Laboratory Schools: Early Childhood Principal
The University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Posted in Education and Training


This job has expired.

Job Info


Department

Lab School Programs & Partnerships

About the Department

At the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, students in Nursery through Grade 12 experience a world-class educational journey. Founded in 1896 by John Dewey as a place for educators to develop and explore novel approaches to pedagogy and curriculum, Lab continues to provide excitement and imagination in learning to this day. Academic rigor, experiential learning, and intellectual discourse are hallmarks of a Lab education. Lab educators are recognized for excellence in teaching and pride themselves on innovation in the classroom. Students in every grade have access to unparalleled resources, and all members of the Lab community benefit by partnerships and connections with the University of Chicago. Families who choose Lab care deeply about curiosity, inquiry, and creativity. No less than scholarship, Lab's mission prioritizes honoring diversity and exhibiting kindness. We are committed to building and supporting a teaching and learning community where young people see aspects of their backgrounds and identities reflected around them, where they feel a deep sense of belonging, and where they discover and use their voices to full effect. Today, 53-59 percent of Lab's student body are students of color. Families report speaking nearly 40 different languages in their homes. Approximately 60 percent of Lab families are also affiliated with the University of Chicago. Half of our families live in Hyde Park, and the rest come from across Chicago, the suburbs, and northwestern Indiana. Inclusion is a fundamental value at Lab, such that we celebrate every facet of community members' identities, and even where we disagree, we emphasize respect, civility, and maintaining a spirit of community. Lab seeks the finest employees to join our vibrant learning community. We employ people with a wide range of skills and training in many different disciplines, who have in common a love of learning and the wish to inspire that same love of learning in young people. We seek candidates for employment who thrive in an educational environment. We provide a great professional home for those committed to collaboration, ongoing personal and professional growth, and cultivating positive relationships. We strongly encourage applications from candidates of color, LGBTQ+ identified candidates, candidates from historically marginalized or underrepresented backgrounds, and candidates with a demonstrated commitment to a deepening diversity, equity, and inclusion practice. In turn, we strive to ensure that Lab is a joyful, welcoming, and inspiring place to work. Through our connection to the University, faculty, staff, and administrators enjoy benefits and opportunities that would be nearly impossible to match in any other environment.

Job Summary

The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools seek an adept and visionary education professional and community leader to serve as Principal of our Early Childhood division (grades Nursery-3 through 2nd), effective summer 2023. Founded by John Dewey and inspired by the fundamentals of progressive education, the Laboratory Schools are home to the youngest scholars at the University of Chicago and as such, provide a world-class education to students from Nursery-3 through 12th Grade. The Early Childhood division takes a whole-child, play-based approach to the growth and learning of 700 diverse children in Nursery-3 through 2nd grade. The division is located at Lab's exemplary Earl Shapiro Hall campus and boasts a dynamic teaching team of over 100 classroom teachers, assistant teachers, and learning and counseling educators, as well as a dedicated staff. The Principal, supported by an Assistant Principal, a Dean of Faculty, and a Dean of Teaching and Learning, is responsible for the strategic direction, leadership, and daily oversight of the division, support of a talented faculty to further the development of their craft, and partnership with an engaged parent community. Reporting to the Associate Director of Schools (Lab's most senior program officer), the Principal holds a senior administrative leadership position at Lab and as such participates actively in broad strategic guidance for the Schools.

The successful candidate for Principal will bring a robust teaching background, proven experience in educational administration, demonstrated success in fostering a climate of inclusion and belonging, and a strong understanding of best practices in curriculum development, faculty and staff development, and putting theory into practice in early childhood education. The Principal bears responsibility for smooth day-to-day operations in the division as well as students' academic and social progress, professional growth of educators, positive community relations, and student safety and well-being. The Principal will ensure the recruitment, hiring, evaluation, professional development, and retention of an excellent, diverse team of educators. They will oversee curriculum development in accordance with schoolwide strategic priorities. They will actively pursue Lab's mission priority of honoring diversity, with attention to Lab's theory of action which links learning with diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as social-emotional growth. Based on strong relationships with students, families, faculty, and staff, a positive attitude and outlook, and a commitment to mission and collaborative problem-solving, the Principal will nurture the Early Childhood division's rich sense of community.

This is a full-time, year-round administrative appointment, beginning July 1, 2023.

Responsibilities

  • Responsible for all day-to-day activities in the Early Childhood division and all campus-wide operations at the Earl Shapiro Hall campus, from the implementation of daily schedules and events to safety and security.
  • Provides supportive, collaborative leadership in a dynamic teaching and learning environment where a diverse team of faculty and staff are committed to the continuous improvement of program and curriculum. Oversees ongoing professional development of faculty and provide coaching and mentorship to individual teachers in relationships based on collaboration and partnership. Maintains a healthy and productive relationship with members of Lab's Faculty Association through consistent, responsible administration of the collective bargaining unit.
  • Provides leadership in the development, improvement, and evaluation of the instructional program for students in N3-2. Adapts and implements Lab's mission and schoolwide strategic priorities within the unique context of the Early Childhood division.
  • In furtherance of Lab's mission imperative of honoring diversity, advances our aspiration of becoming an anti-bias, antiracist school, and works closely with Lab's Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Director of Student Services, and Director of Equal Opportunity Services.
  • Serves on the schoolwide Academic Leadership team and collaborates closely with principals of Lower, Middle, and High School and other senior program officers. Serves on the schoolwide Senior Leadership Team, ensuring the appropriate communication of Early Childhood successes and challenges to colleagues across all divisions, adapting divisional work as appropriate to efforts in other parts of the school, and contributing to institutional decision making, leadership, and transparent communications.
  • Fosters a healthy, positive community across the division through regular, direct communications with parents, students, faculty and staff, appropriate events and programs, and the cultivation of both strong relationships and appropriate boundaries,
  • Develops and implements the Early Childhood division's annual budget, provides sound oversight to ensure that finances are supporting strategic priorities, and partners with various administrative colleagues on issues such as planning, programming, budgeting, and operational infrastructure.
  • Execute a strategic plan that articulates key educational priorities and in alignment with the mission of the Schools for the division. Provides leadership in the development, improvement, and evaluation of the instructional program.
  • Supervise teachers in developing academic programs and curriculum. Responsible for performance evaluation of teachers and support staff. Has decision making authority in employment relationships. Manages academic teams and its work in a non-traditional reporting environment. Lead successfully in a complex system, building effective structures, procedures and methods of communication, and defining roles and responsibilities clearly.
  • Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.
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Certifications:


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Preferred Qualifications

Education:
  • Master's degree in education or related field.

Experience:
  • At least ten years of teaching experience, preferably in early childhood/primary education.
  • Direct experience with children aged 3-8.
  • At least five years of successful senior administrative experience, preferably in independent schools.
  • Significant experience in creating, implementing, managing, and assessing educational programs.
  • Experience working in or with a unionized faculty covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
  • Demonstrable success promoting and supporting diversity, developing a culture of inclusion and belonging, and assessing and maintaining equitable systems and processes.
  • Successful record of support for children and adults with diverse identities and backgrounds, including race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, learning abilities, socio-economic status, language, and national origin.
  • A broad understanding of early childhood/elementary curricula and child development, including knowledge of Reggio Emilia and/or other play-based, child centered curricula.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:
  • Use standard productivity software (Microsoft Office, calendar/schedule software, etc.).
  • Move in and around the classroom/building to interact with students, faculty, staff, parents, and other members of the community.

Preferred Competencies
  • An abiding commitment to creating and maintaining safe learning environments.
  • Outstanding leadership and organizational skills.
  • Robust, up-to-date understanding of best practices in child development and early childhood teaching and learning.
  • Strong supervision, mentorship, and support skills to effectuate a productive, collegial, and efficient teaching and learning environment, oriented towards professional growth, among divisional faculty and staff.
  • Ongoing commitment to learning and growth in skills, issues, and competencies relevant to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
  • Skill at building and sustaining excellent relationships at multiple levels with varied constituencies.
  • Proven experience growing, sustaining, and supporting the diversity of a program or enterprise.
  • Proven experience in developing inclusiveness, a culture of belonging, and a structure of equitable practices in classrooms and communities.
  • Facility with data-informed decision making.
  • A student-centered approach to education administration.
  • A proven record of establishing trust and respect within a community.
  • A sense of humor and joy in working with young children, their families, their teachers, and a school community.
  • Agility, flexibility, creativity, and patience.
  • A commitment to exhibiting kindness in all circumstances and to encouraging and eliciting kindness in others.
  • Confidence and resilience.
  • Navigate in complex environments, forge partnerships across constituencies, and develop productive working partnerships.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
  • Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
  • Robust empathy and emotional intelligence paired with outstanding interpersonal, diplomatic, and community-building skills.
  • Handle sensitive and confidential situations and information with absolute discretion.
  • Skill with change management.
  • Fevelop strong relationships while also maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and encourage the same in others.
  • Capacity to manage and navigate the expectations of invested and aspirational students and families with grace, compassion, appropriate boundaries, and self-care.
  • Creativity, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a strategic mindset.

Working Conditions
  • Standard office environment.

Application Documents
  • Resume/CV (required)
  • CoverLletter (required)
  • One-Page Statement of educational philosophy and practice (preferred)
  • Five (5) Professional References with name, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate's permission)(preferred)

When applying, the document(s) MUSTbe uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Academic Affairs

Role Impact

People Manager

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Frequency

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Posting Statement

Employees must comply with the University's COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward.

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at:http://securityreport.uchicago.edu.Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.


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