High School Principal: STEM Prep Academies
Bostock Education Consulting is excited to support STEM Prep Academies in their search for an elementary school principal.
ORGANIZATION:
STEM Prep Academies
POSITION:
High School Principal
REPORTS TO:
Deputy Chief of Schools
LOCATION:
Nashville, TN
About STEM Prep Academies:
Launching the first public charter school network to serve the incredibly vibrant and diverse South Nashville community, in 2010 our team set out to do what everyone told our Founder couldn’t be done: provide a rigorous, inquiry-based STEM education for Nashville’s structurally underrepresented subgroups, preparing each student, regardless of home language or immigration status, to graduate from college. Nearly a decade after our doors opened to our founding 5th grade class, we operate two fully built out high-performing schools serving the highest percentage of limited English proficiency students in our sector: STEM Prep Academy Middle School (grades 5-8) and STEM Prep High School (grades 9-12). In 2014, we expanded our impact to launch one of the largest newcomer programs in the country, the Nashville Newcomer Academy, serving new arrival immigrant and refugee students and their families from around the world.
Today, our team is composed of over 100 of the most tenacious, persistent, and mission-aligned teachers, leaders, and support staff working to secure the college-graduation mission for each and every one of our students and their families. By 2025, we aim for the diversity of our staff to mirror the population we serve. We have the national growth data, the accolades and awards, the parent testimonials, the college scholarship funds, and the founding alumni, the college-graduating class of 2023, to prove that what we set out to do is in fact possible. We show up for our students and for each other every single day, motivated by the incredibly hard work it takes to give our students what they deserve (what everyone said couldn’t be done).
Join us.
Position Overview:
Award-winning charter operator is seeking a passionate, committed, and results-driven instructional leader to set vision and direction for their proof-point high school. Through a rigorous college prep academic model, dual credit programs, and industry certification pathways in the health sciences, STEM Prep has changed opportunities for thousands of students. We seek a leader who will build upon this foundation and chart the next course for our community.
Responsibilities:
Academic Achievement
Lead STEM Prep Academy to become the highest performing charter school in Nashville, serving primarily low-income students and one of the largest populations of English Learners in this Southeast region of the nation.
Set and own the academic and cultural vision for the School, aligned to our college-going mission for ALL students.
Manage and develop the leadership team, including Academic Deans, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal in successfully fulfilling our school goals.
Demonstrate an understanding of effective implementation of school curriculum, assessment, and instructional practices to close the achievement gap.
Create, maintain, and regularly revise systems and processes to drive student achievement.
Meet or exceed agreed upon goals set for increasing student performance in formative assessments (MAP, benchmark testing, etc.) as well as achievement data (TNReady, ACT, ACCESS testing).
Ensure the school’s diverse student populations are making progress equal to those students in its regular education program.
Ensure the school meets and is in compliance with all federal, state, and local rules and regulations.
As the leader of a data-driven organization, root all decisions - academic, cultural, etc. - in data.
Ensure that all teachers and leaders regularly use assessment data to meet individual student needs and make daily instructional decisions.
Student Relationships
Oversee the school-wide positive behavioral support program and practices to cultivate a student culture of excellence undergirded by the organization’s mission and core values.
Approach all student concerns through the lens of Love and Logic.
Demonstrate thorough knowledge of effective PBS systems and practices that support a culture of excellence, growth, and care.
Build and maintain strong relationships with parents and the family unit.
People Development
Staff culture: Create a staff culture and work environment in which highly effective staff members are actively engaged and feel unwaveringly connected to the organization and its mission. Make the school a place where staff and students are all committed to excellence and believe that hard work is the key to achieving it.
Professional Development: Develop, maintain, and regularly review and revise systems and practices that improve staff ability to increase student achievement.
Staff retention: Successfully retain top performers. Creates an environment where staff is committed to a long tenure and would recommend working at the school to others.
Create and maintain a culture that promotes student achievement and college preparation for all students.
Demonstrate a commitment to competent communication and conflict resolution.
Consistently evaluate and proactively improve people, processes, programs, and services for greater effectiveness, efficiency and value.
Community Development
Build and maintain family satisfaction. Provide indication of a high level of parent satisfaction with the organization as evidenced by feedback and low student attrition rates. Listen and respond respectfully to the range of concerns expressed by various constituents.
Ensure that all families and stakeholders, regardless of home language or country of origin, feel welcome and comfortable at our school.
Network-Wide Collaboration
Partner with the leadership teams, Network team, and support staff.
Ensure an effective flow of critical information between and among leaders, staff, teachers and students.
Work closely with leaders to keep all parties fully informed on all important aspects of the status and development of the academic program to ensure transparent and effective oversight of the organization as a whole.
Collaborate with members of senior staff to bolster quality of programming and ensure continuous improvement of the academic program and organization as a whole.
Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
Three years of teaching experience
Three years serving on a school leadership team
Bachelor’s degree in education or a related field
Demonstrated ability to achieve stronger-than-average results in both academic and cultural roles
Ability to hold adults accountable while building and maintaining relationships
Eagerness to resolve conflicts, not avoid them.
Demonstrated commitment to Anti Racism, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging
Feels confident, compelled and proactive in creating, monitoring and evaluating action plans
Commitment to the development of adult learners through skill, knowledge, and mindset coaching conversations
Ability to manage multiple priorities and a students first mindset
Compensation and Benefits
Annual salary begins at $110,000, commensurate with experience.
Family & Well-being Benefits
Paid Parental Leave (12 weeks paid leave for mothers AND fathers!)
Retirement counseling
Health center access
Mental health counseling
Equal Opportunity Employer
STEM Prep Academy believes it is critical for our staff - teachers, and leaders to reflect the communities that they serve. We actively support equal opportunity for all people. As such, we strongly encourage People of Color, Women, LGBTQIA2S+ Individuals, Individuals with Disabilities, First Generation College Graduates, and all other groups that have been historically marginalized to apply to become a member of the STEM Team. STEM Prep does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices.