(Effective from JULY 2021)
POSITION DESCRIPTIONThe Head of the Secondary School is a member of the School’s Senior Leadership Team and Educational Council and is responsible for the overall educational leadership and management of grades 6 to 12, in line with our Mission and Core Values. They will deputize for the Head of School upon request, and may assume other school-wide responsibilities as determined annually by the Head of School.
The Head of Secondary position requires an extraordinary educational leader, one with advanced written and verbal communications skills, a highly developed level of interpersonal empathy and a willingness to engage at every level with our local community. The successful candidate will be able to navigate complex cultures, demonstrate cultural competency and an international mindset. They will be committed to furthering their own intercultural journey and championing the school’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy and plan. The Head of Secondary will bring a rich experience with national and international curricular frameworks, including a deep understanding of the International Baccalaureate. Personal attributes expected include self-motivation, the ability to think both strategically and tactically, and the flexibility to successfully work within a diverse and demanding school environment. Highly developed technology, scheduling and financial management skills are required to successfully manage and lead the Secondary School.
The Head of Secondary will work closely with the Head of School, the Secondary School Leadership Team, Education Council and People and Culture (Human Resources), to recruit, retain and develop a truly outstanding faculty and staff in the secondary school through the implementation of our professional growth model of appraisal, and co-creating, promoting and delivering the school’s annual professional learning plans.
Salary and BenefitsThe salary range for this position is competitive and is outlined by the Senior Administrators’ pay-scale with Senior Leadership Team benefits. Initial placement on the scale will be determined by the Head of School and will be commensurate with the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience.
Reports to: Head of School
Division: Secondary School
Guiding Principles
- Supports and advances the mission, vision and strategic plan of the school.
- Supports student learning and achievement through cooperative effort and best practices.
- Supports and promotes the implementation of the IB programs.
- Supports and advances intercultural & international education.
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES In the area of Instructional Leadership, The Head of Secondary:
- Ensures that all secondary faculty demonstrate effective instructional and assessment strategies which measurably enhance student learning and promote the craft of teaching,
- Has a demonstrated track record in coaching, mentoring and holding accountable his/her faculty teams and direct reports,
- Serves as a leader in the field of education and is confident in leading professional development workshops, institutes and seminars,
- Effectively supports the alignment and execution of the school’s strategic action plans for successful curriculum implementation across all areas of the secondary school.
In the area of Organizational Management, The Head of Secondary:
- Serves as a member of the school’s Senior Leadership Team and participates in Board of Trustee meetings, school functions, parent meetings and other such occasions as appropriate,
- Develops and meets annual goals, discussed with and set by the Head of School, in support of the school’s overall strategic plan,
- Completes an annual written self-appraisal against these annual goals and job description,
- Supervises the Middle School Principal/Deputy Head of Secondary School to ensure effective functioning of the AIS Middle School (Grades 6 – 8),
- Supervises the Upper School Principal/Deputy Head of Secondary School to ensure effective functioning of the AIS Upper School (Grades 9 – 12),
- Supervises the Athletics Director assuming overall responsibility for the Athletics program,
- Supervises the Head of College Counseling to ensure a high quality experience and service in college counseling for our students and parents,
- Teams with the Head of Primary School and the Educational Council to ensure the experience of our students and the service provided to families is coordinated 3K through Grade 12,
- Collaborates with the Head of Technology and Innovation and the Head of Equity and Inclusion to advance the learning experiences of secondary students, faculty and community in alignment with the strategic priorities of the school,
- Collaborates with the Head of Admissions to manage the Secondary School admissions and enrollment process,
- Supports, manages, and oversees the organization, operation, and use of resources for the secondary school,
- Builds the secondary school master schedule within approved financial and staffing parameters,
- Develops, implements and monitors, with the Head of School, the secondary school budget within Board approved parameters,
- Collaborates with the Director of Operations to plan for facilities usage, construction and development in the Secondary School.
In the area of School Climate, The Head of Secondary:
- Develops and nurtures an internationally minded, balanced, academically rigorous, positive and emotionally safe school climate,
- Collaborates with the Head of Equity to implement our DEI strategy across the secondary school to build an intentionally inclusive intercultural community across the secondary community founded on mutual respect and understanding.
- Collaborates with the Director of Operations and the Senior Manager of Health Services to ensure the physical safety of Secondary School students and faculty.
In the area of Human Resources Leadership, The Head of Secondary:
- Collaborates with the Head of School, Secondary School Leadership Team and Human Resources to recruit, develop, evaluate and retain quality instructional and support personnel, holding them accountable to defined standards and professional goals,
- Implements timely and robust improvement plans to manage and support personnel who no longer meet the needs of the students of Atlanta International School.
In the area of Communication and Community Relations, The Head of Secondary:
- Communicates and collaborates effectively to engage all stakeholders, thus promoting understanding, support, and continuous improvement of the school’s programs and services in alignment with the mission, vision and strategic plan of Atlanta International School,
- Is actively involved in promoting the school to colleges and universities and in ensuring that our graduating students are successful with their college applications,
- Ensures that the Community Principles of Atlanta International School are fully implemented within the secondary school community,
- Keeps parent/student and faculty handbooks up-to-date with recent policies.
In the area of Professionalism, The Head of Secondary School:
- Demonstrates behavior consistent with legal, ethical, and professional standards, engages in continuous professional development, and contributes to the profession.
In the area of Student Progress, The Head of Secondary School:
- Expects and demands results in student progress consistent with the school’s mission and school-wide goals,
- Collaborates with the academic leadership of the school to effectively monitor and analyze standardized test data, fostering data-driven dialogue and subsequently coach her/his professional teams of direct reports, teacher leaders and teachers in the establishment and achievement of data driven learning goals,
- Oversees the implementation of the Secondary School Assessment Policy.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE/SKILLSIt is expected that candidates for this position will be highly qualified educators able to lead a faculty in order to make a distinct improvement in the learning environment and learning outcomes for our students. Characteristics of the ideal person for this position would include:
- A Master’s Degree, or higher, in Educational Leadership, Curriculum Studies, or a related field.
- A minimum of ten years teaching experience, with at least five in a senior administrative role, at the Head of School, Deputy Head, Principal or an equivalent position.
- Demonstrates intercultural competence with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability and desire to work collaboratively with the community of Atlanta International School and the wider community locally, nationally and internationally.
- Experience in several facets of the school accreditation process, for example as an accreditation team visitor and/ or a leadership role with accreditation from within the school.
DIVERSITY STATEMENTAtlanta International School is deeply committed to diversity among our staff and applicants of diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
PARTICULARS OF THE SEARCH
Atlanta International School has contracted with
RG175 to assist us with a local, national and international search for the next Head of Secondary School. A link to the full advertisement for this position is available
here.
The application includes:
- Cover letter explaining interest in the Atlanta International School Head of Secondary School.
- A full updated resume/C.V.
- A writing sample that may be a personal statement, an article for a school publication, a recent speech, or submitted scholarly article- whatever can help inform the search committee of expertise, interests, academic focus and experience.
- Five current references.
Applicants will be contacted if their skills and experience match our needs. Due to the high volume of applications, we regret that we are not able to take or return phone calls regarding employment.