Head Of School (Director)

Now hiring: ambitious, motivated, creative educational leaders in San Francisco.

Are you tired of false alternatives in education? Are you unwilling to accept a curriculum with either a religious or a political agenda? Unwilling to sacrifice either academic excellence or emotional well-being? Come build the third option: a school rooted in Montessori humanism, with a classical reverence for history, and a dedication to the heroic in every student. Come reimagine what education can be with a group of mission-driven and creative entrepreneurs.

Overview

Higher Ground Education is a community of educators driven by the conviction that today's educational options are outdated and broken. To meet the needs of today's children and bring about true progress in the world around us, we are building and rapidly scaling an educational model that fosters independence and develops competent, capable, and action-oriented critical thinkers.

In early childhood, we are dramatically expanding the number of high-fidelity, authentic Montessori programs around the globe. In elementary, middle, and high school, we are building a program that combines a classical reverence for history, with a Montessori emphasis on humanism, and an orientation towards hero-worship that is uniquely Higher Ground. We are building an educational model to combat the epidemic of depression and pessimism in adolescents, and to prepare students to both understand the past, and use it to shape their own futures.

If you want to be at the forefront of a new way of thinking about education, if you are ready to inspire, lead, plan, and build, if you are ready for a challenge and an adventure: this is the role for you.

Your Role

You will serve as Head of School for the middle and high school programs at the Academy of Thought and Industry in San Francisco, serving children from age 12 to 18. Experience in education and school management is preferred but not required if you have a deep reverence for education and feel a connection to our mission. While many of our school leaders are former teachers, others are young leaders who started their career in other fields and fell in love with running schools. This role will require exceptional communication and community building skills. You will be the face of the school and the first point of contact for students, teachers, families, and community members.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Develop a strategic plan for your campus, including an emphasis on outcomes. The numbers keep us honest, and allow us to independently check our success. Profitability is a core part of our mission. We are proudly a for-profit education company. We believe that a for-profit model coupled with an uncompromising philosophy of education is part of what is needed to drive educational change on the large scale.
• Build and maintain a culture of excellence for students and educators. You will work closely with school leaders and teachers, and will be ultimately responsible for building a culture that emphasizes our core values of work and knowledge.
• Leaning into the hard situations. You are the first responder for student, teacher, or parent concern. You will be the one everyone looks to when things are difficult. This means that you stay calm when others get flustered; that you are comfortable and confident in articulating and applying the school's values in a number of challenging situations.
• Lead and build a stellar team. You'll have the opportunity to build and lead your school team, finding teachers who are representatives of your leadership. You will set the culture of the school on a daily basis, and be responsible for upholding standards in all aspects of the school.

What we offer:

• Ongoing professional development and exceptional leadership training
• A network of supportive peers and mentors
• Career growth and promotion opportunities
• A competitive salary
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• 100% tuition discount for two children at any school within our network (depending on location we serve students from 2 months to 18 years)
• This is a local, San Francisco-based position. We do offer relocation support for the right candidate.

Learn More:

Interested in learning more about who we are? Here are some resources:

The Academy of Thought and Industry website and blog, with recommended articles:

• Why do we study history?
• A culture of knowledge
• A parent's view on virtual high school

Montessorium, our organization's academic think-tank, with recommended articles on agency and identity, including our approach to social justice, and how we separate education from advocacy in The Persona of an Educator