School Director

About the role

As a School Director at Friends Center for Children in New Haven, CT, you will guide ECE program quality and staff development. Candidates must bring a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field.

Friends Center for Children is a year-round early care and education program serving children ages 3 months to 5 years and their families. FCfC uses an emergent curriculum, is a parent cooperative program, offers a sliding-scale tuition system, and is rooted in the Quaker values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equity and stewardship. Our mission: Educate Children, Empower Families, Inspire Teachers, Engage Community, Embrace Diversity, Embody Equity drives our work. A Friends Center School Director leads the Friends Center community in partnership with the Executive Director, the Program Director, and the Emotional Wellbeing coordinator.

Responsibilities

• Assumes responsibility for all aspects of running the school site
• Acts as lead and assumes responsibility of a classroom in the absence of a head teacher on an as-needed basis
• Works in partnership with the Emotional Wellbeing Team
• Collaborates closely with other School Directors and managers to ensure continuity across program sites
• Plans, directs, and supports the activities of staff involved in providing for the physical, emotional, social, and educational needs of children aged three months to five years
• Oversees curriculum development and implementation
• Provides reflective coaching for educators
• Formulates program goals and objectives, staffing plans and procedures
• Supervises program to ensure compliance with all accreditation and licensing requirements
• Maintains coverage through scheduling staff work shifts and absences; arranges for substitute coverage as needed
• Supports staff in providing developmentally appropriate care for all children, including children with special needs in the classroom, in collaboration with the Emotional Well-Being Team and external providers
• Plans and facilitates staff in-services and training on all topics for all NAEYC and licensing requirements, in collaboration with the Management Team
• Facilitates staff/parent interactions and participation, supporting staff-family cohesion
• Manages program-related concerns (families, staff, community)
• Provides program-wide communications with the community when necessary, in conjunction with the Executive Director and/or Program Director.
• Plans, organizes, and facilitates FCfC open houses and events
• Orients children, staff members, interns, volunteers, and parents to the Center
• Represents Friends Center for Children in the community
• Other duties as requested

Communication

• Communicate with all administrative and teaching staff daily
• Share conversations and interactions with families with the administrative staff and teachers in a confidential and sensitive manner
• Serve as the face of the school, including providing excellent front-facing customer service in person and via phone and email
• Arrive on time and ready to receive staff, children, and families
• Assist a wide variety of customers, including parents, children, teachers, staff, interns, and volunteers, with a range of needs personnel
• With support from Human Resources, Screens, interviews, assesses, and selects staff
• Recruits and trains staff, including teachers, interns, and substitutes
• Oversees and follows up on staff performance according to FCfC policies and procedures
• Maintains the OEC Professional Registry on a monthly basis for all staff members
• Works collaboratively with Human Resources to manage staff performance and accountability

Financial

• Acts as program liaison for, and compiles all child attendance reports for: Early Start CT and Early Head Start funding programs, and assists the Admissions department with Care4kids follow-up.

Professional Development

• Attend all staff meetings and program events as scheduled.
• Maintain required continuing education hours and provide documentation of such.
• Maintain knowledge of current theory and best practices.
• Participate in all required early childhood meetings, conferences, and/or events.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Development and/or Education or higher.
• At least 4 years of supervisory experience preferred.
• CPR certified or have the ability to complete training.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Computer literacy.
• Ability to communicate fluently in written and spoken English.
• At least three years of Early Childhood Education Teaching experience.
• Experience in play-based and outdoor learning environments preferred.
• Experience with child-led, emergent curriculum development preferred.
• Experience using Connecticut ELDS and DOTS required.
• Cultural sensitivity and proven ability to work with a diverse population.

Physical Requirements

• Vision and hearing must be within normal range so as to be able to provide sight and sound supervision.
• Ability to lift and carry 40 lbs.
• Ability to bend, sit on the floor for prolonged periods and get up again is required.

Nice to Have

• Experience working in a cooperative model is a plus.
• Experience in developing professional development content and facilitating training sessions
• Experience with public speaking or willingness to develop the skills necessary
• Fluency in Spanish or other languages is preferred.

Benefits

Common Questions

• What ECE credentials are required for this position?
• This role requires a bachelor's degree required.
• What does this position pay?
• This School Director role pays $50,000 to $70,000/Yr.
• Is this full-time or part-time?
• This job is Full Time.
• Where is Friends Center for Children located?
• Friends Center for Children is located at 227 East Grand Avenue, New Haven, CT.