The Family Cooperative
Located at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School
46 Belmont Street
Watertown, MA
02472
Start Date: August 1, 2015
The Family Cooperative is seeking a full-time Director to start immediately. Responsibilities of the Director include, but are not limited to:
Leadership:
• Consistently work toward establishing a healthy and cooperative organizational culture
• Be the face of the institution and represent the mission and values of TFC
• Create a safe space for faculty and parents to address concerns
• Seek personal professional development opportunities to expand own growth
• Encourage vision building and innovation
Relationship with Buckingham Browne & Nichols:
• Be the ambassador between TFC and BB&N
• Maintain a positive and constructive working relationship with BB&N
Daily Administration:
• Conduct daily check-ins with staff regarding attendance and staff needs
• A director should be on-site during all operating hours
• Be available during drop-off and pick-up times to interface with families and develop relationships and community
• Manage the enrollment of each classroom
Fiduciary Responsibilities:
• Create the budget along with the finance committee
• Be responsible for maintaining the budget on a day-to-day basis
• Give quarterly budget reports to the Board
Faculty Support and Development:
• Set clear expectations of staff in the beginning of the year
• Have each staff member sign off on expectations to ensure mutual understanding
• Support staff in their professional development process
• Conduct daily check-ins with all staff members
• Provide staff with written evaluations twice a year, presented to the person prior to, or during the evaluation meeting
• Have formal check-ins with each staff member three times a year (fall, winter, spring) regarding performance and goals
• Maintain a positive morale and work environment
Curriculum Development:
• Develop and ensure delivery of high-quality and appropriate Reggio-inspired, emergent child-centered curriculum
• Encourage curricular practices that facilitate children’s relationships within the community, explorations of their environment, and investigations of the world
• Arrange time and opportunities for staff to develop curriculum
Facilities Management:
• Make sure the center’s physical facilities comply with local, state and federal laws and are a safe and appropriate environment for children
• Evaluate and purchase equipment and supplies for the center or approve requests to purchase materials and equipment
Parental Communication and Involvement:
• With support from the Board, will establish what cooperative responsibilities each family has at TFC
• Develop policies for the school and communicate that to the parents
• Create safety and ease for people to express themselves
• Maintain a system of timely and consistent communication
• Consistently communicate with families regarding the positive, motivating elements of the school environment in order to create community and offer insights into the school as a whole
• Define and administer responsibilities of the cooperative
The ideal candidate should have a minimum of five years of experience as a Director in an early childhood center. A Masters and Certification by the Department of Early Education and Care are required.
The candidate must be First Aid and CPR certified or willing to obtain certification, able to lift up to 50 pounds, move easily up and down from floor and actively participate in the school community and cooperative.
In addition, the candidate will demonstrate the following:
• Joy working with children, families, staff and Board of Directors
• Exceptional management and communication skills
• Ability to work in collegial manner with people at all levels of the organization
• Self-starter, discretion and tact
• Present a professional image and ability to gain respect
• Collaborate cooperatively to advance and grow the quality of the program
• Contribute positively to the overall morale of people within the institution
• Show interest working with a diverse community and in topics of diversity
• Exhibit high standards of professional conduct
• Reflect a thoughtful, compassionate, motivated, mature and intellectually curious spirit
• Willingness to find new solutions and share ideas and feedback in a constructive way
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends
Application Instructions:
Please email your cover letter and resume in a single Word Document to Vanessa Taylor at vtaylor@bbns.org.
In addition, please include your answers to the following questions:
Question 1: How many years of experience do you have working as a Director at an early childhood center? Please describe your experience.
Question 2: Have you worked in a cooperative center? If so, please describe your experience.
Question 3: Have you worked in a Reggio-inspired center? If so, how has Reggio Emilia informed your teaching, leadership and educational philosophy?
Question 4: Why is it important to you to work in a diverse community?
Question 5: If you live out of state, are there any existing plans to visit Boston/Cambridge in the near future? If yes, when?
Question 6: Skype video may serve as one of the tools used in the candidate hiring process. If contacted, would you agree to be interviewed via Skype video? If so, please provide your Skype account name.
The Family Cooperative prohibits discrimination against any applicant for employment because of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, veteran status (special disabled veterans, disabled veterans and Vietnam-era veterans), or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law.
The Family Cooperative is a Reggio Emilia inspired center located in Watertown, MA on the campus of Buckingham Browne & Nichols. TFC was established to serve children of BB&N faculty and staff and of educators from nearby schools in a diverse, inclusive, enriching, and nurturing educational environment. It is our mission to care for and educate children through engaging in an emergent, child-centered curriculum in a cooperative setting that supports strong parental involvement. The goals of our curricular practices are to facilitate children’s relationships within the community, explorations of their environment, and investigations of the world. We strive to support children’s independence, empathy, and intellectual curiosity.
Questions about this position should be emailed to Vanessa Taylor at: vtaylor@bbns.org
For more information about The Family Cooperative, please visit: http://thefamilycooperative.weebly.com
Together, we are empowering exceptional education.