Sabot at Stony Point
Richmond, Virginia
Start Date: July 1, 2021
THE OPPORTUNITY
Sabot at Stony Point, a Reggio-inspired preschool through 8th grade school in Richmond, VA, seeks an enthusiastic and experienced Director of Early Childhood. This person will work collaboratively with students, faculty, parents, and other administrators to create and sustain a vibrant community of Reggio-inspired faculty and learners, and they will support both learning and professional development through an inquiry-based, social-constructivist approach.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Director’s essential duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:
– Pedagogical Approach. Provide leadership, training, and ongoing support for the school’s pedagogical paradigm: a social-constructivist approach in which teachers and students investigate questions, build understanding, and represent and reflect on the shared learning of the group.
– Curriculum Development. Work with the faculty to review and develop a curriculum that is coherent with the school’s philosophy and is informed by current research.
– Faculty Development and Supervision. Provide supervision to and support the development of the faculty in Preschool, Grades K – 3 and Resource Teachers, including frequently visiting each classroom and using our faculty growth and development framework. Meet regularly with teaching teams and observe each classroom regularly. Support teacher-researchers in sharing their work with other teacher-researchers, both informally and formally. Facilitate the sharing of ideas and the co-construction of curriculum, provide relevant research, and support the continual improvement of teaching practice. With the support of the Atelierista, lead pedagogical meetings with the preschool to Grade 3 faculty.
– Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity. We nurture a learning environment where diversity is valued, respected, and celebrated. Diversity, and the variety of experiences and perspectives it provides, is central to our approach to education. Our emphasis on co-construction – an environment where everyone teaches and everyone learns – is strengthened by a community that includes diversity in all ways.
– Recruitment. Support the selection process and onboarding of new teachers and the coordination of orientation and training.
– Research. Engage in action research by generating hypotheses and questions, documenting the work of the program, and reflecting individually and collaboratively.
– Engagement. Engage with the Sabot at Stony Point faculty through faculty development and community-wide events to forward the work of the school. Engage with the larger field of progressive education to disseminate Sabot’s work and remain conversant in best practices.
– Program Coordination. Coordinate with the Licensing Manager and Auxiliary Program Manager in supporting the development and implementation of extended day and extracurricular programming. Ensure licensing requirements are met.
– Student Assessment. Review all student assessment reports and standardized testing reports before dissemination to stay apprised of student progress. Use the results of assessments to augment and solidify student learning.
– Student Support. Under the direction of the Head of School, lead the articulation of the school’s approach to differentiated learning and to student support and discipline. Work with faculty to respond to and manage concerns and issues, and collaborate with the School Counselor when necessary to develop and adhere to student support plans. Effectively communicate with teachers and families about student concerns and well-being, and mediate any disagreements or misunderstandings. Maintain student confidentiality.
– Communication & Connection with Children. Maintain a connection to the children, supporting their learning and maturity through the levels and grades and their personal growth and well-being.
– Communication with Parents. Be visible, approachable, and available. Observe and listen to the intentions of the children in order to support learning in both individual and collaborative work. Conduct parent dialogues, parent conferences, and other communications as dictated by issues or student needs.
– Administrative Team. Support the Head of School. Attend weekly administrative and academic meetings. Provide input on all school policies. Review final drafts of assessment reports. Provide input for the annual budget in December for the next school year and review the budget monthly with the Director of Finance and Operations.
– Engagement. Engage with the Sabot at Stony Point faculty through faculty development and community-wide events to forward the work of the school. Engage with the larger field of progressive education to disseminate Sabot’s work and remain conversant in best practices.
– Admissions and retention. Evaluate prospective students for enrollment. Make recommendations about re-enrollment of current students. Monitor student progress and review individual concerns.
– Supervision/Safety. Ensure the physical and emotional health and safety of students both inside and outside the classroom by providing active and appropriate supervision and guidance.
– Planning. Collaborate with teaching faculty to ensure that at the start of school, students and parents are provided with a clear set of expectations regarding behavior, class work, and – in some cases – homework.
QUALIFICATIONS
The Director of Preschool to Grade 3 will generally have at least the following qualifications:
– A Master’s degree from an accredited college or university
– Foundational knowledge and understanding of the Reggio Emilia – Approach and experience working in a Reggio-inspired early childhood setting
– Leadership experience in an independent school (preferably in a progressive or Reggio Emilia setting)
– Advanced knowledge of childhood development including best-practice in social, emotional, and behavioral learning and development
– Thorough knowledge of research and best-practice of curriculum and instruction
– Experience implementing evidence-based practice in literacy instruction
– Deep interest in students as learners
– Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to manage personal and professional relationships with tact, sensitivity, respect, compassion, and openness
– Ability to work both indoors and outdoors
– Ability to lift 40 pounds, bend or kneel to facilitate communication with children, climb two flights of stairs while supervising children, and maintain a high level of activity while supervising children
– Upon employment, ability to pass criminal background checks
TO APPLY
Candidates must submit the following materials electronically (as separate PDF attachments) to HR@sabotatstonypoint.org with the subject of the email as “Director of Preschool to Grade 3”.
– Letter of interest
– Resume
– Statement of educational philosophy or leadership philosophy
– Contact information for three professional references
THE SCHOOL
Sabot has about 180 students and roughly 40 employees. As we grow, we are dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic team committed to working in a multicultural environment. The Director of Preschool to Grade 3 will join a cohesive, committed, and talented community.
Our Reggio-inspired, social-constructivist curriculum is inquiry-based and driven in part by the children’s interests. We emphasize collaboration and recognize the gifts that each child brings to the group. Our approach is one that recognizes the whole child and focuses first and foremost on social and emotional learning and relationships as the necessary foundation for education.
Sabot is an educational home for teachers drawn to relationships and practices that are rooted in unifying beliefs about children and learning, are based on current neurological and educational research, and are reliant on our teacher-researchers’ collaborative problem solving and creativity. Sabot teachers are both guides and fellow travelers in the collaborative learning process and make students’ learning visible to themselves and others. We view teaching not as a static set of skills, but as a dynamic process, manifested in our culture of research and our commitment to teacher development.
MISSION
Sabot at Stony Point is a school designed to sustain children’s quest for meaning and understanding, harness the power of their theories and ideas, and guide their inquiry and research. In an environment that supports collaboration and respectful exchange, we challenge our students to become effective communicators and disciplined thinkers, capable of solving problems in our increasingly complex world.
Together, we are empowering exceptional education.