Montessori School Director

A leader who can quickly grow enrollment, attract and retain great staff, build a strong parent community, and ensure the educational experience for each child in every classroom is of the highest standard. As the School Director, you'll be responsible for providing leadership to the entire campus team. The School Director will assume leadership of a well-established school community with numerous opportunities for growth and development. Areas of potential impact include: Embracing AMA’s goal of supporting Maria Montessori’s vision for Education for Peace through explicit actions towards advocating for equity and social justice; Increasing AMA’s presence in the broader Montessori community through participation in various Montessori courses and seminars, attending conferences and community events, and additional opportunities for impacting adults in their own development as Montessori educators and leaders.

The director has full responsibility for the implementation of our mission as a high-quality Montessori educational institution, strategic initiatives, and all day-to-day operations. The right candidate will have experience as a solid decision-maker with excellent judgment, an interest in growing and evolving as a leader, and someone who embodies leadership via Montessori principles.

The School Director reports to the Regional Directors.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Developing a strategic plan for the campus
• Creating a strong culture that embodies the mission of our organization
• Building a strong community among staff, parents, and children
• Ensuring delivery of an exceptional program
• Ensuring overall profitability targets are met (including managing campus budget) → enrollment and staffing (with measured KPIs)
• Working with the Assistant Director to ensure enrollment targets are met
• Ensuring school and Montessori best practices are followed in all classrooms
• Hiring, supporting, developing, and managing teaching staff
• Ensuring school policies are being followed
• Working with the Assistant Director in guiding staff
• Interfacing with parents to build community, answer questions, and resolve any concerns that may arise
• Coordinating and planning extracurricular activities and field trips

Competencies

• Strategic thinking: Ability to develop and implement a vision for the school, set goals, and create a strategic plan to achieve them.
• Decision-making: Ability to make sound decisions in a timely manner and with limited information, even under pressure.
• Delegation: Ability to delegate tasks effectively and empower staff to take ownership of their responsibilities.
• Written and verbal communication: Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders,including staff, parents, students, and community members.
• Conflict resolution: Ability to resolve conflict in a fair and effective manner.
• Understanding of curriculum and instruction: Ability to develop, implement, and evaluate a strong Montessori curriculum that meets the needs of all students.
• Assessment: Ability to develop and implement assessments to measure student learning and progress.
• Integrity: Ability to act with honesty and equity in all situations.
• Passion for education: A strong belief in the power of education to make a difference in the lives of students.
• Resilience: Ability to overcome challenges and setbacks.

About Us:

The American Montessori Academy delivers the highest standard of Montessori education by meeting the academic, social, emotional, spiritual and intellectual needs of children 8 weeks to 9 years of age. We are a network of independent Montessori schools that offers year-round, all-day programs based upon the Montessori Method in stimulating learning facilities, located in the South Loop, Andersonville, and affiliates on the North Shore.

Our main objectives are to provide a carefully planned, stimulating environment which helps children develop within themselves the foundational habits, attitudes, skills and ideas which are essential for a lifetime of creative thinking and learning. When engaged in well-structured tasks, the students experience a deep inner satisfaction which leaves them with an overall positive attitude toward the joy of learning.

Pay range $55,000 - $65,000 depending on experience and education and includes a compensation incentive tied to enrollment growth.

AMA is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

Please visit us at amaschools.com.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $55,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• What interests you about working at a Montessori School?
• Are you DCFS director qualified?
• What is your personal email address?
• What are your preferred pronouns?

Work Location: In person