student focus

  • Ensure school principals establish, foster, and sustain a culture of academic success and social-emotional development at each school through partnerships with students, staff, families, and the community.
  • Implement and enhance Ascend’s vision, exhibiting a deep belief in the potential of all students and leading to improvement for all learners.
  • Drive school leader partnership with the student services coordinator and the special education team to ensure that all students, including those with exceptionalities, have the access and support needed to achieve.

School culture

  • Create, lead, and maintain a culture that encourages all team members to innovate in an effort to ensure equity gaps are eliminated and college and career readiness is a reality for all students.
  • Collaborate with principals to establish culture in each school that results in a love of learning, student agency, and full range of student learning and growth.
  • Support principals in building engaged, diverse, and inclusive school communities.

Unequivocally committed to our DEIA mission

  • Interrogate strategies and systems through a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism (DEIA) and ensure they drive towards school and network priorities and goals.
  • Promote an organizational culture of continuous improvement by ensuring alignment between processes and systems with a focus on DEIA and excellence.

Reporting relationships and teams

The managing director of schools reports directly to the chief schools officer and works closely with their peer managing directors, network directors of operations, curriculum team members, as well as the chief curriculum and instruction officer and other members of the executive team. The managing director of schools directly supervises a defined portfolio of school principals, supporting their success and driving school achievement.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree, with advanced degree preferred
  • At least four years of experience as a principal at a highly successful urban school system
  • Expertise in teaching and working with students at the elementary, middle, or high school level
  • Record of success in leading adults; prior experience with sound management and supervision practices
  • Results-oriented, determined, skilled leader with a strong track record of academic excellence
  • A hunger for feedback and self-improvement
  • Demonstrated success leading school improvement initiatives that increase student achievement in a meaningful way for all racial, ethnic, and economic groups
  • Experience coaching, managing, and conducting professional development for principals and other educators
  • Demonstrated ability to utilize data insights to drive high-impact action
  • Deep knowledge of curriculum, results-oriented instructional practices, school operations, and leadership development
  • Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with a proven ability to meet and exceed ambitious goals

Diversity at Ascend

Ascend is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community, both through our hiring practices and our focus on creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and educating students. Ascend staff represent a wide diversity of racial, socio-economic, gender, religious, and national identities—opening a window to the entire Ascend community on the richness of humanity. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our deeply consequential work.

Compensation

Ascend offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.

Ascend’s Vaccination Policy Statement

To prevent the infection and spread of COVID-19, and protect the health and safety of staff, students, family members, interns, volunteers, and visitors to Ascend’s premises from COVID-19 infection, Ascend requires all staff to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated for the coronavirus. This policy is mandatory except for staff with a documented medical or religious reason for not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

<img src=”https://www.click2apply.net/v/mX8za5c5OjR7kIWGeFROa4″ />

PI192100346

Apply for job