Head of Middle School

SUMMARY

For over 50 years, The San Francisco School (SFS) has been a vibrant and inclusive educational community in the diverse Portola neighborhood in the southern part of progressive San Francisco. Educating nearly 300 students in Preschool through 8th Grade is a collaborative effort at this independent school where all voices are heard and social justice has always been a top priority. Since 2017, the School’s strategic plan has laid out a commitment to humanitarian promise, prioritizing teaching and learning (Program), a diverse and inclusive community (People), and lasting connections to the surrounding neighborhood (Place).

SFS now seeks a head of middle school who will join a team of six other dedicated and experienced senior administrative colleagues, including the incoming head of school. The incoming head of school was announced in the fall of 2022 and will begin this summer following a successful, 15-year tenure of the outgoing head of school. The head of middle school oversees all aspects of the 6th-8th Grade program and curriculum, and will partner with the head of lower school and the director of design, engineering and technology to ensure programmatic continuity between each division. The head of middle school will be welcomed by an innovative and highly committed board, mission-aligned faculty and staff, and a diverse community of families, and will play an important role in building long-lasting relationships among these constituencies during this time of transition at SFS. The head of middle school will report to the head of school, and will start July 1, 2023.

12M Recruiting is running the search on behalf of SFS.  The priority deadline is March 12. For application instructions and the full job opportunity statement, please visit:

www.12MRecruiting.com/jobs/SFSHMS

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Applications Accepted Starting: February 14, 2023

Priority Deadline: March 12, 2023

Start Date: July 1, 2023

Reports To: Head of School

Salary Range: $160,000 to $170,000

SPECIFIC DUTIES

Leadership

• Serve as an active and collaborative member of the administrative leadership team.
• Together with the head of school, head of lower school and director of design, engineering and technology, collaborate on areas of strategic importance: the transitional continuity between the lower school and middle schools; the ongoing evolution of STEAM curriculum and middle school program overall; the development of inspiring staff meetings that foster community; and the programmatic maintenance of inclusion, equity, and social justice as central values.
• Oversee the high school transition process in collaboration with the high school guidance counselor.
• Serve on or lead committees as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Program Management

• Lead the operations of the middle school.
• Co-coordinate all-school coherence of curriculum, student life, and special programs.
• Oversee and coordinate the hiring, supervision, and evaluation of staff as assigned.
• Be a visible presence in all relevant areas of the middle school, and in particular know and be recognized by students and their parents and guardians in the middle school.
• Oversee student success in the middle school, working with parents, guardians, students, and staff on issues of academic performance, social and emotional learning, and behavioral accountability.
• Develop effective systems for parent and guardian communication and partnership.
• Represent the middle school to prospective students, parents and guardians.

Professional Development

• Lead, facilitate, and plan an array of professional development opportunities for staff—from informal classroom observations to all-school in-service events.
• Support a culture of pedagogical reflection and instructional design, and serve as an engaged thought partner to staff as they continue to improve their craft.
• Maintain an active presence in the local, regional, and national communities of independent school education.

SFS IS LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO CAN DEMONSTRATE

Professional Qualifications

• Multiple years of experience as a teacher, preferably in a middle school setting
• Experience leading trainings and major initiatives related to curriculum, pedagogy, and student experience—preferably at a progressive school offering early childhood, elementary, and middle school education
• Experience designing, implementing, and improving co-curricular programs and events that connect directly to a school’s mission and values
• Immersion in inclusion, equity and belonging work—both in training and in implementation — and a commitment to fostering culturally competent and inclusive classrooms
• Experience guiding parents and guardians on sensitive student-related matters, such as identifying need for learning evaluations, behavioral restorative processes, and high school transition process
• Experience with project-based, interdisciplinary learning and progressive education
• Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, which is a minimum requirement, though preferably possession of a graduate degree

Leadership & Personal Qualities

• Inspirational, pragmatic, diplomatic, and patient leadership that honors the core values of SFS, but also encourages risk-taking aligned with the school’s strategic plan
• Authentic empathy, warmth, and collegiality, and an ability to spread these qualities across an entire staff
• A passion for inspiring programmatic change, balanced with a judicious understanding that successful innovation at a progressive school requires establishing lasting peer-to-peer relationships
• Savvy communication and dynamic presentation skills—both written and oral
• A collaborative, cooperative, and growth-oriented mindset
• Enthusiasm for students and teachers to pursue their passions, talents, and interests, both in and out of the traditional classroom
• A vision that is aligned with the needs of a dynamic and diverse staff
• A love of learning and love of school, and a willingness to support unique and unpredictable learning journeys of both students and staff.

TO APPLY

For more information please visit the following link, which contains the job opportunity statement and complete application instructions.

www.12MRecruiting.com/jobs/SFSHMS

The San Francisco School is committed to policies that will increase staff diversity, both to reflect the high value SFS places on a multicultural understanding, and for the direct benefit of each student. The San Francisco School is an equal opportunity employer. We continually strive to build an inclusive culture in our diverse community. The San Francisco School encourages applications for employment from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, and veteran status.